THE ARABIANS. 
123 
Their houses are not luxurious; even those of the great have few 
conveniences, v^hile the habitations of the lower orders are miserable 
hovels. When those who have no separate apartments for the wo- 
women carry a stranger home, they detain him at the door, till they 
have gone in, and cried, Tarik, i.e. Away ! away ! which sends all the 
women out of sight immediately. — It may reasonably be doubted 
whether the seclusion of the women in the East is really considered 
as a hardship by them. It is not improbable that the exposure of 
their persons without a veil, would shock them to such a degree as 
to render European society highly irksome. Concealment and 
retirement are as essential in the eyes of Mahometan w'omen, as 
decent clothing in those of a Christian. 
3Iarriages. 
The Europeans are mistaken in thinking the state of marriage so 
different among the Mussulmans from what it is with Christian nations. 
The women of Arabia seem to be as free and happy as those of 
Europe can possibly be. Polygamy is permitted, indeed, among 
the Mahometans, and the delicacy of our ladies is shocked at this 
idea; but the Arabians rarely avail themselves of the privilege of 
marrying four lawful wives, and entertaining at the same time any 
number of female slaves. None but rich men and voluptuaries marry 
so many w'ives, and their conduct is blamed by all sober persons. 
Men of sense, indeed, think this privilege rather troublesome than 
convenient. A husband is by law obliged to treat his wives suitably 
to their condition, and to dispense his favours among them with per- 
fect equality : but these are duties not a little disagreeable to most 
Mussulmans; and such modes of luxury are too expensive to the 
Arabians, who are seldom in easy circumstances. I must, however, 
except one case ; for it sometimes happens that a man marries a 
number of wives in the way of a commercial speculation. I knew an 
Arab, in a town near the Euphrates, who had married four wives, 
and was supported by the profits of their labour. 
Divorce, the idea of which is also regarded as horrid by the fair 
sex in Europe, is not nearly so common in the East, as is imagined. 
The Arabians never exercise the right of repudiating a wife, unless 
urged by the strongest reasons ; because this is considered a dis- 
honourable step by persons who value their reputation, and throws 
disgrace on the woman and her relations. Wives are entitled to 
demand a divorce when they think themselves ill used by their hus- 
bands. Only profligate and imprudent men, who have married with- 
out consideration, divorce their wives for slight causes. An Arabian, 
in moderate circumstances, seldom marries more than one wife. And 
even men who are in a condition to maintain as many wives as they 
please, have often confessed to me, that although they had begun 
to live with several wives, they had at last found that thev could be 
happy only with one. The Arabian women enjoy a great deal of 
liberty, and even a great deal of power, in their families. They con- 
tinue mistresses of their dowries, and of the annual income which 
these afford, during their marriage; and, in the case of divorce, 
all their own property is reserved to them. Hence it happens, that 
