Thetradesmanischeated;——notbyme,forIamcheatedinmyturn;norexceptindirectlybyMrNorton,foritishiswifewhomhedefrauds。ItistheLAWthatcheatsthetradesman。Thelaw,——thatshoulddohimjustice!Helosesjustice;
helosesthesumdueasthePage90
actualdebt;andhelosestheexpensesofapplyingforthatdebtunsuccessfully。Isthat,orisitnot,aridiculousconfusionoflaws,toexistinanykingdom?
Iwilltake,now,yourMajesty\'sposition;for,——beitsaidwithallrespectandloyalty,——thiswasnocommon\"privatequarrel,\"ofwhichscarceanechocanreachthethrone:butamatterwhichitwouldbewantinginreverencetobelieve,canhavebeenindifferenttoyou。ThefirstPrimeMinisterofyourMajesty\'sreignisscurrilouslyattackedandslanderedintheEnglishnewspapers,byanEnglishmagistrate。Inalongletterpublishedbythatmagistrateexpressly,asheinformshisreaders,inhis\"publiccapacity\",heaccusesthedeadminister,whocannotdefendhimself,notonlyoftheseductionofhiswife,butofbribery,malversation,corruption,andbasenessofeverykind。
Themagistratewhomakestheseaccusations,hasbeenstigmatisedbyeachsuccessiveperson,calledevenbyhimselftointerfereinourquarrel,asentirelyregardlessofTRUTH。TheclergymanofWestminsterChapel,immediatelyPage91
afterourparting,wrotetome,ofMrNorton\'s\"amazingassertions,\"
andhisattempttoobtainaretractionoftheirfalsehood。LordMelbournegavehiswordofhonourthattheaccusationonwhichtheactionfordamageswasbased,wasfalse;andhebelieveditwasbroughtformoney。Mybrotherthroughhissolicitordeclaredeverywordofmyhusband\'sadvertisementagainstmeinthepapersin1839tobefalse。LordWynfordin1838declaredthediscrepancytobesogreatbetweenMrNorton\'srealcase,andhispretenceofbeinganoffendedhusband,thatthepublicknowledgeofitmustbeattended\"withlossofcharacter。\"MrNorton\'sowncounsel,SirJohnBayley,published,in1853,thisdeclaration;\"nearlyeverystatementhemademe,turnedouttobeuntrue。\"SirF。Thesigersaidhispromisesseemedmade\"apparentlyfortheopportunityofbreakingthem。\"ALLaccusedhimofuntruth;
atalltimes;downtothatunpardonableandunpardoneddayofAugust,1853,whenhemetmeinalawcourtwithafictitiouspleaofslander,andwascontradictedonoathbythewitnesses:tothat24thAugust,whenhisletterofexplanationwasdisprovedbyme,andhisfalseaccountofhisappointmentbyLordMelbournepubliclyPage92
exposed:tothat31stofAugust,whenthesolicitorwhodrewupthecontractdeclaredofhisstatementwithreferencetothatmatter——\"theentireparagraphisuntrue;\"tothatmemorable13thofSeptember,1853,whenSirJohnBayleyfinallycontradicted,pointbypoint,everyinventionandslanderousassertionhehadputforward。Thatsuchaman,——provedtobesorecklesslyfalse,——shouldhaveanypoweratalloverthereputationofthedeadortheliving,arisesoutofthelawwhichpermitsan\"actionfordamages,\"asasortofgamblingspeculation,withoutdefenceorcontradictionbeingpossibletothewife;andthelawwhichallowsthebreachofcontractonapleaof\"non-existence\"ofthewife;foritisonthesetwolinksofopportunitythatMrNortonhasconnectedthelongchainoffalsehoodsagainstLordMelbourneandmyself。
IthinkitisintheDucdeSt。Simon\'sMemoirs,thatapassageoccurs,whichherMajesty,theQueenofHolland,firstpointedouttome;where,speakingofthedeathofonedeartothethrone,theauthorsaysthatthekinglamented,——\"maisunpeualaRoyale,\"——implyingasmanyhistoricalandevenScripturalphrasesimply,thatthefriendsofkingsandprincesaresoonerforgotten,andlessgrievedfor,thanfriendsPage93
ofequaldegree。Certainlytherecanbenoentirefriendship,wherethereisnorealequality;buttheremaybememoryofserviceandanearnestregard;andIwillnotbelieveforhewouldnothavebelieveditthattheabuseofLordMelbournewasindifferenttoyourMajesty。
Leaningonthehandofthatloyalandtruefriendandservant,yourMajestyascendedthethroneofyourancestors;andtheQueenofthreekingdomssaidtoherminister,\"Helpme,\"——assheplacedherfootonthesteps。
SoonafteryourMajesty\'saccession,hereadtoyouinthatmagnificentandmelodiousvoicewhichmanystillremember,thoseversesfromtheThirdBookofKings,wheretheyouthfulSolomon,beingaskedbyGodinadream,whatgifthewilldesireatthebeginningofhisinexperiencedreign;asks,not\"longlife,norriches,northelivesofhisenemies,\"——but\"anunderstandingheart;tojudgethepeople,anddiscernbetweengoodandevil。\"LordMelbourneheldthen,apositionwhichhasscarcelyaparallelinEnglishhistory;——theextremeyouthandsexofhisSovereign,minglingwithhisdutiesascounsellorsomethingofthecharacterofaguardian。Thathefulfilledthoseanxiousduties,whilehelived,withdevotedPage94
zeal,andwasworthytofulfilthem,noonehaseverdoubted。
When,afterhisdeath,rumoursandaspersionsrespectingtheinterferenceofPrinceAlbertwithpublicaffairs,foundtheirwayfromconversationalgossipintoprint,andweremadeasubjectofdiscussionbyvariousorgansofthepress,LordAberdeenintheHouseofLords,andLordJohnRussellintheCommons,readaloud,toeagerandattentivemembers,abrieffranknote,writtenbyLordMelbournetoyourMajesty,expressiveofhisfavorableopinionofthediscretion,ability,andexcellenceofthePrinceConsort。Andthisministerwassotrustedforwisdomandforhonesty,washeldtobesuchanauthorityinmattersofthedeepestmomenttoEngland\'swelfare,thatthosefewlineswerereceivedwithaburstofcordialcheering,suchasmanyalongandeloquentorationhasfailedtoproduce。
Hewillread,counsel,instruct,andservenomore。Norisitinhumannaturethathismemoryamongthosewhoknewhimshouldnotfade。ButIwillnotbelievethathehaslamentedsomuch\"alaRoyale,\"——thatheheldsobriefaleaseinhisSovereign\'sregard,——thatevenPage95
whilehisletterwasquoted,hehimselfwasforgotten!
Forhissake,——ifnotforthegreatsakeofjustice,whichallrulersmustreverence,——I
feeladeepconvictionitwasfarotherwisewithyourMajesty;andthatwhenyoufoundoneofthemagistratesofyourCityofLondonamagistratebyLordMelbourne\'sownappointmentsuddenlyfillingtheprincipaljournalsofthatcitywithbase,false,andrancorousabuseofyourMajesty\'sdeadfriendandservant,itwaspainful——notindifferent——totheRoyalmind。
Whatthen?Whythis:
thatthethronewasthenmocked——asjusticewasmocked,——asthedecencyofsocialorderwasmocked,——bythisimpunityofatrociouslibelonaministerwhosecharacterstoodsoadmittedlyhigh,thatevenoneofhisposthumousnoteswasdeemedofsufficientauthoritytodefinetheposition,andtodeclarethecharacter,oftheConsortoftheSovereign!Andthisimpunityofabuse,——bythisminister\'sownnominee,——noteventheQueenofEnglandcouldpreventorpunish,becausethereexistsinherrealmnolegaltribunalwhichcouldhavetakencognisanceofthisquarrelfromthefirst,——andhaveendeditsdisputes,andsilenceditsever-recurringscandal,Page96
seventeenyearsago,byatimelydecisionbetweentheirresponsiblehusbandandthe\"non-existent\"wife。
Astomyownposition,——ifotherswereaswearyofreading,asIamofwriting,thesubjectmustindeedbetedious:butitisnecessarytomysummingup。Iam,asregardsmyhusband,inaworsepositionthanifIhadbeendivorced。Inthatcase,Englishmenaresogenerous,thatsomechivalrous-heartedmanmightperhapshavemarriedandtrustedme,inspiteoftheunjustcloudonmyname。Iamnotdivorced,andIcannotdivorcemyhusband;yetIcanestablishnolegalclaimuponhim,noruponanylivinghumanbeing!Myreputation,myproperty,myhappiness,areirrevocablyinthepowerofthisslandereronfalsegrounds;
thisrapaciousdefenderofhisrighttoevadewrittenbonds。Icannotreleasemyself。IexistandIsuffer;butthelawdeniesmyexistence。
Ihavetwosons。Onealreadylaunchedinlife,employedinyourMajesty\'sserviceamongjuniordiplomates:
andonewhoisnotyetinanyprofession。
Page97
Heisnotinanyprofession,becauseattheverymomentwhenIhadpromisedandarrangedsotodisposeofhim,MrNortonmadeitimpossible,bybreakingthecontractwhichsecuredmyallowance;andtookawaymymeansofdoingso。
MrNortonstandsonthelegalground,thatnotonlymymother\'swillwhichhedesiresmytradesmento\"inspectatDoctors\'Commons\",andotherresources,wouldreleasehimfromthenecessityofsupportingme,——butthatIamsoablewithmypen,Imightearn#500ayearifIworkedhardenough!WouldtheDukeofBedfordandLordWestminstertwo,Ibelieve,ofyourMajesty\'swealthiestsubjectsacceptfromMrNorton,insteadofmoneyduetothem,theassurancethatheconsideredthemquitesufficientlywelloffwithoutit?Andifitweretruethatmyliteraryearningscouldbepermanentandconstant,onwhatconceivableprincipleofjusticeamItotoil,inordertohandovermyallowanceasMrNorton\'swife,tobespentonhismistressordividedamongstseveralmistresses,——insteadofpreventingmyyoungersonfromwastinghistalentsandenergieswithoutacareer;oraffordingfurtherassistancetotheeldest——thewisest,kindest,andbestsonwhoPage98
everstruggledtododifficultdutybetweentheparentsofadividedhome?
IowetothelawwhichenablesMrNortontoevadehiscontract,twolostyearsinmyyoungerson\'slife,——attheverymomentofyouthwhenemploymentisofmostparamountimportance;
togetherwiththebreachofallmywrittenengagementsinhisbehalf。Mischievousandabsurd,notonlywithreferencetome,buttothosedearesttome,isthisquibbleof\"non-existence\"bywhichallmynaturalrightsreverttothehusband,——onwhomIhavenoclaim,——andwhoyetdrawsportionsofhisincomefromthedeadmanhepubliclylibelsasmylover,andthedeadfather,whosedaughterheseekspubliclytobrandasawanton!
Thenaturalpositionofwomanisinferioritytoman。Amen!ThatisathingofGod\'sappointing,notofman\'sdevising。Ibelieveitsincerely,asapartofmyreligion:
andIacceptitasamatterprovedtomyreason。Ineverpretendedtothewildandridiculousdoctrineofequality。Iwillevenholdthatasonecomingunderthegeneralrulethatthewifemustbeinferiortothehusband,Ioccupythatposition。UxorfulgetradiisMariti;IamMrNorton\'sinferior;Iamthecloudedmoonofthatsun。Page99
Putmethen——myambitionextendsnofurther——inthesamepositionasallhisotherinferiors!Inthatofhishousekeeper,whomhecouldnotlibelwithimpunity,andwithoutpossibledefence;ofanapprenticewhomhecouldnotmaltreatlawlessly,eveniftheboy\"condoned\"originalill-usage;
ofascullion,whosewageshecouldnotrefuseonthepleathatsheislegally\"non-existent\";oftheday-labourer,withwhomhewouldnotarguethathissignaturetoacontractis\"worthless。\"Putmeundersomelawofprotection;anddonotleavemetothemercyofonewhohasnevershewnmemercy。Forwantofsuchalawofprotection,allotherprotectionhasbeenvain!IhavehadtheupholdingandIsetitfirst,becauseithasbeenofgreatercomfortandvaluetomethananyother,ofasgenerousandaffectionateafamilyasevercombinedtoshieldoneofitsmembersfromundeserveddisgrace。Sisters,ofspotlessreputation,whostoodbyme\"throughevilreportandgoodreport,\"tenderlyandsteadilyforyears。
Brothersandbrothers-in-law,amongthebestgentlemenofEngland。Relationsandintimatefriendshipsamongthenoblestandpurestofitswomen。
IhavesonswhomIloveandamproudof,Page100
andwhothankGod!,loveandareproudofme,inspiteofpastmisery。IhadtheverdictoftwelveEnglishgentlemen,sworntoaverdictoftruth;andthesolemnword,——livinganddying,——ofthefriendwhowasaccusedwithmeofsin。Iwasaidedinmyfirstbattleagainstfortune,bypersonsofgreatrankandinfluence。BynonemorekindlythanbyyourMajesty\'suncle,theKingoftheBelgians:hewholearned,perhaps,tofeelmore,havingsufferedmore,thanothers;andwhorememberedmeinmyearlygirlhood,andinmymother\'shome:hewhoonceheldinEnglandtheplacePrinceAlbertnowfills:whowashusbandandfathertotheheirsoftheEnglishcrown;andwho,intheprimeandprideofhisownyouth,sawthesunsetoneDecembernightonthattriumphantlyhappyposition,andsawitrise——achildlesswidower!
Ihavehadsympathyandassistancefromobscurerfriends;notnobleinname,thoughnobleinnature:
andIhavehadwithme,publicopinion,andthegoodwishesofgoodhearts。
Towhatend?Vain,thoughnotvalueless,hasbeenthisaccumulationofkindness,fromfriends,relativesandstrangers,forwantofsuchlawsofprotection!Theycouldpity,——buttheycouldPage101
nothelp。Theycouldpreventnothingthathasbeeninflictedonme:redressnothing:norblotanythingout。
Inthecourseofmylife,Ihaveseenbutonemoreresoluteattemptatannullingtheeffectofthelawonawoman\'sdestiny;andIconceiveeventhattohavefailed。Itwastriedunderthemostfavourablecircumstances。Not,asinmycase,inthereignofaQueen,——where,thoughnoSaliquelawrulesthesuccession,thegeneralspiritofthelawsandofopinionisagainsttheimportanceofwomen:aQueenmarriedtoaforeignprince,oflessrankthantheformerQueen\'sconsortsinEngland,——prudentlyandunremittinglyoccupied,eversincehereachedourshores,inconciliatingtheToryparty;amongwhomandespeciallyamongthoseemployedatCourt,stoodLordMelbourne\'sbitterestfoes。Notunderthesedisadvantages,butinthestrongreignofaKing:——withourmodernMarlborough,——ouroneGeneral,——thelateDukeofWellington,——forthelady\'sunflinchingfriend,——theexperimentofsupportwastried,andfailed。Apensionof#380ayearontheIrishCivilListPage102
wasgrantedtothemalignedwife。ShewasafterwardsmadeextraLadyinWaitingtoQueenAdelaide:andallthatgreatfriends,greatinfluence,andcourtfavourcoulddoforher,wasdone;thehusbandvainlyattackingtheDukeofWellington,inapublishedpamphlet,forhisinterferenceinhisdomesticaffairs;andvainlydeprecatingwhatwasdone,asdoneindefianceofhimself,thelordandrulerofthatbrokenhome。
Butsetthatwoman\'sdestinytorights,theCourtcouldnot:norbreakhermarriage:noroverrulewhatwasdeterminedbyherhusbandastohermoreintimatedestiny,——thedeartieofchildren,orattacksonherreputation。Thethronecouldcompensate,butnotredress:couldcompensateinthisoneinstance,butcouldnotpreventsuchinstancesfromrecurring:couldgivethatwomanherplaceamongcourtpageants,butcouldnotpreventherheartachingbeneathherdiamonds:norcreate,byanynumberofroyalsmiles,arecurringdawnforthatlight,which,whenawoman\'shome-destinyiswrecked,goesoutintoutterdarkness。
ItisagloriousthingthattheLawshouldbestrongerthantheThrone。ItisoneofdearboastfulEngland\'sproudestblindboasts。ButPage103
itisnotagloriousthingthat,beingstrongerthanthethrone,itshouldbeweakerthanthesubject:andthatthatwhichevenakingcanonlydowithinacertainlimit,——oppressoruphold,——maybedonewithboundlessirresponsiblepower,intheonesinglerelationofhusbandandwife。
Ihaveseen,——percontrâ;,——oneinstanceofanEnglishgentlemancrushed,denounced,andsociallydisgraced,aswellaslegallycondemned。Itwasforanaccusationofunfairplayatcards。Amorbiddesiretowin,——withouteventhemotiveoftheneedysharper-poverty,——upsetthecalculationsofhisplaymates,andrenderedtheirgameofskillagameofchance。Oh!whataturmoilthisdiscoverycreated!Nothingelsewasthoughtof:thestillpondofpolitesociety,withitsquietsurfaceofduck-weedandornamentallilies,turnedsuddenlyintoafoamingwhirlpool:theliliesweretossedlikesea-weedinastorm。
TheideaofWHIST-PLAYINGbeingdisturbed;thepleasuresofclub-loungersinfringeduponbysuchdreadfuluncertainties;thegoodold-fashionedgamesthatwiledawayPage104
theirunoccupiedevenings,turnedintotrapsfortheirpurses——thesacredcardsscoredwithprivatemethodsofidentification——thisindeedwasanoutrageonsociallife,law,andorder!Thiscouldnot,——wouldnot,——mustnotbeborneforonedayafteritbecameknown!
Accordingly,themostvigorousmeasuresweretaken——lawproceedingswereinstituted:everybodywasshockedbeyondmeasure:examinationsweregonethrough:oldcompanionsweresummonedtogiveevidenceagainsthim,andgaveit;somewithtearsintheireyesandsomewithout。Thethunderofpublicreprobationrolledroundhishead;thelightningofalegalcondemnationreachedandstruckhim;and,whenthestormwasover,——whenthecalmofpolitelifewasrestored,——whentheliliesandtheslackduck-weedsettleddownoncemoreonthesurfaceoftheirmuch-disturbedpond,itswatershadclosedforeveroverthewreckeddestinyofthatpopularandaccomplishedman!
Sincethen,Ihaveseeneveryspeciesofcheating,unfairness,tyranny,andoppression,asregardswomen,bornewiththemostcomfortablePage105
indifference。Theliliesandtheduckweedliesmilingandsleeping;
andtheythinkitvulgar,andverytroublesome,ifwrongsthatdonotwrongtheirpleasures,andstrugglestoamendlawsthatarealreadyquiteperfectenoughtoprotectthosepleasures,——areforcedontheirunwillingnotice!
Letwhist-playing,notwomen,beprotected:theonesignifies,theotherdon\'t。Theclub-loungerssmileinscorn。\"Whatisallthisdisturbanceabout?Woman\'srightsandwoman\'swrongs?——pooh,pooh;nonsense;Bloomerism;
Americanism!wecan\'thavethatsortofthinginEngland。Womenmustsubmit;
thosewhodon\'t,arebadwomen——dependuponit:allbadwomen。Therearenobadmen。Whoeverheardofabadman?or,atleast,ofhisconductbeingcondemnedbytheworldatlarge,inmatterslikethese?\"\"Butthisreallyisamonstrouscase。\"\"Well,yes,it\'sallverywrong——veryshabby——veryunprincipled——certainly;butwecan\'tmeddle;allthelawsrespectingwomenareinahopelessstateofconfusion;anditismuchbetteroneortwowomenshouldsufferunjustly,thanthattheauthorityofhusbandsshouldbedoubted。Astoahusband\'ssin,andallthat,itcan\'tsignifysomuchasthewoman\'ssin;Page106
becauseyouknow,thewoman\'ssinmaygiveherhusbandaspuriouschildtoinherithisproperty。\"
Nowwhereisthelogicofthisreasoning?Whyisitbetteroneortwooroneortwohundredwomenshouldsuffer?Itisnotbetterthatoneortwoapprenticesshouldbestarvedormaltreated,ratherthaninterferewiththeauthorityoftheirmasters;
noroneortwofactorychildren,ratherthaninterferewithmanufacturers:
womenarenotappealingforanexceptionallawintheirfavour;
onthecontrary,theyareappealingnottobemadeanexceptionfromthegeneralprotectionofthelaws。Astothecomparativeharmlessnessofthehusband\'ssin,whatdoesthatmean?Itmeansmerelythatinhisownhomehissinhasnoresult;butintheotherhome,wherehesins?Howdoyouguaranteethathissinshallharmnoone?Whyishetohavethelibertytowrongothers,——byawrongthatinhisowncasewouldbesointolerableandunpardonable,——whenthesamereasoningmaybeappliedtothewronghedoes,astothewronghesuffers?Maynothe,also,bethefatherofaspuriouschild?——oneborninafriend\'shome?——oneborn,perhapsofsomepoorvictimtemptedtocastitintothatcoldPage107
greyriver,whichrunspasttheSenate-housewherethesehardlawsaresofalselyargued,andpasttheTemplewheretheyaresocarelesslystudied!
ThisisthesameEnglandwheresuchanoutcrywasraisedagainstGeneralHaynau,thathewasafterwardsassaultedinthepublicstreets!AustriansmightwellretortuponEnglishmenthefaultfindinginwhichtheythenindulged。Thereisnotoneofthataristocracyofgentlemen,whowouldnotsmileinscornattheEnglishman\'saffectationofabetterlawforwomeninhisowncountry。Istherenopainanddegradationexceptphysicalpainanddegradation?Istherenoindecencybutinideasofnudity?——nobarbaritybutinstripesandblows?
Istherenobrutalityinthecross-examinationindivorcecases,fromwhicheventhefemaleservantsshrink,angryandwounded,atbeingsoquestioned?
IstherenoindecencyinthetrialsbeforetheHouseofLords,whichLordBeaumonttermed\"disgustinganddemoralizing?\"Istherenopaininthehuntingdownforfeverishyears,withtormentandlibel,awomanwhocanescapefromneither?
AndyettheseEnglishheartsarenoble。Fromamongthese\"club-loungers\"wehavesentthePage108
bravestmenthateverperishedpatiently,orwithgloriouscourage,onadisastrousbattle-field。Amongthemthereisnotonewhowouldnotguardthewomanofhisownfamilyfrominsultwithhislife;withasmuchchivalryasthoseknightsofromancewhoinlesscivilizeddaysfoughtahand-to-handbattle,forthefameortherightsoftheweakersex。Onlytheycannotbebroughttobelievethattheycaninterfereinarevisionofthelaw,ortoconsiderthenecessityofsuchrevision。Theyloveandrevereparticularnamesamongwomen。TheirheartsglowatthedevotionofthepoorgirlGraceDarling,whoseimpulsiveheroismsavedwreckedsailor\'slives:atthegentleprison-visitingsofMrsFry:attheCrimeanpilgrimageofmercyandsicktendance,undertakenbyMissNightingaleandhercompanions。
Theywereallforerectinga\"MonumenttoGraceDarling;\"thenewspapersatthetimewerefilledwithsuchschemes。