[781] Turner, _Hist. Univ. des Voy._, t. xxxi. p. 437. [782] Huc, _Voy. dans la Tartarie_, t. I^{er.} p. 301. [783] Pauthier, _Chine Moderne_, p. 239. [784] _Id._, _ibid._ [785] _Code of Manu_, ix. pp. 80, 81. [786] _Ibid._ p. 77. [787] _Ibid._ p. 83. [788] _Ibid._ [789] Deuteronomy, ch. xxiv. ver. 1, 2. [790] _Mischnah_ (third part). [791] A. Weil, _La Femme juive_, _passim_. [792] Goguet, _Orig. des Lois_, t. ii. p. 61. [793] Demosthenes, _Against Aphobus_. [794] _Id._, _Against Neera_. [795] Euripides, _Melanippus_, Fr. 31 (quoted by Cavallotti). [796] Lecky, _Hist. of European Morals_, etc., vol. ii. p. 287. [797] Romulus, xxxv. [798] Plutarch, _Demandes Romaines_, xiv. [799] _Italie ancienne_ (_Univers pittoresque_), p. 487. [800] _Ibid._ p. 488. [801] _Italie ancienne_, p. 488. [802] R. Cubain, _Lois Civiles de Rome_, p. 183. [803] _Italie ancienne_, p. 487. [804] Lecky, _loc. cit._, p. 352. [805] _Id._, _ibid._ [806] Session xxiv., can. 17. [807] Rambaud, _Hist. de la Civil. Franç._, t. I^{er.} p. 107. [808] D’Arbois de Jubainville, Preface to _Hist. inst. primit._ of Sir H. Maine. [809] Klaproth et Gamba, _Hist. Univ. des Voy._, t. xlv. p. 435. [810] M. Block, _Europe Politique et Sociale_, p. 216. CHAPTER XV. WIDOWHOOD AND THE LEVIRATE. I. _Widowhood in Savage Countries._--Societies without widowhood--The widow considered as property by the Hottentots and at the Gaboon, etc.--Widowhood in Kouranko, at Kaarta, and in Madagascar--The wives of Queen Ranavalo--Widowhood among the Redskins--Sacrifices and mutilations of widows. II. _Widowhood in Barbarous Countries._--Widowhood in Bhootan--Polyandric widowhood--Widowhood in China--Traffic in the widow--Glorification of widowhood--Suicides of widows--Widowhood in India--Duties of widows--_Suttees_--Widowhood in Islamite countries--Position given to the widow in the Koran--Position given to the widow in the Bible--Widowhood in Kabylia--The sleeping fœtus--Widowhood in ancient Rome--Opinion of the Christian Church on second marriages--Widowhood in barbarous Europe and in the Middle Ages. III. _The Levirate._--The levirate in Melanesia, among the Redskins, the Ostiaks, the Kirghis, the Afghans, in the Code of Manu, among the Hebrews. IV. _Summary._ I. _Widowhood in Savage Countries._ We have very little knowledge as to the condition of widows in the lowest human societies. It is one of those questions of social organisation hardly noticed by the travellers to whom we look especially for information.