lecture ii-第2章

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the　bride's　father；　and　the　dowry　which　the　bride　receives　from
her　family。　Then　come　the　presents　to　be　made　by　each　party　to
the　parents　of　the　bride　and　those　of　the　bridegroom；　and　the
amount　of　expense　which　the　bridegroom　has　to　incur　on　the
occasion　of　the　nuptial　feast。　All　these　are　regularly　discussed
and　settled　by　a　sort　of　verbal　agreement；　known　among　the
peasantry　by　the　name　of　〃riad。〃　In　ancient　Russia　when
agreements　of　this　kind　were　entered　into　even　by　the　higher
classes；　the　〃riad〃　was　always　put　down　in　the　form　of　a　written
contract；　and　this　is　still　occasionally　done　in　the　northern
Governments　of　Russia；　especially　in　that　of　Archangel。　Betrothal
is　considered　to　be　legally　concluded　at　the　moment　when　the　two
parties；　that　of　the　bridegroom　and　that　of　the　bride；　have
shaken　hands。　It　is　not　without　reason　that　i　insist　on　the　fact
that　it　is　this　indefinite　expression　of　the　two　parties　which
concludes　the　act　of　betrothal。　I　want　to　impress　on　your　minds
that　the　presence　of　the　bridegroom's　father　is　not　considered
necessary。　An　outsider；　called　〃Svat；〃　may　be　authorised　by　the
father　to　speak　and　act　for　him　in　a　contract　of　this　sort。　
　　　　As　soon　as　the　ceremony　of　shaking　hands　is　over　neither　of
the　contracting　parties　can　break　the　engagement　without
incurring　the　obligation　of　pecuniary　compensation　for　the　wrong
he　does　to　the　other　party　by　his　breach　of　contract。　This
compensation　is　of　two　different　kinds：　the　one　seems　to　have
rather　a　moral；　the　other　a　purely　monetary　or　material　origin。
If　the　bride's　party　breaks　the　contract；　the　bridegroom　and　his
family　consider　themselves　injured　in　their　honour。　If；　however；
the　breach　of　promise　has　been　made　by　the　bridegroom；　the　case
is　more　serious。　Then　it　is　not　only　the　honour　of　the　bride　that
suffers；　but　also　the　material　interests　of　the　family；　since　a
bride　rejected　by　the　man　whom　she　was　on　the　point　of　marrying；
will　generally　experience　great　difficulty　in　finding　another
suitor。　Such　being　the　case；　the　customary　court　of　the　village
usually　accords　to　the　party　aggrieved　the　right　to　demand　a
pecuniary　compensation　〃for　the　loss　of　honour　the　bride　is
supposed　to　have　sustained〃　（〃sa　beschestic；〃　say　our　peasants）。
In　case　security　has　been　received　for　a　bridegroom's　performance
of　his　promise　by　a　pledge　or　by　the　partial　payment　of　the　money
which　he　owes　to　the　bride's　father；　the　question　of　compensation
is　easily　settled；　as　the　family　of　the　bride　retain　for　her　own
use　the　money　already　received；　but　if　no　payment　has　been　made；
the　court　must　decide　the　amount　to　be　paid。　It　very　seldom
happens　that　the　sum　demanded　exceeds　thirty　roubles；　at　least；
in　the　provinces　of　Great　Russia。　No　extenuating　circumstances
are　admitted　on　this　occasion　by　the　Court。　A　father　leaving　once
declared　that　he　was　drunk　when　he　gave　his　consent　to　the
proposed　marriage　of　his　son；　received　no　other　answer　but　this：
〃You　may　be　drunk；　but　you　must　be　clever〃　（bud　pyan　da　umen）。　
　　　　The　breach　of　contract　may　have　two　different　results：　one；
that　which　I　have　just　mentioned；　a　compensation　in　money　for　the
loss　of　honour；　as　to　the　other；　I　have　already　stated　that　the
contract　of　betrothal　contains　certain　engagements　as　to　the
amount　of　the　pretium　emptionis；　of　the　dowry　and　of　the
different　expenses　to　be　incurred　by　each　party　on　the　occasion
of　the　marriage。　If　certain　of　these　engagements　have　been　partly
fulfilled　before　the　breach　of　promise；　the　wronged　party　has　the
right　to　demand　the　restitution　of　the　money　which　had　been
spent；　the　bridegroom　receives　back　the　presents　which　he　has
made　to　his　bride；　and　the　bride　those　given　to　the　bridegroom。
The　Courts　uniformly　recognise　the　necessity　for　such　mutual
restitution；　the　only　exception　being　when　the　money　already　paid
serves　to　constitute　the　amount　of　compensation　to　either　party
for　the　wrong　inflicted　by　the　loss　of　honour。　
　　　　The　contract　of　marriage　which　follows　that　of　betrothal；
cannot　at　the　present　time　be　dissolved；　but　we　should　be
mistaken　if　we　inferred　from　this　fact　that　this　indissolubility
of　marriage　has　always　been　recognised　by　the　common　law　of
Russia。　Though　the　peasants　are　now　known　to　use　the　following
aphorisms：　〃Marriage　is　known　but　not　unmarriage；〃　〃A　bad　pope
may　marry　you；　but　even　a　good　one　cannot　unmarry　you；〃　the　case
was　quite　different　in　the　past。　Not　longer　ago　than　the　end　of
the　eighteenth　century　the　Cossacks　of　the　Don　practiced　divorce。
A　husband　and　wife　who　did　not　wish　to　live　together　any　longer；
appeared　before　the　popular　assembly　and　made　the　following
declaration。　〃This　woman　is　no　longer　my　wife；〃　〃this　man　is　no
longer　my　husband。〃　〃Be　it　so；〃　was　the　answer　of　the　assembly；
and　the　marriage　tie　ceased　to　exist。　During　the　sixteenth
century　husbands　in　Great　Russia　were　still　accustomed　to　grant
their　wives　full　liberty　to　contract　a　new　engagement；　or；　at
least；　to　live　apart　from　their　legal　lords。　An　archbishop　of
Novgorod；　Theodosius；　bitterly　complained　of　this　practice。　Up　to
the　middle　of　the　eighteenth　century　the　Russian　clergy　dissolved
the　marriage　bond　very　often　for　no　other　reason　than　that　of
incompatibility　of　temper；　this　incompatibility　appearing　in　the
dissolute　life　of　either　husband　or　wife。　
　　　　The　memory　of　those　days　is　still　preserved　among　the　country
folk；　and　we　can　explain　the　part　taken　by　the　customary　Courts；
in　direct　contradiction　to　the　law；　only　by　the　influence　on　them
of　tradition。　They　take　part　in　the　making　of　certain　contracts
in　which　husbands　and　wives　who　no　longer　wish　to　live　under　the
same　roof；　waive　questions　of　interest；　and　agree　to　interfere　no
more　with　each　other's　existence。　
　　　　The　part　which　the　community　is　called　on　to　play　in　the
contract　and　dissolution　of　marriage　is　strikingly　manifested　in
certain　peculiar　ceremonies　still　in　use　at　a　Little　Russian
wedding。　The　tokens　of　the　damsel's　virginity　are　exhibited　in
much　the　same　way　as　they　were　exhibited　unto　the　elders　of　a
Jewish　city；　as　is　described　in　the　twenty…second　chapter　of
Deuteronomy。　The　whole　company　then　begin　to　shout　loudly；
congratulating　the　mother　of　the　bride；　and　eulogising　the
maiden's　virtue。　In　case　the　newly　married　wife　is　no　longer　a
virgin；　and　her　husband　makes　no　statement　as　to　his　previous
cohabitation　with　her；　instead　of　praises　and　cheers；　the　most
violent　abuse　is　poured　on　the　parents　of　the　bride；　and　the　most
shameful　songs　are　sung。　They　often　go　on　to　insulting　acts；　such
as　the　following：　spirits　are　offered　in　derision　to　the　bride's
mother　in　a　glass　with　a　hole　in　the　bottom；　the　outside　walls　of
the　house　are　blackened　with　tar；　a　hole　is　made　in　the　stove　in
order　to　show　the　stain　which　the　hearth　has　suffered。　Sometimes；
also；　one　of　the　guests　climbs　up　to　the　top　of　the　house　and
begins　to　throw　water　down　on　all　sides　　a　symbol　of　the
liberality　with　which　the　new　wife　has　distributed　her　favours　to
all　those　who　asked　for　them。　Very　frequently；　also；　the　parents
of　the　bride　are　insulted　by　having　yokes　made　of　straw；
previously　besmeared　with　tar　and　dirt；　placed　by　force　on　their
necks。　
　　　　The　reciprocal　rights　and　duties　of　husband　and　wife
according　to　Russian　customary　law；　and　the　position　of　children
as　regards　their　parents；　are　the　next　topics　I　intend　to　discuss
in　the　present　lecture。　
　　　　The　husband　is　acknowledged　to　be　the　master　of　the　woman　he
has　married。　〃The　wife　is　in　the　power　of　her　husband；〃　so　runs
the　common　saying；　and　the　fact　of　her　complete　subjection　to　his
will　is　illustrated　by　certain　symbolical　acts　performed　at　the
time　of　the　wedding。　The　bridegroom；　while　he　is　leading　his
bride　to　her　future　home；　gives　her　from　time　to　time　light　blows
from　a　whip；　saying　at　each　stroke：　〃Forget　the　manners　of　thine
own　family；　and　learn　those　of　mine。〃　As　soon　as　they　have
entered　their　bedroom；　the　husband　says　to　his　wife；　〃Take　off　my
boots。〃　The　wife　immediately　obeys　her　husband's　orders；　and；
taking　them　off；　finds　in　one　of　them　a　whip；　symbol　of　his
authority　over　her　person。　This　authority　implies　the　right　of
the　husband　to　control　the　behaviour　of　his　wife；　and　to　correct
her　every　time　he　thinks　fit；　not　only　by　words；　but　also　by
blows。　The　opinion　which　a　Russian　writer　of　the　sixteenth
century；　the　pope　or　priest　Silvester　（the　author　of　The
Domostroy）；　expressed　as　to　the　propriety　of　personal
chastisement；　and　even　as　to　its　beneficial　effects　on　the
health；　is　still　shared　by　the　country　people。　In　more　than　one
popular　song　the　wife　is　represented　as　bitterly　complaining　of
the　indifference　of　a　husband　who　never　on　any　occasion　gives　her
a　good　beating。　〃I　thrash　those　I　love　best；〃　says　a　well…known
Russian　proverb。　The　customary　Court　seems　to　admit　the　use　of
such　disciplinary　proceedings　by　not　interfering　in　the　personal
relations　of　husband　and　wife。　〃Never　judge　the　quarrel　of
husband　and　wife；〃　is　a　common　saying；　scrupulously　observed　by
the　village　tribunals；　which　refuse　to　hear　any　complaint　on　the
part　of　the　aggrieved　woman；　at　least　so　long　as　the　punishment
has　not　been　of　such　a　nature　as　to　endanger　life　or　limb。　Where
that　is　the　case；　the　offender　may　be　condemned　to　imprisonment；
and　the　outraged　victim　allowed　to　retire　for　a　time　to　the　home
of　her　parents。　The　customary　law　has；　however；　taken　effectual
measures　for　the　protection　of　the　wife's　fortune。　That　husband
and　wife　should　each　have　entirely　distinct　property；　with　sole
control　over　it；　is　still　the　leading　principle　at　least　in　Great
Russia。　In　the　provinces　which；　like　those　of　Little　Russia；　have
been　for　centuries　subject　to　the　statute　of　Lithuania　and　the
municipal　law　of　Magdeburg；　the　system　of　a　partial　community　of
goods　has　prevailed。　According　to　the　customary　law　of　Kiev；
Poltava；　and　Chernigov；　a　widow　has　a　right　to　the　third　part　of
the　fortune　left　by　her　husband。　in　former　times　this　third　part
was　a　sort　of　pledge　for　the　security　of　the　dowry　of　the　wife。　
　　　　A　few　words　will　suffice　to　give　a　general　idea　of　the
dependence　in　which　the　children　are　placed　as　regards　their
parents；　and　more　especially　their　father。　The　patriarchal
character　of　the　Russian　family　plainly　appears　in　the　fact　that
no　amount　of　bad　treatment　on　the　part　of　the　parents　justifies
an　appeal　to　the　village　tribunal；　unless　it　involves　danger　to
life　or　limb。　In　such　cases；　the　nature　of　which　makes　it
difficult　to　establish　the　facts　before　a　Court　of　Law；　the
further　maintenance　of　the　child　is　generally　committed　to　some
near　relative。　
　　　　The　complete　dependence　of　the　children　upon　their　parents　in
respect　to　fortune　is　proved　by　the　fact　that　neither　son　nor
daughter　can　claim　any　portion　of　the　family　estate。　The　father
can；　as　he　pleases；　give　or　refuse　a　dowry　to　his　daughter。
Should　she　marry　against　his　wish　no　dowry　is　given；　and　she
enters　penniless　into　her　husband's　family。　It　equally　depends
upon　the　father's　pleasure　whether　he　shall　transfer　a　portion　of
his　property　to　a　grown…up　son；　or　maintain　it　intact　in　spite　of
his　son's　manifest　wishes。