of smoke; and it frequently happens that a goodnatured man, who has no children of his own, will have a dozen in this manner imposed upon him. This is certainly one of the most extraordinary circumstances to be met with in history; nor can it be accounted for either on political or natural principles, as a father, who exposes his own child, will perhaps adopt the children of others.

The Emperor Theodosius when about the age of 21, desired his sister Pulcheria and his friend Paulinus to search his whole Empire for a woman of the greatest beauty and accomplishments. In their search a Grecian virgin accidentally presented herself. Her father, an eminent philosopher of Athens, had bred her up in all the learning of that place, but had disinherited her, and to set aside the effect of his will, and overcome the injustice of her two brothers, were the causes of her journey to Constantinople, when a relation represented her case to Pulcheria. By this means that religious Princess became acquainted with Athenais, whom she found equally beautiful, intelligent, and chaste. Charmed with her conversation, Pulcheria made her report to Theodosius, who desired that she might be brought immediately to the lodgings of his friend Paulinus, where he became enamoured of the maiden. Paulinus converted her to Christianity, and gave her the name of Eudosia, after which the Emperor publicly espoused her, and en

joyed all the happiness in marriage which he expected from such a virtuous and learned bride. She forgave her brothers, raised them to great honors, and made herself so dear to the whole empire, that statues were erected to her memory, and she is celebrated by the fathers of the church as an ornament to her sex. May her example have its due influence in the present day!

LOVE OF BOYS, &c. among thE GREEKS.-Who it was that first introduced the custom of loving boys among the Greeks is uncertain; however, (to omit the infamous amours of Jupiter, Orpheus, Lajus of Thebes, and others,) we find it generally practised by the ancient Grecians, and that not only in private, but by the public allowance and encouragement of their laws; for they thought there could be no means more effectual to excite their youth to noble understanding, nor any greater security to their common-wealths, than this passion. This the invaders of their liberties so often experienced, that it became a received maxim in the politics of tyrants, to use all their endeavours to extirpate it out of their dominions; on the contrary, free common-wealths, and all those states that consulted their own honor, seem to have been unanimous in establishing laws to encourage and reward it.

We find it to have been so generally practised and highly esteemed in Crete, that such of their

well-born and beautiful youths as never had any lovers incurred the public censure, as persons some way or other faulty in their morals, as if nothing elsé could hinder, but that some one's affections would be placed upon them; but those, that were more happy in being admired, were honored with the first seats at public exercises, and wore, for a distinguished badge of honor, a sort of garment richly adorned, which they retained after arriving at man's estate, in memory that they had once been eminent, for so the Cretans called the youths who had lovers. One thing was remarkable in this place, that the adopters always took the adopted by force; for, having placed their affections upon any one, they informed his relations thereof, and also what day they intended to take him. If the lover were unworthy to have the boy, they refused to yield him up; but if they thought proper to trust the boy with him, they made a slight opposition to satisfy the law, pursuing him to his residence, when they gave their consent. After this, he carried the boy where he pleased; those who were present at the commencement of the ceremony bearing company. He entertained the youth some time, two months at the farthest, with hunting and other diversions: he then returned him home. At his departure, the law specified that the boy should receive a suit of armour, an ox, and a cup, to which the lover usually added, out of his own bounty, several other presents.

The boy on his return home sacrificed the ox to Jupiter, made an entertainment for those that had acccompanied him, and gave an account of the usage he had received; for, in case he had been rudely treated, the law allowed him satisfaction. It is further affirmed by Maximus the Syrian, that, during all the time of their converse together, nothing unseemly, nothing repugnant to the strictest laws of virtue, passed between them; and however some authors have inclined to have hard thoughts of this custom, yet the testimonies of several others, with the high characters given by the ancients of the old Cretan Constitution, by which this custom was approved, are sufficient to vindicate it from all false imputations. The same is put beyond dispute by what Strabo tells us, that it was not so much the external beauty of the boy as his virtuous disposition, his modesty, and courage, which recommended him.

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From the Cretans we pass to the Lacedemonians, several of whose constitutions were derived from Crete. Their love of boys was remarkable all over Greece, and for the whole conduct and excellent consequence of it every where admired. There was no such thing as presents passed between the lovers; no foul arts were used to insinuate themselves into each other's affections; their love was generous, and worthy the Spartan education; it was first instituted from a mutual

RUSSIA.

THIS extensive part of the world, scarcely knowing its limits in Europe or Asia, embraces a variety of tribes and petty nations. Its power was a century ago contemptible, but the ambition and perseverance of its Emperors, its resources, and its positions, have made it formidable to its southerly neighbours.

The Greek religion is the established one, and with respect to rights, ceremonials, festivals, and fasts, is as abundant as the Roman Catholic. The Pontiff of the Greek church is as great as the sovereign Pontiff of Rome, and the priests have made St. Nicholas, their patron saint, a very active gentleman, who has enlisted a great number of others into his service. But as we are not detailing their superstitions, but their marriage laws and ceremonies, we shall proceed to describe the people and their particularities.

The nuptial ceremonies of the Russians are very singular. When the parents have agreed upon the match, (though the parties perhaps have never seen each other,) the bride is critically examined by a number of women, in order to discover if she has any bodily defect, and, if any, to remedy