And thou must fall, thy virtue's sacrifice. Yet while my Hector still survives, I see Let others in the field their arms employ, But stay my Hector here---and guard his Troy.-The Chief reply'd: That post shall be my care, Not that alone, but all the works of war. Thus having spoke th' illustrious Chief of Troy, Stretch'd his fond arms to clasp the lovely boy. The babe clung crying to his nurse's breast, Scar'd at the dazzling helm, and nodding crest, With secret pleasure each fond parent smil'd, And Hector hasten'd to relieve his child. The glitt'ring terrors from his brow unbound, And plac'd the beaming helmet on the ground. Then kiss'd the child, and lifting high in air, Thus to the Gods preferr'd a father's prayer. O Thou, whose glory fills th' ethereal throne! And all ye deathless pow'rs! protect my son! Grant him like me, to purchase just renown, To guard the Trojans, to defend the crown, Against his country's foes the war to wage, And rise the Hector of the future age! So when, triumphant from successful toils, Of heroes slain he bears the reeking spoils, The soften'd Chief with kind compassion view', These sketches, my dear Sir, may serve to give you a taste of some of the pleasures of the marriage state. And as they are taken from scenes in life, as widely different as the palace and the cottage; and as diversified, as the peaceful abode of the village farmer, and the tented field of the warrior, or the towering ship of war that rides on the stormy ocean: they may serve to show that the husband's and the father's feelings are the same in all circumstances; and that the pleasures arising from the marriage state, are the most delightful, and the most valuable that this life affords. The noble Hector these soft joys confess'd; Things trifling in their nature, and entirely uninteresting to others, become a source of perpetual delight to married people; because of the ideas which they associate with them. They recollect the circumstances under which such things were performed, and the conversation and pleasantries that passed about them. Therefore the man that says: such a thing was done by my Delia; or, I had this or that done to please her; enjoys a pleasure while he relates it, which it is impossible for any other but his Delia fully to participate. So when a married man does this for his wife, and that for his children, it is impossible for any but a husband and father to conceive of his pleasure. I freely confess to you, that the more I endeavour to particularize those pleasures, the more I am at a loss; not for want of subjects and circumstances; but from the difficulty of selecting, and impossibility of describing them. And indeed, this is the very essence of the happiness of which I am speaking: for the joys of the marriage state do not depend upon any uncommon or surprizing events, that unexpectedly occur in favour of married people; but they arise from a thousand little common occurrences, which happen every day, and all day long. It is easy to conceive that a man who has had twelve children, eight of them yet living, and five of them still at home, must know something of a father's cares, and enjoy something of a father's delights. You, my friend, have not yet shared the mother's pleasure, and the mother's pride, when first she taught the 6 little darling to watch the coming in and going out of its father: but, you may have observed how exceedingly amusing the lisping of an infant prattler is. Its innocent inquiries, and infantine descriptions, how delightfully they employ the parent's leisure moments. Have you not observed the mutual pleasure enjoyed by the husband and wife, when first the little one is capable of calling his papa ? This pleasure has often been renewed to me: the twelfth has now the office; for: the youngest still must be commissioned to announce, the breakfast, or,the dinner's ready.' When first he is capable of the office, with what joy he delivers his message! and how tenacious of the right, how proud of the commission! while the elder as reluctantly resigns :-but by that he is taught a lesson of submission and self denial: a necessary and useful lesson, which he will have occasion to practice at every stage of his future journey through the world. Whilst these scenes are passing, numerous little endearing circumstances are constantly occurring, to flush the mother's cheek with pleasure, and fill the father's heart with joy. I must observe here, that perhaps it |