SEXUAL HYGIENE 157 



alone. If lie invites her to ride, or to accompany him 

 to an entertainment of any sort, he must always invite 

 her lady friend also ; she goes along at any rate. There 

 is afforded no chance for solitary moonlight strolls or 

 rides, nor any other of the similar opportunities made 

 so common by American courting customs. 



We are no advocates of the formal modes of con- 

 tracting matrimonial alliances common among many 

 nations, and illustrations of which we find in all ages 

 of the world. For example, among the ancient Assyr- 

 ians it was a custom to sell wives to the highest bidder, 

 at auction, the sums received for the handsomest ones 

 being given to the less favored ones as a dowry, to 

 secure a husband for every woman. The same custom 

 prevailed in Babylon in ancient times, and has been 

 practiced in modern times in Russia. At St. Peters- 

 burg, not many years ago, an annual sale of wives was 

 held on Whit Sunday, after the same plan followed by 

 the Assyrians. 



A Jewish Custom.— Among the early Jews it 

 seems to have been the custom for parents to select 

 wives for their sons. In the case of Isaac, this impor- 

 tant matter was intrusted to an old and experienced 

 servant, who was undoubtedly considered much more 

 competent to select a wife for the young man than he 

 was himself. The same custom has been handed down, 

 even to the present time, among some Oriental nations. 

 In many cases the parties are not allowed to see each 

 other until after the wedding ceremony is completed. 

 The Hungarians often betroth their children while they 

 are yet in their cradles, as did the Mexicans and Bra- 

 zilians of the last century. In some countries it has 

 even been customary to betroth girls conditionally be- 

 fore they were born. 



