The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-08-21
Morning Star and Catholic Messenger,



dinburgh, the "modern Athens. y viii
mar the population and not tenth of the
manufactures of Glasgow, the per cent ;s
consideraciy greater than in Glasgow-9.2.
cn1ld 10 made legitimate here by the
w;t,, ny =. its 81 parents. In England, as
wtn us,,once illegitimate always illegiti-
age. 80 that many of those who are in
GUIDED in the above percentage will Mout-
4 kroW ~, L may use the expression.
IN; linen as to matrimony. engagement, court
thse,,a w; ~ ana winning, and all that.
may have intimated, from time immemorial
promise, or even an agreement or icon
sent" to speak legally, on the part of the
Z lad or lass is to all intents and purposes
+Mha a IN the eyes of the law. That is
matter to this day. No forms or witnesses
=. documents are necessary, although our
I friend Civilization has gradually brougbt
about change in the premises, and now
= am .olo, some ceremony, civil or religious,
ing parties Still, such ceremony is not |
essential to legality, and as the Scotch are
as tenacious of their ancient customs as
any race 10 the world, the custom to which
om aI!uuing 10 Oy no means dead letter
ter spirat) IN this remarkable country.
1t is tru. that among the common people
OF Scotland the young folks have them
selves to themselves after the "engage-
m men or consent" or whatever it is.
liner mnese Is little restraint by day and less by
circumstances: Perhaps the parties have,
or one of them has some Difference
Tor our friend civilization, and an /,
proves of word and prayer
an the village kirk. am told that null c
tituaes OF these old fashioned consent mar &
RACES are 'as happy as the day is leng.''
And an eminent kirk worker among The
people, q man of culture and rare piety.
mas Just SAID to me that after all is not that p
al there is of marriage worth talking C
aoousT Compare the matrimonial world
VI our lower classes, where ceremony is p
rare and very slight when it comes, with
1ne matrimonial world of the upper classes, 81
whose forms and ceremonies are elaborate b
ana ostentatlous with religious sanctions
undertake to say that the mistakes and =,
mls1ortunes mot to play upon the word)
among latter, are 100 per cent. more nu- Sc
merons than among the former. v;
But public ceremony, if simple and
solemn, acts as a restraint upon the ipnor-
ant, does it mott" to
SO 1t does, perhaps, to certain extent h,
ina with certai in class of the ignorant tb
estr9ln or guide them. But our people
ave custom as exacting and severe as co
my law. 1t is founded upon the chivalry its
inherent IN the race. The plighted hearts -,
re bonnd together by an honor certainly ~
= higher and more tenacious sort than
nat which is said to be found among be
hieves. Dom understand me as approving o.,
tnis state OF things; but it is certainly o.
asler to -denounce it than to prove it an fe'
nmitigated evil"
SO it was curious to hear an earnest his
cotch Presbyterian elder look with such ~
enial leniency upon a system SO near akin -.
that advocated by free lovers and social the
Is. But while illegitimacy in Scotland
'oks formidable in figures, it is, under the III.
Fcnmstances, not at all to be wondered at. n