The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-12-01
Mnrriare-Thc Philosophy Of Union.

| In olden times, says a Frencllman, who
| with the usual assurance of his country
men. prctends to know something abou'
| women, female beauty was so fascinating
| that il was Il certain means Oh securing
husband. Nowadays, he adds, men nave
reflected upon the subject. ana 1t Is sci
dom that Il girl is married for her persona
attractions, whatever they may be: so sht
runs = great risk of always keeping hel
honorable title of maid if her parents are
not rich enough to pay Il handsome sum &c
some gallant or other to change it into thai
| of wife.
| 1t is m accident. or, in fact, sort Oh pro
| diov. when n man marries woman solcly
for her beautv-a quality which has siilSu'
| larlv fallen in value in our merccnary DAYS
] If i ever should take rise, it might DC
well to adopt the Persian mode OF reducing
the number Of old maids. This consisted
| in selling the beautiful girls to those VINO
| were willing to try them, and giving Inc
amount to the ugly; so that the handsomesl
endowed the ugliest, the second III beauty
the second in ugliness, ct ceterG.
But this plan would be, we fear, lnappll-
cable in our days, for there would be but
few bidders for the beautiful women. ana
| the ugly, if the money was to 60 with them.
would be the only ones to lind takers. Scri-
ouslv, continues our Frcnchman, who it
must be borne in mind speaking Of France
and not of the United States, marriage Is
| tending to disappear from our social hablts.
The number of old maids, especially Of the
middle class. is increasing daily.
A laborer or mechanic has no difficulty III
getting married. for his wife takes her share
of work. In such case, matrllnony Is Il
Joint stock association. The worllinglnan
spends less when married than single. Ills
clothes being made and kept III repair at
home, and the more wholesome and less
expensive nourishment more :han compen-
safes for any additional expense OF having
another person to provide for. rms, we
need not say, alludcs to France, and may be
more or less true, as we hope 1t IS, III our
own country.
Among the rich, especially where the wo-
man brings handsome doWry. marriage Is
also possible but in the middle class how
can it be nowadays? All the young girls
are brought up in the same way. Each one
is 50 exclusively adapted for the great prize
that there are none suitable for the inferior
ones. What are now called the ncccssarleS
are far more than what were formerly con-
sidered the luXuries of life. All Kinds OF
equality have been tried at various times /;
but one only has been retained, ana the
most dangerous and fatal OF all-thc c4udttty
Of cypress. 80.
Every girl is brought up with the IDEA
that she will draw in the lottery of mar
riagc first prize. II is imagined that style
and accomplishments will make up for a
want of fortune. 1t isa mStal c they Will
only make it more necessary; in fact, abso-
utely indispensable.
Marriage is the greatest luxury 4 man can
indulge in. When we reflect that all the
women Of the middle class are nowadays
brought up to shine in society, that there
are no longer any marked distinctions rs far
rs expense is concerned, and that the
standard of necessary living is fixed accord
ing to that of the richest. 4 man must be
indeed greatly in love if he docs not hest
tate before the "mountain Of velvet, silks.
and icwelry." that he must conSunc all his
DAYS in accomplishing, i'll order that his wife
may be property dressed.
For men of this class woman Is not COM
panion TO take share. in proportion to her
strength. of the common cares and lahcrS
Of life. bat an idol that he must pass his
days III adjoining for the admiration OF
others. \ poor man marrying such Wo-
man without Il dowry would be capable OF
huying a horse that had to be fed upon
topaZes and cmeralds instead Of oats. So Il
is now rare to find Il husband of this kind.
and soon it will be il possible. This is what
they are coming to in France. according to
very good authority.