Smyrna times., 1859-02-10
MIS- CELL A n EO u S.
THE INCREASE OF OLD MAIDS.

Marriage statistics are very important mat
iers to all those who pay any attention to the
welfare of State, and very serious matters to
everybody All that diminishes the number Of
marriages deteriorates from the strength and
erosperity Of the community most vitality, not
wilhsianding all the fears of DR.. Malthus. In
the Far West, every man who can find wo-
man that will have him, gets married. A log
hut made in two or three days, and a few deer
skins for bed, rifle and shotbelt, are all the
absolute perquisites in the shape of fortune
There. population doubles itself in twenty-five
wears. apart from immigration. But in our
cities it is getting to be very different. Hard
times sensiby diminish the number of marri-
ages, and prosperous years add very sensibly to
their number A fortune is thought necessary
beforehand to support wife; and a man is an
old bachelor before the fortune is made. Mat
ters are getting to be very different in this re-
sDect now 10 our cities from what they were
fifty years ago.
But all over Europe it is getting worse and
worse; aud in England it is worst of all, Unless
France be an exception. Old maids and old
bachelors are more common than can be we'll
understood amongst US. This has been atIribu-
ted TO thousand causes-to the corn-laws, to
hard times, to every cause, in fact. but the true
one.-love of show and bad social syStem.-
England is the richest of the countries of Eu-
rope, yet more are prevented from marrying for
want of sufficient means than elsewhere. Nor
is it actual wanG that prevents marriages even
there; for it is not the very poor or laboring
classes who remain single, but it is the upper
and middle classes of society. and those brought
ia contact with them as servants, who lmbbe
their ideas, that remain single.
1t is the fear Of want, and not actual want,
that restrains from marriage; or rather, 1t is the
want, not Of the necessaries of lille, nor even of
the comforts, but of the ability to live in Ger.
taia style of fashion, and keep up certain aP-
pearances and indulge in certain luxuries. The
Oldest son Of nobleman inherits vast estates,
q nd tie marries Of course, and often doubles the
estate in so doing. But his three or four young
er brothers are pensioned off with $4,000 or
5000 year They are too proud to go into
business or even into a profession. Nothing
but the army or the navy. or the church Will do
fsr them; and all the salaries they get are
barely enough to keep them in segars, pay their
club bills, and support tiger and cab. Un-
less, therefore, they can pick up fortune with
a vie. they cannot think of marrying, and they
Do not, but walk through society and through
life flirting and doing the agreeable with every
body they zee, because it is we'll understood
they are not marrying men. And their sisters
pass into old maids, and so do their cousins and
those they should have married, had things been
iu a natural state. and because every one feels
too poor to set up an establishment suited to his
supposed rank. They have the ideas of their
elder brothers without their fortunes.
The effects of all this are unmixedly perni-
eiOss upon all parties. 1t produces bad state
Of society. AS for the bachelors, they become
corrupt, travel, and die off surprisingly fast;
or al least descend into oblivion, their sun soon
setting in the great world Of fashion and So
eieiy
Bat the hold of the other sex upon society is
not 50 soon lost. Fine girls and we'll educated
young women freeze up by degrees into well
preserved old maids; some of the best of them
being very handy, very interesting. and very
useful in all the little details of society, but
sadly Insignificant; either pensioned off on lit
lie bits Of salaries, or more dependent still
and the less interesting portion of them driven
10 consider every possible art by which q
aeasty subsistence may be eked out without any
derogation from their fancied dignity and sta
ton Invitations for few weeks are poked for
aud means of ingratatiDg and 6atiering and
gsateely begging resorted to, that would hard
" be credited. All sorts of employments fol
females, that have any pretensions to resPecta
bilay. are eagerly sought after at the most pitt
fal prices; and the paintings and sketches, anC
drawings and fancy ornaments, from which the
dealer realize enormous sums, are really ih'
z,rk of ladies who would not have it dreame,
that they touched such things for money. Ye
they are glad to do them quietly for prices q
which many a washerwoman would hardly sci
her time. Every pension and gratuity' ever
place As Governess or companion, is erowde
with applicants.
Is sthere no cure for all this. it is often asked
Nothing but the most radical change in societ
willdOit. Social prosperity may do something
The destruction Of the laws and customs
prinogenisure may do more. But the re,
evil is a feeling that social position and rel
happiness depend on wealth or family. aud n,
on industry and personal intelligence and wort
and refinement. Sc long as it is thought d
grading to earn living. and necessary to kes
up certain appearances without any visible o
eupation, 90 long marriages will be cut of. al
bachelors will abound, and segars will
smoked, and vices multiplied. and the old mai
be dependent and scheming. until they ha'
eoarage TO make themselves independent, al
Fecagaix-S by their writings. or paintings,
sculpture or sclf-denying virtues, or usefuine