Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/699

652 Bill in the form in which it had been introduced into the Council, and suggesting a measure consonant to the religious usage of the Hindus. His opinion was that as Garbhadhana Sanskara was a religious usage in conformity with the Sastras, binding on every Hindu, and as there was no certainty at what age a female might have her first menses (the period when the Garbhadhana Sanskara should be performed), the placing of a restriction on the age limit for the consent of the female would be a direct interference with the religious customs of the country. He, therefore, very wisely indicated a way in accordance with the Sastras, which if adopted would give the desired protection to the child-wives. To enable the reader to form an idea of his opinion on the point, we crave indulgence to quote below some portions of his Note on the subject:—

"Though on these grounds I cannot support the Bill as it is, I should like the measure to be so framed as to give something like an adequate protection to child-wives, without in any way conflicting with any religious usage. I would propose that it should be an offence for a man to consummate marriage before his wife has had her first menses. As the majority of girls do not exhibit that symptom before they are thirteen, fourteen or fifteen, the measure I suggest would give larger, more real, and more extensive protection than the Bill. At