THE SCANDALS OF REPORTING.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."1
Sllt,—The thanks of all good men are doe to you for denouncing the recently adopted practice of reporting at length the foul details of divorce cases in " high life." The Press in this country seems rapidly casting off all restraints of decency, and papers that formerly were models of propriety now pollute their columns with filth that would not be tolerated in a heathen country.
What are we coming to in this nineteenth century of Christian civilisation ? The vilest things that men and women can do are published broadcast over the country, and the young and innocent are familiarised with loathsome vices the very know- ledge of which depraves the mind. No greater calamity has ever happened to this country than the poisoning of its whole atmosphere with these abominable divorce trials. I believe that "plague, pestilence, and famine" are less evils than the destruction of the natural modesty of millions of human beings. If we cannot devise some means of stopping the fumes from the pesthouse, we may bid farewell to all hope of moral progress. Each issue of the million-headed Press does more harm than all the pulpits of the land do good. Holy Scripture says, "It is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret ;" but now the newspapers enter every household, penetrate the nursery and the schoolroom, and tear the veil off these hidden things of darkness, which God intended to keep from the knowledge of the young. Ancient Rome fell from the corruption of its morals, and now modern England seems in imminent danger of meeting the same fate. "London society" seems rotten to the core. It is bad enough that such things should be possible among the great ; but the mischief is multiplied a hundredfold when the whole nation is invited to gaze on their profligacy. One thing you may count upon as certain : these repeated disclosures of titled depravity are digging the grave of the English aristocracy, as they did that of France a century ago. Many are sighing for the return of a Hampden, or a Cromwell, who will clear out this sink of iniquity, and save the nation from destruction.
Your suggestion to stay the report of such trials till the case is closed is a good one ; would it not be still better to make all proceedings in the Divorce Court private, or only allow a précis to be furnished by the Judge, carefully expurgated ? Many papers I feel sure would be glad to be spared the necessity of soiling their pages with these obscene details.
I understand that when divorce was first allowed in France, a few years ago, the papers were expressly prohibited from reporting such cases.—I am, Sir, &c., [No. Private trials would triple divorce suits.—ED Spectator.]
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