gravity, 'but I know many that
have; and some, through carelessness, have been the wretched victims of
deceit; and some, through weakness, have fallen into snares and
temptations terrible to relate.'

'Well, I shall be neither careless nor weak.'

'Remember Peter, Helen! Don't boast, but watch. Keep a guard over your
eyes and ears as the inlets of your heart, and over your lips as the
outlet, lest they betray you in a moment of unwariness. Receive, coldly
and dispassionately, every attention, till you have ascertained and duly
considered the worth of the aspirant; and let your affections be
consequent upon approbation alone. First study; then approve; then love.
Let your eyes be blind to all external attractions, your ears deaf to all
the fascinations of flattery and light discourse.--These are nothing--and
worse than nothing--snares and wiles of the tempter, to lure the
thoughtless to their own destruction. Principle is the first thing,
after all; and next to that, good sense, respectability, and moderate
wealth. If you should marry the handsomest, and most accomplished and
superficially agreeable man in the world, you little know the misery that
would overwhelm you if, after all, you should find him to be a worthless
reprobate, or even an impracticable fool.'

'But what are all the poor fools and reprobates to do, aunt? If
everybody followed your advice, the world would soon come to an end.'

'Never fear, my dear! the male fools and reprobates will never want for
partners, while there are so many of the other sex to match them; but do
you follow my advice. And this is no subject for jesting, Helen--I am
sorry to see you treat the matter in that light way. Believe me,
matrimony is a serious thing.' And she spoke it so seriously, that one
might have fancied she had known it to her cost; but I asked no more
impertinent questions, and merely answered,--'I know it is; and I know
there is truth and sense in what you say; but 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 r