of the Peoijle of Victoria. 113 



to maintain tlic dignity of tlieir scx^, in an isolation not con- 

 sonant "with human nature. For, ViC it remembered, tlie later 

 in life men marry, the greater, as a general rule, is the dis- 

 parity between the ages of man and ^A^fc ; and the greater 

 the comparative youtlifulness of the Avives, the greater the 

 number of females avIio ncAcr can be married, aaIio sink into 

 tlie grave victims of hard Avork or despondency, and but too 

 often of vice. 



There is no detail in any law so trifling as to be without a 

 result, though we may not immediately be able to trace it; 

 and no change can be made in so surpassingly important an 

 institution as that of marriage, without operating upon the 

 social, moral, and material condition of the people. 



Having said so much of the importance of a thorough com- 

 prehension of all that is directly and collaterally involved in 

 laws of marriage and divorce, and of the recurring circum- 

 stances which tend to revive the interest, and justify the re- 

 investigation of subjects so often and so ably discussed, the 

 peculiar situation of our own colony may fitly be entered upon. 



Attention has been directed to the fact, that in tracing up 

 the causes which influence the progress of population, in 

 examining the varied relations of the sexes in different 

 places, and in devisiug those changes in the laAVs of marriage 

 and divorce Avhieh are rendered necessary by alterations in 

 the circumstances of the people, a knowledge of their con- 

 jugal condition has of late years been esteemed of the highest 

 importance; and it may be added that, if such be the ease in 

 older and more settled nations, it ought to be much more so 

 in a country AA'here the population is so small in proportion to 

 the extent and capabilities of the territory, and Avhere so 

 remarkable a sexual disparity occurs. Indeed, it may safely 

 be alleged, that Avhen these and similar questions are under 

 consideration, our conjugal condition shoiild be kept con- 

 stantly in view ; inasmuch as our statistics disclose a state of 

 things more startling in many respects than may have been 

 anticipated, and ranging very widely from the normal condition 

 of nations, as may be seen by a comparison of the figures 

 exhibiting our condition Avith the corresponding ones for 

 (ireat Britain, a country AAdiich may be taken as presenting 

 a very near approach to the natural order of things. 



Great Britain, at the time of the census of 1851, contained 

 3,391,271 husbands, 3,161,521 wives, 382,969 widowers, 

 795,590 widoAvs, and the bachelors and spinsters, taking 

 persons of the age of 20 years and upAvards, amounted to 



I 



