One hundred years ago
SIR,—Among the educated classes, it is not the fact that the girls with money marry and the girls without money do not, but both alike frequently remain in spinsterhood. One reason of this is that parents do not realise that if their daughters are to marry, they must make the acquaintance of young men while they are still young and attractive. It fre- quently happens that a younger sister scarcely ever meets with an eligible young man till she is twenty-eight or so, when, very possibly, she is no longer so attractive in his eyes as she was at twen- ty, — or, equally possibly, marriage is no longer so attractive a prospect to her as it would have been at an earlier age. It is impossible for all educated women in this country to marry, and many doubtless are happier unmarried unless they find the ideal mate, who is not often to be met with; but surely it should be the object of parents to give their girls the choice between marriage and single life, which can only be done by letting them see young men in ordi- nary society while they are young girls. Where want of means prevents this, the result cannot be avoided; but often it is caused less by want of means than by parental selfishness. Mothers object to be laughed at as matchmakers; fathers object to be disturbed in their home peace, and the girls grow old unsought. I do not pity them for their spinster- hood, but for the fact that they have never had any fair choice offered them . between spinsterhood and marriage. I am, Sir, &c.,
A COMFORTABLE SPINSTER
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