crufh'd the Roman power, were not late in adopting the mild manners of the conquered they admitted women to inherit land, and they exacted a double compofition for injuries done to them. By the Salic law among the Franks, women were exprefsly prohibited to inherit land: but we learn from the forms of Marculfus, that this prohibition was in time eluded by the following folemnity. The man who wanted to put his daughter upon a footing with his fons, carried her before the commissary, faying, "My dear child, an ancient and impious custom bars a

66

young woman from fucceeding to her 66 father: but as all my children equally are given me by God, I ought to love "them equally; therefore, my dear child, (6 my will is, that my effects fhall divide equally between you and

tr

your

bre

thren." In polished states, women are not excluded from fucceeding even to the crown. Ruffia and Britain afford examples

and therefore, at the time of the Decemvirs, who compofed the Twelve Tables of law, the fubtile cause affigned by our author could not have been the motive, had the Decemvirs introduced female fucceffion in land, which they certainly did not.

of

of women capable to govern, in an abfolute as well as in a limited monarchy *

What I have faid, regards those nations only where polygamy is prohibited. I take it for granted, that women are not admitted to inherit land where polygamy is lawful: they are not in fuch estimation as to be intitled to a privilege fo illuftri

ous.

*The kingdom of Gurrah in Hindoftan was governed by Queen Dargoutté, eminent for spirit and beauty. Small as that kingdom is, it contained about 70,000 towns and villages, the effect of long peace and profperity. Being invaded by Afaph Can, not many years ago, the Queen, mounted on an elephant, led her troops to battle. Her fon Rajah Bier Shaw, being wounded in the heat of action, was by her orders carried from the field. That accident having occafioned a general panic, the Queen was left with but 300 horsemen. Adhar, who conducted her elephant, exhorted her to retire while it. could be done with fafety. The heroine rejected the advice. "It is true," said fhe, "we are overcome "in battle; but not in honour. Shall I, for a

lingering ignominious life, lofe a reputation that "has been my chief ftudy! Let your gratitude re"" pay now the obligations you owe me : pull out "your dagger, and fave me from flavery, by putting. "an end to my life." The kingdom of Agonna in Guinea was governed by a queen when Bofman

wrote.

I 2

Among

Among the Hurons in North America, where the regal dignity is hereditary and great regard paid to the royal family, the fucceffion is continued through females, in order to preserve the royal blood untainted. When the chief dies, his fon fucceeds not, but his fifter's fon; who certainly is of the royal blood, whoever be the father and when the royal family is at an end, a chief is elected by the noblest matron of the tribe. The fame rule of fucceffion obtains among the Natches, a people bordering on the Miffifippi; it being an article in their creed, That their royal family are children of the fun. On the fame belief was founded a law in Peru, appointing the heir of the crown to marry his fifter; which, equally with the law mentioned, preferved the blood of the fun in the royal family, and did not encroach fo much upon the natural order of fucceffion.

Female fucceffion depends in fome degree on the nature of the government. In Holland, all the children, male and female, fucceed equally. The Hollanders live by commerce, which women are capable of as well as men. Land at the

fame

fame time is fo fcanty in that country, as to render it impracticable to raise a family by engroffing a great estate in land; and there is nothing but the ambition of raifing a family, that can move a man to prefer one of his children before the rest. The fame law obtains in Hamburgh, for the fame reafons. Extenfive estates in land support great families in Britain, a circumstance unfavourable to younger children. But probably in London, and in other great trading towns, mercantile men provide against the law, by making a more equal distribution of their effects among their children.

After traverfing a great part of the globe with painful industry, would not one be apt to conclude, that originally females were every where defpifed, as they are at prefent among the favages of America; that wives, like flaves, were procured by barter; that polygamy was univerfal; and that divorce depended on the whim of the husband? But no fort of reasoning is more fallible, than the drawing general conclufions from particular facts. The northern nations of Europe, as appears from the foregoing sketch, must be excepted from

thefe

thefe conclufions. Among them, women were from the beginning courted and honoured, nor was polygamy ever known among them.

We proceed now to a capital article in the progrefs of the female fex; which is, to trace the different degrees of restraint impofed upon married women in different countries, and at different times in the fame country; and to affign the causes of thefe differences. Where luxury is unknown, and where people have no wants but what are fuggefted by uncorrupted nature; men and women live together with great freedom, and with great innocence. In Greece anciently, even young women of rank miniftred to men in bathing.

"While these officious tend the rites divine, "The laft fair branch of the Neftorian line, "Sweet Polycafté, took the pleasant toil

"To bathe the Prince, and pour the fragrant oil (a).

Men and women among the Spartans, bathed promifcuously, and wrestled together ftark naked. Tacitus reports, that the Germans had not even feparate beds, but lay promifcuously upon reeds or heath a

(a) Odyssey, book 3. See also book 8. line 49r.

long