anotherforthestrong，——onelawforEngland，andanotherforScotland:andthattheeffectofthisconfusionshouldbe(bytheadmissionoflaw-giversthemselves)，scandal，outrage，andfraud；andanimpossibilityofcarryingouttheendsofjustice。
ThereisneededinEngland，whatisestablishedbylawinothercountries；atribunalformarriageanddivorcecases，withfullpowerofcontrol；andwhythatpowercannotbevestedintheCourtofChancery(astheLordChancellorproposed)，itisforthelegistswhocontradictedhimtoshew。Oneargumentagainstitisprobablyentirelyfallacious；andthatistheenormousincreaseofbusinesswhichthesefamilydisputeswouldbring:(evenifwearetoadmit，thatjusticeshouldnotbeadministeredifitsadministrationistobecometroublesome。)
ThesameargumentwasusedwhentheInfantCustodyBillwaspassed。LordWynfordthendeclaredthat，inconsequenceofthisbill，\"thejudgeswouldhaveaburdenthrownuponthem，whichtheirotherdutiesrenderedthemwhollyunabletobear。Thehusband，besides，wouldbekeptinaconstantstateoflitigationfromoneendoftheyeartotheother。\"
Wehavenowfifteenyears\'
experiencetojudgePage130
thebillupon。Hasthatbeentheresult?Onthecontrary，theexacttruthandclearsightednessoftheanswersmadebyLordLyndhurst，andthethenLordChancellor，havebeenprovedtodemonstration:——\"IfthehusbandweretofeelthattherewasaPowerofControlresidingsomewhere，hewouldnotcompelhiswifetohaverecoursetoanapplicationforitsexerciseinherbehalf……Thebill，infact，tookthematteroutofthehandsofthehusband，andplaceditinthehandsoftheindependentjudgesofthehighesttribunalsinthecountry。Allthebillsaid，wasthatthehusbandshouldnotbejudgeinhisowncase。\"
Whyshouldhebejudgeinhisowncase，inthis，morethaninanyotherlitigatedmatter?Whyshouldtherebesuchadreadofestablishingacontrollingpoweroverhusbands?
Agoodandjustmanneednotfearthatpower；andwhyisabadandunjustmantodefythepossibilityofitsexercise?
HereisLordMelbourne\'sopinioninmycase:theopinionofthatministerwhosedefenceissufficientforPrinceAlbert，butnotsufficientforme:——\"Never，tobesure，wastheresuchconduct!Tosetonfootthatsortofenquirywithouttheslightestrealgroundforit!ButitdoesPage131
notsurpriseme。Ihavealwaysknownthattherewasthereamixtureoffollyandviolencewhichmightleadtoanyabsurdityoranyinjustice。
Keepupyourspirits；agitateyourselfaslittleaspossible；donotbetooanxiousaboutrumoursandtheopinionof\'theworld；\'being，asyouare，innocentandintheright，youwill，intheend，bringeverythinground。Yours，MELBOURNE。\"
Whyisanymantohaveuncontrolledlicencetocommenceaprosecution\"withouttheslightestrealgroundforit?\"Whyisthefactofbeinginnocentand\"intheright\"togofornothinginEnglishlaw，——andwhyisthewifeinsuchacasetohavenomoreclaimonthehusbandthanifsheweredivorced?
Insteadofmyhavinganyrespectfortheselaws，theymustofnecessity，tome，appearsimplyridiculous。
Invainwouldthosewhodesiretoseethemmaintained，affecttosneerdownmyeffortstoexposetheirabsurdity，byaffirmingthatthisisa\"privatequarrel，\"whichouttobekeptprivate。Itisnotintheprivatequarreltheyareinvitedtointerfere，butinthestateoftheEnglishlaw。Thatcanhardlybecalledaprivatequarrel，whichbeganinapublicprosecu-Page132
tion:butifitbeaprivatewrong，itoughttoberedressiblebypublicjustice。Aprivatequarrel，——whatotherquarrelcanlawadjust?
Whatwerelawsmadefor，butforredressofprivatewrongs?Weretheymade，todecidedisputesamongnations?WARisfornations:LAWisforindividuals，andinthatcountrywhereprivatewrongscannotberemedied，nationaljusticeisatfault!Averyshallowreaderofhistorymightprove，thatfromtimeimmemorial，changesinthelawsofnationshavebeenbroughtaboutbyindividualexamplesofoppression。Suchexamplescannotbeunimportant，fortheyare，andeverwillbe，thelittlehingesonwhichthegreatdoorsofjusticearemadetoturn。
Thatmycasemaybeonesuchexample，isnoveryambitioushope。ThatthelawsmaybechangedinyourMajesty\'sreign，——inthereignofawomanandaQueen，——noveryexaggerateddreamofromance。MymiseriesdatefromthetimeofyourMajesty\'saccession。
Theyearsthatyouhavespentasahappywifeandmother，Ihavespentinacontinualstruggleforjustice。TheministerwhosenameandwhoseauthorityisadvancedbyyourMajestytojustifybyacclamationthePrinceConsort，isquotedbymyPage133
husbandasameansandacauseformyperpetualinjury。
Itisimpossibleforme，whenIreflectonmyunjustpositionasanEnglishsubject，notalsotoreflectonyourMajesty\'sposition，asQueenofthecountrywheresuchlawsareinforce:andonthepeculiarcircumstanceswhich，——evenhadthecaseoccurredtopersonsobscureandunknown，insteadoftoyourMajesty\'sPrimeMinister，——wouldwarrantthehope，thatthepresentSovereignofEnglandmighttakepeculiarinterestinthereformofthelawswhichhavemadesucheventspossible。
Notloneandvainglorious，likethevirginQueenElizabeth，——norchildless，likethehypochondriacMary，——norheirless，likethefeeble-mindedAnne，——moreof\"thebeautyofwomanhood\"adornsthedestinyofQueenVictoria，thanhasbelongedtothebarrenreignsofformerEnglishQueens；andthelinktoalltheinterestsofwoman\'slifeshouldbegreater。Moremercymaybeexpectedfromher，thanfromtheembittereddaughterofwrongedCatherineofSpain，——morelove，thanfromthehaughtyscionofdegradedAnneBoleyn，——morejustice，thanfromtheweakandcapriciousnieceofCharlesII。，——morethankfulnesstoGod，andwillingnesstohelpHisPage134
lessfortunatecreatures，maybesupposedtoexistintheheartofthatroyalwifeandmother，whohasbeenpermittedbyHimtosailsofarontheseaoflife，withoutonestorm(asyet)toruffleitschangefulsurface!
Inthehistoryofthoseprecedingfemalereigns，Ifindnotraceofanyattempttobettertheconditionoflawsforwomen。
Inthehard，stern，persecutingreignofherwhosemotherhadbeensetasideforthesakeofthe\"Gospellight\"thatshoneinBoleyn\'seyes，——womenwereburntforthefaith\'ssake；
andthatgentleandlearned\"child-wife，\"LadyJaneGrey，sufferedunreprieved，fortheambitionofothers。Sendingherlastpatientsightoheaven，onthesameday(christenedBlackMonday)，thatfifteengibbetswereerectedforotherexecutions。Marywasgloomyandpitiless:forsaken，likehermother，byakingsoonerwearied(andmorejustlywearied)thanherinconstantfather，sheleftnotraceofwoman\'ssoftnesstorelievethefierceandjoylesshistoryofherbriefruleoverEngland。
NorAnne；thoughgovernedbywaitingwomenandfemalefavourites；thoughthepoorcrownedslaveofthepassionateDuchessofMarlborough，andthewilyintriganteMrsPage135
Masham；thoughas\"womanly\"asfollycouldmakeher，andtheincapacityforagreatposition；feeblydeclaring，duringthequarrelsofHarleyandBolingbroke，that\"thedisputesofherministerswouldkillher。\"(Adiseasewhich，fortunatelyforus，islessdangerousinthepresentreign；consideringtheheighttowhichthefeverofsuchdisputeshasrisen。)Inallthethirteenyearsofhernon-government，wefindnofurtherprotectionofwomenthanforthesakeofthatwhichisalwaysmadetheonepleaofprotectioninmercantileEngland——property:andweareratherstartledthansatisfied，whenweread，thatunderQueenAnne，oneHaagenSwensdenwastriedandexecuted\"forstealingandmarryingMistressPleasantRawlins，\"becauseshewasanheiress。
InElizabeth\'sreign——theQueenwhoprecededAnne，andimmediatelyfollowedsternMary——matterswereevenworse；asindeedtheyshouldbe；forthosewomenwhosepositionsought(onewouldimagine)toteachthemmostmercy，areoftenthemostsevere。
Theunjustdegradation，——thecruelexecution，——thevainlytouchingappeals，——ofhermother，AnneBoleyn，(thatmotherwhoisbyhistoriansstatedtohavebowedherhearttoherlicentioushusbandinherlastPage136
miserableletter，thathemightshowkindnesstoherchild)，taughtElizabethnotenderness，andinspiredherwithnopardonforthoseofherownsexwhooffendedher。Wearetoldtobelieveherchaste:tobelievethatshetookheartsbutnevergaveone:thatthebarrenpleasureofvanitysupersededthecontemnedpassionoflove:thatshedazzledandflatteredtheyoung，ardent，andcomely，onlytoweanthemfromothers，nottosecurethemforherself:thatshebroketheheartofsomefoolishAmyRobsart，withoutviewingthegainofasuitorinanyotherlightthanasaconquerorviewsthegainofaprovince:thatshenomoreknewthemeaningofGö；ethe\'syearningandregretfullines:——
\"SeinhoherGang，——Sein\'edleGestalt，SeinesMundesLä；cheln，——SeinerAugenGewalt，UndseinerRedeZauberfluß；，SeinHä；ndedruck，——undachseinFuß；\"thanweknowthemeaningofthecabalisticAbracadabrainoldbooksofmagic。Letusbelieveit。
Lettherebe\"noscandalaboutQueenElizabeth。\"
Inthereign，then，ofthis\"thronedVestal，\"justicewassocorruptlyadministered，that，inPage137
thetenthandlastparliamentsheheld，oneofthemembersdescribedamagistrateas\"apersonwho，foradozenchickens，woulddispensewithhalfadozenpenalstatutes。\"Herhaughtyanduncurbedtemperstruck，withthefiercenessofahawk，atallwhohadthemisfortunetooffendher。
WhenLadyCatherineGreymarriedtheEarlofHertford，theyweredivorcedbytheQueen\'sdirections，aftertheyhadhadtwosons；andbothwereimprisonedandfined。WhenNorfolkattemptedtomarrytheQueenofScots，shesenthimtotheTower。WhenCharles，EarlofLenox，marriedElizabethCavendish，sheimprisonedthemothersofthenewly-weddedpair。WhenLeicestermarriedtheEarlofEssex\'swidow，sheconsignedhimtoprison——notforhissinfullove——butforherqueenlyjealousy。WhenThrogmortonwassupposedtolove，andplottheescapeof，MaryQueenofScots，hewasrackedthreetimes，andafterwardsexecuted；andshevainlyattemptedtoforceonMary\'schoiceherowncreatureDudley，intheearlierdays，beforetheaxeoftheexecutionerappearedthereadiestwayofcuttingtheGordianknotofstatedifficulties；beforethedaughterofAnneBoleyn，whosemotherhadperishedonthescaffold，signedwithherownPage138
handthewarrantthatwastosendanotherQueentothescaffold；
andheardthesamegunsboomintriumph，thatsoundedroughmusicinherfather\'sears，——whentheysenttheirwildechooffreedomfromLondontoRichmond，totellhimhermotherwasaheadlesscorpse。
Andwithalltheseheavygoverningsofthelivingdestiniesandsorrowfuldeathsofothers，seewhatatrue\"woman\"thisgreatqueenwas。Readtheaccountofher，inthelasttwoyearsofherlife；afterthemorehealthyandanimatedenergywasover，whichcausedhertoboxLordEssex\'sears，andthatpettedfavouritetoexclaim，\"Thathewouldnothavetakensuchaninsultfromherfather，muchlessakinginpetticoats。\"ReadtheaccountgivenbySirJohnHarrington(hergodson)andothers，——whichdescribeherfrowningonallherladies，walkingaboutherprivychamber，stampingatillnews，thrustingherrustyswordintothearrasinhergreatrage；swearingmuch，——\"tothenosmalldiscomfitureofthoseabouther，especiallyoursweetLadyArundel；\"
\"orchidingforsmallneglect，insuchwiseastomakethesefayremaidesoftencryandbewaileinpiteoussort；\"andfinally(fearingtogotobedlestsheshouldneverriseagain)sittingfortendaysoncushionsontheground；gene-Page139
rallywithherfingerinhermouth，andhereyesbentontheearth:
tillshedied，andwasburied，(atanexpenseof#17，428)，andherransackedwardrobeattestedherfeminineloveoffinery，bycountlesssetsofjewels，andupwardsoftwothousanddifferentdresses!
Inthisreign，thecarryingoffofanheiress，andrape，weremadefelonywithoutbenefitofclergy；
butthenthatsevereprotectionwasalsogiventothosewhosufferedrobberytotheamountoffiveshillingsinahouseorout-house；sothattheprotectionofwomenremainedmuchwhereitwas。InthereignofGeorgeI。oneofQueenAnne\'smaidsofhonour，MaryForester，——havingbeenmarriedwhentwelveyearsoldtoSirGeorgeDowning，andthatungallantbaronet，onreturningfromhistravels，declaringthatshewasnotatalltohistaste，thathewouldhavenothingtosaytoher，andthatheutterlydeclinedtakinghertowife；——\"waspersuadedtopreferapetitiontotheHouseofLordstobedivorced。\"Allthebishops，andamajorityofthepeers，wereagainstgrantingthisdivorce；andMaryForesterremainednominalLadyDowning。
ThereignofGeorgeIII。
andofthepreciseQueenCharlotte，beganwithaproclamationPage140
againstviceandprofaneness；yetinSeptember，1771，thatis，elevenyearsaftertheproclamation，thereweretwenty-fivecasespendinginDoctor\'sCommons，beingagreaternumberthanforfiftyyearsbefore:
andinthesummerpreceding，asubjectrecovered#10，000damagesagainstoneoftheroyaldukes(damageshavingbeenlaidat#100，000)。Eventhen，thelawseemtohavefolloweditsusualruleofconfusioninsupportofmorality；forinthesameyearitoccurredthattwopersonsreceivedanequalpunishmentofbeingwhippedroundCoventGarden；oneofthosepersonshavingseducedhisownniece，whiletheother——hadstolenabunchofradishes。
That，however，wasadegreebetterthantheproportionofthepresentday；when(asLordBroughamhasshown)somedefectintheworkingof\"Justice\'sjustice，\"mayconsignapoormantoprisonfortwelvemonthsforstealingtothevalueofthreepence；
andagentlemanmaydoprettynearlyashepleases。Itisastateofthingsthatwillnotbebornemuchlonger；weareanxiousthatthepeopleshouldlearnamodernversionofthelessontaughtacenturyagoin\"Ward\'sRhymingDialogues\"aboutthestudyof\"CommonThings。\"TheywillturnPage141
theirattentionalsotothestudyof\"UncommonThings；\"andamongstthemostremarkableofcommon，oruncommon，subjectsforreflection，aretheinequalitiesofjustice。Athingwillbeborneatonetime，thatwillbecomeanimpossibilityatanother。Inthesummerof1717，twosoldierswerewhippedalmosttodeath，andturnedoutoftheservice，onlyforwearingoak-boughsintheirhatsonthe29thofMay。
Whatwouldhavebeensaidordoneundersuchcircumstancesthe29thoflastMay?Aboutsixyearsbefore，whenSirCholmondelyDeringwaskilledinaduel，anattemptwasmadetobringinabillagainstduelling，whichitwasfoundutterlyimpossibletopass；but，in1765，LordByronstoodhistrialbeforethePeersforkillingMrChaworth；in1804，ajuryconvictedCaptainBestofwilfulmurderforhisfatalduelwithLordCamelford；and，in1808，MajorCampbellwasexecutedforhisfatalduelwithCaptainBoyd。Whothinksoffightingaduelnow?Or，whothinksofahundredotherchanges，ascompleteandmoreimportant?
Andnowitisthefashionamongstlegiststoworkveryheartilyat\"assimilating\"thislawandthatlaw，——\"assimilating\"thelawofevidenceinEnglandandScotland；
andthelawofPage142
partnership；andthecommerciallawforbillsofexchange。Onthislast，theLordAdvocateobserves，that\"itisamatterofastonishmentthatthelawofbillsofexchangehasremainedsolonginthebarbarousstateitisatpresent。\"AndSirErskinePerry(whohasbeeninIndia)
says，muchremainstodo，butmuchhasbeendonesinceBentham\'stime，whenthefieldofEnglishlawwas\"awildjungle。\"Doesitnotoccurtotheseandotherauthorities，thatthelawof\"mightisright\"savoursalsoratherofthe\"wildjungle，\"thanofthecalmenactmentsofacivilisedChristiancountry?andthattheprincipleof\"assimilation\"mightbeextendedwithadvantagetothoselawsbetweenhusbandandwife，whichareutterlyatvarianceNorthandSouthoftheriverTweed?
Twentyyearsago，theWarrendercaseoccupiedpublicattention；andLordBrougham，whenspeakingonthatcase，summedup，inhisusualgraphicmanner，theabsurdcontradictionsinvolvedbytheconflictofScotchandEnglishlaw。LordLyndhurst，followinginthesamecase，andremarkingonthesameabsurdities，statedthatLordEldonhadintendedtobringinaBilltoreconcilethedifferencebetweenthelawsofthetwocountries。WhereistheBillofPage143
thatsagaciousoldlawyer，whosecountenancesomuchresembledthephysiognomyofthebirdofMinerva，thatSydneySmithsaid，\"nomanevercouldbeaswise，asLordEldonlooked?\"AttheendoftwentyyearsfromthatdeclarationofLordLyndhurst\'s，wearestillpotteringoverpiecemealchanges:stillbringinginfeebleBillsto\"preventBordermarriages，\"orfinethosewho\"witness\"weddingsatGretnaGreen!
Actually，manyofourownlegislators，andalltheforeignersIevertalkedwithonthesubject，believeGretnatobeanexceptionaltown，orspot，wheremarriageispossiblebysomeexceptionallaw；notknowingthatGretnaismerelythenearestplaceforEnglishpartiestoavailthemselvesofScotchlaw，——thenearestpointinScotlandEnglishloverscanreach。IrishpartiesdidnotgotoGretna。IrishpartieselopedtoPortPatrick，andweremarriedthere，asthenearestpointinScotlandtheycouldreach；anditmayperhapsamazemyreaderstolearn，thattheScotchcomplainedofEnglishimmorality，andattributedtheirskippingacrosstheirborders，toanattempttomakemarriagestheycouldafterwardsevadebyEnglishlaw；cheatingtheinnocentCaledoniansintounionswiththem，andafterwardsdiscardingtheobjectsoftheirPage144
choice；andtheScotchthemselves，consequentlyendeavouredtopreventtheseBordermarriages。Yethereweare，stilllabouringoverthisknottypoint:theseCyclopsofthelaw，whocanonlyseewithoneeye，narrowlypeepingat，andpuzzlingover，onesingleaspectoftheirmanydifficulties；whenitmustbeobvioustocommonsense，onabroadgeneralviewofthosedifficulties，thatwhatisneededisan\"assimilation\"ofthelaw，——whatisneededis，thattheNorthernportionandSouthernportionofyourMajesty\'sdominionsshouldbebroughtunderonelaw；andtheretheconflictwouldcease。
Theretheconflictwouldcease。Idonotsay，thereabetterprotectionwouldbegin；forIcannotprophesywhetherLordCranworth\'sviews，orthoseofLordsEldon，Thurlow，andRosslyn，wouldpreponderate；whether，inthe\"assimilation\"thatwouldtakeplace，abettermercytowomenwouldbeborrowedfromportionsoftheScotchlaw，ortheDesdemonasofScotlandbesmotheredbyajealousEnglishlegislation。
ButthisIwillventuretosay:thatinnocountryinEuropeisthereinfactsolittleprotectionofwomen，asinEngland!InFranceamarriedwomanmaybearrestedfordebt；butPage145
inFranceamarriedwomanisunderthecarefulprotectionofthelaw，andherhusbandunderthestrictcontrolofthelaw；indeed，thelawofFranceviewsthepositionofwomenwithpeculiarindulgence。InGermany，Austria，Prussia，Holland，Sweden，andRussia，(asIwillprovebyahandbookofthoselawswhichIampreparingforthepress，)therulesofinterferencefortheprotectionofmarriedwomenareinfinitelymorefavorablethaninourowncountry。