Chapter M (17)

Money iz the great object of desire with both sexes; but how few obtain it by marriage? With respect to our sex, I confess, it iz not much to a man's credit to seek a fortune without any exertions of hiz own; but the ladies often make a capital mistake in the meens of obtaining their object. They ask, _what iz a man's fortune_? Whereas, if they are in pursuit of welth, solid permanent welth, they should ask, _is he a man of bizziness_? _Of talents?_ _Of persevering industry?_ _Does he know the use of money?_ The difference in the two cases iz this: The man of fortune, who haz not formed a habit of acquiring property, iz generally ignorant of the use of it. He not only spends it, but he spends it without system or advantage, and often dies a poor man. But the man who knows how to _acquire_ property, generally keeps hiz expenditures within hiz income; in exerting hiz talents to _obtain_, he forms a habit of _uzing_ hiz property to advantage, and commonly enjoys life az wel in _accumulating_ an estate, az the man of fortune does in _dissipating_ one. My idea iz breefly this; that the woman who marries a man of bizziness, with very little property, haz a better chance for a fortune in middle life and old age, than one who marries a rich man who livs in idleness.

After all, ladies, it depends much on yourselves to determin, whether your families shall enjoy eezy circumstances. Any man may acquire something by hiz application; but _economy_, the most difficult article in conducting domestic concerns, iz the womans province.

You see with what frankness and candor I tell you my opinions. This iz undoutedly the best mode of conducting social intercourse, and particularly our intercourse with the fairest part of the creation.

I rite from feeling; from obzervation; from experience. The sexes, while eech keep their proper sphere, cannot fail to render eech other social and happy. But frail az yours iz commonly represented, you may not only boast of a superior share of virtu yourselves, but of garding and cherishing ours. You hav not only an interest in being good for your _own_ sakes, but _society_ iz interested in your goodness; you polish our manners, correct our vices, and inspire our harts with a love of virtue. Can a man who loves an amiable woman, abandon himself to vices which she abhors? May your influence over our sex be increesed; not merely the influence of beauty and gay accomplishments, but the influence of your virtues, whoze dominion controls the evils, and multiplies the blessings of society.

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Transcriber's note:

The text on page 37 has been moved to a footnote after the second paragraph on page 5 as the author suggests.

In some essays the writer makes extensive use of phonetical spelling. Inconsistencies in spelling have therefore not been corrected.

Missing punctuation has been silently corrected. Unmatched double quotation marks in the text were not corrected.

CORRECTIONS:

page original correction
xvi marrying a Wife's Sister._ marrying a Wife's Sister._ 322
21 of so frightful mein, of so frightful mien,
24 where governments is where government is
28 very abandonded men, very abandoned men,
57 An important dictinction An important distinction
125 a man ... crying a bushel a man ... carrying a bushel
153 government of Pensylvavia government of Pensylvania
160 and removeaable only and removeable only
164 people generally concurrred people generally concurrred
196 were of an intrisic value, were of an intrinsic value,
221 Nothwithstanding these Notwithstanding these
242 that hackeyned virtue, that hackneyed virtue,
262 my be stil seen may be stil seen
265n lands under a propietor, lands under a proprietor,
279 brought be-before the brought before the
302 in clossing issues; in closing issues;
323 without examinining into without examining into
333 The statues of Henry VIII. The statutes of Henry VIII.
333 thoze which are prohited. thoze which are prohibited.
376 north eest of Great Brirain, north eest of Great Britain,
377 westward of Eeest Florida. westward of Eest Florida.
395n not _'ma la in se_, not _mala in se_,
397 malice prepense, malice pretense,
398 frend whoze reputatation frend whoze reputation