Classical Club Lecture.

Last night under the auspices of the Harvard Classical Club, Professor W. G. Hale, of Cornell University, lectured on the subject of Roman Marriage and Roman Women. In beginning Professor Hale gave a description of the organization of a Roman family.

The Roman father was the sole head of the family and the wife and children were under his charge. The sons and daughters never attained an age at which they were free from the power of the father. When the sons married their wives and children also came into the power of the father and so on, the descendants always being under the power of the oldest male of the family, who controlled all the affairs and who owned all the property and slaves and had the power of life and death over the children. This, as may be seen, is very different from our way, as when a son attains a certain age he is entirely free from the power of the father. There were certain restrictions from marrying, such as both man and woman had to be Romans. The man had to be 14 years old and the girl 12. The consent of both fathers as well as that of the bride had to be obtained and the parties could not be near relations. The betrothal was somewhat of the nature of a modern contract, there being witnesses to sign the papers and a certain amount of money being given to the man as a pledge of good faith. In after years this money was replaced by an iron ring, this being the origin of the modern engagement ring. Immediately after the betrothal there was a grand festival to which all the friends of both families were invited. The marriage ceremony took place in the morning and was followed by a grand banquet. About twilight a procession was formed by all the guests and the bride was led to her husband's house, and from that time her father lost control of her.

Professor Hale concluded his lecture by a series of stereopticon views, picturing the different parts of the Roman marriage ceremony.