On this page

• Text (1)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    9$ THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN FRANCE.

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    .., , —• —•**- - - France Muchbelow , Wi...

    more fit for tlieir vocation . We will not say whether it is that law makes custom or custom makes lawbut it is certain that so large a

    , body of women could not be earning * money if a woman _wlien mar-Eng the ried lish law had . no concerning It ri is ght almost to her marriage impossible own earnings we to find and marry it propert very without different y . the If we consent from consider the of

    arentsor at an when the husband and wife are but children , p as in Eng , land . The age French law establishes that a man less than eig Marriag hteen and e can a woman be contracted less than under fifteen either cannot of marry three . laws . First ,

    tion communit of goods y of . goods In the : case secondl of y separation , regime dotale of goods : thirdl , the y , wife separa has

    entire administration of her fortuneand both _tlie married pair contribute to the charge of the household , according to the terms of

    the contract . If they have made no contract , the wife gives only the third part of her income . She cannot dispose of her

    property without the consent of her husband , but generally , if the husband refuses his consent , she is authorised by law .

    Under the regime dotafa , the woman's property is disposed of her or minister very otherwise propert much , that y as . dispose under is The to say wife the of , spend may her Eng , dota lish with her l settlement inc the fortune om authorit e , but for , the y the he of husband cannot her establishment husband dispose can , sell ad of of

    their children or her children by a first husband . Under the law of the community of goods , all the property , whether

    in land or furniture , etc ., in possession of the married couple , belongs to both equally , and if after marriage either comes into possession

    of a fortune , the other can claim a half . This is the most common French marriage , and under this law the husband at his will has the lands right etc of

    without administration the consent , he can of sell his and wife dispose . But of fines , or debts , against , the ., husband cannot be exactedfrom the wife's share . So rigid is the

    , law , that the wife cannot dispose of the goods of the community even to . take her husband out of prison , or to meet his engagements if he

    is absent , unless with his consent , or by a special authority from the law"We need not into any more particulars of the French law ,

    this . is sufficient to show go that somewhat more of justice is accorded to women , or at least a greater scope of choice .

    Having made a few remarks upon the liberty of French _women to workand the various professions open to them ; having given a few

    instances , of women who have entered professions unusual in England , and honorablsustained their position ; and having shown that the

    French law y supports and countenances the attitude which these women have assumed , —we will go on to consider the lives and

    characters of a few individual women who may be considered as types of classesAs Emerson takes the representative scholar ,

    . the representative priest , etc ., we will take representative women ,

    and will begin with Madame Dacier as the representative scholar .

    9$ The Position Of Women In France.

    9 $ THE _POSITION OF WOMEN IN FRANCE .

• Citation
  • English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), April 1, 1860, page 96, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01041860/page/24/