Having taken care by means of education to eradicate all incipient faults in woman, to confirm her health, to increase her powers of attraction, and fit her for the station which her talents and virtues entitle her to fill, we take the best means to ensure that the maiden shall at the proper age marry the man most pleasing to her, and most likely to secure the happiness of both.

In every district a council of ladies, who have passed through certain ordeals, and a council of elders, regulate all matters relating to marriage.  Over each of these presides a man of a certain age, and of spotless character, whose qualities, actions, and mode of life have been observed and recorded from early youth.

Let me more particularly describe how the lady makes choice of a husband.

During thirty-one evenings in succession the girl intended for the marriage state is placed in an assemblage composed of eighty-five young men, one of whom she is expected to choose, but however quickly her mind may be made up she is not allowed to announce her decision till the thirty-first evening has arrived.

The eighty-five young men are selected by the councils from those only who have declared their intention of marrying.  Any man of the same rank as the lady, who is desirous to be one of the eighty-five, is generally nominated at once, and if the girl has any especial liking for one particular person, she is allowed to communicate the fact privately to one of the ladies of the council.

In cases, however, where both the councils are of opinion that there is any serious objection to the eligibility of the young man, they have the right to withhold the summons.  This right they rarely exercise, and never until after communicating with the lady where she has named the gentleman.  Every contingency is well considered; besides, the regulations which govern every step connected with these meetings, and the sacred feeling with which the councils regard the delicate trust confided to them, prevent any inconvenience which might otherwise arise from their proceedings.

At these meetings the girl wears a peculiar headdress with a star in front, to distinguish her from other ladies who are allowed to be present, but who however are expected not to pay court to the gentlemen.  It would have been unreasonable to require the exercise of so much self denial under the old system, but an acquisition of the power of self denial forms part of the training prescribed by my system of education, and is now ordinarily practised when needed.  This privilege of being present is highly prized and eagerly sought by ladies, if only for one of the thirty-one chosen evenings.

The gentlemen who wish to have their pretensions favourably viewed, pay court to the young maiden of the star, and any gentleman who it is thought may prove agreeable can be called by the lady of the council, one of whom is always seated near the girl.