MATRIMONY IN CEYLON.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 43, 15 February 1864, Page 3

MATRIMONY IN CEYLON.

(From the Colombo Overland Observer.) We disposed in a late issue, of the large class to be found in Ceylon, Avho marry without regard to rhyme or reason, Avho rush into married life, " as the unthinking liorse rusheth into battle," and Avho marry in haste, and repent at leisure ; iioav we have to deal Avith.that other portion of the community to AvhicliAve made allusion, Avho sing "seconds" Avith the ladies, Avho declare that they are "oAver young to marry yet," substituting for the adjective used by the fair sex that of "poor." There can be no doubt of the force of the objection. Marriage is A*ery often an expensive luxury in Ceylon'. If the fair lady to Avhom the voavs have been made, be the girl the Colonist " left behind him," in his native land, there is all the expense and risk of getting her out, and from the stories Ave have heard and witnessed, we should say that the latter (invorvingas it does those delightful moonlit Avalks on deck, Avith tender-hearted and tender-chinned young Griffins) would prove to the SAvain — -Avho has only kept up his oavii admiration by fond recollection, and by his hold of the young lady's heartby means, of letters, and Messrs: Shim's Cartes de Visites— as formiclaable as the £107 charged by the P. ! arid O. S, F. Co. V

It- is well tooj to have an eye to the future. Forethought is very desirable — Avhen other shoulders than those of the man have to bear a burden ; but wc do sometimes douht if this is not carried a great deal too far. We are all in the habit of joking about marriage, and Avhen young gentlemen hear of tlieir compeers having " been and gone and done it," thev— like that venerable old maiden ladv (whose name has not yet reached Cevlon)— say "Ah! that is AA-hat we* must all come to." Still much as they joke, Avho that is -unmarried does not in his sober moments conjure up to his mind's eye the happy vision ot a home, Avhereof he is head: — adorned by a pleasing wife and smiling, healthy, little children. But the vision is dashed a-Avav by the remembrance, " Ipan't afford'it." We suppose it is as true in Ceylon as in England, that brides expect too much ; and _ the gallant bridegroom would not like to make his Avife less comfortable in his abode than she Avas in her father's house. Here, in our opinion lies a very great mistake. If such be the expectation on the one hand, and the idea on the other, it is because life has been erroneously A r iewed. A young man beginning life, and an old man resting on his oars, cannot be expected to provide alike for those dependent on them ; and most wives are Avell aAvare of this. They are prepared to do Avhat most likely their mothers did before thern^ and to secure in their declining years more comfort by present- self-denial. One thing Ave are quite sure of: thousands of evils, and. God only knows how much sin, Avould be avoided if men had but the courge to be a little unlike their neighbors; aud tried, as many have done successfully, io " lire joyfully Avith the Avife "of their youth" even on a coffee estate Avitli plain ' jackwpod furniture, and AvillpAV-pattern plates and dishes. Such a man does good as well as gets good ; for those who Lave in hand. and at heart the spiritual and best interests of the gentlemen Avho have so profitably changed the physical aspects of our Mountain Zone, have repeatedly mentioned Avith pleasure the beneficialeffects produced in those districts Avhich ladies grace with their presence and influence. The matter undoxibtedly deserves carefully handling ; but in A*iew of the benefit generally believed to be conferred by matrimony, that extreme caution Avhich .seems to prevail on all sides V in -our opinion, very much misdirected. Every man has a fortune Avho luis a sound constitution, and an industrious disposition ; ancl if he has in addition suflicient to start -him* in his new career of doublo blessedness, "he will, if he goes'toAvorkin aright spirit, find iu the end, Avhat the Avisest mau who ever lived, found out long ago — " Who getteth.a good Avife, getteth a yood thins;."