195 



Such is the condition of the Asiatic women in general at this 

 day ; their influence in society, their occupations and amuse- 

 ments I have already described. When a Hindoo, a Mogul, or a 

 Farsee, marries, he knows exactly how the girl has been educated, 

 what are the habits and customs of women in her situation of 

 life, and can generally calculate with tolerable accuracy upon her 

 future conduct. How opposite is this to Marmonlel's character 

 of a young Parisian ; which, although perhaps too just a descrip- 

 tion, we readily allow is not without many amiable exceptions. 

 " A Paris, comme la pretention de former a son gre le charac- 

 " tere d'une jeune femme est la chimere de tous les maris, l'alten- 

 " tion de toutes les meres est d'elever leurs filles dans un etat de 

 " reserve et de dissimulation qui ne laisse rien voir de decide en 

 " elles. Une fille a. marier est dans le monde une espece de chry- 

 " salide jusqu'au moment qu'en deployant ses ailes, elle se change 

 " en papillon/' 



The sequel of the history of Ahasuerus affords a most re- 

 markable instance of the venality, corruption, and cruelty, of an 

 oriental tyrant. This sovereign of Media and Persia, encircled by 

 wealth, splendor, and power, accepts of ten thousand talents of 

 silver, (offered by a nobleman whose pride Avas offended at the 

 neglect of a foreigner), to issue a decree, by which some hundred 

 thousand unfortunate captives dispersed throughout his extensive 

 empire were commanded to be put to death. This picture of 

 eastern cruelty and injustice, can be related in no language so 

 simple and pathetic as that of the sacred historian. 



After the repudiation of Vashli, and the marriage of Ahasu- 

 erus with Esther the niece of Mordecai the Jew, the king pro- 



