329 



room; this curtain has a small aperture in the centre, like those 

 in front of a theatre, through which the patient puts her arm, that 

 the physician might feel the pulse, and form some sort of con- 

 clusion for a prescription: but he was not permitted any further 

 intercourse with these secluded ladies. 



In describing the Indian Mahomedans on another occasion, I 

 gave the sentiments of a very intelligent writer on those in the 

 Nizam's country: what he says on the female character in that 

 class of oriental society, is too pertinent to be omilled. " In re- 

 tracing the various subjects of a cursory sketch of Mahomedan 

 manners, there is one circumstance likely to strike the curious 

 reader, namely, that refinement of manners should be found 

 among a people whose customs entirely preclude women from 

 any participation in society. As a popular opinion has long pre- 

 vailed in Europe that mankind are chiefly indebted for the im- 

 provement of ferocious and uncouth manners to the endearing 

 society of the more amiable sex, as well as to the refinement 

 arising from the introduction of chivalry; yet, in contradiction to 

 this supposition, we learn from history that the institutions of 

 chivalry are unknown in India, or in the countries from whence 

 the Mahomedan conquerors of India originated. We also know 

 from the same source, that the exclusion of women from the mixed 

 society of men, obtained more or less in Asia prior to the introduc- 

 tion of the Mahomedan religion. Indeed, though the Mahomedan 

 doctrine has been supposed extremely adverse to the fair sex by 

 Europeans, it will be found that the women of Arabia are pecu- 

 liarly indebted to the precepts of the Koran for the abolition of a 

 horrid custom, then prevalent among the Arabs, of frequently 



vol. in. 2 u 



