The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1857-11-17

lantic are incapable Of comprehending th
habit of elaborate joking which exists il
this country among the conductors of th
press. The following article from Chan
6ers' Journal is case in point. The wri
ter, Chambers, we presume, seriously de
precates what he evidently regards as tn,
fixed American custom of advertising 70
husbands and wives!
| From Chsmbers' Journal
MATRIMONIAL CORRESPONDENCE
The art Of getting married is practicet
in many different ways in different parts o
the world. This statement, admitting o
no dispute, need not be illustrated will
examples. ! will not detail to wcll-in
formed public, whose ear has been bored
fguratively speaking with numerous par
ticulars of the same kind, the manner il
which the Cingalcse and the Chinese, and
other hes, take wives unto themselves. II
is generally known that, among barbarous
nations, and occasionally among some that
are not barbarous, the marriage ceremony
is but the clenching of a bargain, the ar
rangement by which certain goods-item,
one bride; item, one marriage portion, DC.
ARE assigned and delivered over to the
purchaser. 1t is also to be gathered from
the pages of history, that the same cere-
mony, performed between roval person
ages, has been more frequently an alliance
between nations than individuals; a gage,
not 80 much d'amour, as d'amitie; that
the daughter Of royal house has been
sent as a peace offering to dangerous
neighbor, and that the fair hostage has re-
ceived the title of queen, with the name
of wife, her position being less fitly repre-
sented by the golden circlet on her finger,
than by that on tho head.
These are subjects on which, as a moral
lists, conceive that the less said the better.
Nor will it be considered that the art of
getting married, as practiced in our own
country, requires much elucidation. Much
learned disquisition and many bad jokes
have been brought to bear upon that ques-
ton. l refrain from vcnturing on topic
which has been elaborately treated of in
various works in three volumes. But the
art is now rracticed elsewhere in a manner
so entirely distinct from former experience,
that it seen to calm little attention.
The method in question has lately come
into use in America, and is ultimately con-
ncctcd with tie discovery of photography.
There is IN illustrated periodical in New
York, which allots a portion OF its space
TO what is called matrimonial Corrcspon-
dcncc.' Under this head, ladies and gen.
tlcincn, who desire TO enter into the bonds
of wcdlock, insert descriptions of them
selves anl Of the daragon they arc in
search Of Occasionally portrait is sent
USUALLY photograph-which is engrav-
cd above the description. Sometimes a
name is given, but moro commonly an
initial, the address being confded to the
editor, who "mails" all iatters, sent by
way Of reply, to the respective parties.
1t may be said that this is only variety
of the matrimonial agency said to exist in
Paris, and not entirely unknown in our
owl country. There is, however, this i'm
portant distinction between the two-that
whereas in France, the negotiation is con.
Quoted with some degree of privacy, and
is known only to persons interested, or sup
posed 90 be so, in America the candidate
publishes his offer 10 the world at large.-
It is not very diflicult to imagine how the
system is found to operate. Cnlcbs, who
goes little into society. or whose tastes are
fastidious, takes up this valuable paper,
say at breakfast, and straightway his eye
falls upon that pink of perfection which he
ins sought for IN vain. The hand, with
its piece Of buttcred cake, is STAYED on its
way TO his mouth, he bonds eagerly over
the description, his coffee perhaps grows
cold, but no mattcr-he thinks she will
suit him! Presently he draws up an nc
count of his own advantages, and forwards
it to the editor. Perhaps photograph
goes with it; but engraved portraits do
not admit of eing highly colored, while
those Of the pen do; usually, therefore,
he prefers the latter. The rest is darkness
and silence. '"he imagination of the un
reader must supply the denoue-
ment. In the observation of scientific
phenomena, we note the effects, tho caus-
cs of which are frequently concealed; but
in this experimental philosophy of matri-
mony the causes lie on the surface, while
The effects arc left to conjecture.
The "gentlemen's department" Of this
is likely to be the more a
musing to the general reader, showing as
Il does the several candidates to be possess
ed of every merit, except, perhaps, hat of
If we may take the various
au pied de Ia lettre, we shall be
surprised to Rnd men of all ranks and very
different ages coming forward to find wives.
In the number which / hold in my hand,
,ne column is appropriately headed by a
military officer, whose portrait represents
lim in full costume, and who is introduced
by tho editor, with the following flourish
IF trumpets:
"Col. T. B. Ne has called at our
'anctum with one of Brady's best photo
graphs of himself, and begs that we will
present his claims to the fair readers Of our
paper as candidate for matrimony. We
know the Colonel intimatel :, and can say,
hat although few hairs Of iron-gray are
'p,inkled among his raven locks, yet they
we're caused by exposure among the glades
IN Florida, and the weli-fought fields Of
Mexico, where he distinguished himself by
ais yalo. and are not sowp .hcre by years