Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-10-16
Miscellaneous.
S,p
The Burmans.

HE humans arc by far the most
popular race IN Burmah, not only with
Europeans but with the native race,
around, who look up to them because
they are dominant people and take the
lead ~ education and civilization
HE natives are afraid Of them, and
the Europeans admire them. There is
nothing ttpu4nant in the personal ap-
pcarancc OF the Burmans. II they are
not fair, neither are they black if
they have low bridges to tAe nose.
they have not thick lips; and il their
countcnances be Mongohan, they have
not tAc sleepy eyes Of the Chinese. nor
the savage looks Of the American In.
dian.
In men are not tail. but they are
atAlctIc, wcii-iuade, and present the
/ Ind,iIuab.e characteristic oil q manly
I appearance. Inc yonng men nave 4
wldc-awake look, and the young wom-
! en- are pretty and have large cUuvcrsa-
+ tlonul powers, able To make tnclh-
selves agreeable. Iue manners Of all
c.asscs are decidedly of the well cdu-
Gated European type. They hno" now
to Dc evil and sentlcmauiy without
clnSiu5 scrvility.
The Bnimesc community offers some
T Vt tile most remarkable features found
I out OF Christian nations. In the gen.
/ eral ublIty of the men to read and
write, IN the social position of the
women, IN the absence of any law OF
I prlnogenlture and consequent general
\ diffusion of landed property, aud IN
their temperate habits, the Burnans
are incontestaOly in advance OF all
other European nations.
+ The women of Burmah have been
from time lmmcnorial i'll full posses
sion ol all the rights that the "strong
minded woncn's rights associations"
asc comn1sS.A., ..~I.eu and earth tU
4 obtain. lhe wife is the treasurer and
keeps the cash. When money is want
ed, the husband goes To the wife, and
not the wife TO the husband.
wOMAN's POSITION.
The women do the most of the trad
ing, superintend farms, advise in law
cases, and occasionally help their hus-
bands on the judicial bench. Married
women trade independently of their
husbands, and can acquire and hold
property in their own names. They
can sue and be sued, and whenever
they are weary of their husbands, they
can obtain legal divorces on no strong
er plea than ''incompatibility of dis
position; )" still the ''suits relating to
marriage, dover, and divorce" in all
courts OF British Burmah for 1869-70,
were only 1,l7S in population of
two millions and half.
Notwithstanding these masculine
features of female society in Burmab
they are in no wise incompatible with
commendable female traits. The char
acteristics of good wife are, accord
ing to the Books: ''She knows when
her husband is hungry, and that he
may eat, puts before him the best food
in the kindest way; and dresses him
becomingly, seeing that his clothes are
not old or dirty; and keeps him in
mind Of his work and his duty. AS
friends consult each other regarding
their mutual profit and happiness, and
assist each other, she. having consult
ed her husband, lends her assistance
and looks on; and behaves to her hus-
bands relations as to her own, and
does not dispute his authority, and il
he goes to the chiefs house or other
place, she waits till his return, and eats
not her meal till she eats it in company
with him."