Many women might describe their marriages in
that way with perfect accuracy."
"Marriages are made in heaven!" the Bishop ejaculated, feebly.
"Let us hope that some are, dear Bishop." Claudia sweetly observed, and
all the married people in the room looked "Amen" at her.
"I think an ideal of marriage should be fixed by law, and lectures
given in all the colleges to teach it," Ideala went on; "and a standard
of excellence ought to be set up for people to attain to before they
could be allowed to marry. They should be obliged to pass examinations
on the subject, and fit themselves for the perfect state by a perfect
life. It should be made a reward for merit, and a goal towards which
goodness only could carry us. Then marriages might seem to have been
made in heaven, and the blessing of God would sanctify a happy union,
instead of being impiously pronounced in order to ratify a business
transaction, or sanction the indulgence of a passing fancy. But only
the love that lasts can sanctify marriage, and a marriage without such
love is an immoral contract."
"Marriage an immoral contract!" the Bishop exclaimed.
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