Ihave，asIsaidbefore，learnedtheEnglishlawpiecemeal，bysufferingunderit。Myhusbandisalawyer；andhehastaughtitme，byexercisingovermytormentedandrestlesslife，everyquirkandnibbleofitstyranny；ofitsacknowledgedtyranny；——acknowledged，againIsay，notbywailing，angry，despairingwomen，butbyChancellors，ex-Chancellors，legalreformers，andmembersofbothHousesofParliament。Andyetnothingisdone!indeed，whentheSolicitor-General，May10th，inthissession，informedtheHousethatthedelayedMarriageBillwouldbebroughtforward"assoonastheHousehadexpressedanopinionontheTestamentaryJurisdictionBill，"therewasagood-humouredlaughattheveryvagueprospectheldout，——butnobodymurmured；forPage146
　　nobodygreatlycaredwhenitshouldcomeon；orwhetheritevercameonatall。
　　Nevertheless，solongashumannatureiswhatitis，somemarriagesmustbeunhappymarriages，insteadoffollowingthattheoryofintimateandsacredunionwhichtheyoughttofulfil:andthequestionis，therefore，whatistobetherelationofpersonslivinginastateofalienation，insteadofastateofunion，——alltheexistingrulesfortheirsocialpositionbeingbasedonthefirstalternative，——namely，thattheyareinastateofunion，——andonthesuppositionthatmarriageisindissoluble，thoughParliamenthasnowdecidedthatitisacivilcontract?Divorcedorundivorced，itisabsolutelynecessarythatthelawshouldstepin，toarrangethatwhichisdisarrangedbythismostunnaturalcondition。Itbecomesperfectlyabsurdthatthelawwhichappointsthehusbandlegalprotectorofthewoman，shouldnotfailinghimwhohasceasedtobeaprotector，andhasbecomeaverypowerfulfoeitselfundertakeherprotection。Shestandstowardsthelaw，byanillustrationwhichI
　　haverepeatedlymadeuseof，——inthelightofanill-usedinferior；andsheistheonlyinferiorinEnglandwhocannotclaimtobesoprotected。
　　Thosewomenwhodesiretolearn，inamorePage147
　　formalanddirectmanner，whatthelawsare，——haveonlytorefertoMacqueen，Ferguson，Hosack，andotherlawwriters。Theretheymayread，——thatifacollectioncouldbemadeofallmunicipalrulesastodivorce，it"wouldappearlittlebetterthanaludicrousexhibitionofhumaninconsistencyandcaprice；"that，tillthecelebratedCouncilofTrent，eventheRomanCatholicChurchhadbeen"constantlyshiftingtoallpointsbetweentheoppositeextremesonthesubjectofdivorce；"thatundertheGreekChurch，andintheProtestantstatesofEurope，theutmostdiversityofrulesstillprevails，——"fromtheextremeofrefusingtogivedivorceavinculo，evenforadultery，——totheoppositeextremeofallowingdissolutionofmarriageforcauseswhichourlawaccountsperfectlyfrivolous；"thatwhentheCouncilofTrentpromulgateditscanonsDesacramentoMatrimonii，thesamechapterwhichsaid，"Accursedishewhoaffirmsthatmarriagecanbemadedissoluble，"alsocontainedasimilaranathemaagainstanyonewhoshouldaffirmmarriagetobeasuperiorconditiontovirginityorastateofcelibacy——anyonewhoshouldaffirmitsuperstitioustoforbidmarriageatcertainseasonsoftheyear——oranyonewhodeniedthattherightofjurisdictionPage148
　　inmatrimonialcasesbelongstotheEcclesiasticalCourts；
　　underwhichlastcanonwillcomeLordsCranworthandCampbell，andallthePeersandCommonsvotingwiththemforreforminthepiecemeallawofEngland；——ofthatcountrywhichpublishesaLiturgyforitsEstablishedChurch，containingaRomanCatholicceremonyformarriage；overrulesthevowsofthatceremonybyActsofParliament；evadesthembytheMarriageRegistrationAct；solemnlyquotesthem，asanargumentforkeepingwomentotheindissolublebond；andsetsthematdefianceasaforminvolvingnolegalobligation，whentheindissolublebondistobebrokenformen!
　　There，also，womenmaycomfortthemselvesbyreading，thatLordEldon，afterthirtyyears'experienceinthehighestcourtofjudicatureinthekingdom，reversedhisearlieropinions，andstatedthathe"sawnoreasonwhyawomanwasnotasmuchentitledtosuefordivorceasaman:"——thatMrHallamwrites，——"Nothingcanbemoreabsurdthanourmodernprivilegia；ourActsofParliamenttobreakthemarriagebond；neitherdoIseehowwecanjustifythedenialofredresstowomen，ineverycaseofadulteryanddesertion:"——thatMontesquieuaffirmedthelawtobe"verytyran-Page149
　　nical"whichgivestherighttomenanddeniesittowomen；——adding，thatwomenarelesslikelytoabusetheprivilegethanmen，becauseawomanrarelyimprovesherpositionbyrepudiatingherhusband。
　　TheymayreadMilton，Gibbon，andHume，——orthemorepiousPaley，——insuchchaptersandsectionsoftheseauthorsastreatonthesubject。Theymayreadalso，howtheScotchandEnglishsubjectsofQueenVictoriaareasdifferentlydealtwithasthoughtheyweresubjectsoftwodifferentcountries，andundertwodifferentsovereigns；andhow，fromtimetotime，greatandclevermenhaveexpressedtheiropinionoftheabsolutenecessityof"assimilating"thoseconflictinglaws。
　　Theymayreadlistsofthenamesofthoseatpresentemployedinlawofficesunderthecrown:andfind，totheiramazement，——inthathelplessgroupwhoconsiderthesereforms"sosurroundedwithdifficulty，"thattheycandonothing，——LordChancellorCranworth，andLordChiefJusticeCampbell，headingfamousandfamiliarlawyer——names；some，withalreadyanhereditaryclaimtodistinction，andsome，whoseableandenergeticpleadingwillmaketheirnamesaboasttotheirsons。TheymayreferPage150
　　totheformerspeechesofmenlikeLyndhurstandBrougham，——whosecelebritybegansoearlyinlife，thattheyarestillheretoenjoyandaddtoit；thoughtheiryouthfultriumphsarealmostamatterofhistorytotherisinggeneration。Allthis，womenmaystudy:andwhentheyhavereadallwhichtheyhavetime，patience，orinclinationtoread，andabilitytounderstand，——theymaytaketheircrochet-work，embroidery，or"Potichomanie，"
　　andruminateovertheirneedlesandpaste-brushes，howitisthatlawscontinuetobeinforce，whichsuchmenthemselveshavesorepeatedlycondemned，asamassoffolly，indecency，andcontradiction!
　　Ihope，duringthisperiodoftranquilreflection，therebelliousthoughtmaynotoccurtothetapestry-workingsex，thattheobstacletothislegalreformmustbe，thatmenfeartocurbthelicenseoftheirownpleasures。Itisimpossible，seeinghoweager，energetic，andenthusiastic，menareinotherreformswhosenecessityisonceprovedandadmitted，nottofancythatthereasonwhythisparticularchangeis"sosurroundedwithdifficulty"isbecauseitisextremelyunpalatabletothereformers!Ithink——tousethewordsoftheSolicitor-General——Page151
　　theHouse"willexpressanopinionontheTestamentaryJurisdictionBill"withinfinitelymorespeed，clearness，anddecision，thanonaMarriageReformBill。Everymanseemstodreadthatheissurrenderingsomeportionofhisownrightsoverwoman，inallowingtheselawstoberevised；evenwhileheadmitsthatabuseswhichare"adisgracetoEngland，"blotthestrangebarbarouscode，whichremainsintactwhileotherbarbarouslawshavegraduallybeenrepealedoraltered。
　　Toallthatwomencanreadonthesubject，Iaddthismorefamiliarlyeasytreatise；andIshallfollowthistreatisebyapublishedselectionof"Cases，decidedaccordingtoLaw，andcontrarytoJustice；"admittedtobesodecidedevenbythejudgesandcounselengagedinthem；thesentencesgivenbeingoftenaccompaniedbycourteousandsincereexpressionsofregretattheirmanifestoppression；andbyahopethatthecodemightbealtered，whichmadesuchsentencescompulsoryonthepersonswhosedutyitwas"toadministerthelawastheyfoundit。"Myhusbandhastaughtme，bysubpoenaingmypublisherstoaccountformyearnings，——thatmygiftofwritingwasnotmeantforthepurposestowhichIhavehithertoappliedit。ItwasnotPage152
　　intendedthatIshould"striveforpeaceandensueit"throughalifeofmuchoccasionalbitternessandmanyunjusttrials；thatIshouldprovemyliteraryability，bypublishingmelodiesandsongsforyounggirlsandwomentosinginhappierhomesthanmine，——orpoetryandproseforthemtoreadinleisurehours，——orevenpleasemyselfbybetterandmoreseriousattemptstoadvocatetherightsofthepeople，ortheeducationandinterestsofthepoor。
　　WhenMrNortonallowedme，Isay，tobepubliclysubpoenaedincourt，todefendhimselfbyaquibblefromajustdebt，andsubpoenaedmypublisherstomeetmethere，hetaughtmewhatmygiftofwritingwasworth。Sincehewouldnotleaveeventhatsourcetranquilandfreeinmydestiny，lethimhavethetriumphofbeingableatoncetoembitterandtoturnitsformercurrent。Hehasmademedreamthatitwasmeantforahigherandstrongerpurpose，——thatgiftwhichcamenotfromman，butfromGod。Itwasmeanttoenablemetorousetheheartsofotherstoexamineintoallthegrossinjusticeoftheselaws，——toaskthe"nationofgallantgentlemen，"whosecountrywomanIam，foroncetohearawoman'spleadingonthesubject。NotbecauseIdeservemoreattheirhandsPage153
　　thanotherwomen。WellIknow，onthecontrary，howmanyhundreds，infinitelybetterthanI，——morepious，morepatient，andlessrashunderinjury，——havewateredtheirbreadwithtears!Mypleatoattentionis，thatinpleadingformyselfIamabletopleadforalltheseothers。Notthatmysufferingsormydesertsaregreaterthantheirs；butthatIcombine，withthefactofhavingsufferedwrong，thepowertocommentonandexplainthecauseofthatwrong；whichfewwomenareabletodo。
　　Forthis，Ibelieve，Godgavemethepowerofwriting。TothisIdevotethatpower。Iabjureallotherwriting，tillIseetheselawsaltered。Icarenotwhatridiculeorabusemaybetheresultofthatdeclaration。Theywhocannotbearridiculeandabuse，areunfitandunabletoadvanceanycause；andoncemoreIdenythatthisismypersonalcause；itisthecauseofallthewomenofEngland。IfIcouldbejustifiedandhappytomorrow，Iwouldstillstriveandlabourinit；andifIweretodieto-morrow，itwouldstillbeasatisfactiontomethatIhadsostriven。Meanwhile，myhusbandhasalegallienashehaspubliclyproved，onthecopyrightofmyworks。
　　LethimclaimthecopyrightofTHIS:Page154
　　andlettheLordChancellor，whoseofficeisthusdescribedinChamberlayne'sStateofEngland，——"Tojudge，notaccordingtotheCommonLaw，asotherCivilCourtsdo，buttomoderatetherigouroftheLaw，andtojudgeaccordingtoEquity，Conscience，andReason:andhisOathistodorighttoallmannerofPeople，poorandrich，aftertheLawsandCustomsoftheRealm，andtrulycounseltheKing，"——lettheLordChancellor，I
　　say，——the"SummaCancellarius"ofGreatBritain，cancel，inMrNorton'sfavour，——accordingtothelawsandcustomsofthisrealmofEngland，——myrighttothelabourofmyownbrainandpen；anddocketit，amongforgottenChanceryPapers，withaparodyofSwift'scontemptuouslabelling。
　　"OnlyaWoman'sPamphlet。"
　　ButlettherecollectionofwhatIwrite，remainwiththosewhoread；andaboveall，lettherecollectionremainwithyourMajesty，towhomitisaddressed；theonewomaninEnglandwhocannotsufferwrong；andwhoseroyalassentwillbeformallynecessarytoanyMarriageReformBillwhichtheLordChancellor，assembledPeers，andassembledCommons，mayPage155
　　thinkfittopass，intheParliamentofthisfreenation；where，withaQueenonthethrone，allothermarriedwomenarelegally"NON-EXISTENT。"
　　Iremain，Withthesincerestloyaltyandrespect，YourMajesty'shumbleanddevotedSubjectandServant，CAROLINEELIZABETHSARAHNORTON。No。3，CHESTERFIELDSTREET，MAYFAIR，This2nddayofJune，1855。