An old proverb says,
"To wed in May is to wed poverty." Now, as Lady Lillycraft is very
much given to believe in lucky and unlucky times and seasons, and
indeed is very superstitious on all points relating to the tender
passion, this old proverb seems to have taken great hold upon her
mind. She recollects two or three instances, in her own knowledge, of
matches that took place in this month, and proved very unfortunate.
Indeed, an own cousin of hers, who married on a May-day, lost her
husband by a fall from his horse, after they had lived happily
together for twenty years.
The parson appeared to give great weight to her ladyship's objections,
and acknowledged the existence of a prejudice of the kind, not merely
confined to modern times, but prevalent likewise among the ancients.
In confirmation of this, he quoted a passage from Ovid, which had a
great effect on Lady Lillycraft, being given in a language which she
did not understand. Even Master Simon was staggered by it; for he
listened with a puzzled air; and then, shaking his head, sagaciously
observed, that Ovid was certainly a very wise man.
From this sage conference I likewise gathered several other important
pieces of information, relative to weddings; such as that, if two were
celebrated in the same church, on the same day, the first would be
happy, the second unfortunate.
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