stated that "the daughters are almost invariably put to death immediately after birth, and are always buried in the same state in which they were born.

"That there is no uniform mode of killing infants. Sometimes their short life is terminated by opium, sometimes by suffocation;" and on being interrogated as to any other mode, he merely replied, "what difficulty is there in blasting a flower?"

Sometimes the mother, if there are no female attendants, kills the infant herself; but in general, women of rank do not perform this unnatural office.

THE DRUSES are so excessively jealous, that, if a man were to inform his friend of the health of the female branches of his own family, and to enquire after the other's wife or daughter, the enquiry or intelligence would irritate a Druse to that degree, that he would go home and put his wife and daughter to death, as persons who were a disgrace to him, and seize the first opportunity of dispatching his inquisitive or officious acquaintance. Enquiries and accounts, which in Europe pass for

the intercourse between the sexes, this seems to be the most absurd and inconvenient. That prevailing in the Southern parts of Malayala avoids all the domestic unhappiness arising from jealousy, or want of continued affection; but that here, while it has none of the benefits of marriage, is attended with all its evils."

nothing, or at most bespeak attention and respect, are certainly fraught with much more meaning in Asia than in our quarter of the globe.

At Benares the marriage ceremony is conducted in the following manner. The young lover and his mistress, attended by a Bramir, a cow, and a calf, repair to the banks of the Ganges, and go down into the river altogether. The Bramin is presented with a piece of fine white cloth, of about ten or twelve ells in length, and a basket-full of various things of value. The Bramin first spreads the cloth all over the cow; then takes her tail in his hand, and pronounces a set forms of words. The parties likewise, who are thus to be joined in holy wedlock, lay hold of her tail with one hand, but are so commodiously placed, that the man at the same time joins his hand with the Bramin, and the woman with her husband; afterwards they pour some water upon the cow's tail, in such a manner that it shall fall into their hands. When this ceremony is over, the Bramin ties the extremities of the bride and bridegroom's upper garment into a knot, a practice similar to which the Mexicans observe. Thus joined, they make a formal procession round the cow and the calf, and then the nuptial solemnity is completed. The cow and the calf are the customary dues of the Bramin; but before they depart, they give their alms to the poor; and not only pray to their idols,

but in honor of them make valuable oblations on their altars.

In various parts of the Indies, the virgins are obliged, immediately before they enter into the state of matrimony, to devote their chastity to the deities they worship. On this occasion, the intended bride is introduced by her nearest relations after the most pompous manner, with vocal and instrumental music into the presence of the idol, which is commodiously placed for the acceptance of those secret favors, which ought in justice to be granted to no one but her husband.

In the Decan, the bridegroom, the bride, and all their relations, first sit upon the ground before a spacious fire, then rise, and move in a solemn manner seven times successively round about it, pronouncing at the same time a certain form of words.

At PEGU strangers are always welcome to caress their daughters, out of a complaisance which is equally practiced in some other countries. It is true, indeed, that the Péguans sell theirs, where-as others act upon a more generous and disinterested principle. It is a custom there, to make a contract with parents for the loan of their daughters for a determinate time, after which they are sent home again without either censure or disgrace. But if the hired virgin afterwards marries, and the party that first hired her accidentally re

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turns into the country, he has free liberty to take her to himself again, and supply the husband's place as long as he thinks proper to detain her. In short, they concern themselves there as little as in any other place of the Indies, about that virgin-flower which in other countries is the husband's pride and greatest glory.

The husband makes a purchase of his wife, and deposits a valuable consideration for her into her parent's hands. This portion is forfeited in case of a separation; for divorces are customary among them. The husband in that case discards his wife, and sends her home without the least formality imaginable to her relations; but if the divorce is procured either by her or her friends, then they are obliged to refund, and return the marriage portion to the husband.

The King of Pegu seldom marries but one wife; however, in lieu thereof he keeps a large seraglio of concubines, in this respect copying after the other monarchs of the East, particularly his neighbour the King of Narsinque, who, amongst his other honorable titles, has that of a husband to a thousand wives.

CHINA.

FOнI is said to have instituted the ordinances of matrimony, and his laws against marrying within the degrees of consanguinity were so severe, that they could not marry a wife of the same name, though the relationship was ever so distant, à custom strictly observed to this day.-Although polygamy is in fashion among the Chinese, the first wife only bears the title of Queen or Empress.The others are not limited in number, and are ladies of quality, most of whom seldom see the Emperor, and may be rather ranked with our maids of honor, or attendants on the Empress.The wives of the Chinese are most strictly kept from the sight of every male, and closely immured in their apartments.-Various causes are assigned for bandaging the feet of female infants, by which the foot is made to resemble a small hoof, but the most probable one is, that it distinguishes the lady from the menial, whence custom has made it fashionable:-a small foot in England and France is held graceful, but here it is a lump of deformity. The relations must be consulted before the Chinese lovers can see each other, and female match-makers are paid for puffing off the