884 
small number of servants, and 
rooms; for were there a separate 
house and table, and equipage for 
the wife, the expence would be too 
great to be borne; and therefore, of 
necessity, both husband and wife 
eat their food with their guests in 
one place, sleep together in the same 
chamber, and cannot avoid being 
always, in each other’s company ; 
whereas, in Asia, where, by the 
¢heapness of the work, the women 
have separate apartments for them- 
selves, they have not to make their 
time and convenience suit that of 
their husbands. When their parti- 
cular friends are with them, they do 
not desire their husband’s company 
for several days, but send his vic- 
tuals to him in the murdannah 
(men’s apartment); and, in like 
manner, when the husband wishes 
to be undisturbed, he eats and sleeps 
in the murdannah. 
*¢ A second reason for this inter- 
course in England is, the coldness of 
the climate, which requires exercise 
and walking, and the husband to 
Sleep in the same bed with his wife: 
but concealment from view is incom- 
patible with walking ; and as for the 
second case, the want of room is the 
cause : for it is natural for mankind, 
when under distress and affliGtion of 
mind, to wish frequently for retire- 
ment and privacy, by sleeping alone. 
“* A third cause is, the people 
here being all of one race; for in 
this kingdom, placed in a corner of 
the globe where there is no coming 
nor going of foreigners, the inter- 
course of the sexes is not attended 
with the same consequences of a cor- 
ruption of manners as in Asia, where 
people of various nations dwell in 
the same city ; and to allow the wo- 
men such a liberty there, where 
there is such danger of corruption, 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1803. 
would be an encroachment upon the 
liberty of the men, which (as shewn 
in the beginning) is contrary to jus- 
tice. Thata corruption of manners 
must ensue, where various kinds of 
people mix together, is too evident 
to need demonstration. Before the 
Mussulmans entered Hindostan, the 
women did not conceal themselves 
from view ; and even now, in all the 
Hindoo villages, it is not customa- 
ry: and it is well known how invi- 
olable the Hindoos preserve their 
own customs, and how obstinately 
they are attached to them: but now 
so rigidly do women in the great 
towns observe this pra¢tice of con- 
cealment from view, that the bride 
does not even shew herself to her 
father-in-law, and the sister comes 
but seldom into the presence of her 
brother. 
“6 A fourth cause of the custom 
in Europe is, the necessity which 
the women there have to acquire 
experience in the affairs of the 
world, and to learn various arts, on 
account of the duty laid upon them 
of taking part in their husband’s bu- 
siness. This experience could not 
be obtained by keeping in conceal- 
ment; whereas the duties of Asiatic 
women consisting only in having the 
custody of the husband’s property, 
and bringing up the children, they 
have no occasion for such experi- 
ence, or for laying aside their own 
custom of concealment. What has 
been just said, was to shew that the 
Asiatic women have no necessity to 
expose their persons; but it must — 
also be observed, that they have 
many reasons for preferring privacy. 
One is the Jove of leisure and repose 
from the fatigue of motion; a se- 
cond, a desire of preserving their 
honour by not mixing with the vul- 
gar, nor suffering the insults of the 
: low 
