MATRIMONY IN ITALY.

57

in drawing-rooms and bed-rooms, in by-lanes and in corn-fields follow-—and then—that that great scandalum magna-tum —a decided elopement—is resorted to.

It does not always follow, that an Italian couple, who evenhave been married through the heartless artificial process ofpaternal arrangement, shall not subsequently find themselvesj well assorted to each other—feel that spontaneous attrac-! tion and sympathy of minds which ought to have preceded\ their union, and so live together in harmony, content, andmutual fidelity. But such a happy result, from so erroneousa practice, can only occur, like an extraordinary cast ofthe dice, and as it were fortuitously. However, I haveknown many such couples, and then, surely none others inthis world can supply more gratifying examples of conjugalaffection and fidelity. The same may be safely predicatedof such couples (and they are becoming more numerousevery year) who have become united from choice, and reci-procal inclination. Upon them, the too prevailing cus-tom of cicisbeoism which surrounds them, practised evenby their own brothers or sisters, has none of the effects ofbad example. They are happy in each other; they maybe envied—are always admired and respected, and nevereither ridiculed or rallied by their acquaintance, or bysociety. Far am I from being an admirer of the cavalierservante system of the Italians . My habits of observationhave led me to regard it as almost as injurious to domestic,if not to social, happiness, as is the polygamy of the East.But the erroneous notions and illiberal comments of ourtravellers on this subject, induce me to offer these fewwords of explanation, and quasi apology.

Viewed with an eye of general philanthropy and benevo-lence there is, in many cases of cicisbeoism, abundantmatter of extenuation and almost applause. A womanf«r instance, is united to a man through one of those con-