第6章

Thetradesmanischeated；——notbyme，forIamcheatedinmyturn；nor(exceptindirectly)byMrNorton，foritishiswifewhomhedefrauds。ItistheLAWthatcheatsthetradesman。Thelaw，——thatshoulddohimjustice!Helosesjustice；

helosesthesumdueasthePage90

actualdebt；andhelosestheexpensesofapplyingforthatdebtunsuccessfully。Isthat，orisitnot，aridiculousconfusionoflaws，toexistinanykingdom?

Iwilltake，now，yourMajesty"sposition；for，——beitsaidwithallrespectandloyalty，——thiswasnocommon"privatequarrel，"ofwhichscarceanechocanreachthethrone:butamatterwhichitwouldbewantinginreverencetobelieve，canhavebeenindifferenttoyou。ThefirstPrimeMinisterofyourMajesty"sreignisscurrilouslyattackedandslanderedintheEnglishnewspapers，byanEnglishmagistrate。Inalongletterpublishedbythatmagistrate(expressly，asheinformshisreaders，inhis"publiccapacity")，heaccusesthedeadminister，whocannotdefendhimself，notonlyoftheseductionofhiswife，butofbribery，malversation，corruption，andbasenessofeverykind。

Themagistratewhomakestheseaccusations，hasbeenstigmatisedbyeachsuccessiveperson，called(evenbyhimself)tointerfereinourquarrel，asentirelyregardlessofTRUTH。TheclergymanofWestminsterChapel，immediatelyPage91

afterourparting，wrotetome，ofMrNorton"s"amazingassertions，"

andhisattempttoobtainaretractionoftheirfalsehood。LordMelbournegavehiswordofhonourthattheaccusationonwhichtheactionfordamageswasbased，wasfalse；andhebelieveditwasbroughtformoney。Mybrother(throughhissolicitor)declaredeverywordofmyhusband"sadvertisementagainstmeinthepapersin1839tobefalse。LordWynfordin1838declaredthediscrepancytobesogreatbetweenMrNorton"srealcase，andhispretenceofbeinganoffendedhusband，thatthepublicknowledgeofitmustbeattended"withlossofcharacter。"MrNorton"sowncounsel，SirJohnBayley，published，in1853，thisdeclaration；"nearlyeverystatementhemademe，turnedouttobeuntrue。"SirF。Thesigersaidhispromisesseemedmade"apparentlyfortheopportunityofbreakingthem。"ALLaccusedhimofuntruth；

atalltimes；downtothatunpardonable(andunpardoned)dayofAugust，1853，whenhemetmeinalawcourtwithafictitiouspleaofslander，andwascontradictedonoathbythewitnesses:tothat24thAugust，whenhisletterofexplanationwasdisprovedbyme，andhisfalseaccountofhisappointmentbyLordMelbournepubliclyPage92

exposed:tothat31stofAugust，whenthesolicitorwhodrewupthecontractdeclaredofhisstatementwithreferencetothatmatter——"theentireparagraphisuntrue；"tothatmemorable13thofSeptember，1853，whenSirJohnBayleyfinallycontradicted，pointbypoint，everyinventionandslanderousassertionhehadputforward。Thatsuchaman，——provedtobesorecklesslyfalse，——shouldhaveanypoweratalloverthereputationofthedeadortheliving，arisesoutofthelawwhichpermitsan"actionfordamages，"asasortofgamblingspeculation，withoutdefenceorcontradictionbeingpossibletothewife；andthelawwhichallowsthebreachofcontractonapleaof"non-existence"ofthewife；foritisonthesetwolinksofopportunitythatMrNortonhasconnectedthelongchainoffalsehoodsagainstLordMelbourneandmyself。

IthinkitisintheDucdeSt。Simon"sMemoirs，thatapassageoccurs，whichherMajesty，theQueenofHolland，firstpointedouttome；where，speakingofthedeathofonedeartothethrone，theauthorsaysthatthekinglamented，——"maisunpeualaRoyale，"——implying(asmanyhistoricalandevenScripturalphrasesimply)，thatthefriendsofkingsandprincesaresoonerforgotten，andlessgrievedfor，thanfriendsPage93

ofequaldegree。Certainlytherecanbenoentirefriendship，wherethereisnorealequality；buttheremaybememoryofserviceandanearnestregard；andIwillnotbelieve(forhewouldnothavebelievedit)thattheabuseofLordMelbournewasindifferenttoyourMajesty。

Leaningonthehandofthatloyalandtruefriendandservant，yourMajestyascendedthethroneofyourancestors；andtheQueenofthreekingdomssaidtoherminister，"Helpme，"——assheplacedherfootonthesteps。

SoonafteryourMajesty"saccession，hereadtoyou(inthatmagnificentandmelodiousvoicewhichmanystillremember)，thoseversesfromtheThirdBookofKings，wheretheyouthfulSolomon，beingaskedbyGodinadream，whatgifthewilldesireatthebeginningofhisinexperiencedreign；asks，not"longlife，norriches，northelivesofhisenemies，"——but"anunderstandingheart；tojudgethepeople，anddiscernbetweengoodandevil。"LordMelbourneheldthen，apositionwhichhasscarcelyaparallelinEnglishhistory；——theextremeyouthandsexofhisSovereign，minglingwithhisdutiesascounsellorsomethingofthecharacterofaguardian。Thathefulfilledthoseanxiousduties，whilehelived，withdevotedPage94

zeal，andwasworthytofulfilthem，noonehaseverdoubted。

When，afterhisdeath，rumoursandaspersionsrespectingtheinterferenceofPrinceAlbertwithpublicaffairs，foundtheirwayfromconversationalgossipintoprint，andweremadeasubjectofdiscussionbyvariousorgansofthepress，LordAberdeenintheHouseofLords，andLordJohnRussellintheCommons，readaloud，toeagerandattentivemembers，abrieffranknote，writtenbyLordMelbournetoyourMajesty，expressiveofhisfavorableopinionofthediscretion，ability，andexcellenceofthePrinceConsort。Andthisministerwassotrustedforwisdomandforhonesty，washeldtobesuchanauthorityinmattersofthedeepestmomenttoEngland"swelfare，thatthosefewlineswerereceivedwithaburstofcordialcheering，suchasmanyalongandeloquentorationhasfailedtoproduce。

Hewillread，counsel，instruct，andservenomore。Norisitinhumannaturethathismemoryamongthosewhoknewhimshouldnotfade。ButIwillnotbelievethathehaslamentedsomuch"alaRoyale，"——thatheheldsobriefaleaseinhisSovereign"sregard，——thatevenPage95

whilehisletterwasquoted，hehimselfwasforgotten!

Forhissake，——ifnotforthegreatsakeofjustice，whichallrulersmustreverence，——I

feeladeepconvictionitwasfarotherwisewithyourMajesty；andthatwhenyoufoundoneofthemagistratesofyourCityofLondon(amagistratebyLordMelbourne"sownappointment)suddenlyfillingtheprincipaljournalsofthatcitywithbase，false，andrancorousabuseofyourMajesty"sdeadfriendandservant，itwaspainful——notindifferent——totheRoyalmind。

Whatthen?Whythis:

thatthethronewasthenmocked——asjusticewasmocked，——asthedecencyofsocialorderwasmocked，——bythisimpunityofatrociouslibelonaministerwhosecharacterstoodsoadmittedlyhigh，thatevenoneofhisposthumousnoteswasdeemedofsufficientauthoritytodefinetheposition，andtodeclarethecharacter，oftheConsortoftheSovereign!Andthisimpunityofabuse，——bythisminister"sownnominee，——noteventheQueenofEnglandcouldpreventorpunish，becausethereexistsinherrealmnolegaltribunalwhichcouldhavetakencognisanceofthisquarrelfromthefirst，——andhaveendeditsdisputes，andsilenceditsever-recurringscandal，Page96

seventeenyearsago，byatimelydecisionbetweentheirresponsiblehusbandandthe"non-existent"wife。

Astomyownposition，——ifotherswereaswearyofreading，asIamofwriting，thesubjectmustindeedbetedious:butitisnecessarytomysummingup。Iam，asregardsmyhusband，inaworsepositionthanifIhadbeendivorced。Inthatcase，Englishmenaresogenerous，thatsomechivalrous-heartedmanmightperhapshavemarriedandtrustedme，inspiteoftheunjustcloudonmyname。Iamnotdivorced，andIcannotdivorcemyhusband；yetIcanestablishnolegalclaimuponhim，noruponanylivinghumanbeing!Myreputation，myproperty，myhappiness，areirrevocablyinthepowerofthisslandereronfalsegrounds；

thisrapaciousdefenderofhisrighttoevadewrittenbonds。Icannotreleasemyself。IexistandIsuffer；butthelawdeniesmyexistence。

Ihavetwosons。Onealreadylaunchedinlife，employedinyourMajesty"sserviceamongjuniordiplomates:

andonewhoisnotyetinanyprofession。

Page97

Heisnotinanyprofession，becauseattheverymomentwhenIhadpromisedandarrangedsotodisposeofhim，MrNortonmadeitimpossible，bybreakingthecontractwhichsecuredmyallowance；andtookawaymymeansofdoingso。

MrNortonstandsonthelegalground，thatnotonlymymother"swill(whichhedesiresmytradesmento"inspectatDoctors"Commons")，andotherresources，wouldreleasehimfromthenecessityofsupportingme，——butthatIamsoablewithmypen，Imightearn#500ayearifIworkedhardenough!WouldtheDukeofBedfordandLordWestminster(two，Ibelieve，ofyourMajesty"swealthiestsubjects)acceptfromMrNorton，insteadofmoneyduetothem，theassurancethatheconsideredthemquitesufficientlywelloffwithoutit?Andifitweretruethatmyliteraryearningscouldbepermanentandconstant，onwhatconceivableprincipleofjusticeamItotoil，inordertohandovermyallowanceasMrNorton"swife，tobespentonhismistressordividedamongstseveralmistresses，——insteadofpreventingmyyoungersonfromwastinghistalentsandenergieswithoutacareer；oraffordingfurtherassistancetotheeldest——thewisest，kindest，andbestsonwhoPage98

everstruggledtododifficultdutybetweentheparentsofadividedhome?

IowetothelawwhichenablesMrNortontoevadehiscontract，twolostyearsinmyyoungerson"slife，——(attheverymomentofyouthwhenemploymentisofmostparamountimportance)；

togetherwiththebreachofallmywrittenengagementsinhisbehalf。Mischievousandabsurd，notonlywithreferencetome，buttothosedearesttome，isthisquibbleof"non-existence"bywhichallmynaturalrightsreverttothehusband，——onwhomIhavenoclaim，——andwhoyetdrawsportionsofhisincomefromthedeadmanhepubliclylibelsasmylover，andthedeadfather，whosedaughterheseekspubliclytobrandasawanton!

Thenaturalpositionofwomanisinferioritytoman。Amen!ThatisathingofGod"sappointing，notofman"sdevising。Ibelieveitsincerely，asapartofmyreligion:

andIacceptitasamatterprovedtomyreason。Ineverpretendedtothewildandridiculousdoctrineofequality。Iwillevenholdthat(asonecomingunderthegeneralrulethatthewifemustbeinferiortothehusband)，Ioccupythatposition。UxorfulgetradiisMariti；IamMrNorton"sinferior；Iamthecloudedmoonofthatsun。Page99

Putmethen——(myambitionextendsnofurther)——inthesamepositionasallhisotherinferiors!Inthatofhishousekeeper，whomhecouldnotlibelwithimpunity，andwithoutpossibledefence；ofanapprenticewhomhecouldnotmaltreatlawlessly，eveniftheboy"condoned"originalill-usage；

ofascullion，whosewageshecouldnotrefuseonthepleathatsheislegally"non-existent"；oftheday-labourer，withwhomhewouldnotarguethathissignaturetoacontractis"worthless。"Putmeundersomelawofprotection；anddonotleavemetothemercyofonewhohasnevershewnmemercy。Forwantofsuchalawofprotection，allotherprotectionhasbeenvain!Ihavehadtheupholding(andIsetitfirst，becauseithasbeenofgreatercomfortandvaluetomethananyother)，ofasgenerousandaffectionateafamilyasevercombinedtoshieldoneofitsmembersfromundeserveddisgrace。Sisters，ofspotlessreputation，whostoodbyme"throughevilreportandgoodreport，"tenderlyandsteadilyforyears。

Brothersandbrothers-in-law，amongthebestgentlemenofEngland。Relationsandintimatefriendshipsamongthenoblestandpurestofitswomen。

IhavesonswhomIloveandamproudof，Page100

andwho(thankGod!)，loveandareproudofme，inspiteofpastmisery。IhadtheverdictoftwelveEnglishgentlemen，sworntoaverdictoftruth；andthesolemnword，——livinganddying，——ofthefriendwhowasaccusedwithmeofsin。Iwasaidedinmyfirstbattleagainstfortune，bypersonsofgreatrankandinfluence。BynonemorekindlythanbyyourMajesty"suncle，theKingoftheBelgians:hewholearned，perhaps，tofeelmore，havingsufferedmore，thanothers；andwhorememberedmeinmyearlygirlhood，andinmymother"shome:hewhoonceheldinEnglandtheplacePrinceAlbertnowfills:whowashusbandandfathertotheheirsoftheEnglishcrown；andwho，intheprimeandprideofhisownyouth，sawthesunsetoneDecembernightonthattriumphantlyhappyposition，andsawitrise——achildlesswidower!

Ihavehadsympathyandassistancefromobscurerfriends；notnobleinname，thoughnobleinnature:

andIhavehadwithme，publicopinion，andthegoodwishesofgoodhearts。

Towhatend?Vain，thoughnotvalueless，hasbeenthisaccumulationofkindness，fromfriends，relativesandstrangers，forwantofsuchlawsofprotection!Theycouldpity，——buttheycouldPage101

nothelp。Theycouldpreventnothingthathasbeeninflictedonme:redressnothing:norblotanythingout。

Inthecourseofmylife，Ihaveseenbutonemoreresoluteattemptatannullingtheeffectofthelawonawoman"sdestiny；andIconceiveeventhattohavefailed。Itwastriedunderthemostfavourablecircumstances。Not，asinmycase，inthereignofaQueen，——where，thoughnoSaliquelawrulesthesuccession，thegeneralspiritofthelawsandofopinionisagainsttheimportanceofwomen:aQueenmarriedtoaforeignprince，oflessrankthantheformerQueen"sconsortsinEngland，——prudentlyandunremittinglyoccupied，eversincehereachedourshores，inconciliatingtheToryparty；amongwhom(andespeciallyamongthoseemployedatCourt)，stoodLordMelbourne"sbitterestfoes。Notunderthesedisadvantages，butinthestrongreignofaKing:——withourmodernMarlborough，——ouroneGeneral，——thelateDukeofWellington，——forthelady"sunflinchingfriend，——theexperimentofsupportwastried，andfailed。Apensionof#380ayearontheIrishCivilListPage102

wasgrantedtothemalignedwife。ShewasafterwardsmadeextraLadyinWaitingtoQueenAdelaide:andallthatgreatfriends，greatinfluence，andcourtfavourcoulddoforher，wasdone；thehusbandvainlyattackingtheDukeofWellington，inapublishedpamphlet，forhisinterferenceinhisdomesticaffairs；andvainlydeprecatingwhatwasdone，asdoneindefianceofhimself，thelordandrulerofthatbrokenhome。

Butsetthatwoman"sdestinytorights，theCourtcouldnot:norbreakhermarriage:noroverrulewhatwasdeterminedbyherhusbandastohermoreintimatedestiny，——thedeartieofchildren，orattacksonherreputation。Thethronecouldcompensate，butnotredress:couldcompensateinthisoneinstance，butcouldnotpreventsuchinstancesfromrecurring:couldgivethatwomanherplaceamongcourtpageants，butcouldnotpreventherheartachingbeneathherdiamonds:norcreate，byanynumberofroyalsmiles，arecurringdawnforthatlight，which，whenawoman"shome-destinyiswrecked，goesoutintoutterdarkness。

ItisagloriousthingthattheLawshouldbestrongerthantheThrone。ItisoneofdearboastfulEngland"sproudestblindboasts。ButPage103

itisnotagloriousthingthat，beingstrongerthanthethrone，itshouldbeweakerthanthesubject:andthatthatwhichevenakingcanonlydowithinacertainlimit，——(oppressoruphold)，——maybedonewithboundlessirresponsiblepower，intheonesinglerelationofhusbandandwife。

Ihaveseen，——percontrâ；，——oneinstanceofanEnglishgentlemancrushed，denounced，andsociallydisgraced，aswellaslegallycondemned。Itwasforanaccusationofunfairplayatcards。Amorbiddesiretowin，——withouteventhemotiveoftheneedysharper-poverty，——upsetthecalculationsofhisplaymates，andrenderedtheirgameofskillagameofchance。Oh!whataturmoilthisdiscoverycreated!Nothingelsewasthoughtof:thestillpondofpolitesociety，withitsquietsurfaceofduck-weedandornamentallilies，turnedsuddenlyintoafoamingwhirlpool:theliliesweretossedlikesea-weedinastorm。

TheideaofWHIST-PLAYINGbeingdisturbed；thepleasuresofclub-loungersinfringeduponbysuchdreadfuluncertainties；thegoodold-fashionedgamesthatwiledawayPage104

theirunoccupiedevenings，turnedintotrapsfortheirpurses——thesacredcardsscoredwithprivatemethodsofidentification——thisindeedwasanoutrageonsociallife，law，andorder!Thiscouldnot，——wouldnot，——mustnotbeborneforonedayafteritbecameknown!

Accordingly，themostvigorousmeasuresweretaken——lawproceedingswereinstituted:everybodywasshockedbeyondmeasure:examinationsweregonethrough:oldcompanionsweresummonedtogiveevidenceagainsthim，andgaveit；somewithtearsintheireyesandsomewithout。Thethunderofpublicreprobationrolledroundhishead；thelightningofalegalcondemnationreachedandstruckhim；and，whenthestormwasover，——whenthecalmofpolitelifewasrestored，——whentheliliesandtheslackduck-weedsettleddownoncemoreonthesurfaceoftheirmuch-disturbedpond，itswatershadclosedforeveroverthewreckeddestinyofthatpopularandaccomplishedman!

Sincethen，Ihaveseeneveryspeciesofcheating，unfairness，tyranny，andoppression，asregardswomen，bornewiththemostcomfortablePage105

indifference。Theliliesandtheduckweedliesmilingandsleeping；

andtheythinkitvulgar，andverytroublesome，ifwrongsthatdonotwrongtheirpleasures，andstrugglestoamendlawsthatarealreadyquiteperfectenoughtoprotectthosepleasures，——areforcedontheirunwillingnotice!

Letwhist-playing，notwomen，beprotected:theonesignifies，theotherdon"t。Theclub-loungerssmileinscorn。"Whatisallthisdisturbanceabout?Woman"srightsandwoman"swrongs?——pooh，pooh；nonsense；Bloomerism；

Americanism!wecan"thavethatsortofthinginEngland。Womenmustsubmit；

thosewhodon"t，arebadwomen——dependuponit:allbadwomen。Therearenobadmen。Whoeverheardofabadman?or，atleast，ofhisconductbeingcondemnedbytheworldatlarge，inmatterslikethese?""Butthisreallyisamonstrouscase。""Well，yes，it"sallverywrong——veryshabby——veryunprincipled——certainly；butwecan"tmeddle；allthelawsrespectingwomenareinahopelessstateofconfusion；anditismuchbetteroneortwowomenshouldsufferunjustly，thanthattheauthorityofhusbandsshouldbedoubted。Astoahusband"ssin，andallthat，itcan"tsignifysomuchasthewoman"ssin；Page106

becauseyouknow，thewoman"ssinmaygiveherhusbandaspuriouschildtoinherithisproperty。"

Nowwhereisthelogicofthisreasoning?Whyisitbetteroneortwo(oroneortwohundred)womenshouldsuffer?Itisnotbetterthatoneortwoapprenticesshouldbestarvedormaltreated，ratherthaninterferewiththeauthorityoftheirmasters；

noroneortwofactorychildren，ratherthaninterferewithmanufacturers:

womenarenotappealingforanexceptionallawintheirfavour；

onthecontrary，theyareappealingnottobemadeanexceptionfromthegeneralprotectionofthelaws。Astothecomparativeharmlessnessofthehusband"ssin，whatdoesthatmean?Itmeansmerelythatinhisownhomehissinhasnoresult；butintheotherhome，wherehesins?Howdoyouguaranteethathissinshallharmnoone?Whyishetohavethelibertytowrongothers，——byawrongthatinhisowncasewouldbesointolerableandunpardonable，——whenthesamereasoningmaybeappliedtothewronghedoes，astothewronghesuffers?Maynothe，also，bethefatherofaspuriouschild?——oneborninafriend"shome?——oneborn，perhapsofsomepoorvictimtemptedtocastitintothatcoldPage107

greyriver，whichrunspasttheSenate-housewherethesehardlawsaresofalselyargued，andpasttheTemplewheretheyaresocarelesslystudied!

ThisisthesameEnglandwheresuchanoutcrywasraisedagainstGeneralHaynau，thathewasafterwardsassaultedinthepublicstreets!AustriansmightwellretortuponEnglishmenthefaultfindinginwhichtheythenindulged。Thereisnotoneofthataristocracyofgentlemen，whowouldnotsmileinscornattheEnglishman"saffectationofabetterlawforwomeninhisowncountry。Istherenopainanddegradationexceptphysicalpainanddegradation?Istherenoindecencybutinideasofnudity?——nobarbaritybutinstripesandblows?

Istherenobrutalityinthecross-examinationindivorcecases，fromwhicheventhefemaleservantsshrink，angryandwounded，atbeingsoquestioned?

IstherenoindecencyinthetrialsbeforetheHouseofLords，whichLordBeaumonttermed"disgustinganddemoralizing?"Istherenopaininthehuntingdownforfeverishyears，withtormentandlibel，awomanwhocanescapefromneither?

AndyettheseEnglishheartsarenoble。Fromamongthese"club-loungers"wehavesentthePage108

bravestmenthateverperishedpatiently，orwithgloriouscourage，onadisastrousbattle-field。Amongthemthereisnotonewhowouldnotguardthewomanofhisownfamilyfrominsultwithhislife；withasmuchchivalryasthoseknightsofromancewhoinlesscivilizeddaysfoughtahand-to-handbattle，forthefameortherightsoftheweakersex。Onlytheycannotbebroughttobelievethattheycaninterfereinarevisionofthelaw，ortoconsiderthenecessityofsuchrevision。Theyloveandrevereparticularnamesamongwomen。TheirheartsglowatthedevotionofthepoorgirlGraceDarling，whoseimpulsiveheroismsavedwreckedsailor"slives:atthegentleprison-visitingsofMrsFry:attheCrimeanpilgrimageofmercyandsicktendance，undertakenbyMissNightingaleandhercompanions。

Theywereallforerectinga"MonumenttoGraceDarling；"thenewspapersatthetimewerefilledwithsuchschemes。