The Washington times., 1905-08-05

PARIS. Aug Sat the present time
a not inconsiderable number of French
men are living In the fear that the law
love their wives It is not that these
men do not already possess some sort
of affection for their partners in life,
but there is no knowing what awkward
Interpretation the women might put
upon the new reading of the law.
Hitherto the French marriage code
has limited itself to declaring that the
contracting parties owe each other mu-
tual esteem. fidelity and succor. Moth
ing is mentioned about love.
An eminent playwright, NJ. Paul Her
vieu, however, thinks that people who
enter the bonds OF wedlock should also
be required by law to love one another.
NJ. Hervieu expressed his views before
a parliamentary COMMITTEES formed to
consider certain reforms in the code,
and, apparently. a ajority of the
members are inclined TO share his view.
on the ground that ii is in the interest
Of morality for the law to recognize
love in matrimony.
Not Much Lows Here.
Curiously enough, love enters very
little, indeed, into the making of the
vast majority of French marriages.
French people, as rule. marry be-
cause ii is TO their mutual interests.
In aristocratic marriages love is seldom
ever taken into consideration. It is
T,urely a question OF convention, OF
decorum. of mutual convenience.
Among the middle or bourgeoise
classes marriage is principally a Ques-
ton of pounds. shiilings. and pence. A
manufactures, a lawyer, an official, an
officer. or a merchant looks forward.
II. contracting marriage. to finding in
the shape of his wife's dowry, value
corresponding to the position he holds
or the annual income he derives from
his profession or business.
The Mercenary "Dot"
One of the first cares of a French
father is to provide a dowry for each
OF his daughters. and according to the
value of the dowry he can command a
more or less suitable husband for his
daughter. The larger the dowry the
more exacting will he become as 10 the
status of a possible son-in-law.
Such marriages are nearly always ar
ranged by the parents or near relations
on both sides. The young Frenchman
who decides i is time TO marry seldom
fixes his choice on any particular girl.
He allows his relatives to look around
for him. He manages TO obtain by vari-
Gus well-knowu artif1ces, a view of the
person who is suggested to him as a
suitable ''parti,' and if she is sufficiently
presentable to please him, and the two
families can come 10 terms as regards
money matters. the proposal is made in
due form.
\ few weeks later the marriage takes
place. The girl. 1t will be seen, has
scarcely been consulted, but such is the
manner of her bringing up that she is
general quite content TO leave matri-
monial matters in the hands of her faith
er. and TO accept the husband he has
selected for her
For Quid Pro Quo.
In France, hasty marriages, long en-
gagements and breaches OF promise are
practically unknown.
The desire 10 obtain a quid pro quo in
marriage extends even to the masses. to
the peasantry and the working classes.
a small peasant farmer. who is the pro-
prietor OF i've acres of land and ten
COWS. would consider he had made an
extremely bad bargain If he were obliged
10 marry his son 10 the daughter of a
man who owned but three acres and six
cows
Helpful French Wives.
Nevertheless, it Is a remarkable fact
that the proportions OF unhappy French
marriages is comparatively small. The
natural bent of the average French wo-
man Is TO become the comrade and the
friend of her husband. She very fire.
uuently takes keen interest in his busi-
ness affairs, and il does not appear that
the French method of marrying young
people, with its absence of any precon-
ceired affection, works as badly as might
be lima sIned
The impression that long residence
IN France and close observation OF the
peoD1e leaves upon one is that love, in
the sense that is generally attached 10
the word. is nor SO frequent between
married couples as close and afectionate
friendship.
The placing Of the word love" in the
sacramental phrase which in France is