Page:Marriagewithade00forbgoog.djvu/28

 sister-in-law of no license or conventional privileges that she now enjoys; because even at present, she cannot, after the death of the wife, reside, without scandal, in the widower's house. Now that she can and does so reside, in innumerable instances and without the slightest reproach, is notorious”. But even if it were otherwise, she may at least be a daily visitor at his house and thus be of incalculable service and utility, which Mr. Wray goes on to show she could not do if the restriction was removed, and quotes Dr. Pusey in proof of this, that in countries where marriage with a sister-in-law and niece are permitted “all domestic relations are broken up; that the uncle's house cannot be the home of the orphan niece; nor the sister-in-law take charge of her deceased sister's children” (p. 14). A very few more words from Dr. Pusey's evidence will complete my statement and arguments. He speaks of the marriages between uncles and nieces in Germany as being very general, that he had “been told so by Germans and they lament it very much”: “that the state of marriage in Germany is very frightful”: he speaks then regarding divorces: that he had asked a German doctor of philosophy as to the state of marriage, and he said “it makes a German cover his face with his hands for shame”. He concludes his evidence with some general remarks: “that such relaxation is opening a question which, when opened, cannot be closed. The marriages now in question are but the first outworks: if they were conceded, further questions would be raised, which it would be impossible to meet on any principle. The next step is that of the uncle and niece, which (as I said) is allowed and practised commonly in the countries held up for our pattern in this. But such marriages as introduce a confusion of relations seem contrary to nature itself, as St. Ambrose observed of old. The husband's house is now so often the home of the orphan unmarried sister. ‘The change would throw thousands of helpless females on the world.’ In whatever degree the marriage law is relaxed, in that degree are domestic affections narrowed.” Dr. Pusey then goes on to state that a change of the civil provisions as to marriage does not alter the duties of the clergy, who remain under the canons. “They could neither celebrate such marriages, nor consider persons so united, as