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Show MAKIUAOK. Count Tolstoi, with pernicious activity, activ-ity, endeavors to impress the world with the wickedness of tho institution of marriage. Although himself married, mar-ried, aud happily married, it is said, and surrounded by an interesting family fam-ily of cliildreu, tho noble author persists in his crusado against a system that tho best men of all ages regard as sacred, anil the wisest men as tho foundation rock of civilization. From a moral and hygionio point of view, too, marriage has proved to bo a marked success, and it is conceded by tho best statisticians that married life enhances the chances for longevity by at least twenty per cent. Wo can readily conceive how a man living in tho gloom of Russian barbarity and affecting a strango religious tendency ten-dency should in theory prefer colibacy to conjugality, and wish by that means to bring the world to an end. Perhaps if we lived in the shadows of tho Siberian exilo wo might be bettor able to svmpa- thiy.0 with Count Tolstoi in his false philosophy. Hut in this free country wo have something to live for, and while tho path of life is sometimes thorny enough, tho true man and true woman find ample compensation for it all In the bosom of their families. Why should Tolstoi wish to rob the world of tho hollowost of its possessions and the noblest incentive to do good; why, indeed, in-deed, should he try to suppress the grandest of all human emotions, Love, and its fullest consummation, Marriage? Mar-riage? Tolstoi may find a multitudo of curious curi-ous readers in this country, but as for disciples we believe ho will not lind many. Our Christianity and our civilization civili-zation are based upon a higher piano thau his, and the home, albeit the family, fam-ily, Is tho corner stone of our highest endeavors. |