‘It is a well-known circumstance, that no Mussulman, or Mussulmanee, ever thinks of dancing for the pleasure of the thing. The _meerassen_, (a set of women whose province it is,) are called in on particular occasions: but, among people of high rank, it is usual to have a number of slave-girls, termed _gaeen_,[8] taught music and dancing, who are always ready to amuse the family. ----- Footnote 8: Probably from _gownah_, (_i.e._ to sing). ----- ‘Europeans may, on such a subject, be surprized with the _singular_ sound of ‘_the wife_’ so often repeated, so impressed as they generally are with the idea of a Mussulman and his seraglio of ‘_wives_.’ However, it will be found, by such as will take the trouble of investigation, that those travellers, whose relations have given rise to such erroneous ideas, have deceived themselves, by mistaking individual instances for general traits; thus holding up the picture of one man as the exact portraiture of a nation. We are not to suppose, that it is common for men to avail themselves of the example of their prophet, or the option he has allowed to others of having _four wives_. In fact, not one man in twenty, of the class now under consideration, has more than one wife, nor one in five hundred more than two. Even the permission given by Mahomed is not free from restriction; for his words are, ‘Marry, O ye people, whomsoever pleases you among women, even to two, three, or four: but, if ye apprehend that you cannot do them justice, be content with one.’ This considerate advice of the prophet however would probably carry but small weight, if there did not exist other obstacles, not so easily surmounted; for it frequently forms a clause in the _quballa_,[9] (or _cabooleat_,) in a marriage contract, that the husband shall not take a second wife: besides, no parent, possessed of a proper regard for his child, would willingly place her in that degraded situation a second wife is always considered to be; and subjected, as she is, to the entire control of the first; who, it may be supposed, must, from various motives, in general prove a harsh and unpleasant mistress. Neither ought we to be led away by the idea that any influence of the husband will prevent such consequences; for the wives of Hindostan, however problematical it may sound, will be found to have, in reality, even more power than those of Europe. It is true, a husband is allowed by law the privilege of divorcing his wife whenever displeased with her conduct; and this, on the first glance, appears to leave no alternative but implicit obedience in the woman: but it will be found otherwise, in fact; for the relations of the bride take care, in the marriage-settlement, that the _mahir_, or marriage-portion, payable in case of separation, shall be fixed at an amount far exceeding the circumstances of the husband to pay; which, of course, proves an effectual check to a divorcement. In addition to this, general opinion