Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-12-09
MARRIED LIFE I'm FRANCE.

have described French life as they saw it. and
who have not always seen 1t from the most moral
and domestic point Of view, large numbers have
come to believe France about one of the most
immoral countries in Europe, unless Italy be
excepted. Paris is probably about as loose a
capital as any need wish to see. Yet vice and
virtue are not mixed up, even in Paris, as DIR.
Sanger has shown them to be in every street in
New York; nor does vice walk the streets as
unblushingly. But all great cities are great
sores In some points Of view, as Jefferson has
truly said; and French cities are more system
atically depraved probably than many others.
But he who sees the corruption of French city
life, and judges thereby of the whole French
nation, greatly misjudges the bulk of the peo-
pie. And nothing seems 10 be better established
that the small farmers and the country people
generally, who form the great masses, are very
through, and about equal to the average in
point OF morality, marrying and giving in mar
rage like the rest Of the world.
reputation does rot Increase quite 50 fast in
France as in England, nor in England, of
course, as in the United States But France
furnishes at least the most authentic and accu-
rate STATISTICS, exhibiting the effects of every
different mode Of life upon the national pros
perlty- In this respect it is far before eyery
other country on the globe.
Out Of thirty-six millions of inhabitants in
France, fifteen and half millions are married
or In state Of widowhood. This certainly does
not look as IL marriage was there becomino an
obsolete institution Eight and half millions
are bachelors or spinsters, leaving only twelve
millions Tor children-so, at least the figures
show Thus, the proportion of the married
would seem much larger than might have been
expected, but the number of children Singular
small.
DR.. Fare thinks, however. that the tvn. of
the French race is improving, from the dimin.
utlon OF bad types, such as idiots and lunatics.
who do not marry. The general opinion has
been that, IN the point Of stature at least.
Erenchmen were rather deterioratine. In
France, marriage is much more the result of
P.uoenual calculations and considerations than
with US, or even with the English All il don,
by negotiation. The heart has little to do with
the matter; fancy nothing; and prudence every
thing. The marriage is not valid unless the
man Is eighteen and the woman fifteen. Even
then, unless the head Of the family give his or
ner consent, the ceremony can be set aside. In
all this, France is in one extreme and we ouite
as excessively in the other. Prudence and
principles have too little to do with our mar
rlages, and q momentary fancy too much. Mar.
riage Is more favorable to long life ceIibacv a.
these French statistics prove, unless il be yerv
early marriages. The mortality of males mar.
ry!ng before twenty is almOstfve times as great.
sald, as OF those remaining single. This
however, must be an error. From twenty nm
wards, marriage seems to about double the
cnance OF seeing sixty. To about thirty. the
cnance Oh LIE FOR unmarried females Ia rather
better than that of married But from this mn
the scale turns decidedly the other way; and
the chance Of seeing sixtyis very far better for
the married than the unmarried female. Por
those marrying under twenty, however. the
enances OF mortality are rather greater than
OF those who wait till above that time when The
bodily system is we'll matured. Even M twan-
V-hve, nine married women die to eight nm
married. oN' VII
AT all ages widows are more mortal than
wives, and widowers than married men. Grief
mas, OF course, much to do with this. The ab.
sence OF that mutual care which each exercise,
1or tne comfort OF the other is also concerned
~ ..a', ereat as are the cares Of married life,
great as are often the expenses and privations
tnese are all as nothing to the evils Of having
no one but self to live for. Ns
In TACT, TO live without q purpose and With
out An aim, beyond the mere personal GOOD
seen the most fatal Of all things to human
nc. Without some object beyond themseIve,
M1u ana women soon die. The married life
cans in!e exercise faith and hope more than
single life. There is enterprise and risk .nd
romance upon the future, with fear Sometimes
ior daily bread, and a hope in children. and in
the good time coming, all connected with mar
req life, and all Of which have a yaluab
enect on human character, and which, strange
enough, all strengthen health and increase
.ne length OF life. Married life is the great
Zoe OF thousand immoralities that cut short
iue, and the friend Of peace Ten single man
enlist as soldiers, or throw their Iives ga ~
nsee, 70 one married. When shall we be AHA
. 2tainisn inc world accurate and reliable sta.
usucu oi our progreas and social lifs AZ all
equai 70 those OF France. Ours vouId he N.
most valuable Of those of any nation 49,. az
sun.-PhiIa. Ledger. 1-N'i 'n'