" claim her, till she shall have been received "in the bed of another husband, who shall

repudiate her alfo. They may then come

together again, if they believe they can “ observe the commandments of God (r).”

A husband thus circumftanced, and who fears a feparation himself has fought, endeavours to elude the law, feeks a friend, on whom he can rely, fhuts him up with his wife, in the presence of witneffes, and waits the confequence of this fingular scene, at the door. The dilemma is a delicate one, and does not always fucceed as he could wish. If the friend, leaving the chamber, fays"Behold my wife, whom I put away"the first husband recovers his right: but if, forgetting friendship in the arms of love, he declares her his wife, he takes her with him without oppofition. By fuch laws has Mahomet endeavoured to enfure peace and happiness in marriage; making it a focial state, the duration of which ought inceffantly to be promoted, by reciprocal attentions, and the birth of children. Nor do the married often use the liberty they poffefs; divorces are much less common than they are (r) Karan, chap. 2. S

VOL. II.

ufually

ufually thought to be: many are even fatisfied with one wife, and do not profit by the law which allows four. This moderation must be attributed to the feparate and retired lives they lead, the charms of which they strongly feel, and, particularly, to the affection which both husband and wife have for their children, who, educated in the houfe of their fathers, become their fupport and confolation.

The female relations make matches for the young men. They meet most of the maidens of the city at the bath, whom they perfectly defcribe; and, the choice made, the alliance is mentioned to the father of the female, the portion fpecified, and, if he confents, they make him prefents. The parties agreed, the female relations and friends of the virgin take her to the bath, ftrip her with ceremony, bathe, knead, and perfume her, ftain the nails of her hands and feet, of a golden yellow, with henna, blacken her eye-lids with copel, fprinkle precious effences in her hair, and wash her whole body with rofe water. Without other ornament than their long and floating tresses, the matrons lead the noviciate round the

apartment

apartment, and prepare her for the mysteries of hymen, calm the palpitations of timidity, recount the happiness she will poffefs, and vaunt the beauty and wealth of her young husband. The remainder of the day is paffed in feafting, dancing, and finging fongs adapted to the occafion.

On the morrow, the fame perfons go to her house, tear her, as it were, violently, from the arms of her afflicted mother, and triumphantly conduct her to the house of her husband. The proceffion ufually begins in the evening; dancers go before her, with their feet tied to ftilts, and carrying balancing poles; numerous flaves difplay the effects, furniture, and jewels destined to her ufe; troops of dancing girls keep time with their inftruments; matrons, richly cloathed, walk with a grave pace; and the young bride appears under a magnificent canopy, borne by four flaves, sustained by her mother and fifters, and entirely covered by a veil, embroidered with gold, pearls, and diamonds. A long file of flambeaux illumine the proceffion, and the Almai, in chorus, occafionally fing verfes in praise of the bride and bridegroom. I have twenty times beheld

$ 2

held fuch pompous proceffions, in the streets of Cairo, where the longeft route is always chofen; they being vain of displaying their whole fplendour, on thefe occafions.

When come to the houfe of the husband, the women go on the first floor, whence they perceive, through the blinds of a gallery, all that paffes below. The men, who are affembled in the hall, do not mix with them, but pafs a part of the night in banquetting, drinking coffee and fherbet, and hearing mufic. The Almai defcend, throw off their veils, and display their agility and address exhibiting, to the found of the tambour de bafque, cymbals and caftanets, pantomimes in which they reprefent the combats of Hymen, the struggles of the bride, and the artifices of love. Nothing can exceed their voluptuous poftures, and licentious attitudes; they want not words to make themselves understood; their unreferved gestures cannot be mistaken. Several times have I been prefent at fuch like fcenes, and always furprised that a people, who, in public, refpect women fo much, fhould fo paffionately love lafcivious dances. Having ended, the Almai, in chorus, chaunt the epithalamium

(fo

(fo famous among the Greeks) and extol the allurements of the bride, more beauteous than the moon, fresher than the rofe, fweeter than the jasmin, and the bliss of that mortal who fhall enjoy so many charms. During the ceremony, fhe feveral times paffes before the bridegroom, and always in different dreffes, to display her wealth and elegance. The guests having retired, the hufband enters the nuptial chamber, the veil is removed, and, for the first time, he beholds his wife. If a maiden, tokens of virginity must appear; otherwife he may fend her back, on the morrow, to her parents, which is the greatest dishonour a family can sustain; wherefore, there is no country on earth where girls are guarded with fuch care, or where the husband is more certain to espouse a virgin.

Such are the laws and ceremonies of marriage among the Egyptians, which rich and poor fcrupulously observe. The daughter of the mechanic is, in like manner, conducted to her fpoufe; the only difference confifts in the furrounding paraphernalia. Inftead of flambeaux, they burn fir, in braziers carried on poles, and the ftilt-dancers