WHY WOMEN MARRY.

Kumara Times, Issue 799, 23 April 1879, Page 4

WHY WOMEN MARRY.

Vanity Fair in a recent issue says : The question, " Why Men Marry ?" is an interesting one; but it must be pronounced inferior in interest to the question " Why Women Marry?" in the degree in. which men are in all respects less interesting than women. The willingness of women to marry is greater and more patent than that of men ; and, we will that it i 3 a greal deal more wonderful. Theiwomen have, to use a colloquial phrase, the worst of it all through life, we entertain no doubt, and that the matrimonial state, as understood by experience, has, as a rule, fewer attractions for them than for men, we also believe to be true. Yet where there are many men who from choice abstain from marrying, and still more who put o 5 marrying to the last practicable moment, we doubt if thete are any women worth mentioning who refuse the married state from option and deliberation, aud not many marry who postpone marrying till a late period of life from a repugnance to having a husband. That women refuse individual men, and sometimes go on refusing man after man, is true enough ; but then their objection is to: the man and not to the condition of life the man proposes ; or, not unfrequently, their refusal arises from mere skittishness, from a feeling they may do better, or from a cheerful conviction that there is plenty of time to "think about it." A 3 a rule, however, women who have the chance of marrying, marry, and they would yet more promptly than they do were it not that they are frequently held back from taking a foolish step by wise parents or dissuading friends. How is this apparent paradox to be explained 1 There is Idss to induce a woman to marry than : to induce men ; yet men hesitate to marry and women jump at marrying. Some will answer that man is a rational and wjman an irrational animal ; but over and above the distinction being too uncomplimentary to bo true, it is one of those plausible explanations that explains nothing. Again, it is sometimes affirmed that, in marrying men sacrifice liberty, whereas women, in marrying, acquire it. But this is an epigram easily disposed of. When men sacrifice what is called their liberty by marrying, they are already tired of their liberty, or (hat particular form of it which bachelorhood enjoys, and were the point thoroughly examined, we suspect it would be found that they abandon a form of libeny of which they are weary for another form they have not possessed.