Sketches of the history, genius, disposition, accomplishments, employments, customs and importance of the fair sex, in all parts of the world : interspersed with many singular and entertaining anecdotes / by a friend to the sex.

Date:
[1796?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sketches of the history, genius, disposition, accomplishments, employments, customs and importance of the fair sex, in all parts of the world : interspersed with many singular and entertaining anecdotes / by a friend to the sex. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    Though women are confined in the Turkiih empire, they experience every other indulgence. They are allowed, at ftated times, to go to the public baths; their apartments are richly, if not elegantly furniihcd; they have a train of female fiaves to ferve and amufe them ; and their perfons are adorned with every coftly ornament whieh their fathers or hufbandscan afford. Notwithstanding the ftrictnefs of confinement in Periia, their women are treated with feveral indul- gences. They are allowed a variety of precious li- quors, of coftly perfumes, and beautiful flaves; then- apartments are furnifhed with the moll elegant hang- ings and carpets; their perfons ornamented with the fincft filks, and even loaded with the fparkling jewels of the Eaft. But allthefe trappings, however elegant, or however gilded, are only like the golden chains fometimes made ufe of to bind a royal prifoi;er. Solomon had a great number of queens and ccn- cubincs ; but a petty Hindoo chief has been known to have two thoufand women confined within the walls of his harem, and appropriated entirely to his pleafure. Nothing lefs than unlimited power in the hufband is able to reftrafn women fo confined, from the utmoft diforder and confufion. They may repine in fecret, but they muft clothe their features with chcerfulnefs when their lord appears. Contumacy draws down on them immediate punifhment : they are degraded, chaftifed, divorced, fliut up in dark dungeons, and fometimes put to death. Their pei ions, however, are fo facred, that they muft not in the leaf! be violated, nor even looked at, by any one but their hufbasds. This female privilege has given an opportunity of executing many confpiracies. War- riors, in fuch vehicles as are ufually employed to cany women, have been often conveyed, without examina- tion, into the apartments of the great ; from whence, inftead cf iffuing forth in the (miles of beauty, they have
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