80 SEX-LORE 



instance, a man abducts or elopes with a girl without 

 her guardian's consent; but he has to pay for the girl 

 on returning. Generally, if the woman does not fulfil 

 her compact, the man may return her and demand 

 the purchase-price again. 



As more elevated ideas arise among civilized 

 people regarding the dignity and value of woman, 

 marriage by purchase falls into disrepute. The 

 purchase-price becomes lower and lower, and in 

 many cases takes the form of wedding-gifts, the 

 value of which is prescribed by custom. In Japan, 

 the bride must give presents to the bridegroom, to 

 his parents, and to his relatives, in the choice of which 

 she is guided by the value of those given by the 

 bridegroom. The bridegroom also sends the bride 

 a betrothal gift, the " complimentary girdle." Its 

 acceptance seals the contract; bride and relatives are 

 in honour bound not to draw back. The girdle has 

 the same significance as the wedding-ring. In China, 

 there is an interchange of presents between the 

 guardians of the bride and those of the bridegroom. 

 The presents given by the father to the bridegroom 

 in time increased in value. With some peoples, 

 again, a part or the whole of the purchase-money 

 goes to the bride instead of to the father, and becomes 

 her marriage portion. Either the father passes it on 

 to her or it is given to her directly by the bridegroom. 

 This was called the morgengabe (morning gift), as 

 it was presented to her on the morning after the 

 wedding. The next step is a sort of combination of 

 the two methods. The father, instead of giving the 

 present to the bridegroom, now gives it to his daughter 

 as a dowry. This may be regarded as a contribution 



