Inhaltsangabe
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1847 Excerpt: ... THE PROPOSAL, OR, THE LOVES OF AN ECCENTRIC. "What can be the matter with Mary?" said Jane to Elizabeth Wilson, as the three sisters met at the breakfast-table. "She was always silent and retired, but now she never utters a word, confines herself to her chamber for one-half the day, and wanders alone into the woods for the other half. Mary, dear, why will you not endeavour to be more cheerful? If you continue to mope in this way, you will never be married!" Mary merely cast down her eyes to examine the grounds in her coffee-cup, without reply; but her mother remarked, "Jane, you are very silly. Were a stranger to judge from the expressions, and, I fear, from the manners, also, of Elizabeth and yourself, there would appear to be but one great purpose in existence--to be married! You speak of matrimony as if it were the end, instead of the beginning of woman's life." "La! Ma!" exclaimed Elizabeth, "you would not have us remain single, would you?" "By no means, my child," replied the old lady, "provided you meet with a truly fitting opportunity to marry. I am fully persuaded that no human being ever arrives at a knowledge of genuine happiness in this world, until after marriage; but such are the difficulties which the follies and whims of society have thrown in the way of proper association in our early years, and the levity with which young persons are permitted to trifle with the most serious engagement of life, that at last, I fear me, modern marriage is a lottery, in which there are many hundred blanks to the prize. However, girls, even in policy, such frolicsome habits and almost childish lightheadedness as you continually display, pleasant and popular as they may be in the social circle, are what your father would call very doubtful investments in the ma...
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