Why Men do Not Marry

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 71, 13 December 1888, Page 3

Why Men do Not Marry

- ;- \ — ■♦ A Writer on thuv subject in Temple I3ar discusses ' the girls' as follows : — I Aave .''avoided, saying anything olerogatoVjt to . s the, 7 girls. Indeei, I think e |he«iisjnot.;much to be said. Englisbr.?girlß are; as of yore, f rank , •charming, simple, -aad endowed with beautytfeeyond other nations, and with a beauty^hit endures. But Ido meet Tery mariy lady-like and pretty girls, who, if'*e . pass from externals, are "^Rither.pne thing nor the other. They are neither accomplished, nor really well-wad, nor good housewives. I -can imagine a woman - would charm me by^er proficiency in music, painting, taste Tin dress, artistic feeling, I -can imagine with great difficulty, a woman who should be a thorough linguist, and to that extent an intellectual compan ion. Logic and philosophy I cannot clothe in petticoats. I -can imagine — sweetest picture of all — a domestic genuis with a kitchen cleverness, who should be cunning in cookery, and Should not disdain to whip up an omelette, or to superin tend a savoury dish. . After all, a ceok is an artist. By the way, why should not ladies starch shirts ? It is nice work, it is abominably performed at present, it would yield a better iacome than fancy work or Christmas cards. I submit, with regard to our modern maidens that we have parted -with the old types— gone with the old beliefs, I suppose — and that we have not a thorough new one. The accomplished young lady is gone. There are too many real artists among us to put up with her. The domestic damsel has gone. Newnham and Girton have offered us a substitute. I do not like it ; physique keeps it from thoroughness. I would like a girl to be really good at something ; for i choice, I would prefer something quite different from my . own strong points. But let us have something definite. There is another influence working against marriage. There is in vogue an excese of a familiarity between men and girls ; there is a deal of very nasty talk, topics that our grandfathers did not mention to our grandmothers, are freely discussed at modern dinner tables. The Divorce Court is mentioned without hesitation as the ' D.C The details of the Colin Campbell case or the Hughes-Halletfrankly discussed. Affectation is bad, but decency isgood ; surely a little mystery is o nductive matrimony. Desire is only curiosity ? is the sentiment of a philosopher in one of Mr Stevenson's books. Who would wish to explore if he already knew. Familiarity breeds— well, not marriage.