Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

MARRIAGE.
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287
densatioD of his focal circle, which squeezes the family
into a joint affection, chickens, collies, and all. Such
is the necessary chemical and mechanical result where
there is a previous bottom of affinity : the same force
exerted in the cabin of an East Indiaman, or in that of
Captain Cook, is known, on the very same principles,
to increase the repulsion of the heterogeneous particles.
If his juvenile love is not peculiarly fiery, it is the
more persisting when rivers rage and rocks grow cold ;
and the mutual harmony seems to stand the tooth of
devourinff eld as well as that of Mrs. Anderson and
her jo.
I need scarcely tell you that the holy state is here
unknown, which claims for its supporters the Nazarenes
and the more ingenious Essenians, besides the Egyptian
priests, the Gymnosophists, Bramins, Pythagoreans, Hie-
rophants, and the whole army of Friars, white, black,
and grey ;
gentlemen who seem to have had before their
eyes no fear of t!ie anathema which threatened them
with " doemonibus maximas dare prenas post obitum ;"
from which doubtless we have derived the lighter pun-
ishment of leading apes, denounced against the tardy
fair. Nor is there any danger of Donald's being flogged
for opsigamy by the Highland nymphs, as the Spartans
were of old. Marriage is here as much matter of course
as eating and drinking ; and as the sexes are more truly
balanced than in Arabia, no pining damsel need sing-,
" Oh what will I do for a man." I know not if this om-
niogamy is a relic of the fashion of the Macniels ; nor do
I know whether it is to show their contempt of Malthus
that they now marry, as we are told, more than in former
days, because they have less prospect of a settlement
and a livelihood than in those times. This is reasoning" on
inverse ratios, it must be admitted ; but, be the cause
what it may, Donald might take the Roman oath with'
VOL. m.