A History of Bohemian LiteratureLützow, Francis, hrabe
History
A History of Bohemian Literature
Lützow, Francis, hrabe
Czech literature -- History and criticism
Very quaint is the part of the second book which deals with inequality
between married people. Štitný writes: "It is necessary that those who
wish to marry should all seek their equals, so that inequality may not
cause discord and displeasure. If you are young, beware of old people,
and one of noble birth should seek his equal, for often evil is caused
by that discord (which arises) when those who are very unequal marry.
If an old man marries some one younger, he ever fears that the younger
one may not love him, and being therefore anxious about this, he does
not feel complete love for his partner, for where there is suspicion
there cannot be complete love. Also the humours of the young do not
please the old, nor those of the old the young. Some one indeed said,
and he spoke the truth, 'When I was young the old people did not please
me, and now that I am old, the young people do not please me.' And
even if an old man does not displease a young wife, and even if she is
good, yet will she not be free from the lies of evil people. They will
indeed give her evil advice, saying, with mischievous intent, 'What an
old husband you have!...' And then evil people will in the fields sing
songs about them, the devil instigating them to do so, for he wishes to
corrupt a good woman, to bring before her mind what she had not thought
of, so that she may be seized by longing. And it will be precisely
the same thing with a young man who has an old wife. Jesting with
them, people will say to him, 'There is your beauty! why, it is your
mother!'" In this book Štitný constantly praises the state of celibacy,
strictly in accordance with the doctrine of the Church of Rome.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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