other that account wife and children but as bills of charges. Nay more, there are some foolish rich covetous men, that take a pride in having no children, because[1] they may be thought so much the richer. For perhaps they have heard some talk, Such an one is a great rich man, and another except to it, Yea, but he hath a great charge of children; as if it were an abatement to his riches. But the most ordinary cause of a single life is liberty, especially in certain self-pleasing and humorous[2] minds, which are so sensible of every restraint, as they will go near to think their girdles and garters to be bonds and shackles. Unmarried men are best friends, best masters, best servants; but not always best subjects; for they are like to run away; and almost all fugitives are of that condition. A single life doth well with churchmen;[3] for charity will hardly water the ground where it must first fill a pool. It is indifferent for judges and magistrates; for if they be facile and corrupt, you shall have a servant five times worse than a wife. For soldiers, I find the generals commonly in their hortatives put men in mind of their wives and children;[4] and I think the despising of marriage amongst the Turks maketh the vulgar soldier more base. Certainly wife and children are a kind of discipline of humanity; and sin-
- ↑ Because. In order that.
- ↑ Humorous. Controlled by humors; whimsical, capricious.
"As humorous as winter."
Shakspere. II. King Henry IV. iv. 4. - ↑ Churchmen. Clergymen.
- ↑
"Strike—for your altars and their fires;
Strike—for the green graves of your sires;
God—and your native land!"
Fitz-Greene Halleck. Marco Bozzaris.
