habitation, which was near the country house of Habib, and whence we could still hear the noisy conversation of the female part of his family. We went up on the roofs, and our eyes followed, for a long time, the wandering lights that twinkled on every side amidst the trees on the plain."

Turkish marriages are also conducted with great splendour. In the "Constantinople Courier," for May, 1845, is the following account of the marriage ceremony of Mehemet Ali Pasha with the Sultana Adile. The enumeration of the presents sent by the Pasha to his bride appears to have been borrowed from a chapter in the Arabian Nights. "The procession, escorted by a large body of troops, followed by numerous officers and generals, marched in the following order: 130 cavas, bearing on their heads 130 baskets filled with sweetmeats; two carriages, each drawn by four horses, bearing a chest, ornamented with velvet and chiselled silver, containing the most valuable perfumes; then followed twenty cavas, bearing as many massive silver baskets, containing the richest stuffs, together with the utensils for a bath, enriched with precious stones. A pair of sandals, ornamented with large brilliants of the

purest water, were particularly admired. Five cavas followed, bearing, in magnificent baskets of massive silver, 500,000 piastres in gold, enclosed in bags of red satin. The procession arrived in the same order at the palace, when all the presents were laid at the feet of the bride."

Notwithstanding the splendour observed at the Turkish marriages, the condition of the female is quite foreign to our ideas of happiness. From the hour of marriage they are immured in the haram, excluded from the view of the public, and all of the opposite sex, their nearest relations being alone admitted on occasions of peculiar ceremony.

Great veneration is attached in Turkey to the parental character, particularly to that of mother. Even in the fall of a great man, his haram is always respected, and the property belonging to his wives is left untouched, so that they frequently become his support. Marriage certainly has nothing sacred among them; it is merely a civil contract, fixing the amount of the dower, and perhaps limiting the husband as to the number of his other wives. If the man be

present along with the cadi,

he is a legal

witness. Those with respect to whom there is

no such contract, rank as concubines, who are chiefly purchased slaves.

In Constantinople there is a bazaar, or very large square building, "where man does not

blush to expose to sale the most lovely and interesting part of the creation."

In France, the young unmarried ladies are more under surveillance than in this country; it is a practical duty for parents and near relations to keep close watch over them: consequently, they are kept in almost monastic seclusion; but the era of marriage is the signal for a systematic flirtation, which we cannot reconcile to the conjugal and matronly cha

racter.

Again, the Italian system of cicisbeism, by which every married lady must have her lover, or cavaliere servente, who imposes on himself the duty to dangle after her as her devoted slave, is totally repugnant to English feelings and English manners; the chastity which is observed not only in name, the sanctity which characterizes the marriage contract in England, and the anxiety manifested, especially on the part of the fair sex, to avoid even the "breath of slander," is so contrary to the feeling and fashionable observance which allows the Italian gallant to speak publicly of the mistress whom he loves and serves.

It is obvious to every traveller that this

fashionable état must imply the sacrifice of all that is happy and respectable in domestic life, as it is impossible in such a state of things that the married pair should show the slightest respect or affection for each other.

The social and domestic state of western and southern Africa excites our disgust but little more than some of the tolerated usages in civilized countries. In one state, we behold a refined people with semi-barbarous customs; in the other, we see a rude and barbarous people only practising that which is in accordance with their savage nature.

Polygamy extends throughout all tropical Africa; and doubtless the cheap rate at which human life is held is the greatest encouragement of the practice. At the death of any of the royal family thousands of innocent victims must bleed, and on almost all great state occasions, the dreadful mandate is issued. But little limit is given as to the number of wives the better class may take to themselves: the ability of maintaining them is the primary consideration. The King frequently possesses upwards of three thousand, and those selected from the fairest and most accomplished damsels in his