TE AWAMUTU.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2141, 30 March 1886, Page 2

TE AWAMUTU.

The Rev. Mr Dunn gave his popular lecture on Saturday evening in the ball on " Love, its signs and philosophy, or court bhip, or matched and mated." In spite of the attractive title of the lecture the attendance was not as good as was expected, the hall not being more than half full. OF course we are all deeply learned in the myt>teries of the subject, but though we know as much as we think any one can tell us, still, f»om a man of Mr Dunns wide experience and extensive reading, we might gather some useful hiuts about choosing * mate, that is to say, the unmarried portion of course. The lecture was de Inered in Mr Dunns good style an'l many amusing anecdotes were introduced, bearing upon tho subject. In opening his address the lecturer said there were num.peop'.e who objected to the subject, but though they objected it was neverthole»^ a subject of wide importance, for every person experienced the feelings tit som period of his or her life. He quoted >uc< eminent writers as Charles Darwin and Dr Bushcll, tho former said it was not the we • or woe of individuals, but its effects we>> felt in the next generation. Dr. Bushel! said Christian Churches should take atand in the matter, and try t bring people together with the object of their finding out cic 1 i *>ther'» characters with the ultimat< view to courtship and marriages. The lecturer went on to say that it wa« r well-known fact that people marrying generally married someone physically di-* sjmilat, that is to sjy a tall man marries Jittle woman, a dark one, a fair woman," it ts the attraction of opposition. Peopj often gee puny children, the. jitfcpcing of strong healthy parents and wonder at iC, if they went closely into tha matter they would find that iii most c ise-» there was not proper physical adaptability, the parents may be too like each other physically, it would be a direct violation of nature's lasvs md we cannot violate these with impunity. But while people dissimilai is mentioned usually marry, the couple in order to ba happy should have ment.il similarity, that is to say, their tastes should i be in common, they bhmild be able to enter into each other's ideas, plans, business, &c, the wife should tnke an interest in her husband's concerns, and the husband in his wife's tastes or accomplishments. A man might just as well marry a wav doll as marry a woman who could only say, " Yes," "No," " D., you tell me so !" Mr Dunn here produced some diagrams of different facex, displaying different characteristics, and pointed out the assistance physiognomy .would be in .the .selection off wjfo or husband. $a -said, hasty marriages as a rule were not happy ones, mainly due to people not knowing each other sufficiently well. He knew one young lady who told him when she married her Husband she thought . him half-an-angel, but before they were very long married she began to think him a whole devil. He could go on multiplying these instances. The people in Northern, Siberia had a* 'practical way of conducting their courtships. The young man deposited with the father of the young woman a sum of money acording to his means, he then took up his residence with the family for a year, so au to get a good insight into the characters and dispositions of the young woman— and siaters if «be had any —at the end of that time if he . did not take & wife he left the family and got back half the deposit from the father. No restraint was put upon him, he was free to go or j#ke a wife as he pleased. Some most amusing anecdotes were here introduced concerning the modes of courting iv different countries, Mexico, Ireland and Scotland, -being illvwtrated by anecdote. Many matches were the result of impulse, one very impulsive joung lady was saved from drowning one day by a Newfoundland dog, and when the lady recovered c msciousness she asked for her preserver, saying she would certainly marry him, and n-) amount of opposition would affect her resolve. She was greatly surprised and not a little ashamed of her impulsive declaration of intended marriage when she discovered her preserver was a dog. Before finishing the address, the rev. lecturer gave some good, sound advice to unmarried .people j;He cautioned yonnjj, 'woniea1 against marrying a young man who spoke disrespectfully of his mother. He sometimes heard a young man speak of his mother a3 the "old woman ;" this was very disrespectful ; if young men did not lova and respect their mothers they would not love and respect their wives. Above all women were not to run away with the idea that they could reform men after marriage. If a mat were given to drink before, he would certainly contiuue the vice after marriage. At the close five young iner* went op the platform to undergo examination, and the frequent applause which greeted the lecturer when he mentioned, some trait or feature in the character or disposition of •ach individual, and. which wm known. Q y

iciii.ukvd liy v.uiic of tlioms present, fihowed plainly th.it In- ch.ir.icUT re,i'lni£ wai by n> me m-< uvi •• or i\ ili.i u. The pi.itifl- of Oic h'Cture weie in .ml of the ivhiUiln Pie-byteiun Church. The leetine <>f the pivviout evening was very much batw «Ut ii'Jf.l.