A Tatar wife is most completely the slave of her husband, and that the men consider her such, I had from the mouth ofone of the most respectable ofthem. Thus she is only desirable as she serves to gratify his passions, or to connect him with some Tatar of better family or greater riches than himself. Among the peasantry, however, who are less bound by rigid forms, or less observant of them than their superiors, I have often seen sincere affection displayed ; but their religious tenets, as well as long established customs, teach them to suppress and subdue feeling rather than to indulge it. When a Murza visits the apartments of his women, they all rise on his entrance, and again when he leaves it, although he comes and goes very frequently. This ceremonious mark * The Greeks in the Crimea preserve the custom of sprinkling a new-born infant with salt, alluded to by the prophet Ezekiel, c. xvi. v. 4.
Q of respect is never omitted, even by tne wife or by any other of the females, except they be very old women, who on account of their age are excused from this form.
A Tatar woman can rarely read, and the whole of the instruction thought requisite for the girls, is that of embroidery, which is the chief and almost only occupation of those above the rank of peasantry. Spinning and weaving, which they also sometimes perform, are more generally the work of their servants. This employment, and some small share in the domestic concerns, ( the more important of which devolve on the elders of the family), fill up the dull and monotonous round of a Tatar life.
In the villages of the plain, the priest is the parish schoolmaster ; and it sometimes happens that his wife can also read. In this case, while the husband superintends the boys, she teaches the girls of the village, or rather the very small number ofthem who are desirous oflearning.
The dancing of the women is very ridiculous; two only dance at a time, extending the hands, turning the head towards one shoulder, and bending the eyes continuallyon the ground with affected bashfulness. The step is somewhat like the slow movements of the English hornpipe, and the dance finishes at the option of the performers. That of the men is to quicker time, more animated, and, though not more pleasing, is perfectly the reverse ofthe other. The musicians are usually gipsies, and wherever they appear, they are sure to find dancers ready.
The men are allowed to dance in the court-yard of the women's apartments, who look at them from their latticed gallery.
Swinging is a favouriteamusement with them, and the love of it by no means confined to children. The ladies seemed surprised when I told them that I had for some time left offthis diversion, though I liked it much when a child. I cannot wonder, however, that they continue to be fond of the pastimes of early life, since they continue always to be children in understanding ; and there is something reasonable in their love of this exercise, since it is the only one which they are permitted to take, and that only at the seasons of their two great holidays. Q2