Page:Vindicationoflaw00hath.djvu/18

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
10
LETTER I.

the reverend gentleman's accusations of "partial views of evidence," "incorrectness of statement," "impotence of argument," further than by asking, "Tantæne animis cœlestibus iræ?"

The same authority completely settled another point raised by the supporters of a change in the law. They have repeatedly stated, and unhappily a so-called Society for altering the law (which is, however, strictly anonymous, and I know not whether it consists of more than one individual) has frequently advertised that a marriage with a wife's sister contracted in any foreign country where it is not forbidden, will be valid in England. The advertisement stated a well-known decision of Lord Stowell, that a marriage lawfully contracted according to the law of the country where it is celebrated, is a valid marriage every where else. And they then added, "The Law of Denmark allows marriage with a deceased wife's sister." These advertisements, I am sorry to say, were continued, long after the decision in the Sussex Peerage case had established that to this general rule there was an exception, when the parties so marrying were disqualified by the positive law of their own country from intermarriage. The same point has now been expressly decided by Fenton v. Livingstone, and Lord Wensleydale lays down the law on this subject in a clear manner, as may be seen at length in the Appendix.

I fear many women have unfortunately been be-