ESTABLISHMENT OF A HAREM. 
343 
her, if she be the injured party; but if the man be plaintiff', 
and the cause, that she has “ played him false,” he then retains 
half her fortune. A certain number of oaths are required on 
the side of the husband, to establish her guilt; and an equal 
number on her part, in assertion of innocence, are sufficient to 
free her from the punishment the law awards to adultery. 
The full establishment of a harem, consists of wives, concu¬ 
bines, and slaves ; and the children bora to a man by these 
three degrees of alliance, are all equally legitimate ; the station 
a man holds in society, arising solely from the rank of his father, 
without any reference whatever to the condition of his mother. 
The sons and daughters share alike in the property of their 
father ; and when we find any one richer, by inheritance, than 
his brothers, such wealth generally arises from the added dowry 
of the mother; women having it in their power to bequeath 
what they brought, to which ever of their children they please. 
The mode of matrimonial courtships, in this country, does 
not allow the eyes of the parties to direct their choice, till they 
are mutually pledged to each other ; hence, that wives are not 
always the most favoured of the three orders in the harem, 
may be less a subject of surprise. At least with very young- 
people, this blind plan is usually adopted; older people may 
negociate for themselves ; and then it is generally a sordid busi¬ 
ness on the side of the man; but the most creditable mode is 
the first, which has been long sanctioned by custom. An elderly 
female is employed by the relations of the youth, to visit the 
object selected by his parents or friends, or guessed at by 
himself; and this good dame’s office is, to ascertain the damsel’s 
personal endowments, and all other subjects suitable to their 
views in the connexion. If the report be favourable, the friends 
