The Sun.
London, England, 1804-07-16 00:00:00

lirom Wilkinson's Epitome of the History of Malts-And

Poio.)

• THE fathers concluded the marriage's, according
to their own interests and convenience, without
consulting the inclination of their children. 'When
the contrad was settled and the dowry stipulated,
, the young man•sent to his intended a present of fi,h
covered with garlands of ribbands, and a gold ring
in the mouth of that which was the most highly •
esteemed. They then settled the day of interview,
- which was to be in the presence of the parents and
common friewds, who were regaled with refresh.
mentsa A moment before the interview, the two
mothers retire -to prepare a composition, of anise,
aromatic plants, salt, and honey, with which they
rubbed the lips of ahe bride, that her words might
be sweet, sage, and prudent. Shc was then intro-
duced to the bridegroom, who otThred here ring, on
which were crigraaen two hands joined in token of
fidelity, bracelets, necklace, and a gold chain ;.,she
presented in alter turn a fiandkerchiel edged with
lace, and knots of ribbands. On the wedding day,
the most respedable of the bridegroom's relations
placed on the head of the intended, a very floe white
veil ; she was dressed nit that day in a velvet,gown;
others of the relations made holes in the gown, •and
putiolittle gold shells. They then went to church.
Musicians and singers celebrated in couplets the
praises of the happy pair; the musicians were pre.
ceded by three men, one of whom carried on his
head a bason, full of fresh cheese-cakes, on the
largest of which were placed two small ;he
wore.a scarf, from which hung a round IC4ke called
collora. The second carried a basket full of sugar
plumbs, which one of the relations distributed to his
acquaintance as he met them ; in the middle was a
handkerchief folded up in the form of a pyramid,
and ornamented with an image of the Virgin
and
Child, anfl_Sta Joseph. The third carried burning
incense. The happy couple'marched the last, un-
der a canopy of crimson damask in festoons, carried
by the four principal persons,. and the parents closed
the suite, The tinging of bells announced the ar-
rival of the wedding ; the priest received a hason
.containing a cake, a ,handkerchiel,• and two bottles
of wine : after the benedidion, they left the church
in'the same order they came. The whole ceremony
generally lasted four bouts. a A servant placed at
one of the, windows of the' house threw on the heads
of. the new-Married couple, on their return, some
handfuls of grain, and small money. The prejn_
dice of the Maltese at that' time was, that if the
wife on her return first put her foot on the threshold
of the door, she would rule : we may suppose from
that, there were very few so polite as to let their
wives go first. At the nuptial feast the wife ate in
a separate apartment, or in a corner of the guest's
room,. surrounded by clothes to conceal her ; after
the repast She came and sat near her husband, and
thank out
,of the same cup. In the 'casali they
danced during the repast ; every dancer threw a
piece of thoney to the players, and each guest brought
a fowl, Until the commencement of the present
century, in the city the wedding balls were given
after the Spanish fashion, and they danced with
castagnettes. The yelling bride passed, the first
eight days in her father's house; after that she was
pompously received by her husband, to whom the
parents gave a ball and supper. The Malteae, never
married in the month of May : they had so little
confidence in any work they undertook during the
cOurse of this month, that they would not even
Order a new coat. This superstition recalls to us
the division which the Romans made of the year
irtto lucky and unlucky days : it is thus we find, in
the ancient Maltese manners, a great number of cus-
toms of different peopie of antiquity : It is necessary
to retrace them, to give some explanation of the ce-
remonies which the mixture and applicatien of Pagan
and Christian rites have rendered singular anti ctiri.
ous. Fish•were regarded by the Syi fans as hose_
held gods : these deities, by eresenting, themselves
the wedding ring to the young betrothed, seem to
call her by this signal into the house they protected.
The Greeks wished that on her entrance her words
should he agreeable to her husband ; on this account
they addressed their prayers to the god of eloquence.
Led afterwards to the altar Of Hymen, the' Romans
offered her, in the garlands and knots of flowers,
the emblem of the duties anti pleasures of wedlock.
The Hebrews wished that her modesty might always
distinguish her, anti covered her head with a veil,
Her husband was obliged to give her two rings, one
of gold, and the' other of iron; which custom has
descended to us in the rings which open and shut,
anti on which are engraven names or mottos. The
Greeks accompanied her to the temple with the
most lively demonstrations of joy ; she marched
surrounded by dancers and singers ; they held over
the heads alter and her husband a crown of fl Avers;
the first fruits of the year were laid at the feet of
the statues of the gods; cakes were consecrated to
the pares ; and corn, nuts, and almonds, were thrown
about, in token of abundance of prosperity.

The Methodists in America had last year an in'.
crease to their number of t7,336.—The total num.
her then were, people of colour, 22,4.53 ; whites,
8t,617. _

Wcdneiday afternoon, about five o'clock,, BS, a
servant to-Mr. Morgan, in Cloth.fair, Smithfield,
was carrying a child through Litg-lane, a drayman
drove his dray upon the pavems!nt, and knocked the
child out of the girl's arms with one of the barrels;
the child fell under the wheel, whirk passed over its
head, and it expired in a .few minutes. The tiray_
man was secured, and it is supposed the dray and
Imrses will be forfeited.

Saturday sennight, a vagabond Doaress was corn.
mitted to Wakefield House of Correetion, by the Ma.
gistrate of that place, fur pretending to have been
deaf and dumb from her birth.. She had caused her.
self to be announced as the only daughter of a great
Italian Physician, .and had obtained various awn!: of
money frowthe credulous, for her nostrums. After
remaining about fifteen hours. in custody, she was
ruddemty ,restored to the blesaings of speech and
hearing, ,an which occasion, she nude such use of the
former faculty, as to convince her auditors, that she
was endeavouring to make up fur forty years silence.