. oon YT 188th)" 
MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS. — 
The State of marricd Women among 
the Mahommedans. By Abu Ta- 
leb Khan, a Native of Lucknow, 
from “* Tennant’s Indian Recrea- 
dions.” 
F this important part of do- 
mestic economy, among Asi- 
atics, Europeans are, notwithstand- 
ing all that has been written upon 
the subject, worse informed than of 
any other. The very name of the 
apartments destined for the residence 
of married women, haram, (forbid- 
den), implies the exclusion of all 
strangers, particularly males, from 
their abodes. Our medical gentle- 
men, (and even with them the oc- 
currence is very rare), are the only 
persons ever suffered to apprdach 
the dwelling of a married woman 
of rank : when, in case of any dan- 
gerous illness, a physician is appli- 
ed to, he is only permitted to ap- 
proach,the door of the apartment, 
which is covered with a screen, and 
there he must prescribe without see- 
ing her, according to the replies he 
receives to his enquiries, relating to 
her complaint. Hence the various 
relations, regarding the privileges, 
customs, and employment of Asi- 
atic females, are generally the off- 
spring of the narrator’s vanity, and 
may be regarded as destitute of truth 
and aceuracy, since the writers en- 
joyed no opportunity of better in- 
formation. Of. the general . fa¢t, 
only, the seclusion of all females of 
rank, an European can decide ; 
and when he urges the advantages 
of a freer intercourse on the female 
charaier, he can speak on no sub- 
ject on which he is less likely to 
persuade. ‘lo a Mussulman, our 
notions regarding the treatment of 
females, always appear. absurd and © 
ridiculous; and he seldom seems 
more Satisfied with his wisdem, than 
when he expatiates on thebad conse- 
quences which are sometimes the 
result.of them. 
it was to a conversation on this 
subject, with a learned Mussulman, 
who lately visited England, that we 
are indebted for ‘¢ A Vindication 
of the Liberties of Asiatic Women,” 
written in Persian, by Abu Talcb 
Khan, a native of Lucknow, in the 
province of Owde. This paper, 
the produétion of a learned Asiatic,, 
upon this interesting subject, is a 
more authentic document, than, 
perhaps, the public are yet in pos- 
session of, relating to the married 
state of the Orientalists. 
‘¢ One day,” says Abu Taleb, 
‘Cin a certagn company, the con- 
versation turned upon /éberty, in re- 
speét of which the English consider 
their 
