432 TRAVELS IN AFRICA, 
It is not faid, that the miferies and violent diflenfions which 
exift in families, refult from the rank females hold in European 
fociety. Eternal litigations, and all the confufion of fevere 
laws and loofe morals are not attributed to that caufe. It is 
only hinted that thefe evils are coetaneous with that ftate of 
fociety, and that the pure inftitution of matrimony may be 
enforced by the commanding voice of religion, and fandioned 
by municipal law, yet thofe evils may remain without a 
remedy. 
The young of each fex are, in Europe, brought together, 
and taught to attach themfelves to each other : but interdided 
from uniting, unlefs equal in rank, fortune, &c. Paflion 
however is ftrongeft at an early age, when the reafon which 
fhould guide it is weakeft. But the public inftitutions eternize 
the punilhment of a momentary folly. Parental authority, at 
other times, interferes, and pretending only folicitude for the 
child's happinefs, renders both the parent and the offspring 
miferable. 
The hufband is vain of exhibiting in public his admired 
bride. From familiarities with a variety of men which, by being 
public, are authorized, fhe is induced to try them in private. 
The man becomes unhappy and ridiculous, the wife difgraced, 
and the lover impoverifhed. Little or nothing of this is known 
in the Eaft. 
Another ftriking diflimilitude between the Europeans and 
Orientals is obfervable in the number and quality of their 
refpedive 
