It Is Better To Arm And Strengthen

Are You Hero Enough To Unite Yourself To One Whom You Know To Be Suspected And Despised By All Around You, And Identify Your Interests And Your Honor With Hers?

You Need Not Fear Me, For I Not Only Should Think It Wrong To Marry A Man That Was Deficient In Sense Or In Principle, But I Should Never Be Tempted To Do It; For I Could Not Like Him, If He Were Ever So Handsome, And Ever So Charming, In Other Respects; I Should Hate Him—despise Him—pity Him—anything But Love Him. My Affections Not Only Ought To Be Founded On Approbation, But They Will And Must Be So: For, Without Approving, I Cannot Love. It Is Needless To Say, I Ought To Be Able To Respect And Honour The Man I Marry, As Well As Love Him, For I Cannot Love Him Without.

I Began This Book With The Intention Of Concealing Nothing, That Those Who Liked Might Have The Benefit Of Perusing A Fellow Creature's Heart: But We Have Some Thoughts That All The Angels In Heaven Are Welcome To Behold -- But Not Our Brother-men -- Not Even The Best And Kindest Amongst Them.

All Our Talents Increase In The Using, And Every Faculty, Both Good And Bad, Strengthens By Exercise.

When I Tell You Not To Marry Without Love, I Do Not Advise You To Marry For Love Alone: There Are Many, Many Other Things To Be Considered. Keep Both Heart And Hand In Your Own Possession, Till You See Good Reason To Part With Them; And If Such An Occasion Should Never Present Itself, Comfort Your Mind With This Reflection, That Though In Single Life Your Joys May Not Be Very Many, Your Sorrows, At Least, Will Not Be More Than You Can Bear. Marriage May Change Your Circumstances For The Better, But, In My Private Opinion, It Is Far More Likely To Produce A Contrary Result.