The record-union., 1894-03-29

AICHDlsnOpO OF Ofk, was another eminent
cleric who was not afraid to speak out
either in the pulpit or the Senate, and a
few others might be added to the glorious
roll OF men in nigh places who, recognize
ing The social decadence of which every
day furnishes more and more striking
proofs, did not hesitate to denounce the
evils which still surround us, despite the
Vaunted 'spread Of civilization" free ed
ucation and the benefits which we are
told free and cheap press has bestowed
upon the Empire.
When we read of Joan of Arc being
tied to the stake and burnt, we shudder
even now; but how far in excess of all
| physical torture is the refined cruelty OF
the nineteenth century, which compels a
girl or woman to be the companion OF a
lustful being who is hardly one remove
from beast, simply because sheis penni-
| less and he has well-filled golfers In the
great majority or cases it may be safely
assumed that girl knows nothing what
ever about the duties and responsible
ties OF welded life until she is married.
Such ignorance is not only culpable; 1t is
! positively criminal on the part of those
who have let her go blindfolded TO the
altar. Where there has been no love.
how can there ever be any respect? And
where the husband sets bad example
as he often does. particularly III arlsto-
cratic liie-who can wonder at the wife
straying into the paths of sin? The
wonder is, not that there is so little good
in the world. but that there is not more
vice than unfortunately exists.
| Marriage, according to the existing sys-
! tenn, is, with many women, the first step
| towards demoraliZation-the initial step
! to Avernus-trom which there is no re-
treat. "All hope abandon ye who enter
hereW 1t is a sad and ghastly fact that
a ewly-married woman, no matter how
young she may be, is considered fair
game by all the elderly and youthful
rOues whose position enables them to
approach her. Every arttul VILE is prac-
tlced to lead her astray; she is flattered
and fooled to the top Of her bent; money
is lavished upon her; and, to sum up, she
finds life of sin so much easier and
more pleasurable than one of virtue that
she too seldom hesitates before leaping
into it.
Again, if we do but consider the num-
ber of opportunities which young and
middle-aged married women have of
kicking over the traces, we shall be the
modern marriage. Where the alliance
has been entirely a question of cash, and
where, as in any great city like London
and New Y YOrk, women are surrounded
by luXuries and beset by the most in
sidious temptations. how can we expect
society of all kinds to be other than it is?
The looSeness of the conversation at the
dinner-table, and even in The drawing
room. has much to do with running
women, especially if they be of the giddy
and thOughtleSS kind.
And what shall we say of feminine
dress, which, in this year of grace 1894
may be said to have reached the acme OF
indecency and extravaganza? Is seems
to be a race with 'fashionable' women
f,r,c cEo1l hn of frnxz n
and the largest diamonds. When see
one of these much-jewelled ladies', l am
reminded of what Juvenal says in his
terrible trenchant and biting Sixth Satire:
There is nothing aWoman will not allow
herself, nothing she holds dlsgracetul,
when she has encircled her neck with
emeralds, and inserted earrings of great
value in her ears, stretched with their
weight" Is it not humiliating to reflect
that the world is no better now than it
was in its infancy-than it was when the
greatest satirist who ever lived penned
his scathing denunciations of the women
OF old Rome? Juvenal, remember. was
born IN a small town of the Nolsci, about
the year of Christ 80, yet his Satires are
almost as applicable to the end of the
nineteenth century as they were to the
period OF which he wrote.
Let US glance for moment at the fire.
quently-discussed union of George Eliot
and George Henry Lewes.
They were brought together through
the medium of Herbert Spencer, ana in
less than three years, as is evident from
her correspondence, they had become
everything to each other. They could
not legally marry. inasmuch as Mr..
Lewes' wife was living. j. W. Cross,
who, less than two years after the death
of Lewes, was married to George Eliot at
the fashionable fame in Hanover square,
says: I'm forming a judgment on so
momentOuS a question. it is above all
things necessary TO understand what was
actually undertaken and what was actu-
ally achieved; and, in my opinion, this
can be best arrived at, not from outside
statement or arguments, but by consid-
Grafton of the true honor of the life''
which followed, in the development of
which Mr.. Lewes' true character as well
as that of George Eliot, unfolded itself.
George Eliot herself. writing to a lady in
defense of her line of conduct, declared:
IF there is any one action or relation in
my life which is and always has been
profoundly serious, it is my relation to
Mr. LeweS." In order to allay any
preudices which her friends may have
had against her mode of life Says one of
her biographers) she argues the possibil-
ity for two persons to have different
opinions on momentous subjects with
equal sincerity, with an equally earnest
conviction that their respective opinions
are alone the truly moral ones.
IF we differ on the subject Of marriage
laws" says George Eliot, writing to Mrs.
Bray, the lady above referred TO, 81 at
least can believe of you that you cleave to
what you believe to be good; and l don't
know anything in the nature of your
views that should prevent you believing
the same of me. y One thing l
can tell you in a few words Lightly and
easily broken ties are what | neither de-
sire theoretically nor could live for prac-
tically. Women who are satisfied with
ties do not do as / have done. That any
unworldly, interpretations person, who
is sufficiently acquainted with the realities
of life, can pronounce my relations with
Mr.. Lewes immoral, l can only under
stand by remembering how subtle and
complex are the influences which mold
opinion. From the majority of persons,
of course, We never looked for anything
but condemnation. We are leading no
life OF self-indulgence. except, indeed.
that, being happy in each other, we find
care to vindicate myself if 1 did not love
you, and desire to relieve you of the pain
which you say these conclusions have
given you. | IShould like never to write
about myself again-it is not healthy to
dwell on one's own feelings and conduct
but only try and live more faithfully
and more lovingly every fresh day."
1t is, perhaps, hardly necessary for me
to point out what is perfectly well
known-namely, that Lewes and his wife
had previously come to the conclusion
that they could no longer live together.
The world would be all the better if we
had more George Eliots-women with
the courage to be true to their hearts and
their convictions-and fewer of those
women who, in accordance with the mon
strous law OF society that you may COM
nit any number of sins if you can do so
without being found out, lead double
lives, and Instead of elevating themselves
and their husbands by the good infiu-