cats.
MARRIAGE OVER THE ANVIL
In 1753, England established aMarriage Act that laid out strict rules: Each party must be twenty-one years old or have the consent of their parents, the marriage banns must have been published over several weeks in each party’s parish or a special license obtained from Doctor’s Commons, and the wedding must take place in a church before noon with the event noted in the parish records. Marriages contracted in England under other circumstances were subject to annulment. The point of the Act was to throw difficulties in the way of fortune-hunters trying to sweep an heiress into an ill-considered marriage. Obtaining a special license was not difficult, but it was expensive, and many couples in a hurry simply ran away to Scotland.
Scotland’s marriage laws were much like England’s had been prior to the establishment of the Marriage Act, allowing boys of 14 and girls of 12 to marry without parental consent or church interference. The parties needed only to declare themselves husband and wife before witnesses. Because marriages legally contracted in Scotland were legally binding in England, Scottish villages close to the border established a cottage industry in providing the means for couples to quickly marry. Thebest-known of these villages was Gretna Green, located just a mile from the Scottish border. Many weddings were held in the romantic confines of the blacksmith’s shop, as he was the tradesman of most importance in the town. The more romantic opined that the blacksmith’s art, melding different metals together into a new whole, is a metaphor for marriage. Such ceremonies were often referred to as “marriage over the anvil,” with professional witnesses hired for the occasion. The tradition continues, and the wedding industry is still thriving in Gretna Green in the twenty-first century.
HOW TO PAY A MORNING CALL
“I made the best excuses I could for not having been able to wait on him and Mrs. Elton on this happy occasion; I said that I hoped I should in the course of the summer. But I ought to have gone before. Not to wait upon a bride is very remiss. Ah! it shews what a sad invalid I am! But I do not like the corner into Vicarage Lane.”
—M R . W OODHOUSE IN
E MMA
Morning calls are actually paid between eleven in the morning and three in the afternoon, “morning” being the term used for the time between rising and eating dinner. Do not call any earlier, for a lady might be eating breakfast or busy with household duties; any later than three might make her think you are trying to cadge a dinner invitation.
• Provide yourself withcalling cards . If no one is at home, you can leave your card to show your regard and attention to the person on whom you called, even if you did not get to see her.
• Determine if the person on whom you wish to call is “at home” on that day . Most people do not stand upon such ceremony, but there are some snobs who like to make others dance attendance on their schedule. If it is not her “at home” day, and you pay a call and leave your card, it looks as though you did not wish to actually meet with that person. It would be better to wait for the proper day.
• Present your card to the butler . He will ascertain if Madam is at home, or admit you immediately if she is receiving.
• Make pleasant conversation . If you are not well acquainted with this person, you might not have much to talk about. If this is the case, confine your subjects to the weather and the state of the roads. If the person on whom you are calling has children, they provide an excellent subject. Everyone likes to have their children admired.
• Accept tea or food if it is offered . A good hostess will offer tea or food such as fruit, cake, or sandwiches to her guests. If conversation is lacking, such an offer can be a godsend: Even if one cannot talk, one can eat.
• Bring something to keep your hands busy . If you are paying a call on one
MARRIAGE OVER THE ANVIL
In 1753, England established aMarriage Act that laid out strict rules: Each party must be twenty-one years old or have the consent of their parents, the marriage banns must have been published over several weeks in each party’s parish or a special license obtained from Doctor’s Commons, and the wedding must take place in a church before noon with the event noted in the parish records. Marriages contracted in England under other circumstances were subject to annulment. The point of the Act was to throw difficulties in the way of fortune-hunters trying to sweep an heiress into an ill-considered marriage. Obtaining a special license was not difficult, but it was expensive, and many couples in a hurry simply ran away to Scotland.
Scotland’s marriage laws were much like England’s had been prior to the establishment of the Marriage Act, allowing boys of 14 and girls of 12 to marry without parental consent or church interference. The parties needed only to declare themselves husband and wife before witnesses. Because marriages legally contracted in Scotland were legally binding in England, Scottish villages close to the border established a cottage industry in providing the means for couples to quickly marry. Thebest-known of these villages was Gretna Green, located just a mile from the Scottish border. Many weddings were held in the romantic confines of the blacksmith’s shop, as he was the tradesman of most importance in the town. The more romantic opined that the blacksmith’s art, melding different metals together into a new whole, is a metaphor for marriage. Such ceremonies were often referred to as “marriage over the anvil,” with professional witnesses hired for the occasion. The tradition continues, and the wedding industry is still thriving in Gretna Green in the twenty-first century.
HOW TO PAY A MORNING CALL
“I made the best excuses I could for not having been able to wait on him and Mrs. Elton on this happy occasion; I said that I hoped I should in the course of the summer. But I ought to have gone before. Not to wait upon a bride is very remiss. Ah! it shews what a sad invalid I am! But I do not like the corner into Vicarage Lane.”
—M R . W OODHOUSE IN
E MMA
Morning calls are actually paid between eleven in the morning and three in the afternoon, “morning” being the term used for the time between rising and eating dinner. Do not call any earlier, for a lady might be eating breakfast or busy with household duties; any later than three might make her think you are trying to cadge a dinner invitation.
• Provide yourself withcalling cards . If no one is at home, you can leave your card to show your regard and attention to the person on whom you called, even if you did not get to see her.
• Determine if the person on whom you wish to call is “at home” on that day . Most people do not stand upon such ceremony, but there are some snobs who like to make others dance attendance on their schedule. If it is not her “at home” day, and you pay a call and leave your card, it looks as though you did not wish to actually meet with that person. It would be better to wait for the proper day.
• Present your card to the butler . He will ascertain if Madam is at home, or admit you immediately if she is receiving.
• Make pleasant conversation . If you are not well acquainted with this person, you might not have much to talk about. If this is the case, confine your subjects to the weather and the state of the roads. If the person on whom you are calling has children, they provide an excellent subject. Everyone likes to have their children admired.
• Accept tea or food if it is offered . A good hostess will offer tea or food such as fruit, cake, or sandwiches to her guests. If conversation is lacking, such an offer can be a godsend: Even if one cannot talk, one can eat.
• Bring something to keep your hands busy . If you are paying a call on one
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