The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-09-07
fnformatio,l.
Cnrlesiaies Of Marriage.
From the Cincinnati Coamercial.l


institutions. As the foundation Of society and
TIE family. it is universally observed throughout
s.s .ri5bo no nation having been discovered,
ho.e eve. b. ,basous, which does not celebrate the
sl1.on OF The sexes bv ceremony and rejoicing.
M sbuses of the institution, as polygamy, in.
saelity nd divorce, have in no manner touched
It's exist, nee, however they may have vitiated
it, purity.
The condition of women in all countries has
afforded a fruitful theme for the observation OF
the traveller, and the speculatons of the philoso-
pher and the novelist. 1t has been uniformly
found that the savage is the tyrant Of the female
sex, while the position and consideration given
TO woman is advanced in proportion to the re-
finement of social life. Under the laws OF Ly-
caryus, Numa, and even later law.givers, the
power of the husband over his wife was absolute,
sometimes even including the power over life or
death. The wife was always defined and treat
ed as a thing not as a person-the absolute prop
ertv OF her lord. In the earlier ages, man
might oil his children or his wife indifferently,
and relics Of tins rude custom still survive, even
among notions called civilized and christian.
IN the countries of the east, where polygamy
!, almost universal, marriage is not the sacred tie
whirh " ~ held to he in Christian countries. In
Persia mon marry either for life or for deter
inmate time. Travellers or merchants commonly
apply 10 the magistrate for wife during their
residence in any place, and the cadi produces a
nuinuer OF girls for selection. whom he declares
to be honest and healthy. -Four wives are per.
m,,tai 10 each husband in Persia, and the same
nuuu!. allowed hv The MohOmmedan law TO
the Nu...i,ilan
In Cnnese Iartaiy kind of male polygamy
8 practiced, and plurality OF husbands is high
4. respected. In Tbibet it is customary for the
brothers OF a family to have a wife in common,
and hey generally live in harmony and COM
fort with her. Among the Calmucks, the cere-
mcny of marriage is performed on horseback.
The girl is first mounted and permitted to ride
off at full speed, when her lover takes horse
and yal!ops after her. If he overtakes the fugi-
tive she becomes his wife, and the marriage is
cousum,,,,e TN the spot. 1t is said that no in
stance IS known of Calmuck girl ever being
overt,lcn unless she is really fond of her
pursuer.
The Arabs divide their affections between
h Aoi,e- md their wives, and regard the pur-
ity al 10. n ths former quite as much as in
their f'lyFmy is practiced only by
thA re-, re rare. In Ceylon the
m4r:. a,e brought about by the
~ N ir.' . whom he wi.hes to be-
come his ,, lase her clothes. These
she sells ~ ri sum, generally aking
}. much q. ,he thiAA requisite for them to be-
gin the world with. In the evening he calls on
her, with the wardrobe, at her fathers house,
and they pass the night i'll each others company.
Mex; morning, il mutually satisfied, they ap.
poin he DAY IF marriage They are permitted
to SIP .as.e .never they please, and so fire.
"a LIZ ovA. tlun.e,ces Of this privilege that
-laey soiRcVlmes change dozen times before their
.lnctin ions are wholly, suited.
In II indostan the women have a peculiar VEN
Grafton .or marriage, it is part of the popu-
lar creed that those females who die virgins are
excluded from the joys of paradise In that
prlai1d, country the women begin to bear chill
dr,n At about the age of twelve, sume even at
eleven The proximity of the natives of India
TO the burning sun which ripens men as we'll as
plants, at M earliest period in these ATTITUDES,
is ass, stea tne cause. The distinguishing
mrs - ndoo wife is the most profound
GiIlssiou and attachment to her hus-
band.
f4 me banks of The Senegal, and among many
Aegean tg!Oes. the matrimonial prize most
sought after is abundance of flesh. To obtain
corpulence is regarded as the only real comlness
A female who can move with the aid of two men
is bat u moderate beauty, while the lady who
cannot stir, and is only to be moved on camel,
IS esteemed perfect paragon.
Nor Is this queer .ancy for obesity in women
confined to the savages of the torrid zone, since
''m order to possess any pre-emnent degree of
loneliness, woman must weigh at least two
hundred weight" The Expresses Elizabeth
and CAtharine H. both accounted very fine wo-
men, were OF this massive kind.
In Italy, matches are made with proverbial
levity, ANA marriage vows, if reports speaks tru-
l., are easily broken. Young virgins are sys.
te:naticaiiy bartered and sold by their parents
and young people are married who never saw
one another before. Concubinage is constant
remedy for these illadvised and deceitful MARI.
ages, and the peculiarly italian term cicisbeo in.
dlc't"s the indemnity which custom prescribes
Tor the 'air sex iettered to husbands unloved.
IN France as has been remarked, women mo.
nopol.4e all the society and large share of the
business OF life The cotfee-houses the theatres,
tie Shop-, cabirets, or drinking shops, are filled
with women. Women lord it at all assemblies.
aud are better informed and more capable man.
ayers than men, Marriage is looked upon not
80 niue" IS matter of affection as of interest,
and the >credness of the tie is proportionaby
slender
hATiaT" IN Sweden is commonly governed
wno''y ny the will of the parents, and is found
ei dpon interest. A stolen match is almost nm.
hr nj Of ind persons of either sex seldom marry
fore the we ct twenty-five or thirty. Divor-
ccs are rare
hasSia seems to be the most preposterous
country IN Europe in its treatment of women
uoptaI ceremonies, all and singular are
5'.sd Hpon the idea of the degradation of the fe-
When nc p'rents have agreed upon the
81. ,iay ug.de is examined by number OF
No".n il she has any bodily defect On
Der wcod'ng day she is crowned with a garland
OF Noimwocd TO denote the bitterness of the
marriage state She is oxhorted to be obcdient
70 her husband and it is custom in some dis.
ric,s .or the newly married wife to present the
bridegroom with WHIP, in token of submission,
ana with this he seldom fails to show his author.
'N Ia this cold and cruel country, husbands
-e sometimes known to torture their wives To
.!Ah without any punishment for the murder