Of Marriage and Single Life

    Of Marriage and Single Life （論結婚和獨身）

    HE THAT hath wife and children hath given

    hostages to fortune； for they are impedi-

    ments to great enterprises， either of virtue or mis-

    chief. Certainly the best works， and of greatest

    merit for the public， have proceeded from the un-

    married or childless men； which both in affection

    and means， have married and endowed the public.

    Yet it were great reason that those that have chil-

    dren， should have greatest care of future times；

    unto which they know they must transmit their

    dearest pledges. Some there are， who though they

    lead a single life， yet their thoughts do end with

    themselves， and account future times imperti-

    nences. Nay， there are some 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

    they may be thought so much the richer. For per-

    haps 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 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 sub-

    jects； for they are light to run away； and almost

    all fugitives， are of that condition. A single life

    doth well with churchmen； 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 ser-

    vant， 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； and

    I think the despising of marriage amongst the

    Turks， maketh the vulgar soldier more base. Cer-

    tainly wife and children are a kind of discipline

    of humanity； and single men， though they may

    be many times more charitable， because their

    means are less exhaust， yet， on the other side， they

    are more cruel and hardhearted （good to make

    severe inquisitors）， because their tenderness is not

    so oft called upon. Grave natures， led by custom，

    and therefore constant， are commonly loving hus-

    bands， as was said of Ulysses， vetulam suam praetu-

    lit immortalitati. Chaste women are often proud

    and froward， as presuming upon the merit of their

    chastity. It is one of the best bonds， both of chastity

    and obedience， in the wife， if she think her hus-

    band wise； which she will never do， if she find him

    jealous. Wives are young men's mistresses； com-

    panions for middle age； and old men's nurses. So

    as a man may have a quarrel to marry， when he

    will. But yet he was reputed one of the wise men，

    that made answer to the question， when a man

    should marry， - A young man not yet， an elder

    man not at all. It is often seen that bad husbands，

    have very good wives； whether it be， that it raiseth

    the price of their husband's kindness， when it

    comes； or that the wives take a pride in their

    patience. But this never fails， if the bad husbands

    were of their own choosing， against their friends'

    consent； for then they will be sure to make good

    their own folly.

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