THE KORAN. 299 



ditions. To enter into the several decisions and in- 

 terpretations of the more learned civilians might be 

 curious, but would engross too large a space for our 

 purpose. The restraints on polygamy, and the pun- 

 ishment of conjugal infidelity, have already been in- 

 cidentally mentioned. The sole privilege which the 

 laws of the Prophet give to a wife, but deny to a 

 concubine, is that of dowry. In point of reputation 

 their characters are without distinction ; and the 

 children of both are held legally in the same consid- 

 eration. The power of dissolving the nuptial bond' 

 by divorce is granted to both sexes, but with differ- 

 ent privileges. By the Mohammedan law, as well 

 as the Mosaic, reasons which to us appear trivial 

 justify the husband in severing the tenderest of all 

 human connexions. Though a written divorce with 

 the Moslems is in general use, the verbal declara- 

 tion of the husband is sufficient ; but this nominal 

 facility of repudiation is powerfully checked by sub- 

 sequent circumstances. In securing to the widow 

 and the orphan that part of the property which is 

 settled on her at marriage, and which, in the limes 

 of paganism, was often unjustly taken from them, 

 the author of their system has vindicated the right 

 of the female sex, and entitled himself, in this in- 

 stance, to the praise of a wise and humane legislator. 

 A woman's dower is entirely at her own disposal, 

 and totally free from the control of her husband or 

 his creditors ; and so great is her independence in 

 this respect, that mothers frequently assign the re- 

 version to their sons, who have compelled paymeni 

 of it from their fathers, — a privilege in singular op- 

 position to the general condition of females in East- 

 ern countries. 



The fourth chapter of the Koran has detailed at 

 length the laws relating to infancy, succession, and 

 dowry, — matters of high importance in the estima- 

 tion of the Moslems ; and, in the fifth, the power of 

 testamentary disposition is acknowledged, and sev- 



