Suchbegriff: ehe
Treffer: 73

16 - Examen de in genios para las Sciencias /

Venidos pues al primer punto, yo hemos dicho de Platon (In Theæteto) que en republica bien ordenada, avia de aver casa Examenmenteros, que con arte supiessen conocer las calidades de las personas que se avian de casar; y dar a cada hombre la muger que le responde en proporcion; y a cada muger su hombre determinado.


17 - Johann Huart's Prüfung der Köpfe zu den Wissenschaften /

Das fünfte Stück bestehet darinnen, daß der Mensch einen schönen und wohlklingenden Namen habe, nicht aber einen rauhen und widrigen, wie ich weiß, daß verschiedene haben. Man lieset in der Spanischen Geschichte folgendes Beyspiel. Es langten bey dem Könige Alphon sus, dem neuntenrichtig ist König Alfons VIII. von Kastilien, zwey französische Gesandten an, welche für ihren Herrn, den König Philipp, eine von seinen Prinzessinnen zur Ehe verlangen sollten. Die eine von diesen Prinzessinnen war sehr schön, und hieß Urraca; die andere war so schön und reizend nicht, aber ihr Name warBlanca. Als nun beyde den Gesandten vorgestellt wurden, so meynte jedermann, die Wahl werde auf keine andere, als auf die Urraca, fallen, weil sie die älteste und zugleich auch die schönste sey. Doch, da die Gesandten nach beyder Namen fragten, so wurden ihre Ohren durch den Namen Urraca so sehr beleidiget, daß sie sogleich die Donna Blanca wählten, und dieses zur Ursache angaben, der Name Blanca würde inFrankreich angenehmer seyn, als der andere.


18 - Johann Huart's Prüfung der Köpfe zu den Wissenschaften /

An allen denjenigen Vermögenheiten vollkommen seyn, welche den Menschen regieren, und in den erwähnten drey Gliedern ihren Sitz haben, ist einem Könige anständiger, als irgend einem andern Künstler oder Gelehrten. Denn, wie Plato**) sagt, so müssen in einer wohlgeordne

*) περι καλου.

**) περι ἐπιϛημης.

ten Republik Brautwerber und Ehestifter seyn, welche die Eigenschaften derjenigen, die sich verbinden wollen, durch Kunst zu erkennen wissen, damit eine jede Mannsperson dasjenige Frauenzimmer bekomme, welches ihm am gemäßesten ist; und jedes Frauenzimmer diejenige Mannsperson, die sich am besten für sie schickt. Auf diese Weise würde niemand des Endzwecks der Ehe verfehlen; da wir ietzt aus der Erfahrung sehen, daß oft eine Weibsperson mit ihrem ersten Manne keine Kinder bekömmt, mit dem zweyten aber fruchtbar genug ist; daß auf eben diese Art eine Mannsperson mit der ersten Frau keine Nachkommen erzielt, in der zweyten Ehe aber ohne Anstand welche erhält. Diese Kunst, sagt Plato, sollte vornehmlich bey Verheyrathungen der Könige angewendet werden. Denn da zur Erhaltung des Friedens und der Ruhe des Reichs nicht wenig darauf ankömmt, daß der Regent eheliche Kinder, die ihm in seinenStaaten folgen können, habe; so kann es ja wohl geschehen, daß ein König, wenn er sich nur auf gutes Glück verheyrathet, eine unfruchtbare Gemahlin findet, mit der er zeitlebens, ohne Hofnung, Erben zu erhalten, beschäftiget seyn muß. Stirbt er nun ohne Erben, so entstehen alsobald wegen Erwählung eines Nachfolgers bürgerliche Kriege.


19 - Johann Huart's Prüfung der Köpfe zu den Wissenschaften /

Was den ersten Punkt betrift, so haben wir schon aus dem Plato*) angeführt, daß in einer wohlbestellten Republik gewisse Ehestifter seyn sollten, die durch Kunst die Beschaffenheiten derjenigen Personen, welche einander heyrathen wollen, zu entdecken wüßten, damit jede Mannsperson dasjenige Frauenzimmer, welches ihr am gemässesten ist, und jedes Frauenzimmer diejenige Mannsperson bekommen möge, die sich am besten für dasselbe schickt.


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8. From the natural and strong desires of marriageNatural Equality. 299 and offspringwe may discern the natural right each oneChap. 5.has to enter into the matrimonial relation with any one who consents, and is not in this matter subjected to the controll of others, or under a prior contract. Inthis matter, as much as any, an opinion of happinessand a mutual good liking is necessary to the happinessof the parties, and compulsion must create misery.


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Verknüpfungen der Ehe

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8. Aus dem natürlichen und starken TriebeZum Ehe stand.zum Ehestande und zu Abkömlingen erkennen wir das angebohrne Recht, welches jedem zusteht, mit einer andern einwilligenden Person in eine ehe liche Verbindung zu treten. Hierinnen ist nie mand dem Widerstand anderer oder einem vorher gehenden Contracte unterworfen. Nirgends ist die Vorstellung der Glückseeligkeit und ein von beyden Seiten erwiedertes Wohlwollen, zu der Glückseeligkeit der Parteyen, so nothwendig, als hier, und der Zwang mus dieselben unglücklich machen.


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This moral machinery of these instincts we find hasThese point out all our duties in this state.appeared in all ages and nations, and generally pre-vailed; tho', no doubt, vicious customs and habits canoften weaken or almost extinguish many natural dis-positions in some individuals. It will plainly shew usalmost all our obligations as to marriage and offspring, all the reasonable terms which should be stipulated in the marriage-contract, and the happy effects upon so- ciety, from following the intention of nature, and the mischiefs naturally ensuing from counteracting it, will further confirm our obligations.


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'Tis necessary that women from their childhoodshould be so educated as shall best prevent such distres-sing injuries. 'Tis well known that their fornicationbefore marriage, beside the dissolute habit it may oc-casion, founds such an intimacy with these personsthey have gratified, and subjects their characters so theStateofMarriage. 157 much to them, and causes such proneness to futureChap. 1.indulgences, or takes away their power of resisting their solicitations, that one is not well secured in having his own genuine posterity by marrying women of suchconduct. When such previous indulgences are dis-covered, their character for chastity is lost; nor willmen confide in their fidelity after marriage. Thusthey are made despicable, excluded from hopes of ob-taining any conjugal esteem and affection, and from allreputable condition in life. The guilt therefore of for- nication on the part of the man must also be very great,as he for a mean sensual gratification exposes his fel-low-creature to a state of infamy, ruins the natural modesty and ingenuity of her mind, and makes herunworthy of that conjugal love and confidence uponwhich the greatest satisfaction of her life depends, nor can she obtain it but by falshood and dissimulation, in which she cannot be assured of success.


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VII. The tender sentiments and affections whichMarriage an equal partner- ship.engage the parties into this relation of marriage, plain- ly declare it to be a state of equal partnership or friend-ship, and not such a one wherein the one party stipu-lates to himself a right of governing in all domestickaffairs, and the other promises subjection. Grant thatthere were generally superior strength both of body and mind in the males, this does not give any perfect right of government in any society. It could at best only oblige the other party to pay a greater respect or honour to the superior abilities. And this su-periority of the males in the endowments of minddoes not at all hold universally. If the males moregenerally excel in fortitude, or strength of genius;there are other as amiable dispositions in which theyare as generally surpassed by the females.


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The powers vested in husbands by the civil laws ofMany civil laws very unjust.many nations are monstrous, such as that of life anddeath. To exercise any such power, or even that ofany corporal punishment, must be tyrannical and un-manly. Committing to the husband the whole powerover the whole stock of the family, including the wife's portion, is unjust and imprudent, as well as contrary to nature. A wise woman, or any good trustee, retain- ing a power over a large share of it, would have re- scued from beggary the issue of many an unhappymarriage. Affairs of importance should rather be com-mitted to both jointly, so that neither separately could transact validly about them; and a civil judge, or a prudent umpire be appointed to determine importantmatters of debate between them: or each should re-tain the power of managing their own shares. In otherpartnerships no such absolute powers are vested in anyone of the partners, nor are they claimed upon anyalledged superiority of genius or fortune; nor is thereany occasion for them: nor do we see in them frequentinstances of capricious injurious treatment given byone partner to another upon any such alledged supe-riority, as some saucy, imperious, unmanly wretchesafford, as the only recompence to their wives for toomuch credulity, and an incautious imprudent affecti-on to them: nor does the inferior partner in other so-cieties run into such disingenuous and ungrateful con- 166 TheRightsandDutiesinBook III. duct toward the superior, as some wives who have gotthe ascendant over their husbands practise; as it werein resentment of the unequal condition in which the laws have placed them, and out of ostentation oftheir art and spirit, by which they have broke throughthem.


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In the first class is a natural incapacity for marriagethrough an original bodily defect or other accidentalcauses. To which one may add perpetual incurablemadness or idiotism: nay, some other incurable grie-vous diseases which are ordinarily transmitted to pos-tetity. Some disorders are so calamitous that it werethe interest of society to prevent intermarriages withpersons afflicted with them, even though the otherparty knew them, and consented to run the hazard.When both parties are well advanced in years, andthere is no prospect of offspring, there is nothing faul- ty in the desire of mutual cohabitation and domes-tick society, where no reasons of prudence or duty to-ward any children by former marriages prohibit it.But since marriages in a great disparity of years aremanifestly contrary to nature, and ought to be alto-gether prevented or made void by civil law, 'tis anaffront to that honourable natural relation, that thename of marriage should be given to any contract be-tween a covetous or a dissolute youth and an old doat-ing woman, who is courted only for her wealth: orbetween an old dotard and a lascivious young girl, in-fluenced by the same or worse reasons. The solemnforms and benedictions used on fuch occasions are fullof profanity, and impious mockery of every thingsacred.


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Common sense would teach that* all the marriagesof such as had not attained to wisdom fit for othercommerce should be annulled, where the consent ofparents or guardians was not interposed, even tho' con-summation had ensued. This law, in appearance se- vere, is yet the most merciful, preventing the crime rather than punishing it. A woman of chastity notwilling to prostitute herself would then listen to nosolicitations of minors, nor study to enveigle them. If

* This was the Jewish law, and the Roman law too, as may be seen Instit. tit. denuptiis. et VinniusComment.

theStateofMarriage. 169 a young man enticed a rash incautious girl with oathsChap. 1.or vows that he would confirm the marriage whenhe came to maturity, it might be left to the electionof the girl's parents or guardians, either to compelhim to fulfil them, or to annul the contract, and ob-tain capital punishment upon the seducer. Such pu-nishment none can call too severe upon such injuriesdone to families, when we think them just for muchsmaller ones, which deprive us only of a trifling partof our goods.


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'Tis argued that brothers and sisters by living to-Reasons alledged.gether from their infancy would fall too early intosuch passions, and be less capable of resisting sollicita- tion, through their great intimacy, were there not a severe prohibition, making such commerce matter ofabhorrence. But it often happens that cousin-germans,and remoter relations, are educated together in thesame intimacy, and we see no dismal effects from thepermission of intermarriages among them. And werethese marriages with sisters lawful, one would think the early passions would do no more harm than they mustfrequently do on other occasions, where young peoplecontract early acquaintance. If there be any naturalaversion in this case too, as well as between parentsand children, checking the general impulse, it seemsnot so strong: and we find that such marriages of bro-thers with sisters have been more received in Heathennations. There is more of equality in this relation;whereas the long habitual authority exercised by pa-rents, and the reverence and subjection to which chil-dren are enured, may possibly without other princi-ples restrain all these amorous in clinations so naturally requiring an equality.


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We see plainly the above-mentioned advantage inThe advanta- ges from it.the restriction, and scarce any thing grievous can en-sue from it. Nature has provided other sorts of af-fections among kindred, which are great sources ofjoy, and sufficient incitements to the duties of thoserelations. These considerations justify any legislatorin prohibiting such marriages: and after the prohibi-tion, and the consequent infamy which will attendthem, nothing but a dissolute lust, with an insensibi-lity to all honour, and great inhumanity toward theother party whom one must involve in this infamywith himself, can move one to break through suchprudent laws. But that there is not a necessary inva-riable turpitude or moral impurity in all these marri-ages ordinarily called incestuous, antecedently to theprohibition of them, must be owned by such as consi-der that God laid the immediate children of Adamunder a necessity of inter-marrying, and for some po-litical reasons ordered such marriages on certain con-tingencies as were ordinarily prohibited.