New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-27


FOR BETTER OR WORSE: IooT FOR SOME MET AID
IL "G5A5 on y, 'iS>IE sb,, S.'"A' '"'L "'SSh
The suggestions of q singIlarly practical
mind are here applied to the sajec. of lie domestic re-
lat:Ons and without any formal plan method, fund
both Of common and Keen Insight Is let loose uion
tie hard facts Of American social lie in the nineteenth
century. II evident that the writer of the volume
has 10 prccoucclve1 theories t. support; she has
tendency towards the Wild 80 cu+iOa which woali
run Q psiucipc INTO the ground at the cXoolsc Of
decency ana OF mind; does she suffer from
the disturbing influences o. fancy sentiment. IEcTc Is
an air Of hoIacly wisdom III herstaicDcus which favor
ably impresses The mind OF the reader. and creates
strong presumption both OF her sincerity and hcrsrcWi
ness Her point OF departure is the apparent prevailing
dissatisfaction with tie present social condition,
with the relations that men and vomel bear to each
other BIT she approaches the subject in split OF
cyicIsiJ mlsanthOpy. she u not one of those who
perceive nothing but owl in the existing state OF thing.
sac does not despair OF civilized society, and has
wish either revert to primitive bgrbaris, or 10 rush
headlong into foolish experiments. Nor does she cherish
a passion for the modern idea Of freedom, which mis-
takes liberty for license. She is fully sensible Of
the limitations that imposed Oh human beings
by nature wei as society, and would not
encourag &c Drd to beat hs mead against the cage
fiuitess efforts escape the inevitable. W. tied,
as sic afirms, from the moment We enter The world,
and are probably the better for it, though rebel
the arrangements we thc saves
which preceded birth, which neosel us In skin.
which governed our hight, our color, our shape,
strength or our weakness, and over which had not
the least control The train OF reasoning applies 10 the
laws OF marriage which many beginning TO believe
is only traditional form Of domestic slavery. Bat the
necessity OF marriage as permanent, If not
mental institutions found by the writer in the rela
tons OF tie family which indispensable to the
race. The married man and woman longer
to be regarded merely individuals. but they
represent entirely different and more complex
product. Individual inclinat0ns must be made
subordinate TO the interests OF the family. Men and
women. the writer maintains, might meet and part
without anybody troubling Themselves as TO conse
Qucnces II were not for popuatinC the world. After
marriage IL Is not the the WOMAN but the Chill
drcn who are of the first Importance. They make Up
the Joys and sorrows OF the present They rcureseut
the possibilities OF the future and reproduce the glory
and the shame Of those who have gone before II mar
rsgc could be dissolved at will the support educa
ton of the children would impossible. II legal pro-
visions made, the State would prove but rugged
step mother Tho State could supply the tender
ness and sympathy and devoted love, which grow out
Of true marriage. Even the animal creation instinct
lively provide for their helpless offspring and eep
arate until their young fully able TO
take OF themselves The adoption OF this primary
ruie would practically render marriage indssoluble
The law recognizes parents responsible until children
na'o reaono" INC hge vi uiscrcuOn Few husbands or
wives would wish 10 separate after sharing tho common
interests OF daily life for twenty years or more the time
requisite to attain that end Nor should 1t ever be for
gotten that the institution OF the family based on the
dea OF duty and sefrenunciatoD. Tho clamor for !
personal rights the fruit OF seshness. and the fou
daton u anarchy. The central idea of marriage IA |
OF interests and community OF iabors 1t |
eousecrses she sentiment Of duty and obligation IA the
place OF caprice and selndulgence This is the noblest
Sind OF Inspiration. GROWING the merely animal life
with the consent OF reason and Judgment In addition
10 the general principles which the au,hor urges
with ability and success the volume abounds with pra