There is no part of my professional work that I approach with as great a feeling of responsibility as this sacred question of Matrimony. And when I am consulted by a young man or woman and requested to give my professional sanction to a proposed union, I study the characters of the parties with my most conscientious skill, and in the light of science I approve it or condemn it, regardless of everything but the great laws of nature, which, knowing, I dare not disobey. It frequently happens that I am obliged to condemn the aspirations of youthful minds, who up to that time have fondly imagined that they are perfectly suited to each other. But I have fearlessly passed an adverse judgment upon thousands of such cases, and in no case have I had cause to regret my decision. But in many cases, when parties have married in defiance of nature's laws, as explained by me, have they had cause to regret it. And many, very many, whom I have advised against improper marriages, have returned to thank me for my counsel. Some years ago I examined a young Methodist preacher, and when I described his adaptation in matrimony he seemed dejected, and remarked that it did not correspond at all with his sweetheart. I told him he was lucky to find out the truth before it was too late. He then brought the young lady to me for a personal examination, and both requested me to be candid and to give them the benefit of my highest professional skill. I did so. I said to the young man, "You are a preacher, a man of strong magnetic power, upon which you depend for success; your social organs are very large, and you depend on them to attract and hold those with whom you come in friendly contact. You need a wife who will fortify these elements in your character with strong magnetic and social qualities of her own. This lady, on the contrary, will neutralize in a great degree what you already possess. She is cold and exclusive, and, married to her, you would not be as successful as you would be single. Moreover, you are a man of warm, affectionate nature, demanding a great deal of caressing and amative demonstration from your wife. This lady would freeze you out in one week. "You have, also, some inharmonious similarities. You are argumentative, dogmatic and commanding in disposition, unyielding, inflexible and positive. This lady is like you in these respects, and if you get into an argument, neither would yield a point, and the result would be sure to be domestic discord. The attachment you both feel for each other is merely fraternal. There is not the first element of sexual magnetism in your constitutions." They were convinced, and broke the engagement then and there. Two years later I found them both happily married to other parties, according to my instructions, and both took occasion to thank me for saving them from a sad mistake.