S. M. Hussey Quotes
For example, when the family is growing up, the farm is handed over to the eldest son, who gives the parents a small allowance during their lives, while the fortune that he gets with his wife goes, not to himself, but to provide for his younger brothers and sisters. Hence, if the eldest son were to marry the Venus de Medici with ten pounds less dowry than he could get with the ugliest wall-eyed female in the neighborhood, he would be considered as an enemy to all his family.
S. M. Hussey, 1824-1913, (Samuel Murray Hussey), Irish Land Agent & Contemporary Historian, Reminiscences of an Irish Land Agent, 1904
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Husbands like to take the credit for a wife’s virtues, but if there be any shortcomings the husband blames the woman’s family. Note that the woman is not perceived as capable of independent action other than that which is taught, controlled or mandated by wither a husband or father, brothers or other male relatives. This attitude tragically makes reform so very difficult in Arab cultures.
Some change took place, mostly among educated in the cities. There has been little change otherwise since his death.
A fatwa is a religious legal ruling.
This is a very interesting historical quotations in that it describes the family culture of an important subset of Americans in the early 19th century. The Duena (chaperone) was a middle aged woman who would always accompany young, unmarried women whenever they left the home. A young man who would take a young lady for a carriage ride or anything else, would also have to take the duena.
