SEXUAL HYGIENE ' 173 



Although countenanced by human laws, there can be 

 no doubt that this shameless trifling with a divine in- 

 stitution is regarded by High Heaven as the vilest 

 abomination. In no direction is there greater need of 

 reformatory legislation than in this. The marriage 

 contract should be recognized in our laws as one which 

 cannot be made and broken so lightly as it now is. It 

 should be annulled only for the most serious offenses. 

 The contrary course, now pursued so frequently, is 

 most detrimental to morals. Our divorce laws virtu- 

 ally offer a premium for unchastity. 



Not infrequently we see, among the advertisements 

 in the newspapers, notices like the following: '' The 

 undersigned is prepared to furnish divorces to parties 

 desiring the same at moderate rates, in short time, and 

 without joublicity. . ' ' 



The animus of these advertisements is fraud. The 

 parties so engaged are the vilest scoundrels; and that 

 they are allowed to continue to ply their nefarious 

 vocation is a foul blot upon the enlightened civilization 

 of a so-called Christian country. A publisher who will 

 insert such a notice in his journal, would advertise a 

 brothel if he dared. AA^iile there is so much interest in 

 the suppression of obscene literature, would suggest 

 that the proper authorities should likewise direct their 

 attention to the suppression of unlawful divorces, and 

 the proper punishment of the villains engaged in for- 

 warding this nefarious business. 



"Who May Not Marry. — Many writers devote 

 much space in laying down rules which are to be im- 

 plicitly followed by those seeking life partners. We 

 have attempted nothing of the sort, both from its im- 

 practicability, and from the fact that such rules are 

 never followed; and if the attempt should be made to 

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