The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-07
10 CHANGE DIVORCE LAWS WE MUST
CHANGE MARRIAGE LAWS-H.G WELLS

directions | do not think Ne car get
aiohs ~ithout H.
Now this. Know, is not the usually
received opinion. There is. ! am
aware tn" theory hat the novei IL
wholly and solely a>means of relaxa.
lion. In spite Of manifest facts that
was the dominant view or the great
period mat we now in u RETROSPECT
I'VE way speak OF AZ the Victorian. and
" sun survives 10 TINS day. II II the
mans theory OF h novel rather than
tne woman's. one may call II the
weary Giant theory. The reader Is
represented as n man. b~urdened. toll
ing. worn. He has been in his Office
from 10 to 4. With perhaps only two
noun interval AZ his club for lunch.
or ne has been playing golf; or he has
been waiting about voting in the
House. or he has been fishing: or he
has been %disputing a point OF law; or
writing a sermon. or doing one OF a
thousand other OF the grave important
things which constitute the substance
OF a prosperous mans life. Now nj
isst comes the little precious Interval
or leisure n h Weary Giant takes
mp a book. Perhaps he is vexed: he
may have been bunkered. his line may
have been entansled in the trees. his
fsvorite investment may have slumped
or the Judge have had indigestion and
been extremely rude to him. He wants
to forget the Troublesome realities Of
I'VE. He wants to be taken out OF
himself. 1" be cheered. consoled. amused
all. amused. He doesn't want
IDEAS. he doesn't want facts; above
all ne oesnt want-Problems. He
wants TO dream OF the bright. thin,
gay eSciternents or a phantom world
IN which he ran be hereof horses
ridden ana lace worn and princesses
rescued and won. He wants pictures
OF runnN Sums. and entertaining
paupers. and laughable longshoremen,
n kindly impulses life sweet
tie wants romance without its def
ah'', ana hhmor WITHOUT its sung ana
the business OF the novelist. NJ
holds il TO supply this cooling
'efreshnent. hat is the Weary Giant
theory OF the novel. /; ruled British
criticism up 90 the period o: the Boer
war-nnd hen something happened
to quite n lot Of us. and II has never
completely recovered it, old predoni-
nance. Perhaps II will: perhaps
something else may happen to prevent
its eve doing 20.
Both fiction and criticism to-day are
ia revol, against that tired giant.
the prosperous Englishman. cam
not think Of q single writer Of any
distinction to-day. unless IL il Mr.. W.
". Jacobs who IL content merely u
serve tn. purpose of those slippered
So far from the weary reader
being a deccntly tired giant. we realize
hat he Is only an !nexpressiblv lax.
-'oNenly and UNDETERMINED giant aud
q" are all out with one accord resolved
exercise his higher ganglia In every
,asihle way. And so I will say no
lare Of the ldea that the noyeI 20
rorclv = harmless opiate for tho va
an hours of p|rosp.rous mon As
natter of fact, IL never has been and
y its nature 7 doubt ~ II over can no
The time IL fast approaching when
, will he necessary for rho general
'ltizan to form definite opinions upon
lroposels for probably nui,e
t.l"rations Of our present divorce laws
rising u OF the recommendations
Il the recent royal commission on IN.
.ubj.Ct. II may not be out Of MACE
therefore,. to run through some OF the
'iii~f points that are likely To he raised
md to set u the main considerations
q fecting these issues.
Divorce is not II Of those things
that stand alone, and neither divorce
law nor the general principles Of d.
vorCe are to he discussed without a
to antecedent ARRANGEMENTS.
Divorce IL a sequel TO marriage. and a
hanRc in the divorce law Is essentially
= change in the marriage law. There
was a time in this country when our
marriage was n practically d~ivorcoless
BOND. soluble only under extraordinary
circumstances by people in situations
II exceptional ADVANTAGE for doing
90. Now II IL a bond under conditions.
md in the event OF tho adultery Of
he wife or 81 the adultery plus cruelty
IT plus desertion Of the husband. and
" ono or W other rarer and more
dreadful offences. il can he broken AZ
the instance Of the nggricved party.
change in the dissolution clauses. so To
speak, Of the contract for the marriage
partnership. II ,s a change in the
law.
\ great number Of people object To
divorce under any circumstances
This is the case with IN.
orthodox Catholic and with the ortho-
dox Positivist. And many religious
and orthodox people carry their asser-
lion ~ .ba ,pdioonl,b;It, - c,oxa