on such occasions; for I believe there never were any people in their circumstances, who live so well, even to superabundance.  As inebriation is unknown, and music, singing, and dancing, are held in equal detestation, they never could fill all the vacant hours of their lives without the repast of the table.  Thus these young people sit and talk, and divert themselves as well as they can; if any one has lately returned from a cruise, he is generally the speaker of the night; they often all laugh and talk together, but they are happy, and would not exchange their pleasures for those of the most brilliant assemblies in Europe.  This lasts until the father and mother return; when all retire to their respective homes, the men re-conducting the partners of their affections.

Thus they spend many of the youthful evenings of their lives; no wonder therefore, that they marry so early.  But no sooner have they undergone this ceremony than they cease to appear so cheerful and gay; the new rank they hold in the society impresses them with more serious ideas than were entertained before.  The title of master of a family necessarily requires more solid behaviour and deportment; the new wife follows in the trammels of Custom, which are as powerful as the tyranny of fashion; she gradually advises and directs; the new husband soon goes to sea, he leaves her to learn and exercise the new government, in which she is entered.  Those who stay at home are full as passive in general, at least with regard to the inferior departments of the family.  But you must not imagine from this account that the Nantucket wives are turbulent, of high temper, and difficult to be ruled; on the contrary, the wives of Sherburn in so doing, comply only with the prevailing custom of the island:  the husbands, equally submissive to the ancient and respectable manners of their country, submit, without ever suspecting that there can be any impropriety.  Were they to behave otherwise, they would be afraid of subverting the principles of their society by altering its ancient rules; thus both parties are perfectly satisfied, and all is peace and concord.  The richest person now in the island owes all his present prosperity and success to the ingenuity of his wife:  this is a known fact which is well recorded; for while he was performing his first cruises, she traded with pins and needles, and kept a school.  Afterward she purchased more considerable articles, which she sold with so much judgment, that she laid the foundation of a system of business, that she has ever since prosecuted with equal dexterity and success.  She wrote to London, formed connections, and, in short, became the only ostensible instrument of that house, both at home and abroad.  Who is he in this country, and who is a citizen of Nantucket or Boston, who does not know Aunt Kesiah?  I must tell you that she is the wife of Mr. C——­n, a very respectable man, who, well pleased with all her schemes, trusts to her judgment, and relies on her sagacity, with so entire a confidence, as to be altogether passive to the concerns of his family.  They have the best country seat on the island, at Quayes, where they live with hospitality, and in perfect union.  He seems to be altogether the contemplative man.