"'My dear love, remember that marriage is a state necessarily imposing many duties, and accumulating many cares; this in its happiest instances must ever be the case; it is wisely ordered that it should be so. But it is a state honoured by God and man, and opens upon a wide field for self-improvement. If entered upon in this view, it brings with its pains many delights and consolations, both for this world and the next; but if it is engaged in rashly, merely for the purpose of running a more unchecked career, or for the unworthy purposes of aggrandizement in rank and fortune apart from nobler views, it never fails to produce disappointment, and it may be, disgust of life and endless misery.' "What a terrible picture, my Albert! But I cannot conceive it possible that any body should marry from any motive but attachment, and therefore I can hardly persuade myself that any of these awful consequences are likely to attend on marriage; only my Bible shews me the insufficiency of all mere mortal trusts; and Mamma, I know, never says what she does not think is true; therefore I must try and prepare myself for becoming such a wife to you as will secure our mutual felicity. The little book we exchanged on the day you left us, I read morning and evening, and as soon as it is finished I begin it again; so when you are reading yours, you may be certain we are pronouncing the same words, thinking the same thoughts, lifting up our hearts together to the God who made us. "How thankful we ought to be for good books; are they not messengers from heaven? And yet how we slight them. Often, when engaged in my morning's duty of reading, my wandering mind turns so frequently to drawing, to music, or any other exercise, that at length I have punished myself by determining not to have recourse to these recreations till I can moderate my ardour for them, and enjoy them only as recreations; they _ought not_ to be more--all beyond is idolatry. I have of late, too, engaged myself in active duties among the poor around our neighbourhood; and my rides to their different habitations give me such additional health and spirits, that I am always ready to laugh at all Mr. Foley's silly jokes. My heart is so light, and I feel so happy--I see no end to all the diverting things I have in view, and some day or another when, please God, I am really your wife, all the schemes I form for the benefit of those within the circle of my influence will be fully realized.