Nicaragua, a man can have but one wife; but he may have many concubines. In Siam, polygamy is ftill permitted, though the bride brings a dowry with her: but that abfurdity is corrected by refined manners; it being held improper, and even difgraceful, to have more than one wife. The purchafing wives wore out of fashion among the ancient Tufcans; for it was held infamous, that marriage fhould be the refult of any motive but mutual love. This at the fame time put an end to polygamy. Polygamy was probably early eradicated among the ancient Perfians; for the bride's dowry was fettled in marriagearticles, as among us. And there is the fame reafon for prefuming, that it was not long permitted in Mexico; marriage there being folemnized by the priest, and the bride's dower fpecified, which was restored in cafe of feparation. In the courttries where the Chriftian religion was first propagated, women were faft advancing "effects. An account is kept of this joint stock, and the fruits of it are preferved. Upon the "death of either, the furviving spouse has the pro"perty of both the fhares, with the fruits or pro"fits." to to an equality equality with the with the men, and polygamy was wearing out of fashion. The pure fpirit of the gofpel haftened its extinction; and tho' not prohibited expreffly, it was however held, that Christianity is a religion too pure for polygamy, 1979 267 But, as hinted above, it was by flow degrees that the female fex emerged out of flavery, to poffefs the elevated station they are intitled to by nature. The practice of expofing infants among the Greeks and many other nations, is an invincible proof of their depreffion, even after the custom ceafed of purchafing them. It is wifely ordered by Providence, that the affection of a woman to her children commences with their birth; becaufe during infancy all depends on her care. As during that period, the father is of little ufe to his child, his affection is but flight, till the child begin to prattle and fhew fome fondness for him. The expofing an infant therefore fhows, that the mother was little regarded if she had been allowed a vote, the practice never would have obtained in any country. In the firft book of the Iliad, Achilles fays to Agamemnon, who threatened to force from him his mistress Brifeis, 1 Brifeis, Another thing I will tell thee: record it in thy foul. "these hands fhall never fight, with thee nor with thy foes. Come, feize Brifeis: cc ye Argives, take the prize ye gave. "But beware of other fpoil, which lies ແ ftowed in my fhips on the fhore. I " will not be plundered farther. If other "be thy thoughts, Atrides, come in 66 arms, a trial make: thefe very flaves of thine shall behold thy blood pouring around my spear *" The comedies of * Pope difguifes that fentiment as follows. "Seize on Brifeis, whom the Grecians doom'd "My prize of war, yet tamely fee refum'd; "And seize fecure; no more Achilles draws "His conqu❜ring fword in any woman's cause. "The gods command me to forgive the past; "But let this first invafion be the last: "For know, thy blood, when next thou dar'ft invade, "Shall stream in vengeance on my reeking blade.” Such contempt of the female fex as expreffed by Achilles was perhaps thought too grofs for a modern car. But did not Pope difcover, that one capital beauty in Homer, is the delineation of ancient manners? At that rate, had it fallen to his share to defcribe Julius Cæfar, he would have dreffed him like a modern beau. And why not? for in a genteel affembly, what a favage would he appear, without breeches, and without linen! I Menander, Menander, Philemon, and Diphilus, are loft; but manners must have been little polished in their time, as far as can be conjectured from their tranflators or imitators, Plautus and Terence. Married women in their comedies are fometimes introduced, and treated with very little refpect. A man commonly vents his wrath on his wife; and fcolds her as the cause of the misconduct of their children. A lady, perhaps too inquifitive about her husband's amours, is addreffed by him in the following words. "Ni mala, ni ftulta fis, ni indomita impofque animi, Quod viro effe odio videas, tute tibi odio habĉas. "Præter hac fi mihi tale poft hunc diem " "Faxis, faxo foris vidua vifas patrem *.”›. So little formerly were women regarded in England,' that the benefit of clergy was not extended to them, till the days of William and Mary when an act of Would you be held a wife and virtuous fpoufe, "And of difcretion due, obferve this counsel:* "Whatever I, your lord, blame or approve, "Still let your praife or cenfure be the fame “But hearkee, — be this reprimand the last : --^ "If you again offend, no more a wife "Within these walls; -your father has you back." parliament was made bestowing that privilege on them. 0. One will not be furprifed, that women in Greece were treated with no great respect by their husbands. A woman cannot have much attraction who paffes all her time in folitude: to be admired, fhe must receive the polifh of fociety. At the fame time, men of fashion were fo much improved in manners, as to relifh fociety with agreeable women, where fuch "could be found. And hence the figure that And courtezans made at that period, especially in Athens. They ftudied the temper and taste of the men, and endeavoured to gain their affection, by every winning art. The daily lyconverfations they liftened to, on philofophy, politics, poetry, enlightened their understanding and improved their tafte. Their houfes became agreeable fchools, where every one might be inftructed in his own art. Socrates and P ΤΟ Pe ricles met frequently at the house of Aspafia from her they acquired delicacy of tafte, and in return procured Blic refpect and reputation. Greece at her pu that time was governed by orators, over whom fome celebrated courtezans had great |