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    mended early marriages as a powerful excitement to virtuous industry . It is recorded of the good old Puritan Mr . Dod , that when he thought his income forbid taking a wife , he was encouraged from seeing a hen , who appeared as well provided for after having a brood as when she had only to care for herself . Marriage will

    always prove , with considerate minds , an excitement to industry ; but the utmost industry will not always procure a physician patients , a lawyer clients , or a divine a larger 'income . Mr . Dod ' s hen straying at large might find enough for herself and her chickens too . Had she been confined to a

    certain allowance , enough for herself , but no way of procuring more , she and her chickens must have starved , or at best had a very hungry life . An acquaintance of mine , not of a penurious turn , when applied to for the relief of a minister ' s widow and

    eight children , refused . " Young A ., " observed he , " is about to marry Miss B . ; should a family come on , there must soon be & collection made for them 5 such imprudencies should be discouraged . " Brother A wisely attended to advice , and avoided that poverty which love alone could hardly render palatable .

    The most imprudent matrimonial connexion which any one , especially a minister , can form , is what takes place when the man is above 50 , and the woman young enough to have several children , without a reasonable prospect of the father ' s being able to

    leave them any support suited to their station , even should his own Ufe- \ n come be adequate to their maintenance . Some , when applied to by dear brother Howe , to assist a minister ' s family , ( the name immaterial to my argument , ) who was more than

    70 , and had several young children , asked very naturally , " What business had a man above 70 to have young children ? " Such a man they thought had no just claim on public benevolence .

    An excellent friend of mine * used * Mr . Ward , of Taunton , whose worthy life was recorded in the Protestant Dissenters' Magazine for July 1797 , by my revered friend Dr . Toulmln .

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    to say , " I courted $ pretty girl and married a stayed woman . " The stayed woman and the pretty girl were however one and the same person . Had Mr . and his truly excellent wife married when young lovers , instead of

    being able to maintain decent hospitality , and indulge their charitable dispositions , they would , in all probability , have had to contend with straits and difficulties—unpleasant impediments to usefulness and comfort .

    A young minister , with a small income , may form hopes of an invitation to some richer society . Be it considered , that few , if any , of our societies , can raise enough to support a minister with a large family , in such a style as

    it would be thought proper their minister and family should appear . The having a family may absolutely confine down a minister of distinguished abilities to a small and poor place , who , if single , might have obtained a better , and a matrimonial connexion been

    prudently formed . Profit from literary pursuits cannot be obtained by many . Instructing the young is almost the only employment a minister can pursue ; but some

    who may desire , are not in situations to procure pupils . Boarders bring much trouble and not always gain . No objection is made to placing day scholars under a single man ; such can be taken without any risk of loss .

    When a minister has by some means or other acquired enough to present a reasonable hope of supporting and providing for a family , or any amiable , prudent female , possessed of a competent fortune , will favour his addresses , then to marrv is " to do well . " When

    the probability is much against the chance of a comfortable subsistence , to remain single is "to do better . " Those should not be styled ill-natured , selfish ( whether young , middle aged , or old ) bachelors , who , for prudential reasons , lead a solitary life ,

    when doing the best they can to assist others venturing to seek comfort in the honourable state of matrimony ; always recommended , when rational , Christian prudence justifies , by

    JOSEPH CORNISH . P . S . The excellent letter signed Euelpis , and written from Torquay , ( I suppose in Devonshire , ) inserted in the

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    Mr . Cornish on Dissenting Ministers' Families . 391

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1821, page 391, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2502/page/11/