insisted upon the offender producing his marriage certificate, which he ought to have done, and there being none to shew, the registration as legitimate could not have taken place. Even now, although intimately acquainted with the facts, the law officers hesitate to interfere and carry out the laws of the land. How will the incestuous father, mother, and children be registered at their marriages or deaths. In the case referred to, double guilt has been incurred-First, in the concubinage, which is contrary to the laws of the realm; and, Secondly, in the false representation made to the registrar, through which he was illegally induced to record as legitimate the fruits of the incestuous union.

DIVORCES IN THE UNITED STATES.

SINCE writing the foregoing pages on the evil effects resulting to society from lax views and daring violations of the Levitical Code, there have reached us the records of the American Social Science Congress, which met in December last at Chicago. On the subject of Divorce and Divorce Laws, two interesting papers were read, one of them by a lady. It was stated that it had been found impossible to obtain statistics concerning the number and character of Divorces in the United States, but that it was evident that the number was very large and constantly increasing, and that the causes were often frivolous and insufficient. It has been computed that 2000 Divorces are annually granted in the State of Indiana alone-a State having a population of about 1,000,000 of people-and wellinformed residents of that State assert that the number is

even greater. Localities differ in the abundancy of Divorces. In counties and towns having a large Catholic population, Divorces are much less frequent than in Protestant communities. In a part of Ohio, settled almost wholly by immigrants from Connecticut, Divorces are as frequent proportionately as they are in Connecticut, where they are excessively numerous. Although accurate statistics cannot be obtained, sufficient is known to show that all over the United States veneration for the marriage tie is decreasing, and Divorces multiply apace. The Divorce Laws in many of the States are, it is too evident, very lax. One of the papers stated that"The Divorce Laws of scarcely any two States in the Union are at all similar, excepting that, in nearly every case, a

dangerous discretion is given to the Judges of Courts; and in some instances the laws are so lax, and supply so many vague grounds for application, as to almost strip the Judges of the power to refuse an application. For instance, the Indiana law provides that Divorce may be decreed by circuit Judges, and then adds, for any other cause for which the Court shall deem it proper that Divorce shall be granted.' In Iowa, Divorce may be granted when the fact appears that the welfare of the parties require a separation; and in Illinois, certain Judges are empowered to grant Divorces if they should be satisfied of the expediency of such decree. All these causes tend to increase the ratio and frequency of Divorces. In some States the paramour may take for his wife the guilty partner of his crime the day after she is divorced. All must admit that this state of things indicates a decline of moral feeling, and the law, by its unwise provisions, increases the evil. To cover the evil, the law must give a still greater latitude to Divorce, until people get wholly unaccustomed to forgiving each other's failings, and forbearance becomes a rare virtue.”

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VITAL STATISTICS OF FRANCE.

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As another illustration of the fearful evils resulting from loose and criminal relationships among the sexes, I take the following from the Annuaire du Bureau des Longitudes, as to the state of France :-" The number of births diminishes more and more. From 1819 to 1832, for every 10,000 inhabitants, there were 287 births; from 1833 to 1848, they descended to 265-a difference of one-thirteenth; from 1847 to 1860, the births fell to 246-a difference of 19, or onethirteenth again; and it continues to decrease. Fifty years ago, there were nearly four children to every family (37 for 10 families); at the present time, there are not more than three-an enormous difference when we consider that this includes the whole country. The fact demonstrates that, in general, the birth of a new infant in a family is not now considered a blessing. From 1847 to 1860, the French inhabiting France brought into the world 3,064,849 illegitimate children, of whom 1,561,500 were males, and 1,563,349 females. In 1867, there were 69,656 illegitimate and 895,511 legitimate births. The proportion between the first and second averaged 1 to 13 throughout France. But in Paris, taken alone, more than one-third, nearly one-half, of the new-born inscribed every year in the Civil State Register are illegitimate. In 1867, we had 39,572 legitimate children and 15,472 illegitimate; the latter, compared to the former, was in the proportion of 10 to 25."