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R AVING in my last asserted (see our Paper of Thursday) that whenever two young People, under Age, who would other wise have come together, are hindered by any Aé, and the Authority of Parents, the Pub lick receives a Wound’ by it , and that every Year these Persons remain unmarried, the Wound is augmented ; I shall jot fate one Case by Way of Proof. We willuppose a young Man, who, at the Age of Eighteen, has gained the Affections of a Maiden, about the Age of Sixteen or upwards; and that no thing but the Authority of Parents, under this AG, is an Obstacle to their Union ; if they are then hindered in the Prime and Vi gour of Life, perhaps for some Years, from the lawful Indulgence of a Passion wisely implanted in them by Nature, many are the Inconveniences that may accrue to themselves, as well as the Publick, from it. I shall, how ever, stick to the publick Utility. In the first place, as they would, in all human Pro bability, soon have a Family,, the Publick is by this Means deprived of Members, who would be growing up to some Sort of Ser vice. As to the parental Arguments which may be here used, that they would have Fa milies before they are able to provide for them, they can have in this Case no Force; for, not to mention that there is nothing quickens Industry like early Connections, we must observe, it is of little Concern to the Publick whether we, or our children, are rich or poor ;_ we have Laws to make every one provide for his Family, as far as he is able; and where Capacity is wanting, the Publick takes that Care on itself. Whus a our Man who, early in Life, has a Number of Children, will not only stand a fair Chance to be taken Care of by them in his old Age, if he wants it, but he is at the same Time the most useful Member to Society ; for by him, our Navy, our Army, our Agriculture, our Manufactories, are supplied ; and thus the early Connection of the most private Man be comes a publick Benefit. But to return, I fear there are not wanting daily Instances among our Youth, who, being curbed from ving Way in a publick Manner to their In clinations, indulge them privately and illi citly. For when the Passions of Youth are afloat, and fixed on one Object, we too often find, that neither the Strength of Reason, the Principles of Religion, nor the Authority of Law or Parents, are sufficient to keep them within Bounds, and if these are once ex ceeded, the Publick is again injured by a Breach of its Laws. And not to stop here, dreadful are often the Consequences of this illicit Intercourse, Wordly Shame, and the Fear of too justly irritated Parents, ‘not sel dom drive unhappy teeming Mothers to the Means of Abortion, and where those fail, to the more terrible ones of private Murder; and one of this Sort is more than sufficient to counter-balance the Hinderance of Num bers of what are called unequal Matches . But here on a Supposition that none of these last Consequences follow; yet more are the Inconveniences that still arise: An unhappy frail one, whose Character is once stained by Indiscretion, may long remain before a Hus band offers, and then in the lower Stations of Life that is not always the Case, yet when ever it is, the Publick suffers. I am here also sorry to say, that the Nature of very many of us is such, that if we once conquer the firt Shame, we are frozened for the res of our Lives; and to this may in a great De gree, be attributed the Number of abandon ed Prostitutes that fill our Streets, who are not only unhappy useless Nh.s.bers of the Community themselves, but too often, by communicative Disease, render others so. As I before observed, that the Patrons of Youth are not always controlable, so I shall thence endeavour to show, how far this AQ, if it obstructs early Marriages, promotes Debau chery, and forces many of our young People to that Invasion of private Property, which they would otherwise not have been tempted to. It is certain there is nothing in Life that brings us sooner to serious Thoughts and Re flection than the Name of Parent: That Care and Tenderness of our Offspring, which our wife Creator has planted even in the Breasts of Brutes as well as Men, flops the Sallies, and allays the Heats of youthful Imprudence. It is continually presenting Objects to our View, to employ our Imaginations, which though they will sometimes wander, yet the active Humanity (if I may use the Term) of Hus band and Parent, will generally make them centre at Home. Thus then we may con clude, that early Marriages not only make Men better Members of Society, by the Chil dren they become Parents to, but likewise by their personal Behaviour and Conduit . For any of us who observe the early Work ings of Human Nature, just know that it is easier to give our Passions a right Turn, than to subdue them ; and as they were given us to be sometimes in a Flame, it is better they should convey a genial cherishing Warmth at Home, than disturb and set a Neighbourhood in a Blaze. Or it is happier for Society, that young Men should have some lawful Con nections at Home, than prey Abroad in Vio lation of public and private Tranquillity ; which is, and ever must be the Consequence, when the real Restraint is laid on the Ten dency which Youth have to a lawful Union. I cannot conclude,therefore without wishings, that some Alteration may be made in this Aé ; for as I think it was lately said in Parliament, that one great Inducement to the present Peace, was the great Deficiency or Want of Men. I am of Opinion we should, like the wise Romans, give every Encouragement in our Power to early Marriage, and remove even the slightest Obstacle that may seem to ob struct them. I am, SIR, Your most obedient Seryp.__ PHILOGAMUS.
Newspaper Details
London St James Chronicle
London, Middlesex, GB
Thu, Apr 19, 1764
Page 2
Full Page
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Anonymous
USA 05 Feb 2026
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