MARRIAGE CUSTOMS.

PART III.

"Go find a land where female grace
Is honour'd by no gallant race,
And man's dominion deems it vile
To bend beneath a woman's smile,
But tramples with a brute delight
On mental rank and moral right,---
How darkly do her people sink!
How meanly act, how basely think!"
R. Montgomery.

In endeavouring to obtain a knowledge of the modes of Courtship and the Marriage Customs practised in the various nations of the earth, we cannot but be greatly astonished to find how much they vary, and how highly ridiculous many of them In proportion as nations rise in the scale of civilization and intelligence, in the same ratio the

are.

softening influence of the fair sex is felt, and they are respected and treated as they ought to be. It is only in countries advanced in civilization where woman enjoys her natural rights, and where by her beauty, her virtues, and her excellence, she universally claims the homage and admiration of the opposite sex.

Wherever a rude and barbarous people exist, the condition of women is always found truly pitiable. Amongst such a people they enjoy no freedom of action, no will of their own. Invariably they are the passive slaves of imperious taskmasters, who care not how they degrade them, nor to what laborious occupations they are put.

In a political sense, there is no country in the world that enjoys so much freedom, without abusing this glorious privilege, as England, and in no other nation does woman shine with a brighter lustre in the domestic circle. How often has the beauty of our fair countrywomen excited the admiration even of foreigners, and how often have they spoken in its praise! In addition to their acknowledged beauty, the women of England naturally possess an innate modesty, and that strong home feeling, which so particularly qualifies them for discharging those important household duties which tend to make an Englishman's fireside his boast and pride.

The fair sex in various parts of the continent, especially in France, have seldom any relish for retirement or the quietness and tranquil happiness of home. The consequence is, they are fond of seeking pleasure in all its flowery paths, and nothing delights them more than to be continually flirting abroad, and receiving the attentions of men of gallantry. The French pride themselves on being the most polished people on the face of the earth. In affairs of gallantry they are certainly great adepts. A writer upon this subject says, "A Frenchman mingles with the females from his infancy. He not only becomes acquainted with all their customs and humours, but grows wonderfully alert in performing a thousand little offices which are overlooked by others whose time is more valuably occupied in making useful acquisitions. He enters without ceremony a lady's chamber while she is in bed, and reaches her whatever she may want, and helps to put it on. If he visits when she is dressed, and perceives the least impropriety, he insists upon adjusting it with his own hands. If he sees her hair or a curl amiss, he sets it to rights with the dexterity of a professed friseur. He squires her to every place she visits, either on business or pleasure, and by thus dedicating his time to her, he renders himself necessary to her occasions."

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If such frivolous attentions are an evidence of French gallantry, the less they are practised in England the better. The women in our country would not tolerate such silly attentions, which are as devoid of sincerity as they are repugnant to British feelings. A Frenchman's gallantry flows from the lip, an Englishman's from the heart. The one is insincere, the other truthful. Were a

French lady caught in a shower of rain, and she had a countryman of hers in her company, he would say, "Ah, my dear Madam, I can very ill spare this cloak at such a moment, but pray take it." An Englishman under similar circumstances would say, "Oblige me by taking this cloak-it is of no use whatever to me." The former wishes the lady to understand she is under a particular obligation to him, but the latter scorns to resort to such an ungenerous mode of doing a service.

It is owing to such frivolous gallantry on the part of the men, and the too general liberty and want of a proper home feeling amongst the fair sex in France, that connubial happiness is far from being so prevalent as in England, where the women are not so light and gay; and thus being more steady in their demeanor, more retired in their habits, and more ardent and sincere in their nature, they are calculated to make better wives and more affectionate mothers.

In Spain, matrimonial dissensions prevail to an extent even more than in France. This, however, is not owing to the levity of the Spanish ladies, for they are proverbially proud and re ́served; but, in a great measure, such dissensions may be attributed to the prevalence of early marriages in that country. In Spain, females are considered marriageable at twelve and males at fourteen; and nothing is more common in this country, it is said, for the united ages of a married pair not to amount to thirty. "To constitute a legal marriage in Spain," says a popular writer, "it is sufficient if the parties declare in the presence of a priest that they take each other for man and wife. When this formality is complied with, neither the non-publication of the banns, nor the opposition of parents, can prevent the marriage.” The Spaniards, in general, pay great respect to the fair sex. Many of their courtships are of the most romantic and chivalrous character. They love to serenade their mistresses during the night with a guitar accompaniment under her window, and being very fond of display, their marriages are generally celebrated with great pomp and magnificence, and at an expense which they are not always in a position to sustain.

Although marriages take place in Spain at so