LordAbingerrefusedtheevidencewhichLordWynfordhadwarnedLordGrantleywouldbefatal:theevidenceofwhichLordWynfordhadsaid，thatifitshouldevercomeout，itwouldbeattended\"withlossofcharacter\"forMrNorton。
Itwassuppressed:andbecauseitwassuppressedthecasewasdecidedforMrNortoninsteadofagainsthim，asLordWynfordhadwarnedhimmusthappen。
Afterthis，MrNortonproposedoncemoretohave\"referees。\"HenamedSirF。Thesiger，whoseopinionI
giveinhisownwords:——\"TheaccommodationproposedbyNortonisoneinwhichyouaretogivewayuponeverysubject，andheisnottorecedeuponone；anditseemstometoberidiculoustotalkofconciliationuponsuchafooting……ItisimpossiblenottobestruckwiththevacillatingandvexatiouscoursewhichNortonhaspursued；excitinghopesonlytodisappointthem，andmakingpromisesapparentlyfortheopportunityofbreakingthem。\"
Page76
Whyshouldtherebenotribunalofcontroloverthese\"vacillating\"husbands，whorefusetoabidebywrittenpledges，andmakepromises\"fortheopportunityofbreakingthem\"?Whyistheabsurdfictionof\"non-existence\"，tobekeptupinlaw，wheninfact，twoalienatedpartiesexist，withadverseinterests，strugglingandantagonistic?
Oneoftheepisodesofmy\"non-existence\"inlaw，atthistime，consistedinmyhavingtoendurealibelofimmoderatelengthandbitterness，inthe\"BritishandForeignQuarterlyReview。\"Ihadmadelittlestruggleaboutothermatters。IhadyieldedtoLordMelbourne\'searnestrequestthat，whilehewasminister，Iwouldnotpublishmyownaccountofthecasebetweenhimandmyhusband。
Butresolutely，passionately，andtillthefinalhourofsuccess，Istruggledagainstthelawwhichenabledanotherwomantotakemychildren。
Inthecourseofthatstruggle，Iwrotetwopamphlets:one，\"OntheSeparationofMotherandChild；\"theother，\"APlainLettertotheChancellor，byPierceStevenson，Esq。\"ThereviewinquestionattributedtomeapaperIdidnotwrite，andneversaw；\"OntheGrievancesofWoman；\"andboldlysettingmyname，intheindex，asPage77
theauthor，——proceeded，inlanguagestrangerabidandvirulent，toabusethewriter；callinghera\"SHE-DEVIL\"anda\"SHE-BEAST。\"
Nolessthanonehundredandforty-twopagesweredevotedtothenominaltaskofopposingtheInfantCustodyBill，andinrealitytoabusingme。
Notbeingtheauthorofthepapercriticised，IrequestedmysolicitortoprosecutetheReviewasalibel。Heinformedmethatbeingamarriedwoman，Icouldnotprosecuteofmyself；thatmyhusbandmustprosecute:
myhusband——whohadassailedmewitheverylibelinhispower!Therecouldbenoprosecution:andIwaslefttostudythegrotesqueanomalyinlawofhavingmydefensemadenecessary，——andmadeimpossible，——bythesameperson。
\"Oh!but，\"——saythosewhohavenotstudiedandsufferedunderthelaw，asIhave，——\"inreturnforallthis，thehusbandisresponsibleforhiswife\'sdebts:thatweallknow!\"Doyou?Iwillshewthatnotonlyheisnotresponsibleforhiswife\'sdebtstoothers——butheisnotresponsibleforhisowncovenanteddebtstoher。Heis，asIhavesaid，legallyresponsiblefornothing，butthatsheshallnotcomeupontheparish。
In1848，myhusbandrequiredreadymoneyPage78
toimprovetheestatelefthimbythewomantowhommychildrenwereatfirsttaken。
Inordertoraisethismoneyonthetrust-fundsofourmarriagesettlements，mysignaturewasnecessary。
Toobtainmysignature，Mr。Nortondrewupacontract。Hedictatedthetermsofthecontracthimself；vehementlyurgeditscompletion；andreproachedmysolicitorforthedelay，distrust，andreluctance，whichIshewedbeforeIsignedit。Idideventuallysignit；andsodidMr。Norton；andso，also，asIhavealreadystated，didtheHon。EdmundPhippsmarriedtothewidowoftheHon。CharlesNorton，myhusband\'syoungerbrother。
Theeffectofmysignaturewas，thatMr。Nortonimmediatelyraisedtheloanfromourtrust-fund，toemployonhisestate。Theeffectofhissignature，andthesignaturesoftheMarquisofNormanby\'sbrother，andthesolicitorwhodrewitup，wasabsolutelynil。
In1851，mymotherdied。
Sheleftmethroughmybrother，toguarditfrommyhusbandasmallannuity，asanadditiontomyincome。Mr。Nortonfirstendeavouredtoclaimherlegacy，andthenbalancedthefirstpaymentunderherwill，byarbitrarilystoppingmyallowance。Iinsistedthattheallowancewassecured，Page79
byhisownsignature，andthoseothersignatures，toaformaldeed。Hedefiedmetoproveit，——\"as，bylaw，manandwifewereone，andcouldnotcontractwitheachother；andthedeedwasthereforegoodfornothing。\"
IconfessIthoughtthefearofexposurewouldpreventhisdisputingthecontract；Ithought，——thistimeatleast，thememorablewordsofLordWynford，——\"GeorgeNortoncanhavenodefencetotheactions，andhisdefendingthemwillbeattendedwithlossofcharacter，\"mustoperateasacheckuponsounfair，somonstrousanact，asavailinghimselfofthelegalfictionofmy\"non-existence，\"
toescapefromawrittenbond，whichanyonenothiswifemighthaveprosecutedupon。
Iwasmistaken。NotonlyMrNortonheldbythequibblethatmanandwifecouldnotcontractwitheachother；notonlyhedidthis，——buthehadthebaseandcruelhypocrisytooncemoredragforwardLordMelbourne\'sname，inordertomakethatseemmyshameandmydisgrace，whichwasinfacthisshameandhisdisgrace；andtopretendwrong，whereheknewhehadbeenthewronger。Oncemore，forthesakeofmoney，——asintheactionfor\"damages，\"——heendeavouredtocovermewithopprobrium!Creepingbacktohisoldplace；scramblinguponthemoss-Page80
coveredandforsakenpedestalof\"theinjuredhusband\"；hemetthemotherofhisgrown-upsons，withtheaccusationshehadadmittedtobeafalsehoodintheirchildhood:bruisingthoseboyishheartswithforgottenslanders，firstraised，andfirstretracted，whentheeldestwasbutsixyearsold!
Hemetmeinpersoninthelawcourt；heinstructedhislawyer，inmyverypresence，whatquestionstoaskmethatcouldinsultmemost:andwhenthatgentlemanafterwardsapologisedforthetoneofthosequestions，heassertedthatMrNorton\'sinstructionswentbeyondwhathehadevenventuredtoask!
HeaffectedOgrossaffectation!
tobehurt，as\"aninjuredhusband，\"atmyacceptinganyassistanceinmoneyfromLordMelbourne\'ssisterorfamilyafterhisdecease；andaffirmedthathehadmadeconditionswithmeaboutit。WhenIcontradictedthisonoath，——disprovedit，andcommentedontheshamefulpretencebywhich，inadisputeaboutmymother\'swill，hereviveddiscussionsaboutLordMelbourne，——seeingthathehimselfretainedonethousanda-yearfromLordMelbourne\'spatronage，——steadilypreservingTHATmemoryofpastfavors，eventhroughalltherevilingofhisdeadpatron，——Page81
MrNortonprintedthewonderfulfalsehood，thatLordMelbournehadgivenhimtheplaceheheld，\"beforeheknewMrsNorton!\"Theridiculeofthis——eveniftrue——mighthavestruckanyone；thisnewwayofdividingtheledger；thisabhorrenceofaman\"becauseoftheseductionofmywife\"——butsatisfactionintheplaceobtainedfromhim，becauseitwas\"beforetheseductionofmywife。\"ButIproveditnottobetrue，byLordMelbourne\'sownletters。Itwasasheerinvention；andgivenwiththemostcarefuldetail。YetMrNorton，——convictedofitsbeingutterlyfalse，——contentedhimselfwithsaying，\"thematterhadhappenedsolongago，\"hemadean\"unintentionalmistake。\"Howmanymoreofhisslandersagainstthedeadandthelivingare\"unintentionalmistakes\"?
Iwillnotpauseoverthatquestion。Iwillnotpauseoverthestilldebateablepoint，whetherthatsignedpaper，evenifnotacontractwithme，maynotbeheldgoodasacontractwithmycreditors；——awrittenandstampedagreementwiththem，madebyamagistrateandabarrister；thesoleconditionannexedbeing，thatwhileitispaidtheyshallnotapplytohim。NorwillIenlargefurtherontheabuseandinsultwhichwasshoweredonmethatdayincourt，onlyforPage82
assertingajustclaim。INSULTisnotDEGRADATION:
Queenshavebeeninsulted，asIwas:andthefamoussummonsinHenryVIII。\'stime——\"Katherine!comeintocourt，\"——wasaboutasjustasthatwhichcalledmethere!Itisenoughtoknow，thatinthisdisputebetweentheexistenthusbandandthenon-existentwife，theexistenthusbandhadeveryadvantage。Thedeadfriendandpatronwasscurrilouslyabused，bythemanwhostillholdsplaceunderhisappointment。Thelivingbut\"non-existent\"
wife，waspubliclyinsulted，bythehusbandwhohadwrittenhertheGreenacreletters，andentreatedherreturnhomeonthepleathatshemight\"forgive\"
thetrial，sincehedisbelievedinitsaccusations!The\"existent\"husbandsubpoenaedmybankers；compelledthemtoproducetheirbooks，andsenthisattorneytomakeextractsattheirbank，ofallsumsenteredinmyprivateaccount。Healsosubpoenaedmypublishers；tocompelthemtodeclarewhatwerethecopyrightstheyheldofme，andwhatsumstheyhadpaidme:
for，amazingtosay，thecopyrightsofmyworksarehis，bylaw:
myverysoulandbrainsarenotmyown!And，whenallwasdone，thisgreatdictumwasimpresseduponmymemory；thatthecontractwasnil，becausethefictionofPage83
thelawis，that\"manandwifeareone，\"——andnottwocontractingparties；andMrNorton，therefore，wasnotbound\"inlaw，\"only\"inhonour。\"
Iamnotnowdiscussingthis，withanyreferencetohimindividually。Gone，——past——buriedinunutterablescorn，——arethedaysinwhichIappealed，eithertohim，orfromhim。Icomplain，——notoftheexistenthusband，butoftheexistentlaw:
andofthat\"nationofgallantgentlemen，\"whoscarcelycare，andscarcelyknow，whatistheexistinglawonsuchsubjects。
Afterthecreditor\'scasewasover，MrNortonenquired，theoldenquiry!——whetherIwould\"submittoreferees\"thepoint，whetherheought\"inhonour\"toabidebyhissignature；
andwhetherIwouldnamearefereeonmypart。Iansweredintheaffirmative:
andInamedasmyreferee，onewhomayfairlyclaimtoinspireasmuchconfidence，respect，anduniversalesteem，frommenofallranks，ages，orparties，asIthinkiteverwasthelotofanypersontoenjoy:——InamedtheMarquisofLansdowne。MrNortonproposedhisownbrother，LordGrantley；
whichnominationwasdeclined，asanimpossiblechoice——impossible，recollectingthePage84
circumstancesofthetrial，——theresidenceofthewitnesses，——andthenearnessofconnection。Nootherchoicewasproposed。MrNortoneitherfelt，ashemaytrulyfeel，thatnounprejudicedgentlemaninEngland，wouldsupporthiminhislegalquibble:——orhehadneverintendedtoproposeachoicewhichcouldbeaccepted，——whichismorethanprobable。
NowIwillprayyourMajesty\'sattentiontotheeffectofthisnon-existenceinlaw，ontheseveralpartiesinvolvedinthediscussionofthiscontract。
AndfirstIwilltakeMrNorton\'sposition。
Fromthedateofmymother\'sdeath，hehaswithheldentirely，andwithperfectimpunity，myincomeashiswife。Idonotreceive，andhavenotreceivedforthepastthreeyears，asinglefarthingfromhim。Heretains，andalwayshasretained，propertythatwasleftinmyhome-giftsmadetomebymyownfamilyonmymarriage，andtomymotherbyyourMajesty\'saunt，H。R。H。theDuchessofYork；——articlesboughtfrommyliteraryearnings，——bookswhichbelongedtoLordMelbourne；
and，Page85
inparticular，amanuscriptofwhichLordMelbournehimselfwastheauthor，whenaveryyoungman，whichMrNortonresolutelyrefusedtogiveup。
Hereceivesfrommytrusteestheinterestoftheportionbequeathedmebymyfather，whodiedinthepublicservice，holdinganofficialappointmentattheCapeofGoodHope，leavingafamilyofveryyoungorphans，slenderlyprovidedfor。Ifmyfatherlived，itistobepresumedthereisnomanhewouldseewithgreaterabhorrencethanMrNortonconsideringwhatthefateofhisdaughterhasbeen，yetsuchportionashewasabletoleaveme，goesfromthe\"non-existent\"wife，totheexistenthusband，inthegeneraltrust-fundofourmarriage。
IhavealsoasMrNortonimpressedonme，bysubpoenaingmypublishersthepowerofearning，byliterature，——whichfundthoughitbethegrantofHeaven，andnotthelegacyofearthisnomorelegallyminethanmyfamilyproperty。
Nowagain，Isay，isorisnotthisaridiculouslawiflawsbemadetoconducttojustice?I
cannotdivorcemyhusband，eitherforadultery，desertion，orcruelty；
Imustremainmarriedtohisname；hehas，inrightofthatfactofmyPage86
linktohisname，arighttoeverythingIhaveintheworld——andIhavenomoreclaimuponhim，thananyoneofyourMajesty\'sladiesinwaiting，whoareutterstrangerstohim!Ineverseehim:——Ihearofhimonlybyattacksonmyreputation:——andIdonotreceiveafarthingofsupportfromhim。Hisreply，byattorneydated10thofApril，thissession，toanysuchdemand——istobidthecreditor\"examinethewillofmymotherinDoctors\'Commons\"therebythrowingoffthemaskofpretencehewore，andstandingopenlyonhislegalirresponsibility:andwhenwefirstseparated，heofferedme，assoleprovision，asmallpensionpaidbyGovernmenttoeachofmyfather\'schildren；reckoningthatpensionashis!
Thatisthepositionofthehusband。
Thenextstartlingpoint，isthepositionofthetrades-peopleunderthis\"non-existent\"rule；andiftheopinionofpersonssohumblewerelikelytoreachyourMajesty，theycouldtellyouwhattheythinkofthelawwhichleavesthemutterlywithoutanyremedy。
Inthecreditor\'sactiontriedonMrNorton\'sPage87
contract，theplaintiffwasMrThrupp，oneofthecoachmakers\"byappointment\"toyourMajesty。MrThrupplosthiscauseasagainstMrNorton；andperhapstheuninitiatedimagineitwasmerelyaquestionwhichofusshouldpayhim；orpayanyothercreditor。Thosewhothinkso，aremistaken。Inconsequenceofthisruleofmy\"non-existence，\"MrThrupp，andthegroupofcreditors，canclaimpaymentfromnoone。Theycannotsuethe\"non-existent\"marriedwoman；thehusbandcannotcontractwiththe\"non-existent\"marriedwoman；andthe\"non-existent\"marriedwomancannotbecompelledtopay，ifsherefusestodischargethedebt。\"Oh!
butyouwillnotrefuse；youwillpay，surely，\"saythebystanders。
How?Myhusbandowesme#1，500，orthreeyears\'income。Ihavenomeansofraisingthislargesum；noonewouldlendmoneytoamarriedwoman；
shecangivenosecurity。Besides，Iamindebttomybankers:obstinatelydisbelievinginthepossibilityofthelaw\'sinjusticebeforeitwasprovedtome，Iborrowedfromthem，whenMrNortonstoppedmyallowance:
andthatloan，withinterest，isstillunpaid。Iamindebttomyprinters；
forworkarisingoutofthisveryinjustice。IhavepersonswhoreceivePage88
regularinstalmentseveryyear，onpastdues；Ihaveotheremploymentformymoney，thanmakingupMrNorton\'sdefalcations。
\"Oh!butyoushouldnothaveotheremployment:youshouldwriteandearnmoney，andpaythesepeople；
andtheneconomize，andretrench，soastogiveupthe#500ayeartoMrNorton。\"
Why?
Why，becauseIammarriedtoaname，——amItostriveandlabour，toenabletheownerofthatnametocommitadirectfraud?WhyamItopayMrNorton\'sdebts，torenounceallclaimonhim，andadmitthatmylegal\"non-existence\"madeoursigningthatcontractamerefarce?simplybecausehehasgrosslyandcruellyinsultedandslanderedme，inanopencourtofjustice，ongroundsheknewwerefalse；andwithadefenceabsolutelyfictitious?
IwouldnotifIcould!
IfallEnglandweretoagreetoraiseashillingsubscription，——orifsomeoneweretodowhatMrKennedyoftheWoodsandForestssayshasbeendoneforhim，——namely，comeforwardandsay，\"Ithinkthisbusinesssounjust，thatIwillsettleforlifetheincomeyoulose；nowpayyourpeople，\"——I
wouldnotadmitthatthemattershouldendso!Page89
IdonotconsiderthisasMYcause:thoughitisacauseofwhichunfortunatelyformeIamanillustration。Itisthecauseofallthewomen，andofalargeproportionofthetradespeople，inEngland。IfIwerepersonallysetateaseaboutitto-morrow，thatwouldnotalterthelaw。Thesameinjusticemighthappennextdaytosomewomanwhocouldnotstruggle，orearn，orwrite；forwhomnoonewouldcomeforward；andtosomepettytradesman，——notlikeMrThrupp，coachmakertoyourMajesty，inalargewayofbusiness，——butgrievouslyinjuredbythelossofevenasmallsum。Whatisneeded，isnotthearrangingofoneparticularcase，butaTribunalofControl，aTribunalforMarriageandDivorce；todecideALLsuchcases；——andtopreventthepossibilityoftheshametoEnglandandtoEnglishlaw，entailedbythrowingthesumsecuredbyamagistrate\'ssignature，thesignaturesoftwopeers\'brothers，andalawyer，——amongatradesman\'slistof\"baddebts。\"