Page:The rights of women and the sexual relations.djvu/277

Rh comprehend as little as that such a woman can really expect her love to be considered genuine. For it is a condition of true love that each side finds his or her happiness in turning over to the other every desirable thing over which he or she has any power. A financial barrier must necessarily also create or indicate a moral barrier, a barrier between the feelings, and it does not seem to me that any marriage can be a happy one in which a separation of the property indicates a life apart, or, in making the one dependent on the other, subordinates one to the other. Ifa millionaire offers you his hand without at the same time offering his millions, then reject him or demand of him that he throw his millions out of the window for your sake. He who does not want to marry without securing his property from his chosen life-companion will act more wisely and more worthily if he continues to live without a companion.

There is a custom which prevails in America, more than elsewhere, according to which a woman upon marrying secures her property, if she has any, for her own person. In giving her one hand to the man, she points with the other to her strong-box upon which is written: Hands off! Very romantic, and most promising of future happiness! But the husband finds this as unobjectionable as the wife, because both of them have no conception of true love and marriage. Take, says she or he, my hand, take my liberty, take my person, take my heart —