the Kingdom of Thibet, 477 
progrefs it has been greatly altered and corrupted by the 
inventions of worldly men, a fate we can hardly regret in 
a fyftem of error, lince we know that that of truth has 
been fubjedt to the fame. Polygamy, at leaft in the fenfe 
we commonly receive the word, is not in practice among 
them ; but it exifts in a manner ftill more repugnant to 
European ideas; I mean in the plurality of hufbands, 
which is firmly eltablilhed and highly refpedted there. 
In a country where the means of fubfifting a family are 
not eafily found, it feems not impolitic to allow a fet of 
brothers to agree in railing one, which is to be main- 
tained by their joint efforts. In fliort, it is ufual in Thi- 
bet for the brothers in the family to have a wife in com- 
mon, and they generally live in great harmony and com- 
fort with her; not hut fometimes little difienfions will 
arife (as may happen in families conflituted upon dif- 
ferent principles) an inftance of which Mr. bogle men- 
tions in the cafe of a model! and virtuous lady, the wife 
of half a dozen of the Taylhoo Lama’s nephews,, who 
complained to the uncle, that the two youngeft of her 
hulbands did not furnifh that fhare of love and benevo- 
lence to the common Hock which duty and religion re- 
quired of them. In lhort,. however ftrange this cultonv 
may appear to us,, it is an undoubted fad! that it prevails 
in Thibet in the manner I have defcrihed. 
