Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-12-30
~. " HIFWN u.
Publisher and prARrieto
MARRIAGE ON THE DECLINE.

London Spectator
With the single exception of Fal-
staff, all Shakspeare's are what we
call marrying men. Mercutio, as
he was own cousin to Benedick
and Biron, would have come to the
same end in the long run. Even
Iago had a wife, and, what is far
stranger, he was jealous. People
like Jacques and the Fool in
Clear" although we can hardly
imagine they would ever marry,
kept single out Of a cynical humor,
or for a broken heart, and not, as
we do nowadays, from spirit of
incredulity and preference for q
single state. For that matter, if
you turn to George Sands version
Of " AS You Like It," land / think
| can promise you will like it but
little,) you will find Jacques mar
ries Celia just as Orlando marries
Rosalind.
At least there seems to have been
much less hesitation over marriage
in Shakspeare's days and what
hesitation there was, was of a laugh
ing sort, and not much more seri.
ouq, one way or the other, than
that of Panurge. In modern COM
edies, the heroes are mostly Of
BenedickS way Of thinking, but
twice as much in earnest, and not
one-qnarter 50 confident. And /
take this difiidence as a proof of
how sincere their terror is. They
know they are only human after
all; they know what gins and pit
falls lie about their feet, and how
the shadow of matrimony waits,
resolute and awful, at the cross
roads. They would wish to keep
their liberty, but, if that may not
be, why, Gods will be done! "What,
are YOU afraid of marriage ?" asked
Oecile, in " "Maitre Guerin." "0h!
mon Dieu, non!" replies Arthur,
" | should take chloroform." They
look forward to marriage much in
the same way as they prepare them
selves for death--each seems inegi-
table; each is a great perhaps, and
a leap into the dark, for which,
wien a man is in the blue devils,
he has specially to harden his heart.
That splendid sooundrel, Maxime
de Trailles, took the news of mar
riages much rs an old man hears
the deaths OF bis cotemporaries.
"O'est desesperant," he cried,
himself down in the arm
chair at Mime. Schontz's, "c'est
desperant, nous nous marions
tousw Every marrisge was like
another gray hair on his head ; and
the jolly church bells seemed to
taunt him with his fifty years and
fair round belly.
The fact is, we are much more
afraid of life than our ancestors, |
and cannot find it in our hearts
either to marry or not to marry |
is terrifying, but so is a
cold and forlorn old age. Thel
friendships Of men are vastly agree
able, but they are insecure. You
know all the time that one friend |
will marry and put you to the door;
a SECOND accept a situation in
China, and become 10 more to you
than a name, a reminiscenoe, and |
an occasional crossed letter, yeryl
laborous to read /; q third will take |
up with some religious erotchet, |
and treat you to sour looks thence
forward. So, in one way or another
life forces men apart and breaks up
the good fellowship forever The
very fexibility and case which
makes mems friendships so agree
lble while they endure, make them
The easier to destroy and forget.
Ana a man who has a few friends,
)r one who has a dozen (if there
be any one so wealthy on this
'arth), cannot forget on how pre-
1arious base his happiness roposes;
md how, by a stroke or two of fate
IA death, a few lightwords, a piece
)G stamped paper, a woman's bright |
'yes-he may be left, in a month,
destitute OF all. Marriage is GER
.ainly q perilous remedy. Instead |