第4章

Butifshebeblameless:

andif，contumaciousandresentful，sheharshlyrefusesto"condone"；if，withblindself-willandarrogance，shehastheindecenthardihoodtoresist，andcomplain。IfshewailandworryforJUSTICE，andtalkofthemotherwholoved——thefatherwhosheltered——thebrotherwhowillprotecther，——andinsistonbeing"separated"fromyouandyourmistress，——then，mypoorfriend，Ifearwemustdosomething；butwewilldoaslittleaspossible:wewillgiveher(what，inpointoffact，youhavealreadygivenher)，"theWoman"sDivorce"；——leavetoremainALONE。Alone——marriedtoyourname。Nevertoknowtheprotectionofthisnominalhusband——northejoysoffamily——northeevery-daycompanionshipofarealhome。Nevertofeelorshowpreferenceforanyfriendnotofherownsex；thoughtempted，perhaps，byafeelingnoblerthanpassion；gratitudeforgenerouspity，thathaslightenedthePage58

drearydays。Tobeslandered，tormented，insulted；tofindtheworld，andtheworld"slaw，astheLordChancellortrulyobserves，utterlyindifferenttoherwrongsorherhusband"ssin；andthroughallthistoleadachaste，unspotted，patient，cheerfullife；withoutanger，withoutbitterness；andwithmeekrespectforthoseEnglishedictswhich，withaperverseparodyonScripture，pronouncethat"itisnotgoodforMANtobealone，"——butextremelygoodforwoman。Hardthatahusbandshouldnotdivorceanadulterouswife!Hardthatheshouldnotforma"purerconnection!"

Hard(thoughhehasacareerandoccupationoutofhisownhome)，thatasecondchanceofdomestichappinessshouldnotagaingreethim!——Butnottheleasthardthathisweakerpartner，elevated，accordingtoMrGladstone，toanequalitywithhim，sincetheChristianadvent，——she，whoifshehasnotahomehasnothing——shouldbeleftstrandedandwreckedonthebarrensands，atthefootoftheworld"simpassiveandimpassablerocks。

"Oh!sheoughttohavecondoned:

sheoughttohavebeenquiet:herfriendsoughttohavehusheditallup。"——Perhaps。

Butthereisoneothercontingency:thereisthecontingencythatPage59

thewomanmaysay:"WouldIhadbeenindeedasinneranddivorced，ratherthanlivethislifeoftorment，injustice，andmockery!"Wildwords:terriblesinfulwords:aretheynot?Abad，shockingwomantosayso；nothingofthesaintandmartyrinhercomposition。ButalsoabadlawIthink。Abad，wickedlaw，whichmakesitutterlyindifferentwhethershecanorcannotclaimtobeaninnocentwoman:andwhetherherhusbandisorisnotabadworthlessman。

Eitherletmenrenouncetheprivilegeofdivorce，andtheassertionthatmarriageisadissolublecontract，——orallowtheweakerpartythatrefugefromintolerablewrong，whichtheyclaimasamatterofnecessityforthemselves。TheEcclesiasticallaw，whichdeniesthedissolubilityofmarriages，isintelligible，(thoughnotsointelligiblehow，thatbeingthecase，ecclesiasticsre-marrypersonsdivorcedbyparliament)。AndtheScotchlaw，whichreversestheecclesiasticallaw，andmakesmarriagedissolubleforbothsexesandallclasses，isintelligible。

ButtheLordChancellor"sBill，whichdeniestothepoorwhatitgivestotherich——andgrantstothehusbandwhatitrefusestothewife——isnotintelligibleofanyprincipleofjustice。

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Indenyingwomentheequalclaim，whicheventheEcclesiasticalCourtsadmit，asfarastheyadmitanydivorce，LordCranworthassertshimselftobewiserthanLordEldon，——wiserthanLordThurlow，——andwiser(whichisverypossible)thanLordRosslyn；forthosethreedeceasedChancellors，ononeandthesameoccasion，agreedthattheprincipleonwhichsuchclaimoughttobeadmittedwassimplythis:wheretherewasanimpossibilityofreconciliation。

Itistruethattheparticularcaseonwhichthatdebatetookplace，wasacaseofincest。ItwasthefirstinstanceofadivorcebillpassedinEnglandonthepetitionofthewife；intheyear1801；inthecaseofMrAddison，whohadlivedwiththesisterofhiswife。ButthegeneralargumentwasnotlimitedtothatonecrimebyLordThurlow；andifithadbeen，whatnewconfusionistoarise，ifthebillnowpending，forMarriagewithaDeceasedWife"sSister，shouldbecomelaw?IsLordCranworth"sexceptionnolongertodeservethatdistinction?Orisittoremainincestifcombinedwithadultery；andceasetobeincestwhencombinedwithmarriage?Whatistobetherule?

LordThurlowdidnotattempttoclassify，(asLordCranworthhasdone，)whatshouldbeheldPage61

tobeunendurablewrong；hesaidmerely，thathehadbeenexcitedbythebilltoexaminethewholesubjectofdivorce，andthathewasoftheopiniontheremedywasnotconfinedtothehusband。Thattheprincipleshouldbe，——theimpossibilityofreconciliation。Hesaid，——"Whydoyougranttothehusbandadivorcefortheadulteryofthewife?Becauseheoughtnottoforgive；andseparationisinevitable。Wherethewifecannotforgive，——andseparationisinevitablebyreasonofthecrimeofthehusband，——thewifeisentitledtothelikeremedy。Whyshouldshebecondemned，forHIScrime，tospendtherestofherdaysintheunheard-of-situation，ofbeingneithervirgin，wife，norwidow?"

ThespeechofLordThurlowconvertedLordEldon；theprinciplewasadmittedbyall；andtheBillofDivorcewasgrantedtothecomplainingwife。

Itisimpossiblepreviouslytodefinealimitforunendurablewrong，thoughitbepossibletojudgeacasewhenheard。BytheScotchlaw，desertionisheldtobeasufficientcause；byseveralofthecountrieswhichfollowtheoldRomanlaw，causesofpersonaldisgustordislike；thismaybeerringonthecontraryside，andgivingtoogreatfacilityfordivorce；butonPage62

noprincipleofcommonsensecanitbefitthatthereshouldexistcasesofwronginwhichthelawcannotjudge，forthatsetsalimittothepossibilityofjustice。

Solongasahusbandisnotguiltyofincest，——awife，(accordingtoLordsCranworthandCampbell)，hasnothingtocomplainofwhichshemightnot"condone。"YetGodknowsitseemsdifficulttoimaginewhatshadeoftorment，insult，orinjury，couldbeaddedtowhathasbeenenduredinmyowncase。Ihavelearnedthelawrespectingwomen，piece-meal，bysufferingfromeveryoneofitsdefectsofprotection。Imarriedveryyoung，andmymarriagewasanunhappyone。Myfamilyinterferedearnestlyandfrequentlyinmybehalf:andasforme，Iforgaveandresented——resentedandforgave——tillatlengthI

leftmyhusband"sformysister"shouse。Hewrotethen，adjuringmetopardonhim；beseechingme，byallthatwasholy，"nottocrushhim，"but"totrusttohim，"toreturn!Hesaidhe"knelttomeforpardon"!

Hewrotetomyfamilyintheextremestandmostexaggeratedtermsofsubmission。

HesaidhewasgladPage63

theyhadavengedmeandscornedhim，andhevowedtotreatmekindlyforthefuture。Tomylastinginjury，——(evennowIwillnotwrite，tomylastingregret)，——I"condoned。"IknewIwasnotmyselffaultless；Iwasdeeplytouchedbyhisimploringphrases；andIreturnedtothehomeandthehusbandIhadabjured。Myfamily，however，didnotchoosetoresumetermsofintimacywithhim；andhequarrelledwithmeonthataccount。Iinsistedonmyrighttotakemychildrentomybrother"shouse，thoughmybrotherwouldnotreceivehim。ThosechildrenwerekidnappedwhileIwaswithmysister，andsentbymyhusbandtoawomanwhohassincelefthimmoney，andofwhomheknewIhadtheworstopinion。

Atthattimethelawwas，(andIthankGodIbelieveIwasgreatlyinstrumentalinchangingthatlaw)，thatamanmighttakechildrenfromthemotheratanyage，andwithoutanyfaultoroffenceonherpart。Therehadbeenaninstanceinwhichthehusbandseizedandcarriedawayasucklinginfant，ashiswifesatenursingitinherownmother"shouse。Another，inwhichthehusbandbeinghimselfinprisonfordebt，gavehiswife"slegitimatechildtothewomanhecohabitedwith。Athird(inwhichthepartiesPage64

wereofhighrank)，wherethehusbanddesertedhiswife；claimedthebabebornafterhisdesertion(havingalreadyhisotherchildren)；

andlefthertolearnitsdeathfromthenewspapers!Afourth，inwhichthehusbandlivingwithamistress，andtravellingwithherunderhiswife"sname，thelatterappealedforaseparationtotheEcclesiasticalCourt；

andtheadulteroushusband，torevengehimself，claimedfromherhisthreeinfantgirls。Inallthesecases，andinallothercases，theclaimofthefatherwasheldtobeindisputable。Therewasnolawthentohelpthemother，asthereisnolawnowtohelpthewife。Theblamelessnessofthemothersignifiednothinginthosedays，astheblamelessnessofthewifesignifiesnothinginthispresentday。Thefatherpossessedpreciselytherightthehusbandstillpossesses——namely，todoexactlywhathepleased。

MrNorton，then，tookmylittlechildren(agedtwo，four，andsixyears)；

andItracedthemtothehouseofthatvilewoman，whothreatenedtogiveme"tothepolice"whenIwentthereandclaimedthem。

Itwasnottillsixweeksafterthestealingofmychildren，——afteralong，angrycorrespondence——andafterhavingattemptedtoconditionthat"ifmyfamilywouldretractallthathadbeensaidPage65

againsthim，hewouldretractallhehadsaidagainstme"——thatMrNortontookhighergroundthanhisrealcauseofanger，——andappearedbeforetheworldinthecharacterof"aninjuredhusband。"HebroughtanactionagainstLordMelbourne；whowasinnowayconnectedwithourquarrel；

whohadbeenamostkindfriendtous；andwithwhom，thelasttimeIhadeverseenhiminmyhome，——myhusbandwasonthebestpossibleterms，endeavouringtoprocurefromhimaloanofmoney!Theinfamousopportunityaffordedtounscrupulousmen，intheEnglish"ActionforDamages"(whichLordStLeonard"shaslatelytermeda"disgracetothecountry"——"astigmaonthelawofEngland，"——"anactionwhichshocksone"ssenseofwhatisright")

wassuggestedasatemptationandabait。LordMelbournedeclaredthat，sofarasMrNortonwasconcerned，hebelievedtheactiontobebroughtentirelyasameansofobtainingmoney。And，astothepersonswhowereknowntohaveinstigatedtheproceedings，heconsidereditwasapoliticalplotonthepartofasmallsectionoftheTories，toruinhimasPrimeMinister。AndIknowthatinthisopinionyourMajesty"sUncle，KingWilliamIV。，entirelyconcurred。

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LordMelbourneneverforamomentsupposedMrNortonwasreallyjealousofhim；butscornfullywrotetomethus，——ofmyhusband，——"YououghttoknowhimbetterthanIdo，andmustdoso。ButyouseemtometobehardlyawarewhataGNOMEheis。Inmyopinionhehassomehoworothermadethiswholemattersubservienttohispecuniaryinterest。"

IdonotknowwhatpecuniaryadvantageconsentingtobringthelosttrialobtainedforMrNorton:thoughifhehadwonit，certainlythe"damages"wouldhavebeenexcessive；LordMelbournebeingrepresentedbyMrNorton"scounsel，asaprofligateoldgrandee，whohadcomeintothishappyhome，toseducetheyouthfulandbelovedmotherofMrNorton"sthreeinfantchildren。Idonotknow，Isay，whatbasebargainmayhavebeenmadeaboutit，asLordMelbourneconjecturedtherewas；butthisIbelieve，thatbutfortheschemetooustLordMelbourneasaMinister，andthefeasibilityofanactionfor"damages，"thisquarrelwithmyhusbandmighthavebeenarranged——asotherdisputeshadbeen，equallybitter。

Atthetrial，itwasprovedthatthewitnessesforthe"injuredhusband"hadreceivedmoney，Page67

andhadactuallyresidedtillthetimeofthetrialatthecountry-seatofLordGrantley，MrNorton"selderbrother。Thejurylistenedwithincredulityanddisgusttotheevidence；andwithoutrequiringtohearasinglewitnessforLordMelbourne，orleavingthejury-box，theyinstantlygavetheirverdictagainstMrNorton:averdictwhichwasreceivedwithcheerswhichthejudgecouldnotsuppress:sovehementwastheexpressionofpubliccontemptandindignation。

MrDavidLeahythusdescribedthefeelingofthetime:——"Alltheworld——whatevertheirpoliticsmaybe，orwhatevertheiropinionsaboutthediscretionofthebehaviourofalloreitherofthethreeprincipalparties——mustacknowledgethatthethreeprincipalwitnesseswereperjuredandsuborned。Ihavespokenwithalmosteverypersonpresent，andthereexistsaperfectunanimityuponthispoint。"

Afterthetrialwasover，MrNortonnotifiedtomethatmyfamilymightsupportme，orthatImightwriteformybread；andthatmychildrenwerebylawathissoledisposal。

Andhere，again，MONEYwashisavowedmotive；forhefirstaffirmedthattheresidenceoftheseinfantswithmemightmakehimliableforthedebtsofmyhousehold；andthen，thatPage68

"others"onwhomhehimselfdepended，wouldnotpermithimtosendbackhischildren，asitwouldappeartojustifyme，andsoprovethetrialamockery。

Hisowncounsel，SirJohnBayley，gavethisaccountinapublishedletterlastyear:——"IfoundMrsNortonanxiousonlyononepoint，andnearlybroken-heartedaboutit；namely，therestorationofherchildren。Shetreatedherpecuniaryaffairsasamatterofperfectindifference，andleftmetoarrangethemwithMrNortonasIthoughtfit。Ifoundherhusband，onthecontrary，anxiousONLYaboutthepecuniaryarrangement，andsoobviouslymakingtheloveofthemotherforheroffspringameansofbarterandbargain，thatIwrotetohimIcouldbe"nopartytoanyarrangementwhichmadeMoneythepriceofMrsNorton"sfairandhonourableaccesstoherchildren。"Ifoundthetakingawayofthosechildrenhadbeentherealgroundofquarrel，andthatnotonlyMrNortonthrewtheblameofthesubsequenttrialonhisadvisors，anddeclaredthatthetrialwasbrought"againsthisjudgment，"

butthatoneofhisangriestgroundsofcomplaintagainsthiswifewas，thatshehadsaidshe"neverwouldreturntohim；"……Ifound，underMrNorton"sownhandwriting，Page69

confessionsofthegrossestpersonalviolencetowardshiswife……

MrNortonadmittedtomehisfirmbeliefofhiswife"sinnocenceofthechargehehadbroughtagainstherandLordMelbourne……Iconsiderthereneverwasamoredeeply-injuredwoman，andthathisconducttohercertainlyhadbeenmarkedby"thegrossestcruelty，injustice，andinconsistency，"

thateveranymandisplayed。"

Oneofmychildrenwasafterwardskilled，forwantofthecommonestcareamotherwouldhavegiventoherhousehold。MrNortonallowedthischildtolieillaweekbeforehesenttotellmehewasdying；and，whenIarrived，Ifoundthepoorlittlecreaturealreadyinhiscoffin。

Whenitwasnotacaseofdeath，Iwasnotallowedtohearatall。Once，whentheywereill，Iwrotetoasknewsofthem；andmyownletterwasrefoldedandsentbacktome。

Thathusband，whosepetitionforpardonhadtouchedmesoeasily，neverpitiedme。WhatIsufferedrespectingthosechildren，Godknows，andHeonly:whatIendured，andyetlivedpast，——ofpain，exasperation，helplessness，anddespair，undertheevillawwhichsufferedanyman，forvengeanceorforinterest，totakebabychildrenfromthemother，Ishallnoteventrytoexplain。Page70

Ibelievemenhavenomorenotionofwhatthatanguishis，thantheblindhaveofcolours；andIblessGodthatatleastminewasoneofthecaseswhichcalledattentiontothestateofthelawasitthenexisted。

AftertheactionagainstLordMelbourne(inwhich，accordingtothepreposterousEnglishcode，I

couldhavenopersonaldefence，noranymeansofshowinghowIhadbeentreatedasawife):IconsultedcounselwhetherIcouldnotnowdivorcemyhusband:whetheradivorce"byreasonofcruelty"mightnotbepleadedforme；andIlaidbeforemylawyersthemanyinstancesofviolence，injustice，andill-usage，ofwhichthetrialwasbutthecrowningexample。IwasthentoldthatnodivorceIcouldobtainwouldbreakmymarriage；thatIcouldnotpleadcrueltywhichIhadforgiven；

thatbyreturningtoMr。NortonIhad"condoned"allIcomplainedof。IwasanENGLISHWIFE，andformetherewasnopossibilityofredress。Theanswerwasalwaysthesame。TheLAW"HaveInoremedy?"——"NoremedyinLAW。TheLAWcandonothingforyou:yourcaseisoneofsingular，ofincrediblehardship；butthereisnopossiblewayinwhichtheLAWcouldassistyou。"ItriedtheEdinburghlawyers。

Iin-Page71

quirediftheycouldnotprovemymarriageaScotchone，allMrNorton"spropertybeinginScotland，hisfatheraScotchBaronofExchequer，andhismotherofaScotchfamily，——butwithoutsuccess。

Whenthewomandied，towhommychildrenhadbeensent，MrNortonproposedtometo"forgive"thepublictrial，andreturntohim(showinghowmuchhehadbelieveditsaccusations。)Ireceivedfromhimamostextraordinarynote，sayingthatheconsideredourdifferences"capableofadjustment，"andhopedIwouldmeethimalone，inanemptyhouse，No。1，Berkeley-street，wherehewouldwaitforme。Ireceivedthiscommunicationwithdoubtanddistrust。

Themeasuresadoptedtowardsme，intheefforttogetridofme，hadbeensostrange，thatIwasafraidtomeetmyhusband"alone，inanemptyhouse。"ButIagreed，onhispetition，tocometohisownhouse。Hethenbesoughtmeoncemore"toforgetthepast"andreturnhome。Helaidtheblameofallthathadhappened，onhisfriendsandadvisers；saidthetrialwasagainsthiswillandjudgment，andthathelonged"totakemetohisheartagain。"Hesentnotesalmostdailytomyhouse。Thoselettersbegan，"MyCarry，""MydearCarry，"Page72

andweresigned"Yoursaffectionately。"Twoofthem(inallusiontomyfearofmeetinghim)boretheplayfulsignatureof"GREENACRE，"——thenameofamanwhohadbeenrecentlyhung，forenticingawomantohishousebypromisingmarriage，andthenmurderingandcuttingherintopieces。

Thisplannedreconciliationdidnottakeplace。MrNorton"ssisterinformedhimthatIdidnotintend"honestly"toreturntohim。ThatisthatIdidnotintendtoremaininmyhome。ThatIwouldgobackforatriumph；formyreputationandmychildren；butnottostay。Renewedbitterdisputestookplace，andmychildrenweredeliveredovertohissister。

ItcostMrNortonnothing，toreverttothehypocriticalpretencehehadadoptedintheactionofdamages。He，whohadjustwrittenthosecoaxingletterssignedGreenacre，——whohadjustbeggedhiswifeto"meethiminanemptyhouse，"andtrytoarrangesoastooutwitthosewhohadbeenhis"advisers，"——leapednimblyupagaintothepedestalfromwhichhehaddescended，andresumedtheattitudeofan"injuredhusband。"Actually，thenextstepaftertheGREENACREletters，wastoadvertisemeintheEnglishnewspapers；MrNortonbeing，IPage73

believe，theonlymanofhisownrankinlifewhoeverresortedtothatmeasure。

WhenIsawthiswonderfulinsultgazettedbythehusbandwhohadjustbeenwooingmyreturn:——"Whereason30thMarch，1830，mywife，CarolineElizabethSarah，leftme，herfamily，andhome，andhathfromthenceforthcontinuedtoliveseparateandapartfromme，"&；c。，——IagaininquiredifIhad"noremedy?"None。Onlymybrother"ssolicitorsweredirectedtopublishacounteradvertisement，declaringthewholeofwhatMrNortonhadstatedwasfalse。

Afterwards，SirJohnBayley(MrNorton"sowncounsel)submittedhisletterstoLordWynford(whohadbeenMrNorton"sguardian)。LordWynfordexpressedhimselfinthestrongestandmostcontemptuoustermswithrespecttohisformerward；andfinally——fortheexpresspurposeofbeingshowntoMrNorton——hewrotethefollowingnote(theoriginalofwhichisinmypossession)——

"MyDearBayley，"Ihavebeenthinkingofthecorrespondenceyoureadtomethismorning。IamconvincedthatGeorgeNortoncanhavenodefencePage74

totheactions，andthathisdefendingthemwillbeattendedWITH

LOSSOFCHARACTER，aswellasgreatexpense。Heshouldagreetothearrangementthatyoupropose，oranyotherthatcanbemade。IwillwritetoGrantleytotellhimthatIhaveadvisedasettlementonANYterms。"

"Faithfullyyours，"WYNFORD。"

MrNortonhadgivenhispledgedwordinwriting，tohiscounselandreferee，toabidebyanydecisionhemightcometo。Hebrokehisword，refusedtoabidebyhiswrittenpledge，andactuallyhadtheeffronterytocomplainofhisletters"havingbeenshewn"!TowhichSirJohnBayleybluntlyreplied，thatifhewasdoingwhatwasrightandhonestbyme，"itwasastonishingheshouldsodreaditsbeingknown。"

Atlength，afterIhadremainedfortwoyearswithoutafarthingofsupportfrommyhusband；dependentonmyfamily；oneofmycreditorsbroughtanactionagainstMrNorton；

whooncemoreundertook——(beingtheaggressor)——topretendtobetheaggrieved。

OncemoreI，also，struggledtoprove，undertheblessedEnglishlaw，whatweretherealfactsofthecase。MyPage75

husbandhimselfhaspublished，thereasonofmynon-success。HereareMrNorton"sprintedwords:——"LordAbinger，whotriedthecause，uponasuggestionofmycounsel"(SirFitzroyKelly)，"thatSirJohnBayleyhadbeenmyadvocateandreferee，REFUSEDTOHEARHISEVIDENCE。"