The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-01-22
MARRIAGE
A Physieian Discusses tho Statistics Re-
Gently Published In Europe.

To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Sr: Is Eu-
ropean civilization in this latter part of the
nineteenth century indicating a preference for
concubinaGe In place OF marriaGe2 The author
OF the article from the Pail Mall Gazette. which
The Sun copied one day last week. apparently
thinks such conclusion deducible from the sta
tistics which he presents. VIII you permit mo
to indicate reasons why such deduction is very
liable to error. and may DO altogether wrong?
1t is perfectly true that the marriage rate Of
most European. countries is at present some
what less than In previous years. But the very
inexact cnlcuiation. Suppose 1T be asked.
How many marriages annually occur in a
yearsY' Any one, can sec the absurdity Of
such a question. It resembles nn,d,ess the , schoolioy's
be bought for s5Y" There Is no r]eIatioSs what
ever between the two factors. And yet, In
great measure. that is precisely similar to what
Is done in oil present calculations of the mar
riage rate In basing it upon the total popula-
age. sex. or social conditions of its Inhabitants.
Let me illustrate. IN the popilation Of every
tain fixed proportions 81 people At various ages:
Take England. for example,. The average of
the census enumerations in 1877! and 1881, show
that each thousand persons Of its population
comprised tho following numbers:
G In. 20 yssT nd a 1n
over a5years lh
AobAi opuietip q y oA akcss i,oV
Speaking with a fair approximation to math-
ematicnl oXactitude. we, may safely aver that
in England land probably. In. most other coun-
Wis.,, Titiin 0P sbSst AI ps1io SHs q Ill., the from oSpu Is % F IS
c Ehsrn %Sssiass' eTo t & sny AVE- spsfh,a an dss to p sho
majority are already in the relation. Now all
these married persons, these infants. these
number OF MARRIAGES. and in the Interest OF
scientific ACCURACY, should have nothing to do
T T!,h AK FEis ss ssn oaiS be Of h.a & w sSsT' ssi. ms., sns|i
one thousand unmarried persons Of marriage
s See s Tow Il The Pal, Mai Gassae Writer SSlunders
regarding Ireland on this point Her mar
Ten 70 thousand 81 her population while in
England. Austria, Germany, and Holland tho
E" 4if + iri siS' marriage RsY rafS Is id n itssrf n snSash
to account for much Of the misery and unrest
Of Erin" says this astute, critic, PRAY how
sex 'I RELATIONS? Why. 'iTeni + NJ no matte nation ainA in
Europe wherein the ratio OF illegitimate births,
small as, it is In Ireland! It is not generally
fnGWn t q an yeaF, n i4d sn year # the s"o, iIllsgaitimmhhs ne s g,
Dr. f5e'f Serti ii rerhap ,H@ the o. most sm!ner no stu.
Ssaia Dc Scisaers Isa'fsaiiss' hat the pronortion
only three per cent in ireland. Yet even this
exceptiopally Nigh rate Of bastardy prevailing
IN the north OF Ireland.
The reason why lreland's marriage rate is 30
low is simply because her unhappy fortunes
have forced the youth and vigor OF the country,
In 9 perpetual tide Of young men and women.
to how to other lands; and every census cnum-
GRAFTON there finds too largc a proportion OF the
very young and very old, II condition OF affairs
which has nc exact counterpart elsewhere
II Europe, have not the least, doubt but
that If we shall over come TO base the %calcula.
tons OF marriage rates npon the nnmber Of
marriaEcnblo mon and women. WI shall lind In
Ireland AZ high Y percentaGe OF these, seeking
the bonds OF wedlock as exists in any European
country whatever.
Nor Is it true, as this writer suggests. that
there exists any alarming increase, ~ the ten-
dency 10 postpone marital Tespon-, ~hiiitIes. II,
In lss6; the average ago at marTitSe Tor men
must be remembered that these figures are al
most exactly what they were about twelve
years ago, me ayeTsge ags ior women being
Guides all marriages. widows and widower5. ut
every period Of lilo: and II we leave out of &c.
count those, WHO remarry. tho average age Of
1875 was "a years and 4 mouths; In 1886 IT had
advanced only to "a and 6 months. Here. OF
course, ID a very slight tendency toward post
ponement; but a difference OF two months In n
siGian desires 70 SEQ nm earlier AGE In fashion.
But, after all Is said. 1t y probably true that q
very slight decrease In. the average tendency
Is percsptible throughout Europe. II, may be
due TO that increase OF prudence which comes
with increase OF general education: II may be
hard times, An exact expIanationipt great but
silent social movements Of this Kind Is impos-
sible for science now TO discover; but ] do not
European civilization. Is coming to yensrate
marriage the less, or that any manifested pru.
denoe II. delay, suggests thai, the virtue Of
chastity u trsndtng toward extinction
pAxsyuna.rE r. ~. IN. iSsx