NO MARRIAGE WITHOUT LOVE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 47, 24 February 1906, Page 11

NO MARRIAGE WITHOUT LOVE.

A ' singular revulsion of , feelihg ha« taken placo in Franco against tho love« less marriage* of Ihnt esuntry. It read* liko a scone from a comla opera that tho commission now sitting to reform the Napoleonic Codo aro soriously weighing the question of making lotfe compulsory in overy marriage, tilvorybody knows the old' Punch jol<c. Says ono friend to another who is a happy bridegroom ! "What on>oarth wade you get married?" "Because I fell in love," replies the newlymade husband. "My dear boy, that's an exouse, it Isn't a reason..!' However, tho legal luminaries of Paris consider now that falling In love is not only nn cxcub« for matrimony, but the one 'and' only reason for it.' M. Paul Hervlou. who flrsb propounded it, is quite old-fashioned in -his ideas. Not only does, he believe in marrying for love, but ho deolnros that thore la no such thing as divorce— that a, couple, onco woddod, remain ''one flesh till death do them part." An ad* dress on the subject was given by Mnitro do St. Auban, his title being " The Proposer! rteform of Article 812 of tho Civil' Codo.' Should love bctweqn husband and wifo bo inolmlcd among tho legal obligations of tho, married stnto?' r It was. French prudonco that prompted tho care« fnl preparation for marriage b^ tho parents of a girl, tlio getting togotlior lier dowry, the olaborato nsgotiatlonß for an' eligible parti, and tho total undent of tho feelings of both tho girl and nor aManood husband. ,13ut French forethought hna bocn - much discounted of, lato, in mnny wnys, and now It would soom that tho most reckless lovo mateh 1 Is batter for tho Stato than those hoartlou " marriage do convenarieoa." The British haphazard wooing* which Froneh mammns Uliink so shocking aro in tho right of it aftor nil.