MARQTJZTTE 133 MA»RYAT MARQUETTE, JACQUES (mar-kef), a French missionary and explorer, born in Laon, France, in 1637. He became a Jesuit priest in 1666 and went to Canada as a missionary. In 1673-1674 he made an extensive missionary journey through the Lake Superior and Green Bay region, traveling, explox-ing, and preaching, being in this way one of the early voyagers down the Mississippi river, of which he wrote an interesting account. He died near Marquette River, Mich., May 18, 1675. MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY, a Ro- man Catholic school in Milwaukee, Wis., founded in 1864. There are colleges of arts and science, engineering, law and medicine. The Medical College has re- ceived the highest rating from the American Medical Association. In all the university there are over 1,200 stu- dents and 300 officers of instruction. The university is not endowed, but supports itself solely from its tuition fees and from gifts. The grounds and buildings have an estimated value of a million and a half. The library contains in all about 35,000 volumes. MARQUIS, or MARQUESS, a title of nobility in England, ranking next be- low a duke and above an earl. It is also a title of dignity in France, Italy, and Germany. The eldest son of a marquis in Great Britain is usually styled by courtesy an earl, and the yoimger sons and daughtei*s lords and ladies. The wife of a marquis is called a marchio- ness. The title of Marquis is often at- tached as a second title to a dukedom, and is held by the eldest son of a duke during his father's lifetime. The coronet of a marquis consists of a richly-chased circle of gold, with four strawberry leaves and four balls of pearls set on short points on its edge; the cap, crim- son velvet with a gold tassel on the top, and turned up with ermine. MARRIAGE, the legal union of man and woman for life; the state or condi- tion of being married; wedlock. In law marriage is regarded in no other light than a civil contract. The law allows it to be valid where the parties were willing to contract, able to contract, and did con- tract in the form required by law. In England, whence our laws are derived, disabilities to contract were formerly considered as either canonical or civil. Consanguinity, affinity, and corporal in- firmity were canonical disabilities, mak- ing the marriage voidable, but not ipso facto void, till sentence of nullity had been obtained. The last of these is now, however, the only canonical disability on which marriages, otherwise regular, can be declared void. The others have by statute been declared civil disabilities, which make the contract void ab initio. In the United States the marriage laws are as diverse as the statutes of the com- monwealths are in other features, and there are various impediments unknown to the English law. In some States the law is founded on the English statutes and embraces features of both canonical and civil law prohibiting marriage for all of the causes heretofore enumerated. In others consanguinity of less degree than that of sister and brother forms no bar to the marriage of persons, while in yet others a difference of race will inhibit an alliance. The absence of a recognized status of the Church in the United States necessarily places all obstacles to mar- riage in the catalogue of civil disability, and in many of the States a ceremonial celebration is not necessary to render a marriage valid, mutual consent before witnesses (or subsequent acknowledg- ment before witnesses) constituting what is known as a common law marriage. In all of the States, besides the reasons here adverted to there are three other civil disabilities: (1) A prior marriage (without legal release), in which case, be- sides the penalties consequent upon it as a felony, the second marriage is void. (2) Want of age, which is sufficient to avoid all other contracts, a fortioH it ought to avoid this, the most important contract of any. (3) Want of reason. Marriages are dissolved by de^th or di- vorce. Communal marriage, a name for the condition which is sometimes called hetairism or promiscuity. Complex marriage, the domestic rela- tionship between the sexes existing in the American sect calling themselves Perfec- tionists. Marriage by capture, the practice of getting wives by tJieft or force. MARROW, a substance of low specific gravity filling the cells and cavities of the bones of mammals. There are two varie- ties, which are known as red or watery marrow and yellow or oily marrow. The oily matter of the marrow is composed of the same materials as common fat, with the oleine in greater abundance. MARRYAT, FLORENCE (MRS. FRAN- CIS Lean) , an English novelist, daughter of Cant. Frederick Marry at; bom in Brighton, England. July 9, 1837. She married first Col. Ross Church, and then Col. Francis Lean. She became well- known as a dramatic reader and singer; was editor of "London Society" (1872- 1876); and acted in London in a play of
