The English denunciations of early marriage in India have recently
been so vigorous that the Hindoos of Bombay have taken the alarm, suspecting the Government of an intention to legislate on the subject. A great meeting has been held to protest against the design, and the Governor—Lord Reay—has thought it wise to deny publicly any intention of interfering with the social customs of the people. Indian reformers on this subject waste their energy by misdirecting their attack. Early marriage is the curse of Hindoo society,—injuring as it does the education of both sexes, and making both, but especially the women, prematurely old. The remedy would be a caste rule compelling the parents to retain their children in their own homes until a reasonable age. There is no religious feeling or social custom to prevent that, and, in truth, it happens every day when circumstances induce delay. The early betrothals against which Europeans protest do no more harm than any other system of marriage in which the inclinations of the parties are overlooked. The parents choose in India, just as they do in France and Italy, and the results would be the same but for the habit of setting up house too early. The Hindoo girl is a hag at thirty, while the Christian girl of the same race and in the same climate is at that age a buxom woman.
Previous page
