Year: 1868

In Ceylon the marriage proposal is
brought about by the man fret sending to
her whom he wishes to become his wife.
to purchase her clothes. These she sells
for 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 Ger
fathers house, when, il mutually satisfied,
they appoint day of marriage. They are
permitted to separate whenever they please,
and so frequently avail themselves Of this
privilege that they sometimes change
dozen times before their inclination are
wholly suited


In Chinese Tariary n kind Of male polyg-
amy is practiced. and plurality of hus
bands is highly respected. In Thibet it is
customary Tor the brothers of family to
have wife in common, and they generally
live in harmony and comfort with her.
Among the Culmucks the ceremony Of
marriage is performed on horseback. The
girl is first mounted aud permitted to ride
oil at full speed, when lover takes horse
| and Salops after her. lf no overtakes The
fugitive she becomes his wife, and the
marriage is consumnated on the spot 1t
is said that no instance is known of q Cal
muck girl ever being overtakcn unless she
| 10 really iona OF ner pnrSOer,


Russia appears to be the most prepos.
ferrous country in Europe in its treatment
of women. The nuptial ceremonies, all
and singular, are based upon the idea of
the degradation of the female. When tho
parents have agreed upon the match the
bride is examined by number of women
to see if she has any bodily defect On
her wedding day she is crowned with a
/ IL 4
ness of the marriage state. She is cx.
horted to be obedieut to her husband, aud
1t is custom in some districts for the
newly married wife to present the bride
groom with whip in token of submission,
and with this he seldom fails to show his
! authority. In that cold aud cruel country,
husbands are sonctimes known to torture
their wives to death, without any punish.
meut for the murder.


Such is the slavery in which Muscovites
are kept 10y their parents aud guardians,
that they are not allowed to dispute any
union agreed npon by their elders, how
ever odious or Incompatible it may be-
THIS extends so far that officers of tho
army are not permitted to marry without
the consent of the sovereign, and wives
whom they do not want are sometimes
| forced upon them.


Whether il be the result of this system
of oppression, or of their savage climate,
or the unnatural hot air of the stOvc-heated
departments il is certain that q more un-
lovely race of women than the Russian
would be difficult to lihd "They want"
says an English traveller, the genuine fla
vor which only nature can give" That
charming frmuess and elasticity Of flesh,
SO indispensably requisite to constitute
beauty and so delicious to the touch, exist
not among the Russian female, or in very
few of them.


On the banks of the Senegal and among
many African tribes, 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 but mod.
crate beauty, while the lady who cannot
STIR and is only to be moved on camel,
is estimated perfect paragon.


Nor is this queer fancy for obesity in
woman confined to the savages Of tho tor
rid zone, since we read in Wraxhall's 3
Travels in Russa, that "in order to possess
any pre- eminent degree OF lovcliness a
woman must weigh at least two hundred
weight" The Empress Elizabeth aud
Catherine H., both accounted very fine
women, were Of this massive kind.


In Hiudostan the women have a peculiar
veneratiun for marriage, as it is a part of
the popular creed that those females who
die virgins are excluded from the joys OF
paradise. The distinguishing marks OF
the Ilindoo wife are the most profound
fidelity, submission and attachment to her
husband.