An economist describes just how a commercial Revolution-era English training isn’t as awful though it sounds bad) as it sounds (even.

After a couple of a lot of rum-soaked basins of furmity see page, a person during the reasonable in Casterbridge spouts down, saying:

“For my component, I don’t realise why males who ‘ve got wives and want that is don’t, should not get ride of ‘em since these gipsy fellows do their old horses. Why shouldn’t they put ‘em up and offer ‘em at auction to males that are looking for such articles? Hey? Why, begad, I’d sell mine this moment if anyone would purchase her!”

This is certainly followed closely by the inciting incident that begins Thomas Hardy’s The Mayor of Casterbridge. Continue reading Why Wife-Selling Had Been Advantageous for Spouses →