f the house received me at the door, and
accompanied me to the reception-room. He was clad in a large dress
of white muslin, over which was wound a magnificent Indian shawl,
which extended from the hips to the feet, and made up for the
transparency of the muslin. One end of the shawl was thrown over
his shoulder in the most picturesque manner.

The parlour was furnished in the European fashion. A large hand
organ stood in one corner, and in the other a spacious bookcase,
with the works of the principal English poets and philosophers; but
it struck me that these books were there more for show than use, for
the two volumes of Byron's works were turned different ways, while
Young's Night Thoughts were stuck between. There were a few
engravings and pictures, which the worthy Baboo imagined to be an
ornament to the walls, but which were not of so much value as the
frames that contained them.

My host sent for his two sons, handsome boys, one seven and the
other four years old, and introduced them to me. I inquired,
although it was quite contrary to custom to do so, after his wife
and daughters. Our poor sex ranks so low in the estimation of the
Hindoos, that it is almost an insult to a person to mention any of
his female relations. He overlooked this in me, as a European, and
immediately sent for his daughters. The youngest, a most lovely
baby six months old, was nearly white, with large splendid eyes, the
brilliancy of which was greatly increased by the delicate eyelids,
which were painted a deep blue round the edges. The elder daughter,
nine years old, had a somewhat common coarse face. Her father, who
spoke tolerable English, introduced her to me as a bride, and
invited me to the marriage which was to take place in six weeks. I
was so astonished at this, considering the child's extreme youth,
that I remarked he no doubt meant her betrothal, but he assured me
that she would then be married and delivered over to her husband.

On my asking whether the girl loved her intended bridegroom, I was
told that she would see him for the first time at the celebration of
the nuptials. The Baboo informed me further, that every person like
himself looked out for a son-in-law as soon as possible, and that
the younger a girl married the more honourable was it accounted; an
unmarried daughter was a disgrace to her father, who was looked upon
as possessed of no paternal love if he did not get her off his
hands. As soon as he