Page:The history of Tom Jones (1749 Volume 1).pdf/148

 Love the only Foundation of Happines in a married State; as it can only produce that high and tender Friendhip, which hould always be the Cement of this Union; and, in my Opinion, all thoe Marriages which are contracted from other Motives, are greatly criminal; they are a Profanation of a mot holy Ceremony, and generally end in Diquiet and Miery: For urely we may call it a Profanation, to convert this mot acred Intitution into a wicked Sacrifice to Lut, or Avarice: And what better can be aid of thoe Matches to which Men are induced merely by the Conideration of a beautiful Peron, or a great Fortune!

‘To deny that Beauty is an agreeable Object to the Eye, and even worthy ome Admiration, would be fale and foolih. Beautiful is an Epithet often ued in Scripture, and always mentioned with Honour. It was my own Fortune to marry a Woman, whom the World thought handome, and I can truly ay, I liked her the better on that Account. But, to make this the ole Conideration of Marriage, to lut after it o violently, as to overlook all Imperfections for its Sake, or to require it o abolutely as to reject