Quite evident is it that the proverbs of more western and later-born nations grew out of the estimate of Vishnu Sarma and his compeers. Look at them:-- "A rich man is never ugly in the eyes of a girl." "A beautiful woman, smiling, tells of a purse gaping." "Every woman would rather be handsome than good." "A house full of daughters is a cellar full of sour beer." "Three daughters and the mother are four devils for the father." "A man of straw is worth a woman of gold." "A rich wife is a source of quarrel." "'Tis a poor roost where the hen crows." "A happy couple is a husband deaf and a wife blind." It is quite evident, I think, that men made these proverbs; and somewhat mortifying, not to _women only_, but to our common humanity, that they should have the run of society and the newspapers, in an age which has given birth to Florence Nightingale, Mary Patton, and Dorothea Dix,--women who have been born only to remind us that their counterparts appeared a thousand years ago. Aristophanes and Juvenal, Boileau and Churchill, turn these slanderous proverbs into verse, if not into poetry; and, in examining the laws of more modern times, we shall constantly trace the effect of the old Oriental estimate. In all such examinations, we have four points to consider:-- 1st, That estimate of woman on which her civil position is founded, and those rights of property which are granted or refused to her accordingly. 2d, Such laws as relate to marriage and divorce. 3d, Such laws or customs as keep woman out of office, off the jury, and refuse her all authorized legitimate interference in public affairs. 4th, Her right of suffrage. Of these points, the discussion of such laws as relate to marriage and divorce is alone to be restricted by any considerations of prudence. It has never seemed to me a wise thing to open needlessly this discussion; and the opening of it by women is needless, while they are in no position to discuss it equally with men. In the marriage relation, whatever is the certain loss and misery of one sex is also the certain loss and misery of the other. Whatever inequality and injustice appertains to it will be best removed when the two sexes can consider it together, like two equal and competent powers.[32] I shall advert to the laws of marriage and divorce, only to point out mistakes or bad results not generally perceived, and make no attempt to treat them at length.