National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-03
M1RRLAGE.
CURIOUS CUSTOMS IN VARIOUS ma.

| TIONS.
Marriage Is the first and most ancient Of 81
institutions. As the foundation Of society ant
the family, 1t is universally observed throughout
the globe, no naticn having been discovered, how
ever barbarous which does not celebrate the unior
of sexes by ceremony and rejoicing. The abusei
Of the institution. as pelygamy, infidelity snt
divorce, have in no manner touched its existence
however they NAV have yitiated fits purity.
The condition Of woman in Sill countries hal
afforded fruitful theme for the observation Of the
traveller, and the speculations Of the philosopher
and the novelist. II has been uniformly found
that the savage Is the tyrant Of the female sex
while the position and consideration given tC
woman are advanced in proportion to the refine
ment Of social life. Under the laws Of Lycurgus
Nums, and even later lawgtvers, the power OF the
husband over his wife was absolute, sometimes
even including the power of life and death. The
wife was always defined and treated as thing,
not as person-the absolute property OF her
lord. In the earlier ages o man might sell MS
children or wife indiferently, and relics OF this
rude custom still survive, even among nations
called civilized and Christian.
In the countries Of the East, where poiygamy
10 almost universal, marriage Is not the sacred ue
winch II Is heid 10 De IN Cnrlstan countries. In
Persia men marry eltner ior me OF ior oeter-
mined time. travellers OF merchants commonly
apPl! 70 the magisrat iof VIE curing tneir
residence IN any place the Oaai producing num-
per OF glrh Ior seiect'0H, whom NO declares 70
De nones' ana nealtny. Fouf wives are permitted
70 eaen nusOano IN rersia' ana the same NUMBER
ssIio"eu " ING N0'hAianieoan ~" 70 tne Mus
sum ~,
.,Hl,s Auu VI maie PosyeAiny ~ y
t nIsnIy Iespeo.eo. N IniDel " - customary Iof
nv o,osHes " = ,ay " na'e wig ~ GUN inon,
~, ty $780, - NSioy anu eOnnio,'
W. Dei oHs no Ing oeienaony 10
y. noI me .n = nis, mounted
euu Pe'nisss W tiue w ~ iuii sPeee' "nen .
io'ei sAAes noi anu sAiioPs ai'e! neF. IL ne
sne sne uesUes ms niie, anu
ZIG wsii !. eonsunma'eo On inc spot ~ Is
saiu .uss NO inssance y Anonn o. giri ever peing
w, ~" uuiees sus ieeny - ionu VI ner iofer.
tue ArsDs uisiue enen anections between ther
nortes anu loen wives, ana regard the purity OF
AZ 'ne iormei % mucn - IN tneir onspfing'
EoSsainy 10 Pf@csiceu oniy W tne flcn, anu oi-
'oioes arc rare.
IN legion tne marriage proposal Is Drought
apou' ny inc man nrst senaing 70 ner Wnom ne
WISHES 70 become MS we 70 puy her clothes.
Aneee she seiis luz stipulated sum, geherally
asAAhs rs mucn as sne 'ninKs requisite ior them
70 Segin .ne norlo VIII. In the evening ne calls
Oh her Win tne "arufooe, at ner iatners mouse,
anu tney pass the nlgnt ID eacn others company.
NeAt morning, mutually satisneo, they appoint
inc oay OF marriage. ihey are permitted TO
separate whenever tney please, ana SO frequently
aF1il themselves o' the pri'iiege that tney some
tunes enange dozen times before their inciina-
tlons are Wnoily suited.
io hlndoostan the women nave peculiar vene-
ration lor marriage, as IL Is part OF the popular
creeo tnat tnose females VINO ole virgins are ex-
GUIDED from the Joys OF Paradise. In that preco-
clous country the women commence to bear chill
dren at the age Of twelve, some even at eleven.
Inc proximity Of the natives to the burning sun,
Whicn r1pens men and women as well as plants at
the earliest period In those tropical lattudes. Is
assigned as the cause. The distinguishing marks
oil the Hfndoo wife are the most profound fidelity,
submission and attachment TO her husband.
On the banks OF the Senegal, and among many
African tribes, the matrimonial prize most sought
after is abundance oil hesh To obtain corpulence
Is regarded as the only real comeliness AfemaIe
VINO moves with the AID Oh TWO men Is but mod
crate beauty, while the lady who cannot stir, and
is only 70 De moved on camel, Is estimated as
perfect paragon. nor Is TINS queer fancy Tor ooc-
slty In common connned to the savage Of the torrd
zone SINCE VIC read In "rnxalPs travels In Rus
sia that, I'm order to possess any eminent degree
oil IoYeilness, woman must weigh ut least two
hundred weight. Inc empress Elizabeth and
Ca1herlhe L. ooth accounted very nne women,
were OF TINS massive Kind.
In itaIy matches arc maze with pFoVerDial
49, arc UroSen iouns Virgins arc tystemat,
t0Al45 pAI'efeu "uu soiu ny thelr parents, anu
!Huns peopie a rI naiIieu muo never 50" eacn
otne, - Toustant reneay
.Vi iseu Anu e0elut i"Eliaees, anu
w tne
ny! "niSu eustUh ''f Tue iaiF sex ie'-
'' Ie E " nus Janus up,oHe1'
I las o.seu o'cn 5enarNe"' "'nin
49, SE".."r ,'.S 'TUo'!, anu lAfSo snare Vi
-, a.. 80 y. - nc 'he 'Ne-
80 T,IaS ~ ~ Vs. VI Il,
. aaS...nS'. Wv" ~ "u "o ' iolu IL d. al
~ r""1 auI 80 ,oineu anu mors
-, ~, 90 .'n Nou - iooAet
~ -, 49, ..oI..sS " aI - 90 "
tIonatoT, .ianSa, "a '"' VIZ - pi'POt-
PHssi. -o
~ - - =, ~ US -. eouu
ray,tI0r IT, 80, ,N mI
Io- h.sad ,,,'a, a.. 49, ~ ~
r. ron,aIo WI az -. ' -. VI
tbo r,a.oh ,ho 80. - ,iS W uPoH
- 90 20 .So ha. 49, hosu;, 49,. W "
bsr xsoSTn@ dar sho = ,.a,yn sS1 ~ 1891
If vormWood todeno,s the hitte,,.s. Of 81 -a-
rIed state She is eyhortod 10 he ohodIent 20 bor
,nsban6 and 81 "a a cus,orD g., .or,. dis,r,cts
he newIv-marriod wifi. 70 nrossnt ~. b-iJar.oaTa
zitb a Win IN token or srhr,Jssior ,-,,S ,t,i.
,o .aIdor, bxx. =. - - !
,oId c-nsi .n,nt,r hr.hs,a. WI u "a I'M
,novn to torture their wives to deo,S w,,hout
nv punishment for th, murder IT woman
proves barren. the husband generally prevails on
Ter to retire into a convent. and leave him at
iberty II no fails in his persuasion, he is DER.