I will especially notice this last category of marriages by purchase. As regards them, France is unworthily distinguished beyond other nations. In our tables of statistics, for example, the proportionate number of marriages between bachelors from eighteen to forty years and women of fifty and upwards, is ten times greater than in England.[1121] _Marriages with Women of Fifty Years and upwards. (In a million marriages.)_ IN FRANCE. IN ENGLAND. Age of Number of | Age of Number of Bachelors. Marriages. | Bachelors. Marriages. 18 to 20 years 64 | 16 to 20 years 0 20 ” 25 ” 109 | 20 ” 25 ” 5 25 ” 30 ” 151 | 25 ” 30 ” 12 30 ” 35 ” 188 | 30 ” 35 ” 22 35 ” 40 ” 257 | 35 ” 40 ” 40 --- | --- 769 | 79 We must remark, in comparing these tables, that the first group, including the married men from eighteen to twenty years with women of fifty and upwards, is unknown in England; and that the second group, that of the married men of twenty to twenty-five years with women of fifty years and upwards, is scarcely represented. The comparison is not flattering for us. It is important to note, also, that these figures only refer to first marriages. Tables of the same kind, showing the marriages between young girls and old men, or between aged widows and young men, would add to our confusion, and bring to our thoughts the picturesque exclamation which Shakespeare puts into the mouth of King Lear--“Fie! Fie! Fie! Pah! Pah! Give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, to sweeten my imagination.”[1122] _Marriages with Men of Sixty Years and upwards._ IN FRANCE. | IN ENGLAND. Age of Girls. Number of | Age of Girls. Number of Marriages.| Marriages. 15 to 20 years 94 | 15 to 20 years 2 20 ” 25 ” 139 | 20 ” 25 ” 15 25 ” 30 ” 176 | 25 ” 30 ” 32 30 ” 35 ” 242 | 30 ” 35 ” 49 --- | --- 651 | 98 III. _The Future._