The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1867-08-21
" From The Rural New Yorker
cURIOsITrEs OF MARRIAGE,


Marriage is the FIRST and most ancient OF
all institutions. As the ioun,lation OF So
cie,y aud the family, Il Is universally OBJ
served throughout the globe, no nation
having been discovered, however barbar-
vus. which does not celebrate the union ol
the sexes BY ceremony aud rejoicing. The
abuses OF The institution, as polysamy, in
fidelity and divorce. having IN no manner
touched It's existence, however they may
have vi,iated lis purity.
The condition Of women III all countries
has afforded fruitful theme for The ob.er-
vation of the tr.yeler. ard the specalanons
oi inc philosopher and the noyel,,t. IL has
been uniformly found that the savage Is
the tyrant Of the female sex. while the po-
sriian aud confederation Given to wnnan Is
advanced 10 proportion 20 the refinement
uf social life. Under the laws of L. cur
gus, Numa. and even later law.givers, the
puwrr of the husband over the wife mas
absolute, sometimes even including the
power OF life aud death. Tie wife was al
ways defined and treated IS thing. not a
pcrspn--ihe bsulnte property uI her lord.
In the earlier ages man might sill his
children or hi- wife ind,ii-rcntls. crd relics
al this rude custoir still survive. even
among nations called civilized aud Chris
Uan.
In The countries Of the fis,, whers po-
lygamy IL almost universal, Maria. y
nJt the sacred tie which ). i held tn be IN
Christina countries. In Persia men mar
~ either lur lite or Tor determlnl:e time.
Travellers or merchants commonly apply
to the magistrate Tor vile daring their
residence in any place. and the Cadi pru-
durvs \ number 81 girls Tor a selection,
whom Ne declares 20 be honest aud healthy.
fnur wives are permitted 10 each hu,.
baud in Persia, snd The same number is al
lowed by the Mahpmcdln law ~ the Mus.
seimin.
III Chinese Tsrtary kind nf male po.
l,gamy Is pracuced. and plurality Of
husband. highl, respected. IL Thibrt il
Is cus,omary for the brothers u iamil,
Il have a wife in commun. aud they gene.
rally I've IA harmony and eomiart with her
Arnung the CaImucks, the ceremony %
marriage Is performed nn horseback. The
girl Is nrst mnunte,l. aud prrmitted 20 ride
I'd IL iuli speed. when her liver takes q
horse anI gallops alter her. II he aseitakes
the laslliye she becomes his wife. aud the
marriage Is cpnsummatcd on the sput. Il
u aid That M instance IL known Ut Cal
mack glrl ever being nsertaken. unless she
/. really foni oi her pursuer.
The Arabs divide their affections between
their horses and their wives, snd regard the
purity ol blnpd IA the inrmcr quite as much
a, in their oil prins. Pol,gamy ispractlc.
ed pnly by thr rich, and uWorees are rare.
IT, Ceylan the marriage proposal Is brought
about ~ l!ie man Ilr,l sending 10 her whom
he wishes 20 bccome his vile, TO purchase
her clothes. These she sells for stipn.
lated SUN, generally asking a. much a, she
think, requisite tor them to begin the world
with. In the evening &c call, on her, with
tie Wardrobe, at her fathers housc, and
iiiey pass the night ~ each Others compa.
NJ. Next morning, IL mutually satisfied,
they sppuini the day Of marriage. rhey
are permitted 10 separate Whenever they
please. and - frequently avail themselves
of this privilege that they sometimes chang.
dozen times before their inclinations are
wholly suited.
IL llinin.,an The women have peculiar
,enerat.on inr marriage, a, IL il a popular
creed lhtt iho,r irmales whu die virgin,
are excluded from the juys 81 paradise. Ia
tlat precocious country the women bcgln
10 bcar children al aOuut the ase ol twelve.
snine even Al a eleven. The proximity OF
the natives of India To the burning sun,
~hirh ripens men, As well as plants. al the
earliest pcrwd 10 these trppicil latitudcs,
}, assigned a. the cause. The distinguish.
ing mark Of The lIindoo wife is the must
profound fidelity, submission and attach
"a mt 60 her husband.
0n The barks Of the Senegal. aud among
many African tribes. the matrimonial prize