328 



Look the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon 

 her brother." 



Such was the simplicity of royalty in former ages; such the 

 domestic conduct in a princess of the house of David. Homer in- 

 troduces a lady of equal rank, engaged in an occupation which in 

 Europe would be thought very degrading; but is not beneath the 

 dignity of the brahmin female at this day. 



" When lo ! they met, beside a crystal spring, 

 " The daughter of Antiphates, the king : 

 " She to Artacia's silver streams came down, 

 " Artacia's streams alone supply the town ; 

 " The damsel they approach." Odyssey. 



However decidedly some travellers may write on the Asiatic 

 women, it is difficult to form a correct portrait of the high Mogul 

 or Hindoo female character; especially among the former. I have 

 known English physicians sent for to the durbar at Cambay, and 

 the palaces of other Mahomedans. The princes openly consulted 

 them on their real and imaginary complaints; they generally en- 

 tertain a high opinion of their medical skill, are fond of conversing 

 upon the subject, and enumerating their disorders. Their attend- 

 ance was not confined to the male sex ; the ladies generally re- 

 quested a visit (for an interview it cannot be called) in the 

 haram; whither the physician was conducted by eunuchs and 

 duennas, and attended a patient for many days, without ever 

 seeing her. On entering the ladies' apartments, he was led into a 

 saloon, separated from the interior chambers by a thick curtain, 

 falling from the ceiling to the floor, the whole breadth of the 



