le idea has never been suggested, for as the intellect is
strengthened and cultured, it has a greater capacity of affection, of
domesticity and of self-sacrifice for others.

Mutual trust and confidence are other requisites for happiness in
married life. There can be no true love without trust. The
responsibility of a man's life is in a woman's keeping from the moment
he puts his heart into her hands. Without mutual trust there can be no
real happiness.

Another requisite for conjugal happiness is moral and religious
sympathy, that each may walk side by side in the same path of moral
purpose and social usefulness, with joint hope of immortality.

PROPOSALS OF MARRIAGE.

Rules in regard to proposals of marriage cannot be laid down, for they
are and should be as different as people. The best way is to apply to
the lady in person, and receive the answer from her own lips. If courage
should fail a man in this, he can resort to writing, by which he can
clearly and boldly express his feelings. A spoken declaration should be
bold, manly and earnest, and so plain in its meaning that there can be
no misunderstanding. As to the exact words to be used, there can be no
set formula; each proposer must be governed by his own ideas and sense
of propriety in the matter.

DO NOT PRESS AN UNWELCOME SUIT.

A gentleman should evince a sincere and unselfish affection for his
beloved, and he will show as well as feel that her happiness must be
considered before his own. Consequently he should not press an unwelcome
suit upon a young lady. If she has no affection for him, and does not
conceive it possible even to entertain any, it is cruel to urge her to
give her person without her love. The eager lover may believe, for the
time being, that such possession would satisfy him, but the day will
surely come when he will reproach his wife that she had no love for him,
and he will possibly make that an excuse for all manner of unkindness.

A LADY'S FIRST REFUSAL.

It is not always necessary to take a lady's first refusal as absolute.
Diffidence or uncertainty as to her own feelings may sometimes influence
a lady to reply in the negative, and after-consideration cause her to
regret that reply.

Though a gentleman may repeat his suit with propriety after having been
once repulsed, still it should not be repeated too often nor too long,
lest it should degenerate into importuning.

No lady worthy any gentleman's regard will say "no" t