Marriage Survey – Shropshire Style
Found whilst search Shrewsbury Chronicle for a client, an article which would probably be termed a state of marriage survey today.
Shrewsbury Chronicle Saturday January 7 1786
The present state of marrimony (sic) within the bills of mortality.
- Wives eloped from their husbands 1,132
- Husbands run from their wives 3,348
- Married pairs in state of separation 4,175
- Married pairs living in state of open war 13,325
- Married pairs living in state of inward hatred, though concealed from world 13,179
- Married pairs living in state of indifference for each other 35,246
- Married pairs reportedly happy 3,175
- Married pairs comparatively happy 125
- Married pairs absolutely happy 13
- Total 70,480
Let all married pairs therefore learn the following rules
- Please and be pleased
- Bear and forbear
- Wink and forgive
Which though short will increase the number of happy pairs, restore good harmony in families and man and wife will not in future be distinguished by characters quiet opposite to end of their state.
There was no author attributed
Wonder what results of such a survey would be today!!
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