THE MATRIMONIAL MARKET.

Dunstan Times, Issue 614, 23 January 1874, Page 3

THE MATRIMONIAL MARKET.

Supp’y . menus demand ; and an tlie Matrimonial News hag reached its itotli number, we pr< si me that it has a puldic of its own Put what are the mammas about when attractive gentleuun, 'with Government appoint mints or landed property, of from InOA to 300/. and even 400/. a year are foiecd to advertise fir wives. How is it possih'e that “a dark, accomplished, very jolly, warm-hearted, hiuhly-connectrd lady of thirty-two, with 250/. a year,” and "a fair young ladv of twenty, good-looking, loving, well connected, accomplished, and with over 2,000/.,” and even “an orphan Inly of twenty-one, very pretty, well connected, a rood temper, wahn-hearted, and wi hj about 3,000/. in her own right,” can have failed to secure husbands ? We can understand “a young German, in business," advertisw for an English wi'e, and the “substantial North of belaud farmer,aged sixty, having a lease for ever of nearly one hundred acies, with splendid house which cost him some thousands in itsctectiili, who wan's a nrddle-aged lady, having nei f ner brothers nor sisters nor hangerson,” and who tazows out the bait that “ she wonl • ho entitled to all at my death, and could secure'' her own fortune for her sole use,” is the representative of a too common class of wide-awake fools, who • ■ O • . , T- ,

mostly jopj Urn-clutches of some “very jo’ly waim-hearlo P* wn6 wof the M ‘BUnger ■type. Walter,” too, thirty dive years old,'wi.li twdchildien and light bustne s, bringing in about 2001 a year, is naturally* jpfe (ho watch for a “ lady with small means.” ' And the ‘‘ young clergyman, aged twenty seven, unbeneficed, able ail'd - eloquent preacher, scholar of Ilia University,” may well lie anxious in these days of hopeless curates of twenty years’ s adding to look betimes for “a warm, Wing, amiable lady, of good family and good means," whose first step, of course would bo to buy dear Reginald a good living. Clergymen, in fact, seem to Ji Hronise the News pretty largely Perhaps’the rumors of disestablishment make them desperate; for the worth of a wife with money will be sensibly lessened when there are no more livings in the market. Of course, “a solicitor, aged thirty-two, tail, handsome, amiable, wtll conneoiod, but, at present, tiles, poor,” is just where we expect to meet him Why "a bachelor of forty-six, tall, good-looking, with a j d!y warm heitrte I disposition, and an iiicnhlof some 2,0 01. a year, ’’.and “ a medic*! man, aged forty-five, tall, an 1 of good appearance, wi hj good means," should be driven to such straits it is hard to tell. A profess' mal mm, of forty-seven, “ but ■with a veiy young, heart, good connections but delicate (he, or his connections ?), and with small means,- a Considerable author and poet, with such a perfect knowledge of pictures, that he could make a for tune with a very moderate capital, intensely do. ine-tic withal, seeks a wife who would bo all in "11 to him i s he wuld be to bar, an 1 rcqucs'sthat no oilier lady will reply.” AVo feel interest 'd in the poe.ijal lint candid picture-dealer, and could*iceoium ml him the “ lady ago! thirty-six, with GOO’, at command, rair, wc’l cotimOte I, jolly” (they are all jolly as soon as ihey have passed five and tw- nty), “ affectionate, but a litt’e inclined to be stout.” She is clearly just the woman for him. The two Americans, one with 1,500/. yearly, who would prefer property, “ but that a minor consequence if she posses es those other attractions, loved ly all true mm (pure hearted, and all that makes her one of God’s noble women);” the other who requires “neither we :Ith nor great beauty, but a small thoroughly domesticated liazel eyed Protestant, trot very fond of society, 1 ’ are pie'ty safe to find what they want. But what is to be done for the unhappy gentleman whoso character has been systematically traduced for years past by a well known newspaper proprietor, “and who seeks a rich wife that lie may at once <aj to law with the vicious paper man.” He suggests an appoiotment wi hj a solicitor, but we fear even that safeguard will not encourage “ ladies with means ” to rush from Church inte a Court of justice. Seriously, what does a’l this advertising mean, for a good deal of it is cl< arly bona file ? Is it the rise in coals and meat which makes “ keeping house on .GOO/, a year ” harder work than ever ? A Iraost every advertiser wants money; and no doubt it often happens thatail the pretty girls and nice young fellows of a neighbourhood are moneyless. \Va laugh at the French plan, but most of these jolly amiable ladies ami stalwart handsome well-mannered men are just looking for a m.ariage tie (unvenance without thoin.ervention of parents. AVe fear that the eleetieism which com- s of a higher culture has much to do with this' craving for a wider field of choice, an 1 this substitution of the “Ed. M.j V.” for the obsolete matchm.k rs