There is vast capacity in the girl. She has plainly not centred
her affections upon Charles, so that a man's conscience might be at ease
if--if he chose to disregard what is due to decency. But, why, when I
contest it, do I bow to the world's opinion concerning disparity of years
between husband and wife? I know innumerable cases of an old husband
making a young wife happy. My friend, Dr. Galliot, married his ward, and
he had the best wife of any man of my acquaintance. She has been
publishing his learned manuscripts ever since his death. That is an
extreme case, for he was forty-five years her senior, and stood bald at
the altar. Old General Althorpe married Julia Dahoop, and, but for his
preposterous jealousy of her, might be cited in proof that the ordinary
reckonings are not to be a yoke on the neck of one who earnestly seeks to
spouse a fitting mate, though late in life. But, what are fifty years?
They mark the prime of a healthy man's existence. He has by that time
seen the world, can decide, and settle, and is virtually more
eligible--to use the cant phrase of gossips--than a young man, even for a
young girl.
Pages:
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631