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charge of the children without pay, and the law says peremptorily and arbitrarily that the aunt must not be the wife.
I have not read the evidence, but understand the number of cases is very great among the labouring classes, in which the brother and sister-in-law are living together in unhallowed union. I dare say this was not intended when they began to live together, generally; — but, as might be expected in their houses, the barriers of decorum have been broken down, and the ready plea, probably has been found for both consciences, that the law which makes the sin, must answer for the sin. I must say, I think it has a great deal to answer for already, and the sooner it takes to repentance and confession the better. This hardship on the poor, I think, wants pressing particularly. Almost every body to whom you talk on the subject, in society, has in his mind the case which may be his own. The habits and feelings of gentlemen and ladies are the things referred to. The number of persons probably affected in a whole generation among the upper classes, is comparatively inconsiderable — the number of persons, I mean, who would marry a Sister-in-law, but for a prohibiting Law.
But lower down, it affects tens of thousands of Widowers. It is almost always desirable, that the man left with a young family, there, should marry again. Very often he must have a female in the house before his wife is buried, to take charge of the youngest children. Upon whom can he reckon often but a Sister-in-law, in an hour like that? What so
