The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-11-25
OPINIONS ON MARRIAGE.
st. Paul-Danfel Webster-Wedlock
Among the Ancients-H1s-
tOrical Notes.

tOr1Cal NOteSs
Marriage is honorable in all" says
st. Paul; and the same opinion has been
expressed in much the same words by
innumerable authors from Seneca
downward. It is curious, however, to
note how writer's have differed in the
testimony they have borne to this. the
most sacred of human relationships.
"a man finds himself seven years older
the day after his marriage" says
Bacon; and, according to lady writer,
marriage is 1.-The metempsychOsis of
woman-it turns them into different
creatures from what they were before" "
The reading that comes between the
lines here is capable of more than one
Interpretation, and it must be left to
the initiated to take the view which
most answers to their own circum-
stances. There are no two meanings,
however, in the Johsonian declaration
that marriage is the best state for
man in general, and every man is
worse man in proportion as he is unfit
for the married state" Nor. although
he looks at the matter in two aspects.
is there any ambiguity in Daniel Web
ster' S opinion that in marriage there is
no purgatory-''it locally contains
heaven or hell; there is no third place
in it." Nevertheless, the relation
ship is good for the chief upholders of
the doctrine of third state, for we
have distinguished wearer of the ring
of the Fisherman Pius II.) preaching
that marriage is better for the clergy
than single life" And even Vol
taire, with all his doubts and specula-
tions, has this to say with regard to the
sacred tie: ''The more married men
you have the fewer crimes there will
be-" inasmuch as marriage renders a
man more virtuous and more w Sc. "
Cotton put in that marriage
is feast where the grace is
sometimes better than the dinner"
Melancthon agrees with Voltaire on
this question, his opinion being ''few
unmarried people are affected as they
ought to be toward the public good and
perceive what are really the most i'm
portant objects in life." Montaigne is
inclined to be ironical on the subject
saying that ''the land of marriage has
this popularity, that strangers are de-
sirous of inhab ting it, while its natural
inhabitants would willingly be Danish
ed from thence" Ii there is irony
also in Sidney Smiths observation on
the subject, it is softened with delight
full touch of. humor. We have the
genial divine comparing married coup
les to piar of shears, $50 joined that
they cannot be separated, often moving
ishing anyone who comes between
them" We have one noted author
intimating that even at the worst there
is certain measure of benefit in mar
riage. 1--WE are not very much to
blame for our bad marriages." says
Emerson; 1--WE live amid hallucinations
and this especial trap is laid to trip up
our feet with, and all are tripped up
first or last, but the mighty mother who
had been so sly with us, as if she felt
she owed US some indemnity, insin yates
into the Pandora box of marriage some
deep and serious benefits and some
great joys There is the same differ
ences in the verdict on the married
state in the poetic as in the prose refer
ences to it. The testimony on both
aspects of marriage is fact volumi-
nous, and it could not we'll be other
wise, seeing that it deals with what
bears chiefly on human joy or sorrow.
But there is no question as to which
way the balance turns.
To begin with, however, it is impos-
sibie, of course, to say whether a mar
riagc will realize all the happiness the
two persons chiefly concerned may nat
urally be supposed to anticipate from it.
And it is not surprising that, as it is a
choice 'for better or worse" even mat
ter-of-fact people are disposed on such
occasions to pay some little attention
to usages and omens appertaining to
a choice. The bride. is sure to rejoice
if the sun shines on her, and is as likely
to be depressed should the marriage
take place in a thunderstorm. She
does not trouble herself for the moment
that tine light or shade she has most rea-
son to look for or dread depends en-
tirely on the way in which she and her
husband are determined to bear and
forbear with each other.
Here there is no mention of Sunday
"a favorite marrying day in the hum
bier walks of life in some parts of Eng
gland and Ireland. In Scotland Sunday
is not known as a marriage day, nor is
Monday in any great favor, owing prob
ably to an old law, passed early in the
eighteenth century, directing that for
the better observance of the Sabbath
no wedding should take place on Mon
day. Tuesday and Friday, however,
are considered good marrying days
north of the border. In Wales the pref
erence seems to be for Saturday. In
Roman Catholic countries important
ventures are seldom begun on Friday,
and it is rather curious, therefore, to
find that in France the last Friday in
the month is regarded as fortunate
day for weddings, excepting, of course,
all the Fridays and all the other DAYS
in Lent, during which period marriages;
are forbidden. Generally May is looked
upon as month to be avoided for mar
riage purposes. 1t is not very clear
why the merry month should be in ill
repute in this connection. Probably it
is superstitious notion that has come
down to us from Roman times, but, on
the other hand, the Romans objected to
February for marrying as well as
May, while February with us is as
much in favor for weddings as
almost any other. month ex-
cept June. The Jews used to set apart
certain days for betrothal and marriage,
and appointed the fourth day for spin
sters and the fifth for widows. This
custom prevails among modern Jews,
but with a modification as to the DAYS.
Wednesday and Friday being appointed
for spinsters, and Thursday for
widows. Here, however, the arrange
ment is one of convenience and not of
superstition; but it is altogether super
stition which prevents marriages in
Scandinavia on Thursday, that being
the day of Thor, and, therefore. to the
Morse mind Pagan day. on which no
Christian ceremony should take place.
Green she is expected to avoid, as she
would plague, and she must not take
parting look at a mirror before start
ing out for the church, unless she has