wedlock. Consent is no defence. A woman
may be charged under the Act if she, being above the age of sixteen,
with consent permits her grandfather, father, brother, or son, to have
carnal knowledge of her.

XXXVII.--BLACKMAILING

There are in London and every large city scores of men and women who
live by blackmailing or chantage. There are many different forms of this
industry. There is the man who knows something about your past life,
which he threatens to reveal to your friends or colleagues unless you
buy him off. There is the breach-of-promise blackmailer, and there is
the female patient, who threatens to charge you with improper conduct or
indecent assault. Medical men from their position are often selected as
victims. The introduction of corridor carriages on many of our railways
has done much to stamp out one particular form of blackmailing, but
public urinals are still a source of danger.

It is the worst possible policy to temporize with a blackmailer. If you
give him a single penny, you are his for life. It is as well to remember
that it is just as criminal to attempt to extract money from a guilty as
from an innocent person. It is of no use attempting to deal with these
cases single-handed. You must not only deny the allegation, but 'spurn
the allegator.' Put the matter into the hands of a good sharp criminal
solicitor, and instruct him to rid you of the nuisance by taking
criminal proceedings.

XXXVIII.--MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

Marriage may be accomplished in many ways: (1) By the publication of
banns; (2) by an ordinary licence; (3) by a special licence; (4) by the
Superintendent-Registrar's licence; (5) by a special licence granted by
the Archbishop of Canterbury in consideration of the payment of the sum
of L25. Then, for persons having a domicile in Scotland, there is the
marriage by repute. The consent of the parties, which is the essence of
the contract, may be expressed before witnesses, and it is not requisite
that a clergyman should assist, but it is essential that the expressions
of consent must be for a matrimonial intent. 'Habit and repute'
constitute good evidence, but the repute must be the general, constant,
and unvarying belief of friends and neighbours. The cohabitation must be
in Scotland.

Any irregularity in the marriage ceremony or the non-observance of any
formality will not invalidate the marriage, unless it were known to both
the contracting parties. If a man were