individual is held, varies in the compound ratio of his own length, and that of his beard. Madden, in his very instructive and amusing travels, tells of a French serjeant-major, who, by a portly person, and a huge mane to his chin, obtained great consideration in Constantinople. He was an Effendi, a Prince, a Sultan, to them. As soon as Napoleon's career of victory in Egypt commenced, the most extravagant stories were circulated about his stature and his beard. The Turks declared that he was a giant, with a beard as large as the three tails of a Pasha! and, accordingly, they resolved to submit to such a Child of Destiny; but as soon as they actually saw that he was even under the middle size, and, instead of the phenomenon represented, had no beard whatever, they cried out that he was an infidel; and the rebellion in Cairo was the consequence. The veneration paid to the beard must not be understood to arise merely from motives of personal vanity. It is a part of that mass of religious prejudices which is so firmly rooted in the Eastern mind. Men swear by it as something mysterious and holy. The most dreadful insult, therefore, that can be offered to an Oriental, is any disparagement to, much more manual intermeddling with, his beard. The pity of the Janizaries for Charles XII., at Bender, was converted into fury when he ordered their beards to be cut off. "3. The Hupul-hupla has nothing; no friends. He wants to dress and live luxuriously, but is totally destitute of means. If the wife of such a man absents herself from his house even for ten days and ten nights, he must not, on her return, ask her where she has been; and, if he sees a stranger in the house, he must not ask who it is, or what he wants. Whenever he comes home and finds the street-door shut, he must not knock, but retire, and not presume to enter till he sees it open." Should he be a person of so violent a temper as to think there was any thing in all this, his wife must get divorced instanter; as evidently it would be impossible for any prudent or virtuous woman to live with so suspicious a husband. Considering the Proper Man as the pivot, and the Half Man and Hupul-hupla as the descending part of the series, the ascending would be the Sunnat, (or Godly Man,) who looks up with reverential awe to his better half; and the Sunnat Mu'akkad, or, as we might say, the Martyr. But in the case last extracted, there seems an omission on the part of the Seven Learned Women:-Should the husband see the street door open, and a young man, of cypress form, &c., come out, might he, in that case, provided it was not the blessed month Ramazan, suspect that there was any thing suspicious in the case? We confess we should like to hear Kulsum Naneh, or a grave Mollah on that point. Our present leaning decidedly is, that he might ask the young man, of the cypress form, &c., what was his business in that house? OF LIFTING THE VEIL FOR FRANGEES. "1. The Seven Learned Women declare that, among the forbidden things, is that of allowing their features to be seen by men not wearing turbans unless, indeed, they are handsome, and have soft and captivating manners; in that case their veils may be drawn aside. But they must scrupulously and religiously abstain from all such liberties with mullahs [priests] and Jews; since, respecting them, the prohibition is imperative." There is as much liberality as sound judgment in this article of the code. Indeed the learned women seem rather beyond their age; for Madden says, that none spit farther or oftner at him than women. Captain Franklin says; that being one day beyond the walls of Constantinople, sketching some scenery, a Turkish lady came up, with, we believe, a child; and, having ascertained his employment, sat opposite to him, lifted her veil and made signs to him to draw her portrait. As she was young and very handsome, the Captain began with pleasure. But after some time, growing apprehensive that the Turks about the place might notice this tête-a-tête, (and for such things there are summary modes of proceeding on the Bosphorus,) he ceased sketching, and began to blow kisses from the end of the pencil towards his fair sitter. At this she coloured up to the temples, and drew her hand several times violently across her throat; a hint which the gallant Captain thought was not to be neglected, at least within the sound of the Euxine. The cause of this dislike depends, no doubt, somewhat on national prejudices; but in a far greater degree on the want of a beard. The angular European dress, to their notions, (but surely without any just grounds,) tight and indecent, is another powerful obstacle; but the shaven face, on which even a goat may look with contempt, is the greatest. Mahmoud, for a Turk, a great man, and not to be compared with the blood-stained knave of Egypt, has done much to remove those prejudices, and approximate Europe and Asia. A few years since, it was death upon the spot for any man, even by chance or necessity, to have seen one of the sultan's harem; but, not long ago, an English traveller, without the slightest danger, beheld one of Mahmoud's daughters standing at the window of the palace at Buyukderé. No stronger proof could be given of a change in opinion, than that furnished by the Seven Wise Women. OF PRAYER. The learned Women next lay down, with judgment and clearness, the occasions on which prayer may be dispensed with. "1. When females are engaged with their friends in pleasant conversation, and in the mutual communication of secrets. "2. Upon hearing the sound of the drum or other musical instruments. "3. When a husband does not allow his wife enough of money. "4. Upon the nuptial night. "5. If the marriage happen during the blessed month of Ramazan, prayers and fasting also may be omitted during the whole month. 6. When a woman is listening to her lover. "7. When a husband goes on a journey. ❝8. If a woman engaged in prayer, happen to discover her husband speaking to a strange damsel, it is wajib for her to pause and listen attentively to what passes between them; and, if necessary, to put an end to their conversation." Prayer is proper, "1. If a woman have a slave girl in the house; for she must on no account leave her alone, and go to the bath, because the husband might come in the meantime and make love to her. “2. Kulsum Naneh is decidedly of opinion that, when resting from a promenade in the garden, or other amusements, prayer may be indulged in without any evil ensuing."" This seems a sound and well-considered dictum. TREATMENT OF A HUSBAND. Of this important subject a profound scientific view is taken, and masterly rules are laid down for conducting the war. The husband is considered as a fortress; his wife the besieging, and his mother, relations, &c., as the relieving army. The latter must be first defeated; the most approved mode being, "by, at least, once a day using her fists, her teeth, and kicking and pulling their hair, till tears come into their eyes, and fear prevents any further interference with her plans." From the moment the sword is drawn, the scabbard is to be thrown away. Like an experienced manœuvrer, as she is, Kulsum Naneh despises half mea sures, or half victories. "She says that the wife must continue this indomitable spirit of independence until she has fully established her power." The relieving army being annihilated, and the besieger at liberty to open the trenches, without molestation, against the husband; two modes of proceeding offer themselves. First, to consider him as enchanted; or, secondly, as a person in his senses, but cursed with an infernal disposition. In the first and most probable supposition, "it is wajib that cold water be poured over his head on three successive Wednesdays;" the demon, it seems, having " an oath in heaven" against such a showerbath. In the second case, "She must redouble all the vexations which she knows, from experience, irritate his mind; and day and night, add to the misery of his condition. She must never, whether by night or day, for a moment relax. For instance, if he condescends to hand her the loaf, she must throw it from her, or at him, with indignation and contempt. She must make his shoe too tight for him, and his pillow a pillow of stone; so that at last he becomes weary of life, and is glad to acknowledge her authority. On the other hand, should these resources fail, the wife may privately convey from her husband's house everything valuable that she can lay her hands upon; and then go to the Kazi, and complain that her husband has beaten her with his shoe, and pretend to show the bruises on her skin. She must state such facts in favour of her case as she knows cannot be refuted by evidence, and pursue every possible plan to escape from the thraldom she endures. For that purpose, every effort, of every description, is perfectly justifiable, and according to law." As to the justice of the case, there can be little doubt; but upon the law of some parts, this country seems to be behind the East. It strikes us, for instance, that in the case of conveying away a husband's property, the people, in whose house it should be found, would have a chance of being prosecuted as receivers of stolen goods. And we have an obscure recollection that, some short time since, a young man, who felt deeply indignant at the treatment of a woman by her husband, and assisted in removing various articles (including the husband's clothes) which he believed to be her property, was actually indicted for something like burglary; and, it might even be, convicted. The hair of the Seven Learned Women would have stood on end at such profligacy in our laws. But if the Frangees are behind the Orientals in some points, there are others on which they may challenge comparison. The incident of the loaf, projected at an angle of 45° at a man's head, has much spirit; but we have heard of a most amiable lady, who, one day, in a fit of absence, struck her husband across the face with a leg of mutton, and had the compliment gallantly returned by a whole tureen of soup in her bosom. It is indeed several years since this occurred; but though similar instances are now quite rare, perhaps, upon the whole, the system of female tactics is not much inferior to that, of Persia, however different their external appearances. PIN MONEY. Upon the interesting question of pin money, various opinions will be formed. In our mode of securing it, there certainly is something ex.. ceedingly prosaic. It does not, like the Persian, admit that variety of adventures, and rapid succession of hopes and fears, which form the wine of life. Hear Kulsum Naneh's account of the Eastern mode: "When a woman has not been to the bath for a considerable period, she ought to take whatever there is in the house of her husband, to defray the expenses of the bath. And it is wajib that she should scold and fight with her husband, at least twice a-day, till she obtains from him the amount required. And since there is no constancy in the disposition, nor certainty in the life of a husband, [why don't they ensure his life at some office?] who may repudiate his wife from caprice, or chance to die suddenly; it is wajib, while she does remain in his house, to scrape together, by little and little, all in her power; that, when the hour of separation arrives, she may be able to dress elegantly, and enjoy herself, until (if alive) he repents and becomes obedient to her will." OF GOSSIPS. "The Seven Wise Women agree, that a woman dying without gossips or friends has no chance of going to Heaven. On the contrary, she who visits every place calculated to expand and exhilarate the heart, will be seen, at the day of resurrection, dancing, with her old companious on earth, in the regions of bliss." But it is curious to see how far, and among what different people, the same notion of similar employments in the other world has prevailed. The Easterns and Westerns held it with equal confidence. The Greeks, the Romans, the Celts, the Teutones, with the great Oriental tribes, seem to have alike believed in it; and even to the proud savage of the Pampas, it is an article of high creed. Head tells, that when the Indians see meteors, and hear noises, in the sky, they say, "that these are their ancestors, blind drunk, mounted on horses swifter than the wind, and hunting ostriches." Now, all this seems absurd; but we confess, this notion of the Indian heaven pleases us infinitely more than the long line of robber-heroes whom Anchises contemplates in Elysium. MARRIAGE CEREMONIES AND THE NUPTIAL NIGHT. Unless we are woefully mistaken, a simple statement of the articles of the code upon this subject will entirely overturn the received notions about the condition of wives in Persia. "1. They must present a lighted candle before the face of the bride, and place the Koran near her, and a mirror; and also a tray with ambergris-tapers, different kinds of perfume, some arzen, and dried dates, and cress-seed, aspund, and other articles required by ancient usage. And it is proper, also, that a person should stand at the head of the bride, and pronounce the Khotbeh of Hazrat Adam; and they should also throw over the head of the bride a sort of veil of a green colour, so that her whole person may be enveloped in its folds. The bride herself must not speak to any one. She must then be undressed; even her gauze chemise taken off; and, whilst thus hid from view, a large brass basin must be turned upside down, and a lighted lamp put under it, fed with oil made of ox-fat. Upon this basin they must place a saddle, if they have one, and then a pillow, on which the bride is seated; the attendants singing aloud, The husband is saddled, the journey begun, And the beautiful bride her own race has to run. "2. When the husband is introduced into the bridal-chamber, he is seated by her side. The right leg of the bride is placed on the left leg of the husband, and her right hand is placed on the hand of her husband, to show that she ought always to have the upper hand of her spouse. It is wajib that the husband should then make two prostrations in prayer, [one, we suppose, for his leg, and another for his hand.] A basin, and ewer and water, are then brought; and the right leg of the bride and the left leg of the bridegroom are placed together and washed, and their hands also in the same manner. The husband then takes the bride in his arms and places her on the nuptial couch, and scatters cotton seed over her head." There is in the next article much profound truth. "3. Fresh fish fried and mixed in the food of the bride and bridegroom on the nuptial night, is of great advantage. If it rains upon that night, the bridegroom will doubtless be prosperous. 4. It is wajib that a handsome woman should throw the sleeping apparel of the bride, that the husband may be constant and true to his wife; and it is lucky that both should sleep on one pillow." We regret that the prudery of European Manners will not permit us to proceed farther in expounding the pandect of the Seven Wise Women, Something like throwing the stocking, in several parts of England. THE MEETING OF THE SELF-ELECTED, A CANTATA. "On fasten-e'en we had a rockin, To ca' the crack an weave our stockin'; At length we had a hearty yokin At sang about." RECITATIVO. HARSH the steeple cock was creakin' Aye the storm wax'd loud an' louder, Wild as fire the tempest rattled Slates an' tiles, frae aff the houses, Deil-ma-care," says Provost Pawkie; "Though the Whigs may clip our pinions, Provost Pawkie's first-rate genius Mony a member o' the council He had kicket down the stairs. If his schemes were ever thwarted Syne mix'd wi' the common herd. "Whilk way does the Provost vote?" Five o'clock, the hour appointed, Loudly chappit on the town ; Enter a' the Self-elected, Duly at the blithesome soun'. |