In this country of ours,.1t for the suitor to get his,

marry him; A even‘ .‘wii’en _

ltamm, and 1; s’ will _

and,iis ort,.a' ousand th

pro ,tlls.)r_uth of the saying‘-,. that the course of tr eve never does run smooth. But once it come r to matriiige. the diiiicultylis at an end. thing then is as easy as lying.

To get malfisdjn England is a very simple afliiir indeetI,,I'or there ars".~severai" ways of tying the ltnpt-matrimonial inorder to meet 8 e requirements of every taste”, and the con- dition of every pocket. In the. first place, a man may be married at his parish-church, by his parish-priest, and by his parish-clerk, dthcr by licence or after due publication of bonus on three successive Sundays, after the form and fashion of his forefathers ;. secondly, he may be marriediu any chapel or meeting- house belonging to persons 0' any religious persuasion whatsoever, provided it be duly registered for the purpose; and lastly, he may dispense with‘ the -religious ceremonial a-

together——he may decline s.vuiling'h_iinself of

the assistance of either priest or minister, an be married democratically at a registrar’s oiiice. In that part of the United Kingdom called Scotland, he may be married by a blacksmith, or anybody else; and in fact, so easy is the afiiir there, that it is more difiicult to tell what does not constitute a marriage in Scotlandthnn what does. in any case, there is not the least difiicult in getting the work speedily and eflicient y performed 2 parsons, ministers, regis- trars, and blaeksmiths, being ready enough at all times to earn their fees; and the law, in this case at least, cannot be said to insist on vexations and needless formalities. It throws no difliculties in the way which can tr the patience of the most ardent lover, or ris the scaring away of the shyest of old bachelors. It is not so, however, in France. 'l‘iiere, if the law of marriage had been framed by the most rigid of the Malthusian philosophers, for the express purpose of deterring their country- men from assuming the bonds and obligations of wedlock, it could not have more effectually answered the urpose. Thenumbcrofcertificates ofbirth, dest , age, the consent of parents, if absent, &c., which must be produced before one can get married in France, is perfectly bewilderin . It would re-all seen’ that the lawyers, w en discussing tiis part of their code, were labouring under a monomaniaca dread of bigamy. They have made it a matter of considerable diliicult to get married once; and as to havin more t an one wife at one and the same time In Turque the thing in France must be impossible. Even when both parties are French bred and born, great delay and expense must often be, submitted to before the requirements of the law can he observed; but wiien one party is French, and the other is a forei nor, the diliiculty is increased fourfold, and ecomes, in the case ofa stupid mayor- as in Engiand—almsst insurmountable. Now this wasm own predicament. An English- man msrrymg one of his own ccuntrywoman in France, may be married in the cha ei of the British embassy, and so avoid medd ing with the French law altogether; but it is not so, if ‘he would marry a Frenchwornan. In that case Ito must be married ‘according to the law: of France, which, recognising maritia ‘ as a civil contract only, ordeins that such contract must be entered into before the niunici l authorities ofthc district in which one oft e contracting rties besides, or‘rather in’ which he or she as resided long enough to have acquired a domicile as regards ‘marriage which is affected by six months’ continued residence in one commune. In short, a foreigner can only be married in Fran‘ce‘to a French subject, accord- in to French law—that is,_bcfore the civil oer, nerally the mayor of the_"commnne. In Eng and, from the Lord Mayor of London downwards to the most insignificant fii-,si magis- trate of the first iniinitestimal, borough corpo- rate, mayors have little to do besides presiding over the gatherings together, either or jollity or pelaver, of their iellow-citissus; but in nce, Monsieur lo Maireis a vastly more notable persona ; he is a government func- tionary, and c icf-priest ’in' the temple of ynicn.

For my own part, neither parental objections nor avuncular threatenings clouded my court- ship, I was undisturbed. alike ,b the ‘cares attendant on the dis ition of woe th, and the anxieties inse rah e from poverty. I had made choice 0 a wife ; and we hadnotliing do but to be married as soon as we pl was at this point, however, that allonr ties commenced. '

sinoui. ,

Paris has twelve me rs—-one for each of the twelve arrondissenien ‘into which the city is divided—and niarris must be celebrated before the ma or c the arrondisscment in which one oft e rtiesis domiciled. When, fiersfors, both, y and gentleman are resident ii the ‘capital, ther; is gepsrally aicslhoiilce be- gween womayogs; utas t no t atm domicile was in‘ the same ?'l?d’iidissmsnt ab dint of my intended wife we had no choice but g be married by one nr is M_aire.cf the

0 of the third arrondisscment of ,

ya.

-. ver stupid and very tenacious of opinion,

actually compelled to have ‘ no to she could be made totper his

t ofniqypr _ _ ris at - ‘t period, was a retired lu,wyer,.ai_i ex-notaire, or avoué, or avocat, or something of that kind- '_iu_st_ such a man as with us retires from his business or profession, when he has secured a competency. and gets himself ut on the county bench in order to add all dignity to the olmm he promises himself for the remainder of his days. In person, Monsieur le Maire was tall, thin, and what the French call dry; in manner, precise, somewhat pens and cold. Add to this, that he had an overwhelming idea of his own merit, and was much prejudiced against cverythin English ; and it was easy to see, that he wouFd prove a very troublesome fellow to deal with, particularly if required to do anything out of the common routine of his office. I was not long in verifying the correct- ness of this my first im ression, and that, too, although I had taken t e precaution to get an introduction to the great man from a mutual acquaintance, lie was a troublesome fellow to deal with, as the sequel will abundantly

iiindividual who filled the

s ew. ‘ Monsieur le Maire,‘ said I, on my first in- terview with him, with my very best bow, and in my very best French, with the Anglo- Parisian accent—‘ Monsieur le Miiire, I am about to espouse a French lady, who is domi- ciled in the arrondisscment which enjoys the advantage of being presided over by you; an advantage in which I have the happiness to rtieipate; and I have availed myself of the indness of our obliging friend to enable me to inquire ofyou personally what formalities it will be requisite for me to observe in the mat- ter. I am quite aware, that the French law of marriage is very strict in the ease of one of the -contracting parties being a foreigner, but I feel sure (and here I made another of my very best bows) that I could not do better than apply to monsieur for advice and direction.‘

‘ Monsieur,’ replied the mayor in his stately way, but with great politeness, tickled, as 1 had hoped, by the flattery administered in m open- in speech—‘ as you are it foreigner, a llritish su ject, and Mademoiselle votre future is a French women. we shall require several piéces (certificates), which can only be obtained in your own country. I fear, therefore, that we shall be the cause of some ex ense_ iind what monsieur will probably disre ish far more- delay ;’ and here Monsieur le Maire facetiously turned out his hands, shrugged up his shoul- ders, drop ed the corners of his mouth, and raised his rows, in true Gallic fashion.

‘ The expense is of little moment, but delay will be inconvenient,’ I stainniered out with a faint attempt at a smile—for the delay of a month to a man about ‘making a love-match, appears almbst like an adjournmentsine die.

‘ Monsieur is not married—there are no legal impediments to the step he is about to take?’

‘ Married !’ I cried, laughing, in s ite of my vexation at the threatened delay, at the gravity with which the question was ut. ‘I do not wconteinplate bigamy, Monsieur lb Maire, and I am not aware of the existence of any legal im- pediment whatever. Pray proceed.’

‘ Ne vous fiche: pas, monsieur. We must proceed with due caution, and. indeed, with more than our usual care, since monsieur is a forei ner.

‘ Well, well, monsieur, I can easily prove that I am a single man ; and, moreover, if on desire it, that was nevermarried in my ife. Whatnext i’_ ,

‘ Is monsieur niajeur (ofa )1‘

., ‘ I’m four»and-twenty in December.’ It was new June‘. "

‘ Then you are not of age. You are mineur quaut an mariage (a minor as regards mur- riage). Ycu cannotinarry an til you 8M§IWenIy- live without consent of your parents. Are your parents living 1’

‘ y mother, yes. My father died more than twenty years since.’

‘ '1hat,~ monsieur, must be proved by a cer- tificate of ‘death; and I must also have that of his birth.’ -

‘ Why,’ I asked, ‘ of his birth I’ For, owing to peed ier circumstances, I knew that sncha certificate ‘could not easily be procured. ‘A ‘certi cate.of"Ills death -would seem to me to -be all thatcaqlbe requisite..', If he be dead, and I prove that his so, I should think that even the aw,‘ if curious on the point, might-take for ted, that It had been born !'

e sneer was irrepressible, but the indul-

co in it was at with disastrous consequences. I had made the formal old awyer my‘ enemy, and more solemnlyt an ever. . ‘ Monsieur is evidently not aware of the Tivity of the circumstances. It is important t at every precaution should be taken, and that we should k strictly on regle. I am bound to protect the interests ofm countr - woman and I shall certainly in It on t 0 production of the pidoss I have mentioned: y no means follows that I am to yield a point because monsieur cannot see the necessity of it.’ Having delivered himself of this rsproof, he

hi 9

2 fiirdarrondisseinen t, and that oficer being both

resumed his interrogatory ; l

‘ reques

5. . ~l5IASZARD’S GAZETTE, ,oc'roBEn_., .i3".4

‘ Does Madame votre mops intend’ to be present at your marriage I’ . , 1' »

‘ She does not.’ -3- ‘ .

‘ Eh bien ! monsieur,’ said the mayilllflsk-' ly, as if delighted at being able to give me this extra trouble, ‘ since you are;a minor as regards marriage. I must haye the written consent of Madame votre more, properly attested by Bri- tish authorities.’ ‘

‘ what authorities ” I asked.

‘ here does madame rcside1—where is her domicile ‘i’ ‘ She resides chiefly in London.’ ' ‘ Eh bien! the consent of madame must‘ be attested b the Lot’ Ma or do Londres !’

‘T11? w at?’ said I, augbing heartily-‘ the

1 =-

a . ‘By the Lor’ Mayor-the Lor‘ Mayor do 3 7

u re .

‘ Surely. Monsieur le Maire, you are joking. The Lord Mayor of London has nothing what- ever to do with marriages. Ilis lordship would laugh at me, ifI were to apply to him on such a subject. Besides, even as a inagistrate before whoin my mother could made a declaration of her consent, the Lord Mayor is not the proper officer to apply to, inasmuch as he has noJuris- diction in that quarter of the capital in which she resides. You are asking me, therefore, to do what is impossible. I cannot comply with your request.’

‘Then, monsieur,’ said the mayor with the most provoking coolness, ‘ on no vous iiiiiriera pas (we will not marry you).’

‘ Not marry me! Am I, then, to understand that no Englishman who is under fivc-and- twenty years of age can be married in France without the consent of his parents, certified by the Lord Mayor of London I‘

‘Just so, monsieur, if the parents reside in London. The Lor‘ .\iayor’—-

‘The Lord Mayor,’ I interrupted warmly, ‘ has nothing to do with it. Mayors in England are not like mayors in France. They’——

‘ Monsieur, I know in duty. A mayor is a ma or. I perfectly understand the nature of the function appertaining to that important oliice. Had I not done so, the government of his majesty would not have confided to my care one of the arrondissements of the capital. Besides, some years since, I passed a week or more in London, during which time I made your national institutions my serious study. Ofceurse, I did not forget the Lcr’ Mayor do Londres ; and, therefore, unless I have the con- sent_of madame, certified by him, on no vous niai-iera pus.‘

‘ Very well, monsieur,‘ said I with a sigh, feeling quite unable to coiiibnt the logicl had just henrd—‘ very well I must endeavour to satisfy you. Pray, on.’

‘In what diocese were you deniiciled when last in England?’ asked the mayor with the tone and manner of a judge or advocate exam- ining a witness.

‘ In the diocese of London.’

‘ Which, I believe, is in the province of Can- torbur .’

‘It is,’ I replied, wondering what would come next.

‘ Must not the banns of marriage in England be published on three successive Sundays at the parish-church of one of the parties !'

» ‘ Not if the marriage be by licence.’

' Eh bien !’ cried the mayor with a look of trium h; ‘since monsieur cannot have a li- cence ere h Paris. and since his banns cannot be published is bus in Londres, he must pro- cure a certificate to the cflbct that banns ma , under certain eircumstanccs,be dis nsed wit i, from Milori Arclidveque de Cantor ury.’

‘Nonsense!’ exclaimed I, fairl losing my temper at the mention of this ct er miler’ to whom was lo be sent fci-rperinission to be married—‘ Nonsense ! 'I‘he archbishop of (km terbury has no more to do with matter tbéin the Lord Mayor of London. Itis impos- si le’-—-

‘ Eh bien! monsieur,’ said the mayor in a towering passion, ‘ on no vous mariera pas . will have both the ideas Ihave mentioned- that from the Lor' lillayor do Londres, and that from the Lor’ Archévéque de Canterbury. Without them, I repeat, on no vous mariera

Expostulation was vain. The mayor was notto be suaded either that the conditions he insists on-wiere impossible of fulfilment, or that they were unnecessary. In vain our mu- tual ac uaintanee, who all this time had been

luu over head and ears in the Débats, en-

eavoured to brin him to reason--in vain I him to ta e counsel with his brother- oficial in the second arrondissement—that being the quarter where such marri were most common. ‘fill unfortunate wo ‘Non- sense !’ had sunk deep into his soul. He was aeaftoall remonsti-once; and ringiii his bell bowed us hastily, out, the last we s I hes being, ‘ Igor’ Mayor dc Londres,’ and ‘ On ne VOIII mariera pas.’

What was to be done! There was only on. mayp; in Paris who could marry me, and he won not, ex t on certain absurd condit' which I beiievti '°'"’ to comply with. My best p n, of course, would have been to apply at once too. non competent to ive me a legal 0 inion on the question; but overs are apt to be impulsive,

2..

it would be uite impossible-

.i-. C r .

F I

ind‘ Ibrgofrto weigh as and com. A lover

who reiiests Is but h in love. Iwes really

in love—-over head d and, therefore,

wifiou‘ any relies on a _, at once set out for l

_ , without havip "any ver clear idea ofw t I was going ‘to o whfi, got there. We were then lnvthe pre-railyny‘ riod.of the

coupe of a dilig , I. web-,soon,-rumbling along on my way to on ' ur after hour the ‘ cunvr-niency ’ c ed-And Jmmped, and rolled airing‘ on the drearxsosd, Fever and over again cursed the obstinacypqd conceit of the Jack-in-oiiiee who had sent its far away from my bride, and compelled me to ad'ourn, erbaps for months, the realisation of my opes. ver-like, I conjured up every os_sible mis- fortune which could row out of this unhappy delay. I half persua ed myself that something must happen to break oil‘ the nfliiir altogether; and as to my excited imagination, the respect before me grow blacker and blacker, t o more and more heartily did I unathematizc, in a choice compound of British and Gallic, the pig- headedness of Monsieur le Maire du troisiéme arrondisscment. Ilis eternal ‘ on ne vous ma- riera pas ’ incessuiitly haunted my cars. If Iendeavourccl to snatch a moment of repose, in sleep was troubled by frightful dreams, of which tiic mayor was the most pro 'nent, figure—the nightinarc for over standing between me and the girl I left behind me; and when roused froui my spasmodic sluiubers by the nasal whim: of the professional beggar, who was following the lumbering vehicle up the hill his ‘charlie, s'il vous phiit,’ conveyed no mean- ing to my mind but that of ‘ on iie vous ma- riera. pus.‘

I need not say that I got no certificate from either Lor’ Mayor or L01" Arclievéqlie de Can- terbury: but being advised by a friend, who, not being in love, iad all his senses about him,

armed iuyself with the consent of my sur- viving parent, attested by the police-ma istrate of the district in which she resided. ‘c this I added certificates of hirtlis and deaths with- out number. always excepting that of the birth of in father, which, as I had anticipated, I coul not easily procure : and, so rovided, set ofl'on my return to Paris, in the full persuasion that I had done all, and more than all, that was really necessary. Not so, however, thought Monsieur le Maire. Fixing his double eye- glass across the sharp ridge of his long nose, he read every word of the various documents which I had been at so much nine to procure —the English originals, as well as the French translations of them, although of the former language he knew not ii word-—-aiid then laying them down with great deliberatiun, he dexter- ously dropped his spectacles from oil‘ his pro- boseis by a sudden twitch of the nostril and wink of the eye, and said again very emphati- cally : ‘ Monsieur on no vous mariera pas.’

‘ But, monsieur, consider the awkward position in which I am placed. Ihave proved to on by the signature of a London magistrate, du yattestcd by that of the British consul in Paris. that I have proved. in an equally satis- factory mariner, that my father died more than twenty years since. In short, I have done all that is really necessary to render in mnrria valid, as you ma easily ascertain by consult?- ing.with your co league in the arrondisscment in which these mixed niarriiiges are of. the most frequent oceurcnce. Your persistence in

our resolution places me in a sition of great diiiiculty. if I have done afio that the law requii-es—and permit me to say that I have-— what more won <1 you have me do 1’

v * Wlintmiore ' monsieur, what more ! Why I would have you procure the consent of Mn- dame votre mere, attested b the Lot’ Mayor do Londres : and.also, [won d have you pro- cure a certificate from the bar‘ Acheveque do Canterbury; to the cflset, that your bonus of niarniage -n not an cannot be published where you were last domiciled in England, if you should be inarried in France, without these two most important pieces, I repeat, on no vous mariera pas. So so ing, and buttoning his coat over his shirt fri I in a very decided cut-it- abort kind of manner, Monsieur le Maire dn trovieieme arrondisscment rose from his seat, and once more formally bowed inc outof his apartment. -

I new determined on doing what [on t-to have done at the outset, as soon as the di culty arose—I determined on seeking legsladvioe; and! accordingly laid the case before a_ gentle- man with whom I had a slight acquaintance, a deputy- procurenr du roi. Iiavin tiilly ex-

lained the position in which I s -naniel ,

he impossibility of gsttin married because t mayor refused to one his oflee unless I com-

iied with cei-his inpossibls conditions to which e obstinately clung‘! stated, with great snor- a, my determines! of roceediii at once to II

8

age ; and depositinrnyself corner oi'._the

and, icgetmnrried n that so country, n on a way could be found of speedily bring- the mayor to reason. 0 natured lawyer lau hed heartil at the recital ofmy troubles, bu niised at he would soon get me putouto my Ii . He waslss good as his word. He fertliiivflth proceeded to argue the int in the Palsis de Justice--the Parisian Wes ininster Hail—-hetero tile parquet (con

rt ) of Mimsieur ls Precursor du rel; andhsviiig beaten the enemy stall points—lIaving slsswn