New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-13
CL4NDESIINE MARRIAGES.

The Lopez Morrison marriage. IL marriage IT
may be called has again attracted the public atten-
ton, in consequence of proceedings before the ST.
preme Court undertaken to procure "a declaration of
il, nudity. These things seem to have somehow gone
from tho stage TO the street Everybody acquainted
with English comedy knows what features of 1t
are marriages under difficulties marriages by mis-
take sham nuptials and unions by sratagen. This
whole Morrison affair reads like story from Con-
grove or Dryden, or Spanish novel OF the time of
Cervantes. All the dramatis persona seem to have
stepped ont of u novel by Aphra Behn; and We
needn't say that the name of Lopez helps the ilu-
sion, for half the clever scamps in the drama Of the
Restoration are christened either Lopez or Perez.
Sarah Lillas the servant in the Morrison family,
who managed the matter, is exactly like one of
Wycherlys go-betweens Miss Morrison, who
permitted herself to be persuaded to marry
Lopez secretly, makes us think of Miss Prue
and of score of like wcak-mindcd young women.
When we read of such marriages as hers in romances,
or see them dextcrously managed on the stage we
think them improbable if not impossible though We
good naturcdy pardon the extravaganza of the
writer for the sake of his ingenuity. And yet here
is one of these Fleet-st. nuptials soemuZe under
very eyes, III this very Ammo Domini. To make
the play perfect there MISS Major, drcSsmaker
there Is a rich father; and there is dubious friend
TO help the dubious bridegroom in his dubious en-
terprse. AS We read, we really expect to hear the
pr0mpters bell tnke, and to see the curtain go up.
Enter Lopez and Mrs. Lillas. The dialogue it is I'M
necessary TO detail. All good theatrc-gocrs have
heard it a hundred times; and all admirers of
Horace Wapole will think what an amusing letter
he might have written about it to Sir Horace Mann
We fear that mankind and womankind are little
better than they used TO be, il they
are not, the ages go by, getting worse
and worse Ii is one hundred and seventy
three years since Sir John Vanbrugl produced
"1he Confederacy' in which every individual char
acter is dupe dOtard, IL demirep aud yet here
we have the same tricks and games which lend in
terest to that not over fragrant play. The poor
young lady who cozened into this marriage tes-
titled, naivcy: when married Lopez did not
love him /; only liked HIM little bit" One of
Farquhars pinarored, Observation-Disclosures herones
might have said the thing. There is sim
poity about the admission which makes indg-
nant that such a cheat should have been practsed
upon such child, no matter how old she may be.
Then, too, what picture is this of Mrs. Lillas
swearing at the young lady for coming back to her
fathers home immediately after the ceremony, and
for not having gone with Lopez. AS for this worthy
adyenturer, with wives 1t is said in various parts
of the world, yet ready at any time to marry new
one openly declaring that his only motive in marry
ing Miss Morrison was to get money out of the old
folks" there is nothing to be said of him except that
he must be of the crueest and basest knayes in
the world. No man with q kind heart or
with the slightest sense of honor or with the least
selfrespect. would delude wealS-miuded young
woman in this heartess way. What he says by way
of testimony in court, can make 10 difference The
facts remain, and highly unpleasant facts they are.
Ii would not be remarkable if some reformer
should suggest that perhaps laws regulating the
marriage ceremony are not exactly SO stringent as
they should be- II adventures, bent upon making