The New York Herald Newspaper, August 6, 1842, Page 1

THE NEW YORK HERALD. Vol. VIIL.—=-No, 215 =.» Wnole No, 3066, ———————————— Cooley’s New Work on Egypt. This work is greatly admired, and is considered much more amusing book than Stevens’s Central nerica. We continue our extracts and illustra- ions :-— Maxaiacr anv Coxcustnace 1x Eovrr. Marriage contracts in Egyet are generally ofsotnd fhrough the agency of near relations, or a class of indi- ‘iduals who may not inappositely be termed marriage rokers. The parties to be united rarely or never have y thing to do with the preliminaries or the final accom- Lishment of the marriage agreement, further than to au orize their lawful agents to enter upon negotiations for hat purpose. Most commonly the mother, or sister,or ome other near female relative, describes the personal at- actions and qualifications of ‘some one of ker acquaint- ces to the man desirous to he married, and makes the se- ection for him. Should he have no femule relatives to hom he could confide this important commission, the rder is placed in the hands of a woman, whose regular ecupation is to aid men in search of the * bettwr bal:.”” ‘The commission given byAbraham to his eldest servant, ho was to obtain a wife for I:aac, was not dismmilar, perhaps, to the mode of procedure in many cases in Exy pt t the present day. The marriage broker visits thi harems, where she does not fail to be introduced the inmates who are of marriageable age. She then r urns to her employer with an account ot her discover: hie represents some of the ladies that she has seen vs po. s eauty; others, not so attenctive in perso: b h. “The man desirous of obtaining a wif’, { satistivd with her report, makes her a present, and sends er back to the family of the object of his choice, to ac- uaint them of his request. She gives an exaggeral«d ac- Fount of his wealth, Desuey; and excellent quaiiti r instance, she will say of a very ordinary young man, of arvely eny property, and of whose disposition she knows hothing, ‘ \iy daughter, the youth who wishes to marry frou is young, graceful, elegant, beardless, has plenty of oney, dresses handsomely, is fond of delicacies, but ¢ pot enjoy his iuxuries alone; he wants you as his comps ion; he will give you anything that moncy can procure; he is astayer-at-home, and will spenddfs whole time with fron, caressing and fondling you.’ The parents may be- roth their daughter to whom they please, and marry her 0 him without her consent, if she be not arrived to the red of puberty 5 but, after she has attained that age, she nay choose a husband for herself, and appoint any man © arrange and effect the marriage.” A masriage portion must in all cares be paid by the waitegroom to his wile. Generally, however, only a part ofit is paid before the marriage contract is performed; the ce being reserved to be handed over to the wife at ime she may be divorced (sheuld that event happen), or at the death of the husband, should she survive him. "The amount of the bridal dowry depends upon the wealth lot the parties to be married, and is usually a subjeet of rome higzling on the part of those who negotiate the match. A mich larger snm is usually demanded at first hy the frieads of the bride, than she expects to recive; while seatof the bridegroom is instructed to offer an jamou Yelow what he is willing ulti ito give. ittle chaffering over the mat! Dargain is clinched at a price somewhere between the amounts already named; and both pariics doubiless en- joy the silent satisfaction of believing that they have imate ua exceilent bargain. If the parties are in decent circumstances, and en joying an income’ competent to a respnctable style of living, ¢ dowry of about one hundred doliars ix cou- sidered a handsome thing; though sometimes, under si- milar circumstances, scarcely half that amount is given. Thir, however, soptioe oniy to females in their first mar- tiage, or virgin brides; white those who may have been once or oftener divorced, or widows, receive a much smaller amount. When the parents or friends of the bride are in propo- rous circummances, she is usually presented at the time of her marriage with a decent outfit of furniture, if, and dresses, ail of which are paraied through the streets on camels, aad form a part of the bridal procession. But where the bride Lappens to be of the lower classes, her parents generally imake as good a bargain as they can for themselves, pocket the marriage dowry, and return very little else to the bridegroom except his bride ‘This would seem to be searcely more honorable than the ancient custom that prevailed among the Assyrians, ifso mnch $0; who, says Herodotus, “ assembled together such of their virgins a; were marriageable, at an appoint- ted time and place, and some public officer sold them b: auction, one by one, beginning with the most beautiful. When one was disposed of, and, as may be supposed, for a considerable sum, he proceeded to sell theone who was next in beauty, taking it for granted that each man mar- ried the maid he purchased. ‘The crier, when he had sold the fairest, selected next the most ugly, or one that was deformed; ‘she also was put up to onlay ‘and assigned to whomsoever would take her with the least money. This money was what the sale of the most beautiful maidens had produced, who were thus obliged to portien out those who were deformed, or less lovely than themselves. No man was permitted to provide a match for his daughter nor could any one take away the woman he had pu chased, without first giving security to make her his wife. “The law respecting marriage and concubinage, though express as to the number of wives whom the iiuslem may have at the the less strict as perfectly explicit with regard to the number of concubines he may keep. It is written: “ Take in marriage, of the women who please you, two, three, or four; but if ye fear that ye cannot act equitably’ (to xo many), take one; or take those whom your right hands have acquired, thatis, slaves (Koran, chap. iv. 5, 3.) Many ofthe wealthy Moslems, interpreting this text accordini to their desires, marry two, three, or four wives, an keep, besides several ‘concubine slaves.” With the ex- ception of the priests, who could onl; it the custom of the ancient Egyptians, have as many wives as they pl ; and all were bound to bring upas many children as they could, for the fur- ther increase of the inhabitants, which tends much to the well-being either of a chy or country.” Notwithstanding this liberal license, however, Hero- dotus informs us that the ancient Egyptians, “like the Greeks, confined themselves to one wife. This assertion is nevertheless contradicted:—“ That the Greeks did not confine themselves to one wife, we learn from certain au- thority. Euripides was known to be a woman hater; ‘but,’ says itrme, it was because he was coupled to two noisy Of the marriage contracts of the Egyptians,” sars Wilkinson, “ we are entirely ignorant, nor do we find the ceremony represented in the paintings of their tombs. ‘We may, however, conclude that they were regulated by the customs usual among civilized nations.” Tue Custom or Marrvinc Broturns axo Sisters 16 Rarer. The strange custem of marrying brothers and sisters was notuncommon in Egy;t in her most enlightened po And the marriage of Osiris and Isis, the revered deities of Egypt, who were also brother and kister, is su poseil to have given peculiar authority agi sancity' to this ractice. a ‘Many individuals, among the priesthood of early Pha- eriods, are found, from the sculptures of Thebes, to have married their sisters ; and the same authorities agree with the accounts of ancient Gree! Roman writers, in roving that some of the Ptolemies. this ancient cus- ym.” i his custom doubtless prevailed among the people of Abraliam, who also married his sister, and said ot his wife, “And yet indeed she is my sister : she is the daugh- ter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother : and she became my wife.” ikewise, who “were a colony of the Saites, which came out of Egypt,” are said to have adopt- ed the Egyptian custem of marrying brother and sister ; and the connection of Jupiter and Juno, who were report: edgto be brother and sister, was no doubt derived from the fabulous account ef Osiris and Isis. Herodotus says, that before Cambyces, “no Persian hadever been known to marry his sister ; but he, being passionately fond of one of his, married the sister he loved, and not long afterward asecond. The younger of these, who accompanied him to Egypt, he put to death.” ay of the modern Egyptians do not avail themselves of the full extent of their religious license, which allows them four wives ; and still more dispense with the addi- tion of slaves and concubines. Some, for the sake of do- mestic peace, or other reasons, content themselves with oneortwo wives, and keep no slaves or concubines at Others prefer to keep one or more female slaves, an pense with the inure expensive establishment of the wives altesether. . Tt is usual for each wife, when there are more than one, arate rooms; and even with these arrange. aiousies that frequently spring up in the ha- rem render the establishment more like Badlam, than the quiet abo le of the Christian, who is satisfied with one wild “Though aman restrict himself toa single wife, he may change as oiten as ke desires ; aud there are certainly not maay men in Cairo who have not divorced one wife, if y have hoe long married, The husband may, when he pleases, say to his wife, “Thon art divorced :” if it be his wish, whether reasonable or not, she must return to her porents or fri Py ‘The liability of a wife to be lurned off at any moment by hand, aat ia very frequent iastances to be cast out enpoa the worldoccasieus more uaeasioess among the Egyptian women than any other cirenmstance atten ing thein degraded live. Sometimes,how ever the consuling hope of veiug able to better their condition in » secon’ third, or fourth marriage, as the case may be, quite hat ya es the tome 4 with avidh upon a divorcement. They ocessionally seize with avi ‘the first - ty that offers for thetr legal scparaticn, caupemer Instances have occurred, Where the husband, having divorced his wife in a passion, wished, in a cooler moment, to recall his hasty words ; but she, desirous of being re- leased from the annoyence of his caprice and tyranny, and to try her fortune again inanew alliance, refused return to him, and availed herself of the legal steps for continuing the separation. A woman may be legally taken back by her husband after a divorcement, provided she has not been divorced by him more than twice. After a third divorce, however, she cannot be legally taken to wife again by him who has thus divorced her, until she first be married to another husband; and, having been divorced by him, then return to her first love, and marry her old hus band, who has already thrice turned her adrift upon the world. Ponisiotent or Women tx Rarer ror Avcureny. Mr. Lane says : ‘Tonce saw a woman paraded through the streets of Cairo, and afterward taken down to the Nile to be drowned, for having apostatized from the faith of Mohammed, and having married a Christian, Unforta- nately, a blue cross which she had tattooed on her arm, led to her detection by one of her former friends, in a bath. She was mounted upon a high saddled ase, such at ladies in Bay pt usually ride, and very. ree tfally dressed, at- tended by soldiers, and surrounded by a rabble, who, in- stead of coumisarating, uttered loud imprecations against her. The ckadee, who’ passed sentence upon her, exhort: ed her, in vain, to return to her former faith. Her own fa- ther was her accuser! She was taken im a boat to the midst of the river, stripped nearly naked, strangled, and then thrown into the stream.” Deteeted infidelity seldom meets « punishment less fear- ful that awaits the fair delinquent in religious faith. As Sour Moslem witnesses, however,are required to bring th serious charge effegtually home to the unfaithful spous the Egyptian ladies are seldom found otherwise than pur legally g, in regard to all breaches of faithfulness toward their lor The requisition of four eye-witnesses, to establish a charge of unfaithfulness, is said to have been decreed by the prophet, to meet an accusation of that kind brought against his own wife. She was consequently honorably absolved from punishment ; an sequent “revelations” cleared her character from’e+e: jous stain that had settled upon it through the vile calumniators of her fair may appear to be extraordinary ; but I sup- pose it was julgated by the prophet on pretty much tie same principle that actuated the Pope of Rome under somewhat similar circumstances, perhaps, wherein sixty- four witnesses were required to convict a cardinal of adul- tery—a law which was sure to keep the cardinal quite above suspicion. YY Tus Ni.z—Tee Moor oF Rais.no rvs Waten—Cenemo- Nis on THE IncNpation ov tne NILE, t fete of the Egyptians is cclebrate? on the night betor cutting the dam of the consl to conduct the water of the inundation tothe metropolis. The inhab- itunts repair in crowds to the island of Rhoda, the banks of the cunal, and of the river, and there pass the night with music, songs, dancing, ‘and sory telling, amid the rour 0! cannon and the ually blazing throng h the hi ing up and éown the Ni the aie with their uproarious . Atthe break of day, the cutting of the dam menced. An hour aftcr sunrise, the governor of Cairo, « tended by other great officers of state, arrives and alights glare of rockets which are coutin- ons Thousands are sii Doute, ren ing me time, namely, four, is not considered by | at a large tent in front of the dam. The ckadee is also present. He draws up a document testifying to the fact of the Nile’s having attained a sutticient height to justify the opening of the canal, and of its having been accomplishes. ‘his instrument, being signed and sealed, is despatched with all haste to the Grand Seignior at Constantinople. The governor throws purses of gold to the workmen ; the water rushes into the canal, bearing upon its troubled bo- som numerous boats filled with happy beings rejoicing, intothe city. The lake of Ezbekeeyeh, within the wal of Cairo, being filled with water, the metropolitans pas: the night upon its borders, in bathing, and other amuse- ments. The women, who elsewhere are superstitiously exact in concealing their faces from the sight of men, expose their persons to the passenger's and idlers on the banks ina surprising manner. ~ ‘The Egyptians have always looked upon their inestima- ble river with extreme veneration. To it the country is indebted for all its fertility. Indeed, Egy ype in the fullest seuse is the “gift of the Nile.” Therefore, when they have a ‘full Nile,” the country resounds with rejoicings ; thé people are then happy in the prospect of an abundant harvest. In accordance with the custom of the ancients, the height of the Nileduring the increase of its waters is daily proclaimed by public criers; and the Nileometers, al- though the Pacha almost the entire soil of the country, now subserve the important ends for which they were originally constructed. An old law exempting the ple from ‘ing the land-tax, unless the river rises to he bere 7 ‘teen cubits, is so far respected, that the criers of the Nile, under the sanction of government, daily proclaim the increase of the waters. Nileometers were very early established, and it was un- lawful for the inhabitants to measure the height of the in- undation ; consequently the Nileometers being strictly in the hands of the public authorities, the river rarely failed to reach the tax-sanctioning height of sixteen cubits. About the middle of June, a gradual rise in the Nile is The penalty and mode of punishing convicted adulter- ersadulteresses among the modern Egy ptiens are the same 0s were promulgated in the old Levitical law,and observed by the Jews, even after the birth of the Saviour ; though in cases of male delinquents, the penalty of death is rarely or never exac But the women, who have been found guilty of a crime so revolting, seldom escape the utmost rigour of the law. Their nearest relatives are often their accusers and executioners! When aFellah is found to have been unfaithful to her husband, in general he or her brother throws her into the Nile, with a stone tied to her neck ; or cuts her in pieces, and then throws her remains into the river. In most i stances, also, a father or brother punishes in the s manner aa unmarried daughter or sister who has been guilty of incontinence. ‘hese relatives are considered more disgraced than the husband by the crime of the wo- = and are often despised if they do not thus punish er.” It is also provided that unmarried people convicted of this offence, be punished by scourging with one hundred stripes, | Sometimes married women, guilty of infidelity, are privately put to death, even without bein, ally convicted of the cr m°. eb RAISING WATER FROM THE NILE. perceptib’e at Cairo; though at the cataracts the banks denote an moreased fulness two or three weeks ei At this time the water becomes more irom a stete of comparative c I arbid, and is changed red dirty bue. F 3 and while it re- tuius this color, itis considered unwholesome. Anciently, the banks being generally fuil about the first of Augu were opened and the water covered the piain s nud dikes were then considered of so much y were annually exe pairs.” ‘They were ont, and were strictly ient dikes havlng all dis ps unrestrained where importance, that * Lange sums pended for thei uuader th supe ‘To the fertilizing influences of the inundation, and the judicious mode of irrigation adopted by the ‘ancients, Egypt was indebted for the almost incredible productions of its soil. ‘The dikes and canals, like those of Holland at the present day, were cons.dered great national works ; they received the most scrupulous care of government, and they restrained the redundant waters, they at the me served the purpose of roads, over which the same country was traversed in all directions. ‘The great leke of Moris, “four hundred and fifty miles in circumference and two hundred cubits deep,” was con- structed to relieve the country from the evils of too cop ousan indundation, and to supply the deficiencies of a tual overflowing of the plains. “For six months,” sa Herodotus, “the lake empties itself into the Nile, and remaining six the Nile supplies the lake. It is entirely the product of human industry. which indeed the work testifies : for in its centre may be seen two pyramids, each ot which is two h dred cubits above, and eee, be- neath the water. ammit of each is @ colossal statue of marble, in a sitting attitude.” The pyramids have disappeared, and the lake is now scarcely forty leagues in circunierence, The horizontal wheel now in use in Lower Egypt for raising the water fromthe Nile, was not i after the country was subjugated by the simple pole and bucket, or shadoof, of the modern Egyp- tians swung upon the banks of the Nile forty centuries ago ; and the Fellahs have a tradition that this contrivanc has descended to them from their Pharaonic pre ‘»cessors. The Persian wheel, as it is called, was formerly mw more generally in ‘use than it is at present. In conse- quence of a tax of fifteen dollars per annum which is laid upon each, it use is nearly abandoned. in Wpper, Egypt, and the primitive shadoof adopted in its stead. ‘The ap: pearance of the laborers at the shadoof, who toil from sun- rise till sunset for four or five cents each, is animated and picturesque. The accompanying cut is an illustration of these scenes on the banks of the Nile, DANCING GIRLS OF EGYPT. Tur Beavtivct wut Fra Daxcixa Gint of Eayrr. On the third day, as the sun’s last rays tinged ‘he hoary f Libya’s h nights, lors hauled the Hort up Im: led village on the left s Je of tho rive and staked it forthe night. ‘The fu!l moon shone bright in the heavens ; the golden eurrent of the Nile gi gently down, and mirrored back the dark forms and f: o1 the village nymphs, as they dipded their jugs into the water, aud bore them off upcm their heals. \iusic rose upon the stillness ofthe nigit, and dencing, benee'h the pending leaves of sprealing palm, soon commenced. We waiked to the scene of mirth, and ‘found the hal v delights of their rade amuse- ments. As weapproached, the joyous \irong hospitubly enlarged inscivele, and we eet down iW the space kindly male for our accommodation. The music was primitive and pe with a venerable beard and ample t ground, torturing atwo-stringed inst strains were accompanied by the wil of agips-looking female sitting near b tambourine, In the centre of the 1 beautiful girls, wilh graceful forme and flowiog attire, were “tripping it on the light fantartic toe” i which [have never seen imitated in avy other “With sports ike these were all their cares beguiled, ‘The sports of children satiafy the chil.” jar. An old man, an, sat upon ment. Hrs dol incongrnens note , two voung ion. ‘Their husbands be looked upon in the light of servants. who, lik ians, are governed by the whims and caprices «eo fr bettor halves.” Their dress is ‘osually the same oe v orn. in the harems, and they are often adorned with @ profusion of ornaments, ‘he delineations upon the ancient tombs testify to the hy ape of dancing in F; ypt. The dancers at some of their private entertainments are represented cven more li- contious than the exhibitions of the courtesan dancers of the pretnnt day—" Though in the station, they are depicted in as ‘These scenes are painted u and we are assured that Re nirenetie de! tian party more than thitty-five hundred years age From the varied attitude and gestures of these re tidne of the ancients, their movements were diversified and graceinl. “That they danced at the temples in ho- nour ot the gods, is evident from the represeutations of Several saerel processions, where individuals performed Certain geetires to the sound of suitable music, and dane= ed as they approached the sacred courts. oldest tombs, ighted an Egy p- presenta- ‘Wianveees: t wok unquestionably indulged in by the Egyptians before the Exodus of the Israelites; and the dance ‘of Miriam and the women who went out after her “ 1 Uimbrole and with dances,” subsequent to the crossing ed probably the same as those of the Egyptians of that per D.vid, after a solemn sa- crifice, * daaee befure the Lord with all his might :” and he says, “ Let them praise his name in the dance.” When he was’ retarning trom the slaughter of the Phili the women came out to meet him ‘from all the cities of Israel, singing avd dancing.” Solomon ossures us that “there is time to dance,” and the prophet sass: “ O virgin of Israel, thou shalt azain be adored with thy tal ret®, and shait go forth in the dances of them that make merry.” The daughters « into the matrunan heels in the ob unwi'tingly danced themselves Hippoclides, with hie fe” Ail natio wife § of the Nil be the same kind of wih which the earliest Pharaohs were en- b, Joseph ant his brethren, Moses and all may have been amused with the same kind of iva, upon the horders of the same river; and, for aught we iknow, it may not have bean dissimilar to that ef Herodias, which delighted Herod and his drunken lords, and cost Joh Baptist his bead !” LTan or Turk tern princes are upon a magnificent include the handsomest women ir the realm, in astate of seclusion—never seen unveiled, pt by the lord of the harem, orsome very near rela- They are richly attired, and adorned with pearls, ious jewels, arem of the Sultan of Turkey is closed at his death, and his women pass the remainder of their days in all the retirement of the most rig d community of nuns. ‘Their fite is Hike that of David's “ ten concubines whom he had left to keep the houve, and put them in ward and fed them, but went not in unto them ; so they were shat up unto the day of their death.” Upon the accession of aprince to the throne, he com. mences anew harem, It is thus with the present Sultan, who, at the time we were in, Constantinople, had been upon the throne scarcely nine months ; and yet he had one hundred wives and concnbines! To this round num- ber, each of the pachas, as they came to Constantinople th the acenstomed tribute. accompanied it with one or more of the et girls in their respective pachalics, resents to his Serene Highness. Consequently, this de- bauched creature, diseased and declining with excess— whose attenuated frame seemed but a shadow, around which his long black cloak assumed the collapsed form of a blanket swung overastake—is ina fair way to ensure The harems of seale : th NEW YORK, SATURDAY MORNING, AUGUST 6, 1842. himself an early grave, and to make generous additions tothe public burden. Nine menths had scarcely elapsed after his accession to thethrone, when the inhabitants of Constantinople were big with expectation for the result. Preparations for a general illumination were completed; and the full charged guns of the Turkish fleet,drawn rp in front of the Golden Horn, were ready to breathe forth their thun- ders at the first official signal pf a new-born prince. While this anxious watchiig of the mountain agitated the Moslems without, there was no little excitement ex- ing within the walls of the seraglio. A strong competi- tion prevailed among the Sultan’s women for the honor of pring birth to vheir-apparent. ‘There was nearly a tie ween some eight or ten of them ; or, as the Eng] jockeys say, “they were neck and neck.” It wasa mat. ter of the greatest uncertainty which of them all would bethe favored one. The time of ail was near at hand, and each was anxious to come out ahead. There was oue whose chance for the prize, in a fir, honest cow as good as any of the oth Sultan, ifnot better, § some silly pers: trum, with a¥ Instead of anh $0, WAS halves of the gestion of nd of nos he time, roue, by this proceeding, she produced an aboitien ; and she, poor thing, instead of a crown of honor, received a watery grave. She was thrown into the Bos; horus! » ad the futly to take w to bring on her labors befor Tue Women ov Ancient irs, Mansens ann Custom: tent, Ha ns PRoPEN- THES AND THEIR Easrcey Ment From the gr oun! of jewels borrowed by the Isra- elites when they ded trom Egypt, we may. infer that it was not unusual for the Fgyptiaa ladies to deck themselver with ornaments, hey notonly indulged in the richest articles of dress, ond jewels, but they were allowed to come out into the ori, and'to mingle in society. Re- presentations of ». tombs. “ We find,” says Wilkinson, “men and women sitting together, both sirengers as well as members of the same family ; a privilege not fconceded to females among the Greeks, except with ther relations, This not only argues a very great advancement in civilization, especially in an eastern nation, but proves, among many other Egyptian customs, how very far this peopl. exceed the Greeks in the habits of social life.” ‘dhe women of Egpt were welcome guests at the festive board; where, if the paintings that represent those scer are to recvive literal credence, they were not forbidde: the vhieh they’ indulged in uccasionally, arcely less enviable than » Who, a year or two since, committed ticng in the palace of the Grand Duke of Tuscany. They, like all the descendents of Eve,were not exempt fromthe weaknesses of civ common mother,and could not withstand all corts of temptation, any more than the othersex. Consequently, while the men are some- times represented on the walls ombs, returning home from a drinking party, bor: jong in a state of in- toxication by their servar * are seen supported ialeatertainments are frequent on the INTOXICATED ANCIENT EGYPTIANS RETURNING HOME, by their maids, thiowing off from their acidiferous. sto- machs that rediindancy of poisonous fluid in which they in an evil hour had too freely in.iu! ‘The wonven of Greece weie not permi any of their entertainments, ¢xept thos lives only were invited ; “and, in early ti jswful for women, or ndee of thirty, to drink wine, ¢ to appear at to which rela- mes at Rome, it lor young men Lelow copt uteaerifices, And so scrupulous were the mu.us, that Egnatius to. ea’h for iniringi Whils the imperious Romans were gil y toward tle ladies, weare assured | her centracis o! marriage, gave wives over their husbands, at which time the bu promise to be obedient to their wives in all things. on this point, in the time of Ro- ecennits coused his wil to b his law, ns if puilty of AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN LADY AFTER DINNER. “In this country,” says Herodotus, “the women leave to the men the management of the loom in the retirement of the house, whilst they themselves are engaged abroad in the business of commerce.” ‘The honor of ascending the throne was conceded by the Egyptians to the ladies at a ny Femote period; “and it was @ custom among them,” says Diodorus, “to honor a queen, and allow her more power and authority than aking.” But however great were the pore and powerful was the authority exer. cised by the higher classes of the ancient Egyptian wo- men, there were nevertheless those among them who were doomed (o incessant toil, wader circumstances li:tle Joss deplorable than those which surround tue degenerate females of modern Egypt. During the early ages of the world, the duties and oceu- pations of women varied very considerably from those of a later and more civilized period, and were regulated ac- cording to the peculiar manners and habits of different communities. * Among pastoral tribes, they drew water, kept the sheep, and superintended the herds as well as the EGYPTIAN WOMEN WEAVING. flocks. As with the Arabs of the present day, they pre- pared both thefurniture and the staffs of which the tents themselves were made; and like the Greek women, they were generally employed in weaving, spinning, and other sedentary oceupations within doors.’ Needle work and embroidery we: men, in which it is highiyjprobable the Egyptian ladies oc- cupied much of «| and we have positive evi dence, fromthe sculptures, of numerous females being employed in weaving and in the use of the distaff. Bat EGYPTIAN WOMEN USING THE DISTAFF. ile fa Egyptian women were not kept in the same secluded max- nex as those of ancient Greece ; who, besides oun ‘ined to @ particular part of the house, the most remote from the hall of entrance, and generally in the uppericost part of the bui louis without a veil, as is the case in many orients! coun- tries at the present day. Newly married women were al- most as strictly kept as virgins ; und by the laws of Solon, no lady could goout at night without a lighted torch. be: fore her chariot, or leaye home with more than three gar- ments. They were guarded by men, and oftentimes by old men and eunnchs; and the secluded life they led was very simila’ ‘9 that im yored wpon females among modern Moslems. Bui‘). Mey ptians treated their women very differently, and i « manner much more worthy of a civi- lized people. The lenity and indulgence of the ancients did not ex- tend so far as to blind their eyes to palpable crimes,which the Indies of old Egypt sometimes had the weakness to commit. Someof the punishments partook more of the barbarons feeling that pervaces the breast of oriental ru- lers of our time, than of the highly cultivated state of so- ciety which is supposed to have existed in Egypt thirty- five hundred years ago. Death was seldom exacted as the penalty of crime, except in cases of murder. . Amore common way of punishing women for the crime of adultery, was to cut off their noses. Whether achas- tisement of such severity had the effect to restrain crime and enforce chastity or not, all must concede that the pe- nalty was savage in the extreme. Male delinquents, in all cases of this kind, ruif bastinading to the amount of a thonsan blows, excep ec where violence had been used against « free women, when they were punished i In the Toss of the nose, it was suppos would be deprived of a most nscful, and if no most ornamental feature of her face, a! leas last that she would desire to part with. In ay cave, it conld hardly fail to detract considerable from her person- al beauty. The women, however did not enjoy an undivided mo- nopoly of having the’r noses ent off. The pAWilege w sometimes conferred npon the men ; who, dy their dex’ rity in houre-bresking, and (heir s! in robbery, ted claims suffi rerg to merit that dist Diolorus informs ns that “attera justaud strict inquiry, and certain knowledge of their guilt, they were co: Jered to have their noses cut off, and to be banished mto the ut- termost parts of the desert ; to acity built for them, call. ed, from the entting off the noses of the inhabitent:, Ri nocorura, which is situated in the confines of Egypt and Syria, in a barren place, destitute of all manner ol provi- sion.” ‘Thus the lives ofthe culprits were spared ; and, as the were never allowed to return again to their native land, but obliged to support themselves by industry in a barren and inhospitable region, all must admit that their punis! ment was sufficiently striking to convince all that “the way of trangressors is hard.” LeMAN or Eovet, with Ovt-nonwens. ¢ parted with Nebby, my wife and I got into the carriage with Mrs. Firkins, who had just driven up, with two out-runners, to take us to the baths of Cleopatra and the catacombs of Alex: I now for the first time witnessed a custom, w my subsequent wander- ings, I found to be prevalent throughout the eastern countries, and is doubtless a very old one—that of runners by the side, or before carriages ; after the manner, I sup- , of Elijah running before the chariot of Ahab. Mrs. Firkins h two; but I have seen as many as four, and even six of these runners attached to the skirts of a dis- tinguished personage in the East, who never slacked the speed of his horse on account of the runners; and they, bearing the pipe, tobacco, etc., of their master, seem to en- dure the fatigue of running in'this way at the top of their spoed, for a long distance, without apparent inconve- nience. These runners accompany individuals on horse- back, as well as in carriages. I recollect seeing the vernor of a town in Upper Egypt mounted upon horse- back, galloping at full speed, with no less than six run- Iding, were not even allowed to go out of , ie ning footmen, all of whore kept np with the horse. It was an auimated sight, He was dressed in the gay costume of the country ; and his horse, a fine Arabian, richly capari- soned, hounded off beautitully over the plain, conrc.ous, y, of the dignity and important character of his e was little to a on the T ners or earriny rag of clothes ably cram; « Barns axp Batnina is Boyer. The bath isa favurite luxury of the Egyptians, and ir every where insltfiged in by the orientals. {n Cairo alone, there are seventy public baths, and the wealthier part of the inhabitants have baths fn their owu houses, The pub- he baths are accessible to all classes of citizens. Someot them are for women and children only ; others are exelu sively for men. Some of them are for bo:h men and women—the men occupying them in the forenoo the women frequenting them inthe afternoon. Sows themore opuient inhabitants visit the bath twice or three times a week—others once ; and tcose who cannot afford the eqpense, bathe in the Nile “ scot free.” “The women, when they can afford to doso, visit the bath frequently... .In general, all the females of a house and ‘2 young boys go together... . There are few pleasuy rs in which the women of Egypt delight so mudh ast» visit to the bath, where they frequently have entor' eine ments ; end often, on these occasions, they are not a litilr noisy in their mirth. They avail th at the oppor tonity to Alsplay their jewels and theia fuest clothes, end to enter into familiar conversation with those whom they mee! ther’ Sometimes a mother chooses a hri'e for bor fon frova among the girls or women whom sh fee in the bat In the case of the prepa i bath is hired for a select purty, con the women of the women of two or more fam 1,..Where all ave friends, the younger gi le indulge in more mirth ani frolic. , . ticular ovcasions of festi . they are enter the songs of two or m them tothe bath.” The Turks indulge to an immoderate extent in the use of the bath. "i ned with waiim, hired to accompany -One hundred and eighty- U. 8. Navy, left command of Movestest or Manrvens! five men and boys shipped he for Boston. via en: Lieuts. Goltshorough ters Browning, and Nichole, and Middies Parker an! Smith. The boys will take the Western railrond from Aibeny and are car. ried through and found at $9 a new!. The New York ‘Transportation company have the contract Buffalo pap. Aug. 1. rday Dg— A man from the city who had crossed the riveron business had just left the gentleman with whom he was conversing, when he was struck and instantly fell lifeless on the Le- vee. Theelectric fluidentered near his left temple and came out on the opposite side of his bodv near the groin. His hat, pantaloons and shoes were a mass of cris, and fell into dust as they were touched. We could net learn his name, He was aGerman, and said to hi been an engineer formerly on the old tow boat Lion. The ship Ocmulgee was alo struck at her moorings near the Pontchartrain railroad depot. It is said the Samege she sustained was trifling only. These accidents took place while a part of ‘he heavens were clenr from a cloud, and before a drop of rain had fallen.—N. Orleans paper, Julyp6- Remanxance Parsenvarioy prom Deatn.—Mr. Phinea Strong, of Southampton, Mass. on the 234 ult. fell pon pitchfork, one of the tines of which penetrated his holy it 12 inches—the whole length of the tine—yet rtrange to say, he is likely to recover, It entered about three inch- es below the the ribs, on the left side, taking an upward di- rection, and piereing the lower part of the left lobe of the lungs. last, several severe accidents occurred from ti Price T'wo Cents, Review of Books, &, Hounr’s Macazings.—The August number is very good. The progress of population and wealth in ‘his country, is an able article; and the commercial Statiatics invaluable. The mercantile law depart- ment 18 @ very excellent feature in the work. - Kwickernorker ror Avowst.—This work is ad- mirably written, and beautifully printed. ‘The ar- ticle on “Woman er Wine’ is graphiey and the rest of the articles maintain the former reputation of this excellent work _ Bewrury vox Juty—Mrs. Mason.—An unusually rich number, and contains Fanny Kemble’s * Wine ter Trip to Georgia,” written in her best style. The following about old Blanchard, aud a scene in Broad- way, is toogood to be lost;— Blanchard was exceedingly polite and attentive to fe- males, He did not approve of the New York custom of not walking with a lady arm-and. “Itis being ridiculously fastidious, h not endure it at all—its barbarous.’ And len, » the general formality and reserve of the tems. thing but pleasing fo an Englishman lik the duty of man to be attentive to the de bless ‘em! and not being permitted to dos ofall patience, and well it might. my dear boy, a4 to how att aid estimated there (1 mea was going down the Broadway (prec htand nine (itisthe longest street th I hree miles, I believe) — y have exceciingly fine moons there , but how t by em, T can’t guess—the frost was very severe—(no joke, their frosts, my boy)—and th very slippery. (By the bye, a heavy fall of su saw a splendid figure of a female walking be forgot where | was going—no matter—! rememb Job Thornberry the night before)—w jien sudden'y down she fell, but, as Alice in the Castle Spectre say's, ‘she fell with all possible decency, and took core to bile her legs,? at least, as far.as | cowl see, my boy. Well, Lbur= ried to her assistance—(I was all but down mysclf). She wasavery good looking—(many of tie wonien ure very Good looking there, I must say, upto acertain oge, m 3 but they don’t wear as well #8 ours, though, | dare ey last as long)—and on my expressing my hope she Was not injured by her fall, she turned round ond ito me (justas 1 was supporting her with my arma round her waist) in a precsous grum tone of voice—y ou Mrs, Davenport in Mother Bulgrudder?—well, , What was it) — * Clear out!” said I. “Yes, clear out,” said she. “ D—n it,” said I, “you are all alike, men, women, and children; and you've no King, poor wretches!” 3 cc Review 11s valuable as being the on ab = of 64 ley.—This_periodi- n of» large and Unaer the ¥i present pubusher. but the editor wants to: here are some able and rdison and the fra- portrait of Gov. Dorr is pretty good. Buackwoon ror Avevst.—Mrs. Mason.—“Caleb Stukely,’ “A fighani and “Cicero” are inval- aabl+ articles and will well repay perusal. Sovrmern Lrrenany Messen —A work we always take up with pleasure. ‘Lhe article on the “Rights of Woman’ is worth the price of a year’s subscription. ‘*Blindness and the Blind” is a capi- tal article; the continuation of the “Knignts of Malta” is’a very valuable paper, and the original poetry is equal to any published. Law Revorrer For Avaust.—Bradbury §& Co., 127_N ssa strcet.—This is one of the most valuable periodicals in the country. It has long been waat- ed, and we hope will be properly patronized Woxxs or Bacox, No. 87—Pust, 88 Bowery.— Three snore numbers will complete this excelient work. No library can be considered complete without it OpseRvations ON THE Veto—Francis, New York. a tupid pamphlet, but wil! doubtless have a large sale. Lire or Wasuincton—Curry, 155 Broadway.— This is a very valuable work by Jared Sparks, and is to be completed in fourteen monthly numbers, at twenty-five cents each. Cheap as dirt. New Mysic.—Firth & Hall have published a very beautiful piece ef music—a_ Fantasie Prillante on the much admired theme of the Maid of Florence. and other favorite subjects from Herold’s cele brated opera of Zampa. It is by W. A. King. Jchn F. Nunns, 240 Broadway, has_ published a very pleas: ing song, on the occasion of the introduction of the Croton water into the It isentitled, ‘From Mountain Heights and Valley Green.” Bankrupt List, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK. Abraham T. Hillyer, N. York, Sept. 8. John Williams, (formerly president of Belknap Manu- facturing Co., Dover, N.H) Sept. 8. Peter A. Brusie, (late Miller & Brusie, Henry Simons, N. Y. lonePh Breeze, N.¥., (debts mostly dueat Chicago, U- inois. Ben} M. Kissam, (late firm of Bowden & Kissam, I dealers, ) N. , Hudson), Sept. %. NTY DOLLARS REWARD—LOST—suppose: be drowned in the E. ‘er, neighborhood of Pier No. I or Franklin Market, a La fteen years of age. Had on at the time duc« prntaloons, check shirt, straw or chip hat, (no jack the thumb of the left hand. Any person finding Une body will receive the above reward bj Vy ap plying at 13 Peck slip, asm THE NEW YOR K COLLEGE OF MEDICINE PH A © Vig ESTABLISHED FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF QUACKERY. met with the most Unprecedented sitccons stuce’its com fement, particalarly from the unfortwuete. yicuins of unprincipled pretenders, who are now dvily waining strenxth snd vigar under the judicious treatment of ty Coliege. E following preparations hav already obtained « «elebricy uue paralelled in the anoals of medi y THE UNR TONIC MIXTUR| A certain eure for all forma of dyspepsia, low. spiv appetite, Iesitude, cutaneous eruptions, disposition to consumption, and all complynts wising trom a ent of the wervions system, It may be iso used Caucerss in eases of fever and auc. and aa in hort of , loss n ral debility, pre= cure of all cases of a de lic « , eruptions, sore throat, or auy roduced by an injudicious w Sold in boutles at $1 and $! HE ANODYNE. LINIM For the cure of rheumatic pains, cv ic nol disease, nervous headache, pains in th i reand permanent relief guarsnteed. Sold in both “SHE FRENCH TIPHLOGISTIC MIXTURE, Guar -ntecd to ure rr! Ba, H mucoraralent varges from the urethra. Sold ia botive ents and stressing symp- nf mercury, Or by and ie jes, 75 ote § Of the H For the eur fond, exciting t entary canal to al giving new vier tothe vital powes Th atirely super ceding the drastic purgatives of th enders. THE FEMALE, RESTORATIVE PILL. For the cure of those enmplaints preuliar to the nd to restore and preserve the regular action 01 organs, with, tull directions and cautions as C0 use, boxes at $1, ae R’S PILL. a , chronic rheama- Usm, and to improve the tone of the digestive onsans, THE PA j For the cure of sore nity nd sold in LLAKY HEALING POWDER, uperficial «xcoriations of he okin, Sold in closely stopt phils at 0 cents each. The bove preparations may alzo be had of the following ens in this city 2— 614 Browdway. n, 187 Bowery. ‘ooklyn, Pri few York, at 97 Nassau street By FRENCH, ENGLIS onder, oar W. 8 RICHARDSON, Agent. H AND~ CLASSICAL ACADEMY, No. 7 Divistonestrect, [3 gonseamenee of the enteesty of a number of patrons whose children tequon 1. the undersigned will continue his instructions during the coming vacations, and by these Ingans open an avenur to those who prefer sehool ts vacation we igtentof this institute isa rapid and thorongh knowledge of the French and Euglish languages, Mathematics, Netural Philosophy tin and Greek will, in short time, be exe. 1g he predominant branch, witl of course be classes. on cominences on the Ist of August, yet pupils may Hoa ANY time parents can make it convenient to send them, « en inthe eireuln mit "e LUX, Principal. B.—The Evening School 1s open for young men only. ee: STRAW ODS. BENNETT, 39 John and is Willi are moderate, as will be aryety vrag'vshh aw ° ter ond manufacturer of Italian and Bogtish goode, respecttally infin hia corms and che: publi fn Be Tal Ce he ae om hie, straw coods, whieh he offers for French tnd Eoelish hell and Imye a fine Taseans, Albert juced prices, ¥ sale at very much red Dans Italian Rovtlands, Fone suable and beatiful article) firely new article, the White Siberian Marr for he @mer wear sup s all the styles as being extrr nely light, durable, white a well as atneeay Ste®ee yet mtrody fal, and will clean ~ CROTON AQUEDUCT. PLENDID MASONARY WORK—Jert> of Water thrown from one nndred to one hanired and fiteon foe high, to be seen in opersiion erery afternonn. Ladle fay of Micomb's Dam ‘aad sre this stlendid sight,” Perens who have seen Niegary "ne foxntate of water, say that the Fi compare: chef-l’ceavre, a lwte