Chap. I.]

THE DOMESTIC RELATIONS.

159

It is the duty of parents, in making arrangements for the dis-tribution of their estates, at their death, to have special regardto the exigencies of their children’s situation. If a child hasbeen successful in business, and has amply provided for himself,or is otherwise well provided for, there is no reason why furtherprovision should be made for him. But success does not alwaysattend on merit; and the less successful members of a family arethey, who, provided they are deserving, are fairly entitled to beprovided for in the will of the parents. The claims of marrieddaughters, in this respect, are to be placed on the same footingwith those of sons ; but the case of single daughters is peculiar,and deserves more than a passing notice. Especially, a daugh-ter who is single, and who from age, personal defects, or othercircumstances, may be expected to remain so, may justly claima more than ordinary share of the anxiety and solicitude ofparents. There are almost no lucrative employments in whichladies can honorably engage, and for these they may be unquali-fied ; it must, therefore, be one of the first wishes of a goodparent’s heart to secure to a single daughter a comfortable andhonorable independence. There may be children in a familyafflicted with idiocy or alienation of mind. Of course, thesemust take precedence of all the other children in their claimupon the parental estate. A parent may rightfully disinherit achild in extreme cases; — but for these no definite rule can heprescribed.*

2. The duty of children to honor their parents is made thesubject of the fifth commandment ; and from its being thusranked with the duty of worshipping one God and him only, andwith the obligation to respect the life, chastity, and propertyof our neighbours, we may well infer its importance. “ Honorthy father and thy mother,” says St. Paul, “ which is the firstcommandment with promise.” f The promise, when amplified bySt. Paul, is, “ that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayestlive long on the earth.The term “honor,” is admirablychosen, comprising, as it does, affection, respect, obedience, and

* See Brown’s Philosophy of the Human Mind, Vol. III. p. 366, 367.t Ephesians vi. 2. t Idem vi. 3.