Also from The Monthly Christian Spectator 1858

After the life by Fuller WGB continues with

That's the life of Master Henry Smith, the once famous preacher in St Clement's Danes. It does not run to seed in three painful volumes. We are not told when he rose in the morning nor how he thought upon his thoughts or felt about his feelings. Not a word is said of what he had for breakfast or dinner or whether he was a vegetarian or any other arian. Not a word about how he slept at night or what kind of an establishment he kept up. Not a word about anything that could by its narration serve first the paper and then the trunk makers. We are wiser in this biographical nineteenth century. We love to know all the particulars of the ins and outs of Brown, Jones and Robinson. Who would read a biography that did not extend to three volumes, two of which contain the diary and the other the interesting remarks of the biographer and perhaps his portrait? Who would care to read a pious life if it were not served up with little titbits of gossip, small talk and scandal by way of relief to over much devotion? We cannot help feeling a profound conviction of old Fuller's inferiority to the mass of amateur biographers of the present day in thus, by some hydraulic or other pressure, squeezing poor old Master Henry Smith's life who was but one metal below Chrysostom himself into the shabby and shallow proportions of three pages. This is what Fuller calls his life writ by me at large.

The first sermon is entitled a Preparative to Marriage in which we find quaint and good things which Matthew Henry did not despise, as any one may see who looks at his commentary on the making of woman or dust double refined as he calls her. From this sermon we need not quote more than a bit or two. Our ears are too polite to listen to this homely discourse which created quite a sensation amongst many noble gentlewomen who had but hitherto discharged only a moiety of their duty as mothers. Speaking for instance of the duty of a husband to correct his wife he says

As we do not handle glasses like pots because they are weaker vessels but touch them nicely and softly for fear of cracks, so a man must intreat his wife with gentleness and softness, not expecting that wisdom nor that faith nor that patience nor that strength in the weaker vessel which should be in the stronger but think when he takes a wife, he takes a vineyard and not grapes but a vineyard to bear him grapes. So he must not think to find a wife without a fault for all are defectives but as in space cometh grace so shall he rejoice when his vineyard beginneth to fructify. But this is far from civil wars, between man and wife in all his offices is found no office to fight. If a man cannot reform his wife without beating her he is worthy to be beaten for choosing no better. ... Her cheeks were made for thy lips not for thy fists.

Again, 'If a man wants a bad wife, he were best go to hell a wooing that he may have choice' was a plain way of putting a great truth, perhaps not wholly needless in our days. Of some women he says

As David exalteth the love of women above all other loves so Solomon mounteth the envy of women above all other envies, stubborn, sullen, taunting, gainsaying, outfacing with such a bitter humour one would think they were molten out of the salt pillar into whch Lot's wife was transformed. This is the folly also of some men to lay all their pride upon their wives they care not how they sloven themselves so their wives can jet like peacocks. Women do now some of them cover themselves with pride like Satan who is fallen down before them ruff upon ruff, lace upon lace, cut upon cut, four and twenty orders until the woman be not so precious as her apparel so that if any man would picture vanity he must take a pattern of a woman or he shall not draw her likeness. Whoever hath such a wife hath a fine plague.

Married life then appears to have been like married life now, little hitches and humours and petulances now and then. And so says Master Henry Smith.

A child is the real wedding ring that sealeth and maketh up the marriage. For when their father and mother fall out out, they perk up between them like little mediators and with many pretty sports make truce when others dare not speak to them.

Finally he adds and he shows there is nothing new in this department of duty and discipline under the sun.

The allurements of beauty, the trouble about riches, the charges of children, the losses by servants, the unquietnesse of neighbours cry unto him that is married that he hath entered into the hardest vocation of all other and therefore they who have but nine years to make them good mercers or drapers have nineteen years before marriage to learn to be good husbands and wives as though it were a trade of nothing but mysteries and had need of double time over all the rest.