2 88 OS BECK'S VOYAGE. 



The parents of a boy marry him fomctimes 

 when he is yet a child, and even before the 

 children are born ; in this cafe, two men 

 whofe wives are with child agree, that if one 

 gets a fon and the other a daughter the chil- 

 dren are to marry one another, whether they 

 be born with defects or become maimed 

 afterwards, whether they be handfome or 

 ugly. Or if a man has a little fon, whom he 

 would gladly fee married, he goes to the father 

 whofe daughter he thinks mod fit for his fon, 

 flrikes a bargain with him about the daughter, 

 and fettles the day of his fon's marriage. 'Till 

 that day the bridegroom does not fee his bride, 

 but mult be content with the choice of his fa- 

 ther. The bridegroom receives hi3 bride at 

 his houfe door, and delivers her to his mother, 

 or to fome other women in the houfe, while he 

 treats the men in another room. If he does 

 not like his bride he may fend her home again,, 

 but the father-in-law keeps the money which 

 was paid for the bride. Before the Chinefc 

 give their daughters in marriage, they teach 

 them to refpeft their fathers and mothers in 

 law, to live peaceably with their fitters in law,. 

 to honour their husbands, to teach their chil- 

 dren, to be compattionate towards their fer- 



vants. 



