Chap, I.J THE DOMESTIC RELATIONS, 1 63

prayers, — in which their first discontents and murmurings werehushed, —and in which their childish pastimes were, in common,shared and enjoyed. Again, the rude sports, frolics, and ad-ventures of the neighbouring school, in which they have mingledwith the keenest zest, with its early trials, competitions, mortifi-cations, and successes, must ever be subjects of the most vividmutual reminiscences and sympathies. They have had, too, acommon interest in every event which has befallen them, and inevery person who has excited either their regard or aversion ; —they have honored with a common honor those to whom, by thecommandment, filial honor was due ; and, perhaps, have mournedwith a common grief over the remains of one or both of those,whose death has been to them the most poignant and lasting ofall their sorrows. When one member of the common householdhas suffered, all the other members have suffered with him.Their paths, moreover, however different in after life, were oncethe same. Each can witness to what each learned from a father’sanxious counsels, and each can respond to the other’s remem-brance of the ever-varying, never-ceasing expressions of mater-nal kindness. Each can speak of the other’s early associates ;each can recall to the memory of the others, whatever, in thefresh spring season of life, made the parental home joyous orsorrowful ; the farewell and the return ; the plans for the de-parting, and the intelligence from the distant; the success andcongratulation, the disappointment and sympathy ; the honoredguest, and the habitual inmate ; the health and the sickness ; thebereavement and the blessing ; the festive entertainment, and thefuneral mourning. These common pains, joys, sorrows, endear-ments, and sympathies of the early years of children of the samefamily, are, I may well repeat, the natural occasions of intimateand permanent friendships in all after life.*

2. The relation of brothers and sisters of the same family,furnishes much more than the natural occasions , — it furnishesthe natural foundation , of permanent intimacies and friendships.They sustain a common relation to common parents, to whomeach renders one of the most acceptable of all services, by ex-

Sec Dr. Palfrey’s Sermons, p. 3*27.