Choosing a Husband [pp. 377]

LADIES'"- REPOSITORY.
The sites you think of, sobbing,
And seek as pilgrims seek,
With brows and bosoms throbbing,
And tears upon your cheek!
Or, should I touch on glories
That date in ages gone,
Those dear historic stories
When England's name was won The tales your children thronging
So gladly hear you tell,
And note their fatlier's longing
And love that longing well!
For language, follies, fashions,
Religion, honor, shame,
And human loves and passions,
0, we are just the same;
You, you are England, growing
To continental state,
And we Columbia, glowing
With all that makes you great!
Yes, Anglo-Saxon brother,
I see your heart is right,
And we will warm each other
With all our loves alight;
In feeling and in reason
My claim is stowed away,
And kissing is in season
For ever and a day!
And now in frank contrition,
O brother mine, give heed,
And hear the just petition
My feeble tongue would plead;
I plead across the waters,
So deeply crimson-stain'd,
For Afric's sons and daughters
Whom freemen hold enchain'd!
I taunt you not unkindly
With ills you didn't make,
I would not wish you blindly
In haste the bond to break;
But tenderly and truly
To file away the chain,
And render justice duly
To man's estate again!
0, judge ye how degrading A Christian bought and sold!
And human monsters trading
In human flesh for gold!
When ruthlessly they plunder
Poor Afric's homes defil'd,
And all to sell-asunder!
The mother, and her child.
O free and fearless nation,
Wipe out this damning spot,
Earth's worst abomination,
And nature's blackest blot;
Begin and speed the rather
To help with hand and eye
The children of your Father
Beneath his tropic sky.
HE-HE who form'd and frees us
And makes us white within,
Who knows how holy JEsUs
May love that tinted skin!
For none can tell how darkly
The sun of Jewry shed
Its burning shadows starkly
On Jesus' homeless head!
And lo! one great salvation
Hath burst upon the world,
And God's illumination
Like noonday shines unfurl'd;
VOL. VIII.-48
4
Shall bonds or color pale it?
Candace's Eunuch-sayThe first, though black, fo hail it,
And love the Gospel day!
Columbia, well I note it,
That half your sons are strong
Against this ill, and vote it
A folly and a wrong;
Yet, lurks there not a lothing,
Ay, with your best-inclin'd,
Against that sable clothing
Of man's own heart and mind?
I charge you by your power,
Your freedom, and your fame,
To speed the blessed hour,
That wipes away this shame:
By all life's hopes and wishes,
And fears beyond the grave,
Renounce these blood-bought riches,
And frankly free the slave!
So let whatever threaten,
While God is on our side,
Columbia and Britain
The world shall well divideDivide?-No! in one tether
Of Anglo-Saxon might
We'll hold the world together
In peace, and love, and right!
C]0OOSING A HUSBAND.
MERE literary excellence in any one is not an induce ment sufficiently strong to determine a young lady's mind
in regard to changing her position-for ever in life. Nor
is amiableness of disposition, or gracefulness of person,
the only thing that should make one decide this all-im portant question. A young lady, to be-happy in the re lation of marriage, or, rather, in order not to be per fectly miserable, must have a soul-mate, as well as a
play or ayoke-mate. She must have a husband, whom,
before the altar, in the presence of men, and of almighty
God, she can cheerfully, fully, and conscientiously proni ise to love, respect, and obey. The sole circumstance
that a man has this or that quality to recommend
him to a favorable regard is not enough. Who would
not turn away with disgust if a sordid garment were
offered her as a present; or who would not recoil with
horror from the man who would offer a garment that
was infected with the plague? And who, in the right
use of the common sense bestowed on her by her Crea tor, would surrender her own person, blend her own
personality, all that she has in her power to give-soul,
body, and estate-with the interests of one whose principles were sordid, whose breath was contagious, whose
character was tarnished, and whose whole being was
against virtue and God? Or who would wish to yield
herself to the care and protection of one whose character was only negative in all its particulars; that is, one
who, while he did not directly oppose piety, still held
out the insignia of-indifference and silent contempt for
it, and would consider his own self-righteousness quite
as acceptable to God, as genuine, heart-felt devotion?
The influence of such a man, though not palpably injurious, would, nevertheless, be benumbing; and the
heart may be starved, where it is neither stabbed nor
poisoned. Take, then, young lady, for your husband,
one, who, with all other amiable qualifications, loves
God, and who is daily and practically a Chlistien. Take
any other man, and you incur a hazard which may tell
for ever upon your personal unhappiness.
377