The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-08-06
CooIey's New Work on Egypt.

Sooiey's new work on Egypt.
This work is greatly admired, and is considered
muchm more amusing book than Stevens's Central
America. We continue our extracts and illustra-
ions:-
MARRIAGE AND CoscuBNAor Eerrr.
Marriage contracts in Egypt are generally effected
Trough the agency of relations or class OF nd
duaIs who may not inappositely be termed marriage
brokers'. The parties to be united rarely never have
thing to do with the prelminares or the final accom-
hshment of the marriage agreement further than
hat purpose Most commonly the mother or sister,
other near female relative describes The personal at
ractions and quac atoms of o. ker acquant-
noes to the DESTROYS to he married and makes the
ection for him. Should he have no female relatives
whom he could confde this important commission, the
rider placed in the hands Of woman, whose regular
occupation to aid men in search of the better hsl."
who to obtain wife for Isaac, dissimar
perhaps to the mode ofprocedure in many Egypt
the present day The marriage broker visits he various
arems, where she does fail to be Introduced 20 ell
he inmates who are Of manageable age. She then
She represents of the ladies that she seen Us po
essng great beauty; Others not in pc
harms. but Iich. The man DESTROYS of obtaining wiff
satisfied with her report makes her present and sends
er back to the family of the object OF his choice to ac
Quaint them OF his request She gives exaggerated
count OF his wealth beauty and excellent qualities For
instance, she will say Of very ordinary young man. of
scarcely any property and Of whose disposition she knows
nothing, Ny daughter the youth who wishes to marry
young graceful, elegant, l-ardless has plenty Of
money dresses handsomey is fond OF decaces, but can
enjoy his Injuries alone; he wants YOU as his compa
non he will give anything that money procure;
he ayerahome and will spendAs whole time with
you caressing and ondiing you The parents may be-
to him without her consent if she be not arrived to the
aged of pubery but after she has that age she
may choose husband for herself and appoint any man
arrange and effect the marriage"
A marriage portion in all cases be paid by the
Bridegroom 10 his wife. Generally however, only part
oft paid before the marriage contract performed the
balance being reserved TO be handed to the wife at
the time she may be divorced shsuld that happen
at the death OF the husband, should she survive him.
The amount OF the bridal dowry depend upon the wealth
ol the parties to be married. and is usually subject of
some higglng on The part OF those who negotiate the
mstch A much larger snm is usually demanded nj first
ny the friends Of the bride than she expects reaeve
while the sgsn Of the bridegroom instructed to offer an
amount nsidsrabiy below what he is willing ultimately
give Bat after little chaaering the matter the
bargain elinehed at price somewhere between the
amounts already named and both parties doubtless en-.
joy the silent satisfaction Of believing that they have
IA excellent bargain.
Ii the parties in decent circumstances and en-
joying an income competent to respectable syl
OF living. dowry OF about one hundred dollars ia
sideroi handsome thing though sometimes under ST.
miar circumstances scarcely half that is Civ en-
This, however applies only female. in their first mar.
rage virgin BRIDES while those who may have been
once, or ofener divorced, or widows, receive much
When the parents or friends of the bride are in rrorpe
circumstances che is usually presented at the time
of her marriage with decent outfit of furniture Jewels
and dresses all OF which are paraed through the
cames and form part of the bridal procession But
where the bride happens to be Of the lower classes her
parents generally make as good bargain they for
themselves pocket the marriage dowry and very
Little else to the bridegroom except his bride
This would seem to be scarcely honorable than
the ancient custom that prevailed among the
ifso mnch so; who says Herodous assembled together
such of their virgins as manageable appoint.
ted time and place. and some public officer sold them by
auction one by one, beginning with the most beautiful
When one was disposed Of and, may be supposed
considerable sum- he proceeded sell the one who was
next in beauty, taking for granted that each mar
rsd the maid he purchased The crer when he had sold
the farest selected the ugly or one that was
delormed she also was put to SALE and assigned to
whomsoever would take her with the money! This
money was what the sale of the most beautiful maidens
reed
who were deformed or less lovely than themselves No
man was permitted to provide match for his daughter
nor could any one take away the woman he had pur.
chased without first giving security to make her his tre,
"The law respecting marriage and concubinage, though
express to the number of wives whom the oslem
have at the same time namely four, considered nv
the less strict perfectly explicit with regard to The
in marriage OF the women who please you two, three
or four; but fear that ye cannot equitably TO
have acquired that is slaves Koran chap w. s. 81 Many
OF the wealthy Moslems interpreting this text according
to their desires marry two three or four wives and
keep, besides several concubine slaves" With the
cepton OF the priests who could only marry one
the custom of the ancient Egyptians says Diodous
have as many wives they pleased and all bound
to bring up many children they could for the fur
ther increase of the Inhabitants which tends much the
wellbeng either of city country"
Notwithstanding this liberal license, however Hero.
dotus informs us that the ancient Egyptians like the
Greeks confined themselves wife. This assertion
is nevertheless contradcted" That the Greeks did not
confne themselves to wife learn from certain at.
thorty EurPides was knownt to be woman Halter; but
says Hume, twas because he coupled to two poisy
vixens''
"of the marriage contracts of the Egyptians SAYS
Wilkinson, we are entirely ignorant do we find
the ceremony represented in the paintings of their omhs
We may however conclude they were regulated by
the customs usual among civilized nations"
THE CUSTOM MARRYING BaorHERs AND SISTERS IN
EorPr.
The strange custem Of marrying brothers and sisters
was not uncommon in Egypt in her most enlightened
detes OF Egypt who also brother and sister, sup
posed to have given peculiar authority apd sancy to this
"iany individuals among the priesthood of early pha
ronc periods are found from the Of Thebes TO
have married their sisters and the same authorities agree
with the accounts of ancient Greek and Roman writer's in
proving that Ptoemes adopted this ancient Gus
TOM This custom doubtless prevailed among the people Of
Abraham who also married his sister, and said of his
wife, "And yet indeed she is my she is the daueh.
ter of my father but not the daughter of my mother
The Athsnians. likewise, who "were colony of the
saites which came out Of Egypt are said to have adopt
and the connection of Jupiter and Juno who were report
edo to he brother and sister, doubt derived from
the fabulous account Of Osiris and Isis Herodotus saws
that before Cambyces mo Persian had ever been Ino
to marry his sister but he being passonaely fond
of his married the sister he loved and long aterward
second. The younger Of these, who accompanied him
to Egypt he put to DEATH"
Many Of the modern Egyptians do avail themselves
OF the full extent of their religious license which allows
them four wives and still dispense with the add.
ton OF slaves and concubne Some, for the sake of do
nestle peace or other content themselves with
one rwo wives and keep slaves concubncs ALL
Others prefer to keep female slaves and dis
pense with TIE more expensive establishment Of the wives
altogether
Ttsusualfor each wife, when there are more than one
to occupy separate rooms and with these arrange
mcn the eaoues that frequently spring up in the ha
rem render the establishment like Badam than the
quiet abode Of the Christian satisfied with one wifi
Though man restrict himself TO single wife, he may
change az often as lie desires and there
maay men In Cairo who have not divorced one wife il
they have been long married. The husband NAV when
ever nc piascs say TO his wife, Thon art divorced
be his wish, wheher reasonable not she must return
to her pnrcnts friends" ~ $500
The liability OF wife to be turned eff a. any moment nv
her husband anh ia very frequent instances be
destitute uPon the world occasisns more moro
the Egyptian women than other circumsance anenf
ing their de Graded live- Sometimes th
hope Of being able to better their condition in sacnnT
third or fourth marriage, the NAV be nuite ho
lances the oignancy consequent. upon a enforcement