The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-08-30
CuriOsities of Marriage.


the sexes by ceremony and rejoicing. The
abuses of the institution, as polygamy,in.
fidelity and divorce, have in no manner
touched its existence, however they may
have vitiatcd its purity
The condition of women in all countries
has afforded fruitful theme for the OBJ
servation of the traveller, and the spocu.
lations of the philosopher and the novel
ist. 1t has been uniformly found that
the savage is the tyrant of the female six,
while the position and consideration given
to women is advanced in proportion to
the refinement of social life Under the
laws of Lycurgus, Numa, and even later
lawgivers the power of the husband over
his wife was absolute, sometimes ever in
cluding the power of life Or death The
wife was always defined and treated as a
thing not as a person - the absolute pro-
perty Of her lord. In the earlier ages a
man might sell his children or
his wife indiiferently, and relics of
this rude custom still survive, even among
nations called civilized and Christian
In the countries Of the Fast, where
polygamy is almost universal, marriage is
not the sacred tie which it is held to be
in Christian countries. In Persia men mar
ry either for life or for a dcterminatc
time. Travellers or merchants commonly
apply to the magistrate for wife during
their residence in any place, and the Cadi
produces a number of girls for selection
whom he declars to be honest and healthy.
Four wives are permitted to each husband
in Persia, and the same number is allow
ed by Mohammedan law to the Mussul-
man.
In Chinese Tartary II kind Of male
polygamy is practiscd, and plurality of
husbands is highly respected. In Thibet
it is customary for the brothers of fam
lily to have a wife in common, and they
generally live in harmony and comfort
with her. Among the Calmucks the
ceremony of marriage is performed on
horseback. The girl is first mounted and
permitted to ride off full speed when
her lover takes horse and gallops after
her. If he overtakcs the fugitive she
becomes his wife, and the marriage is con-
summated on the spot. 1t is said that no
instance is known Of Calmuck girl ever
being overtakcn unless she is really fond
of her pursuer
The Arabs divide their affections be-
tween their horses and their wives, and
regard the purity of blood in the former
quite as much as in their offspring Po
lygamy is practiscd only by the rich, and
divorces are rare.
In Ceylon the marriage proposal is
brought about by the man first sending to
her whom he wishes to become his wife
to purchase her clothes. These she sells
for a stipulated sum, generally asking as
much as she thinks requisite for them to
begin the world with, In the evening he
calls on her, with the wardrobe, at her
fathers house, and they pass the night in
others company. Next morning, ifmu-
tually satisfied, they appoint the day Of
marriage. They are permitted to separ-
ate whenever they please and so frequent
ly avail themselves of this privilege, that
they sometimes change a dozes times be-
fore their inclinations are wholly suited,
In Hindoostan the women have pccu-
liar veneration for marriage, as it is a
popular creed that those females who die
virgins are excluded from the joys of
paredise. In that percious country the
women begin to bear children at about
the ago of twelve, some even at eleven
The proximity of the natives of India to
the burning sun, which ripens men,as vel
as plants, at the earliest period, in these
tropical ATTITUDES, is assigned as the
case. The distinguished mark of the
Hindoo wife is the most profound fidelity
submission and attachment to her hus
band
On the banks Of the Senegal, and among
many African tribes, the matrimonial
prize most sought after is abundance o
flesh To obtain corpulence is regarded
as the only real comliness A icmal,
who can move with the aid of two men i
but moderate beauty, while the lady
who cannot stir, and is only to be NOV
ed on camel, is estimated perfect par
agon.
Nor is this queer fancy for obesity il
women confined to the savagcs in tn,
Torrid zone, since We read in Wraxall'
Travels in Russia that "in order to pos
sess any preeminent degree of loveines
a women must weight at least two hun
dred weight" The Empress Elizabeth
and Catherine H., both accounted fin
women, were Of this kind.
In italy, matches are made with pro
verbal levity, and marriage VOWS, if re
port says truly, are easily broken. Youn,
virgins are systematically bartered an,
sold by their parents, and young peopl
are married every day who never sa,
one another before. Concubinage is
constant remedy for these ill.advised an
deceitful marriages, and the peculiarit
Italian term cicisIeO, indicates the inden
nifty which custom prescribes for the fai
sex fettered to husbands unlovcd.
In France as has often been remarked
women monopolize all the society and
large share of the business life The co
fee houses, theatres, the shops, the cab.
; rots, or bringing shops, are filled wit
women. Women lord it at all assent
lies. aud are better informed and MOI
capable managers than men. Marriag
is looked upon not so much as matte
Of affection as of interest, md the sacret
ness of the tie is proportionately slel
der.
Marriage in Sweden is commonly go,
ernod wholly by the will Of the parent
and is founded upon interest. A stole
match ia almost unbeard of and marco,