第8章

anotherforthestrong，——onelawforEngland，andanotherforScotland:andthattheeffectofthisconfusionshouldbe(bytheadmissionoflaw-giversthemselves)，scandal，outrage，andfraud；andanimpossibilityofcarryingouttheendsofjustice。

ThereisneededinEngland，whatisestablishedbylawinothercountries；atribunalformarriageanddivorcecases，withfullpowerofcontrol；andwhythatpowercannotbevestedintheCourtofChancery(astheLordChancellorproposed)，itisforthelegistswhocontradictedhimtoshew。Oneargumentagainstitisprobablyentirelyfallacious；andthatistheenormousincreaseofbusinesswhichthesefamilydisputeswouldbring:(evenifwearetoadmit，thatjusticeshouldnotbeadministeredifitsadministrationistobecometroublesome。)

ThesameargumentwasusedwhentheInfantCustodyBillwaspassed。LordWynfordthendeclaredthat，inconsequenceofthisbill，"thejudgeswouldhaveaburdenthrownuponthem，whichtheirotherdutiesrenderedthemwhollyunabletobear。Thehusband，besides，wouldbekeptinaconstantstateoflitigationfromoneendoftheyeartotheother。"

Wehavenowfifteenyears"

experiencetojudgePage130

thebillupon。Hasthatbeentheresult?Onthecontrary，theexacttruthandclearsightednessoftheanswersmadebyLordLyndhurst，andthethenLordChancellor，havebeenprovedtodemonstration:——"IfthehusbandweretofeelthattherewasaPowerofControlresidingsomewhere，hewouldnotcompelhiswifetohaverecoursetoanapplicationforitsexerciseinherbehalf……Thebill，infact，tookthematteroutofthehandsofthehusband，andplaceditinthehandsoftheindependentjudgesofthehighesttribunalsinthecountry。Allthebillsaid，wasthatthehusbandshouldnotbejudgeinhisowncase。"

Whyshouldhebejudgeinhisowncase，inthis，morethaninanyotherlitigatedmatter?Whyshouldtherebesuchadreadofestablishingacontrollingpoweroverhusbands?

Agoodandjustmanneednotfearthatpower；andwhyisabadandunjustmantodefythepossibilityofitsexercise?

HereisLordMelbourne"sopinioninmycase:theopinionofthatministerwhosedefenceissufficientforPrinceAlbert，butnotsufficientforme:——"Never，tobesure，wastheresuchconduct!Tosetonfootthatsortofenquirywithouttheslightestrealgroundforit!ButitdoesPage131

notsurpriseme。Ihavealwaysknownthattherewasthereamixtureoffollyandviolencewhichmightleadtoanyabsurdityoranyinjustice。

Keepupyourspirits；agitateyourselfaslittleaspossible；donotbetooanxiousaboutrumoursandtheopinionof"theworld；"being，asyouare，innocentandintheright，youwill，intheend，bringeverythinground。Yours，MELBOURNE。"

Whyisanymantohaveuncontrolledlicencetocommenceaprosecution"withouttheslightestrealgroundforit?"Whyisthefactofbeinginnocentand"intheright"togofornothinginEnglishlaw，——andwhyisthewifeinsuchacasetohavenomoreclaimonthehusbandthanifsheweredivorced?

Insteadofmyhavinganyrespectfortheselaws，theymustofnecessity，tome，appearsimplyridiculous。

Invainwouldthosewhodesiretoseethemmaintained，affecttosneerdownmyeffortstoexposetheirabsurdity，byaffirmingthatthisisa"privatequarrel，"whichouttobekeptprivate。Itisnotintheprivatequarreltheyareinvitedtointerfere，butinthestateoftheEnglishlaw。Thatcanhardlybecalledaprivatequarrel，whichbeganinapublicprosecu-Page132

tion:butifitbeaprivatewrong，itoughttoberedressiblebypublicjustice。Aprivatequarrel，——whatotherquarrelcanlawadjust?

Whatwerelawsmadefor，butforredressofprivatewrongs?Weretheymade，todecidedisputesamongnations?WARisfornations:LAWisforindividuals，andinthatcountrywhereprivatewrongscannotberemedied，nationaljusticeisatfault!Averyshallowreaderofhistorymightprove，thatfromtimeimmemorial，changesinthelawsofnationshavebeenbroughtaboutbyindividualexamplesofoppression。Suchexamplescannotbeunimportant，fortheyare，andeverwillbe，thelittlehingesonwhichthegreatdoorsofjusticearemadetoturn。

Thatmycasemaybeonesuchexample，isnoveryambitioushope。ThatthelawsmaybechangedinyourMajesty"sreign，——inthereignofawomanandaQueen，——noveryexaggerateddreamofromance。MymiseriesdatefromthetimeofyourMajesty"saccession。

Theyearsthatyouhavespentasahappywifeandmother，Ihavespentinacontinualstruggleforjustice。TheministerwhosenameandwhoseauthorityisadvancedbyyourMajestytojustifybyacclamationthePrinceConsort，isquotedbymyPage133

husbandasameansandacauseformyperpetualinjury。

Itisimpossibleforme，whenIreflectonmyunjustpositionasanEnglishsubject，notalsotoreflectonyourMajesty"sposition，asQueenofthecountrywheresuchlawsareinforce:andonthepeculiarcircumstanceswhich，——evenhadthecaseoccurredtopersonsobscureandunknown，insteadoftoyourMajesty"sPrimeMinister，——wouldwarrantthehope，thatthepresentSovereignofEnglandmighttakepeculiarinterestinthereformofthelawswhichhavemadesucheventspossible。

Notloneandvainglorious，likethevirginQueenElizabeth，——norchildless，likethehypochondriacMary，——norheirless，likethefeeble-mindedAnne，——moreof"thebeautyofwomanhood"adornsthedestinyofQueenVictoria，thanhasbelongedtothebarrenreignsofformerEnglishQueens；andthelinktoalltheinterestsofwoman"slifeshouldbegreater。Moremercymaybeexpectedfromher，thanfromtheembittereddaughterofwrongedCatherineofSpain，——morelove，thanfromthehaughtyscionofdegradedAnneBoleyn，——morejustice，thanfromtheweakandcapriciousnieceofCharlesII。，——morethankfulnesstoGod，andwillingnesstohelpHisPage134

lessfortunatecreatures，maybesupposedtoexistintheheartofthatroyalwifeandmother，whohasbeenpermittedbyHimtosailsofarontheseaoflife，withoutonestorm(asyet)toruffleitschangefulsurface!

Inthehistoryofthoseprecedingfemalereigns，Ifindnotraceofanyattempttobettertheconditionoflawsforwomen。

Inthehard，stern，persecutingreignofherwhosemotherhadbeensetasideforthesakeofthe"Gospellight"thatshoneinBoleyn"seyes，——womenwereburntforthefaith"ssake；

andthatgentleandlearned"child-wife，"LadyJaneGrey，sufferedunreprieved，fortheambitionofothers。Sendingherlastpatientsightoheaven，onthesameday(christenedBlackMonday)，thatfifteengibbetswereerectedforotherexecutions。Marywasgloomyandpitiless:forsaken，likehermother，byakingsoonerwearied(andmorejustlywearied)thanherinconstantfather，sheleftnotraceofwoman"ssoftnesstorelievethefierceandjoylesshistoryofherbriefruleoverEngland。

NorAnne；thoughgovernedbywaitingwomenandfemalefavourites；thoughthepoorcrownedslaveofthepassionateDuchessofMarlborough，andthewilyintriganteMrsPage135

Masham；thoughas"womanly"asfollycouldmakeher，andtheincapacityforagreatposition；feeblydeclaring，duringthequarrelsofHarleyandBolingbroke，that"thedisputesofherministerswouldkillher。"(Adiseasewhich，fortunatelyforus，islessdangerousinthepresentreign；consideringtheheighttowhichthefeverofsuchdisputeshasrisen。)Inallthethirteenyearsofhernon-government，wefindnofurtherprotectionofwomenthanforthesakeofthatwhichisalwaysmadetheonepleaofprotectioninmercantileEngland——property:andweareratherstartledthansatisfied，whenweread，thatunderQueenAnne，oneHaagenSwensdenwastriedandexecuted"forstealingandmarryingMistressPleasantRawlins，"becauseshewasanheiress。

InElizabeth"sreign——theQueenwhoprecededAnne，andimmediatelyfollowedsternMary——matterswereevenworse；asindeedtheyshouldbe；forthosewomenwhosepositionsought(onewouldimagine)toteachthemmostmercy，areoftenthemostsevere。

Theunjustdegradation，——thecruelexecution，——thevainlytouchingappeals，——ofhermother，AnneBoleyn，(thatmotherwhoisbyhistoriansstatedtohavebowedherhearttoherlicentioushusbandinherlastPage136

miserableletter，thathemightshowkindnesstoherchild)，taughtElizabethnotenderness，andinspiredherwithnopardonforthoseofherownsexwhooffendedher。Wearetoldtobelieveherchaste:tobelievethatshetookheartsbutnevergaveone:thatthebarrenpleasureofvanitysupersededthecontemnedpassionoflove:thatshedazzledandflatteredtheyoung，ardent，andcomely，onlytoweanthemfromothers，nottosecurethemforherself:thatshebroketheheartofsomefoolishAmyRobsart，withoutviewingthegainofasuitorinanyotherlightthanasaconquerorviewsthegainofaprovince:thatshenomoreknewthemeaningofGö；ethe"syearningandregretfullines:——

"SeinhoherGang，——Sein"edleGestalt，SeinesMundesLä；cheln，——SeinerAugenGewalt，UndseinerRedeZauberfluß；，SeinHä；ndedruck，——undachseinFuß；"thanweknowthemeaningofthecabalisticAbracadabrainoldbooksofmagic。Letusbelieveit。

Lettherebe"noscandalaboutQueenElizabeth。"

Inthereign，then，ofthis"thronedVestal，"justicewassocorruptlyadministered，that，inPage137

thetenthandlastparliamentsheheld，oneofthemembersdescribedamagistrateas"apersonwho，foradozenchickens，woulddispensewithhalfadozenpenalstatutes。"Herhaughtyanduncurbedtemperstruck，withthefiercenessofahawk，atallwhohadthemisfortunetooffendher。

WhenLadyCatherineGreymarriedtheEarlofHertford，theyweredivorcedbytheQueen"sdirections，aftertheyhadhadtwosons；andbothwereimprisonedandfined。WhenNorfolkattemptedtomarrytheQueenofScots，shesenthimtotheTower。WhenCharles，EarlofLenox，marriedElizabethCavendish，sheimprisonedthemothersofthenewly-weddedpair。WhenLeicestermarriedtheEarlofEssex"swidow，sheconsignedhimtoprison——notforhissinfullove——butforherqueenlyjealousy。WhenThrogmortonwassupposedtolove，andplottheescapeof，MaryQueenofScots，hewasrackedthreetimes，andafterwardsexecuted；andshevainlyattemptedtoforceonMary"schoiceherowncreatureDudley，intheearlierdays，beforetheaxeoftheexecutionerappearedthereadiestwayofcuttingtheGordianknotofstatedifficulties；beforethedaughterofAnneBoleyn，whosemotherhadperishedonthescaffold，signedwithherownPage138

handthewarrantthatwastosendanotherQueentothescaffold；

andheardthesamegunsboomintriumph，thatsoundedroughmusicinherfather"sears，——whentheysenttheirwildechooffreedomfromLondontoRichmond，totellhimhermotherwasaheadlesscorpse。

Andwithalltheseheavygoverningsofthelivingdestiniesandsorrowfuldeathsofothers，seewhatatrue"woman"thisgreatqueenwas。Readtheaccountofher，inthelasttwoyearsofherlife；afterthemorehealthyandanimatedenergywasover，whichcausedhertoboxLordEssex"sears，andthatpettedfavouritetoexclaim，"Thathewouldnothavetakensuchaninsultfromherfather，muchlessakinginpetticoats。"ReadtheaccountgivenbySirJohnHarrington(hergodson)andothers，——whichdescribeherfrowningonallherladies，walkingaboutherprivychamber，stampingatillnews，thrustingherrustyswordintothearrasinhergreatrage；swearingmuch，——"tothenosmalldiscomfitureofthoseabouther，especiallyoursweetLadyArundel；"

"orchidingforsmallneglect，insuchwiseastomakethesefayremaidesoftencryandbewaileinpiteoussort；"andfinally(fearingtogotobedlestsheshouldneverriseagain)sittingfortendaysoncushionsontheground；gene-Page139

rallywithherfingerinhermouth，andhereyesbentontheearth:

tillshedied，andwasburied，(atanexpenseof#17，428)，andherransackedwardrobeattestedherfeminineloveoffinery，bycountlesssetsofjewels，andupwardsoftwothousanddifferentdresses!

Inthisreign，thecarryingoffofanheiress，andrape，weremadefelonywithoutbenefitofclergy；

butthenthatsevereprotectionwasalsogiventothosewhosufferedrobberytotheamountoffiveshillingsinahouseorout-house；sothattheprotectionofwomenremainedmuchwhereitwas。InthereignofGeorgeI。oneofQueenAnne"smaidsofhonour，MaryForester，——havingbeenmarriedwhentwelveyearsoldtoSirGeorgeDowning，andthatungallantbaronet，onreturningfromhistravels，declaringthatshewasnotatalltohistaste，thathewouldhavenothingtosaytoher，andthatheutterlydeclinedtakinghertowife；——"waspersuadedtopreferapetitiontotheHouseofLordstobedivorced。"Allthebishops，andamajorityofthepeers，wereagainstgrantingthisdivorce；andMaryForesterremainednominalLadyDowning。

ThereignofGeorgeIII。

andofthepreciseQueenCharlotte，beganwithaproclamationPage140

againstviceandprofaneness；yetinSeptember，1771，thatis，elevenyearsaftertheproclamation，thereweretwenty-fivecasespendinginDoctor"sCommons，beingagreaternumberthanforfiftyyearsbefore:

andinthesummerpreceding，asubjectrecovered#10，000damagesagainstoneoftheroyaldukes(damageshavingbeenlaidat#100，000)。Eventhen，thelawseemtohavefolloweditsusualruleofconfusioninsupportofmorality；forinthesameyearitoccurredthattwopersonsreceivedanequalpunishmentofbeingwhippedroundCoventGarden；oneofthosepersonshavingseducedhisownniece，whiletheother——hadstolenabunchofradishes。

That，however，wasadegreebetterthantheproportionofthepresentday；when(asLordBroughamhasshown)somedefectintheworkingof"Justice"sjustice，"mayconsignapoormantoprisonfortwelvemonthsforstealingtothevalueofthreepence；

andagentlemanmaydoprettynearlyashepleases。Itisastateofthingsthatwillnotbebornemuchlonger；weareanxiousthatthepeopleshouldlearnamodernversionofthelessontaughtacenturyagoin"Ward"sRhymingDialogues"aboutthestudyof"CommonThings。"TheywillturnPage141

theirattentionalsotothestudyof"UncommonThings；"andamongstthemostremarkableofcommon，oruncommon，subjectsforreflection，aretheinequalitiesofjustice。Athingwillbeborneatonetime，thatwillbecomeanimpossibilityatanother。Inthesummerof1717，twosoldierswerewhippedalmosttodeath，andturnedoutoftheservice，onlyforwearingoak-boughsintheirhatsonthe29thofMay。

Whatwouldhavebeensaidordoneundersuchcircumstancesthe29thoflastMay?Aboutsixyearsbefore，whenSirCholmondelyDeringwaskilledinaduel，anattemptwasmadetobringinabillagainstduelling，whichitwasfoundutterlyimpossibletopass；but，in1765，LordByronstoodhistrialbeforethePeersforkillingMrChaworth；in1804，ajuryconvictedCaptainBestofwilfulmurderforhisfatalduelwithLordCamelford；and，in1808，MajorCampbellwasexecutedforhisfatalduelwithCaptainBoyd。Whothinksoffightingaduelnow?Or，whothinksofahundredotherchanges，ascompleteandmoreimportant?

Andnowitisthefashionamongstlegiststoworkveryheartilyat"assimilating"thislawandthatlaw，——"assimilating"thelawofevidenceinEnglandandScotland；

andthelawofPage142

partnership；andthecommerciallawforbillsofexchange。Onthislast，theLordAdvocateobserves，that"itisamatterofastonishmentthatthelawofbillsofexchangehasremainedsolonginthebarbarousstateitisatpresent。"AndSirErskinePerry(whohasbeeninIndia)

says，muchremainstodo，butmuchhasbeendonesinceBentham"stime，whenthefieldofEnglishlawwas"awildjungle。"Doesitnotoccurtotheseandotherauthorities，thatthelawof"mightisright"savoursalsoratherofthe"wildjungle，"thanofthecalmenactmentsofacivilisedChristiancountry?andthattheprincipleof"assimilation"mightbeextendedwithadvantagetothoselawsbetweenhusbandandwife，whichareutterlyatvarianceNorthandSouthoftheriverTweed?

Twentyyearsago，theWarrendercaseoccupiedpublicattention；andLordBrougham，whenspeakingonthatcase，summedup，inhisusualgraphicmanner，theabsurdcontradictionsinvolvedbytheconflictofScotchandEnglishlaw。LordLyndhurst，followinginthesamecase，andremarkingonthesameabsurdities，statedthatLordEldonhadintendedtobringinaBilltoreconcilethedifferencebetweenthelawsofthetwocountries。WhereistheBillofPage143

thatsagaciousoldlawyer，whosecountenancesomuchresembledthephysiognomyofthebirdofMinerva，thatSydneySmithsaid，"nomanevercouldbeaswise，asLordEldonlooked?"AttheendoftwentyyearsfromthatdeclarationofLordLyndhurst"s，wearestillpotteringoverpiecemealchanges:stillbringinginfeebleBillsto"preventBordermarriages，"orfinethosewho"witness"weddingsatGretnaGreen!

Actually，manyofourownlegislators，andalltheforeignersIevertalkedwithonthesubject，believeGretnatobeanexceptionaltown，orspot，wheremarriageispossiblebysomeexceptionallaw；notknowingthatGretnaismerelythenearestplaceforEnglishpartiestoavailthemselvesofScotchlaw，——thenearestpointinScotlandEnglishloverscanreach。IrishpartiesdidnotgotoGretna。IrishpartieselopedtoPortPatrick，andweremarriedthere，asthenearestpointinScotlandtheycouldreach；anditmayperhapsamazemyreaderstolearn，thattheScotchcomplainedofEnglishimmorality，andattributedtheirskippingacrosstheirborders，toanattempttomakemarriagestheycouldafterwardsevadebyEnglishlaw；cheatingtheinnocentCaledoniansintounionswiththem，andafterwardsdiscardingtheobjectsoftheirPage144

choice；andtheScotchthemselves，consequentlyendeavouredtopreventtheseBordermarriages。Yethereweare，stilllabouringoverthisknottypoint:theseCyclopsofthelaw，whocanonlyseewithoneeye，narrowlypeepingat，andpuzzlingover，onesingleaspectoftheirmanydifficulties；whenitmustbeobvioustocommonsense，onabroadgeneralviewofthosedifficulties，thatwhatisneededisan"assimilation"ofthelaw，——whatisneededis，thattheNorthernportionandSouthernportionofyourMajesty"sdominionsshouldbebroughtunderonelaw；andtheretheconflictwouldcease。

Theretheconflictwouldcease。Idonotsay，thereabetterprotectionwouldbegin；forIcannotprophesywhetherLordCranworth"sviews，orthoseofLordsEldon，Thurlow，andRosslyn，wouldpreponderate；whether，inthe"assimilation"thatwouldtakeplace，abettermercytowomenwouldbeborrowedfromportionsoftheScotchlaw，ortheDesdemonasofScotlandbesmotheredbyajealousEnglishlegislation。

ButthisIwillventuretosay:thatinnocountryinEuropeisthereinfactsolittleprotectionofwomen，asinEngland!InFranceamarriedwomanmaybearrestedfordebt；butPage145

inFranceamarriedwomanisunderthecarefulprotectionofthelaw，andherhusbandunderthestrictcontrolofthelaw；indeed，thelawofFranceviewsthepositionofwomenwithpeculiarindulgence。InGermany，Austria，Prussia，Holland，Sweden，andRussia，(asIwillprovebyahandbookofthoselawswhichIampreparingforthepress，)therulesofinterferencefortheprotectionofmarriedwomenareinfinitelymorefavorablethaninourowncountry。