'IT is a matter of great mortification to me, my son, that in
so important a transaction as marriage I am incompetent to give you any
advice. But I hope that advice will not be needed by you and Julia:
you will no doubt be happy in each other; yet there is one thing that
an old gentleman used to tell me when I was of your age, which I think
you will do well to bear in mind. 'Why don't you get married my boy?'
he used to say to me: 'Because,' I would reply, 'I don't know how to
choose a wife, and I am afraid of getting a bad one.' 'Poo! poo!' he
would say; 'any wife is good enough, if her mother don't live with you,
but the best wife will not be good enough if she should.''