A phrase from historical newspaper personal ads, explained with real examples from the archive.
A slightly softer way of saying object matrimony: the writer hopes the acquaintance will lead to marriage.
| Type | Historical phrase |
|---|---|
| Earliest example in the archive | December 11, 1898, Seattle Post-Intelligencer |
| Most common | 1850s to the 1920s |
Where object matrimony was blunt, with a view to matrimony suggested that marriage was the hope rather than the condition. It appears in the archive alongside wishes the acquaintance of and similar phrases, and a related phrase, matrimonially inclined, turns up in an 1898 Seattle ad describing the kind of woman the writer hoped to find.
AM A NEW YORK MAN, young, good-looking, clever; returned this week from Atlin solely for purpose meeting young maiden or widow matrimonially inclined with some capital…
MIDDLE-AGED widow, with some means, is desirous of meeting gentleman, with view to matrimony. Address S 8, Bee.
WIDOWER of 45 wishes acquaintance of lady with view to matrimony. Box 210 Tribune.
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