MARRIAGE 71 



art to obey me." This seems to be only a symbolical 

 act now, but most likely it is based on old custom. 



It is well known from Bible history that the patri- 

 archs had more than one wife. No exception was 

 taken to this at that period. We need only quote 

 Abraham, whose wives were Sarah and Hagar; 

 Jacob with his two wives, Leah and Rachel; King 

 David ; and Solomon with his reputed thousand wives 

 and concubines. 



The union of one man with more than one woman 

 is called polygamy. We find it existing both in 

 olden times and at the present day; it still prevails 

 in all parts of the world, chiefly among Mohammedans 

 and less advanced nations. It has died out among 

 Western civilized people, with the exception of the 

 Mormons, whose religion, it is said, imposes upon them 

 polygamy as a divine duty. Royalty forms another 

 exception. Members of royal houses even now some- 

 times allow themselves the privilege of two wives. 

 In addition to the legitimate wife of royal blood, a 

 second marriage is allowed with a woman of less 

 noble descent. Such a marriage is called a mor- 

 ganatic marriage, and the morganatic wife and her 

 offspring have not the rights of royalty. 



Polygamy is perfectly legal and moral with the 

 people among whom it exists, though in practice it 

 is not always carried out, simply because there are 

 not always enough women to allow each man more 

 than one wife. Often it is only the headman or 

 chief of a clan that has the privilege of taking more 

 than one wife, while his tribesmen are restricted to 

 one. Then, again, not every man can afford to keep 

 many wives, so that it comes to be looked upon as a 



