In the vast majority of cases, she wedded a
sort of man in the moon. Of him and of his world she knew nothing;
whereas the bridegroom had almost always a very sufficient
acquaintance with the circumstances, habits, antecedents,
characteristics, of the girl he espoused. Her parents, her
guardians, should assure themselves--pooh! even if these people
were conscientious and capable, the task was in most cases beyond
their power.
"I have no scheme for rendering marriages universally happy. On the
contrary, I believe that marriages in general will always serve as
a test of human patience." (Outbreak of masculine laughter.) "But
assuredly it is possible, by judicious training of young girls, to
guard them against some of the worst perils which now threaten their
going forth into the world. It is possible to put them on something
like an equality in knowledge of life with the young men of
corresponding social station." ("Oh, shameful!" murmured Mrs.
Mumbray. "Shocking!") "They must be treated, not like ornaments
under glass-eases, but like human beings who, physiologists assure
us, are born with mental apparatus, even as men are. I repeat that I
don't want to see them trained for politics" (many faces turned
towards the middle of the hall) "and that I lament the necessity
imposed on so many of them of struggling with men in the
labour-market.
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