by stays. The Terpsichorean part of the
rejoicing terminated about six o'clock, and a
sumptuous banquet followed, of which about
thirty of the guests partook. The table was
decorated with massive candelabra, and a
costly service of plate, which is generally an
heir-loom in the families of these rich Jewish
merchants.

As a looker-on, I was not asked to join in
the feast; but I am not unacquainted with
the mysteries of the Jewish cuisine, and can
pronounce them capable of satisfying even
Epicurean tastes. We had already seen some
portion of the viands which now smoked upon
the board; for, according to the ancient
Jewish custom, the animal part of their food
undergoes a process of sprinkling with salt
and water; and during this operation it is
placed in the open court, and is, therefore,
seen by all who may enter the house; indeed,
the first thing which attracted our attention
on arriving, was the goodly array of some two
or three dozen head of poultry arranged in
rows upon a wooden machine, resembling a
common garden flower-stand, where they were
put to drain out every drop of blood. The
betrothed had, like myself, nothing to eat,
being condemned to remain daily on her
show-bed, until the departure of the guests.

I felt curious to know at what time a
Moorish bride eats and drinks during the
eight days of purgatory to which she is
subject, for at whatever hour you enter you find
her always in the same position. On the eve
of the eighth day she is exhibited until an
unusually late hour, in consequence of the
customary display of her marriage gifts, all
of which are spread out upon the bed where
she is sitting, to be curiously examined by
the visitors. Amongst the gaudy display of
silk and gauze dresses, scarfs, &c.—for the
Jews are remarkable for their love of gay
colours—may be seen the long glossy tresses,
of which the intended bride is, according to
the Jewish custom, always despoiled before
marriage; being, as wives, strictly forbidden
to wear their own hair. They feel no regret at
losing what is said to be a "woman's glory," as
it is certainly one of her greatest ornaments.

On the morning of the eighth day, the
friends and relations who are to be
present at the ceremony, arrive as early as seven
o'clock, to assist the bride in the last duties
of her toilet ; which are somewhat onerous,
for a Moorish woman indulges freely in the
use of rouge, white lead, and powder. Her
eyebrows and eyelashes are darkened, the tips
of her fingers are painted pink, and her nails
are dyed with henna. These operations over,
scarf, head-dress and veil, are put on by the
woman of the highest rank present. The
bridal head-dress is formed of paste-board
worked over with silk, and profusely
ornamented with jewels: it is very high, and
resembles in shape the papal crown. The
toilet fairly achieved, the damsel is conducted
to the principal apartment, and placed in an
arm-chair, raised on a kind of dais about
three feet from the floor; a bride's-woman
standing on each side, holding in her right
hand a long wax candle, such as those seen
on the altars in Catholic churches. There
are no bride's-maids; their office being always
performed by married women: virgin eyes
not being allowed to gaze on a marriage
feast. The important moment was now at
hand, the moment which was to decide the
happiness or misery of the fair timid child,
whose youth and beauty it seemed a sin to
sacrifice. She was only thirteen years of age.

In proportion as the preceding seven days
had been joyous the eighth appeared solemn.
The scene seemed to awaken sad memories in
the minds of some of those present. In the
expression of one woman I fancied I could read
a mother's grief for her dishonoured child ;
in another, imagination conjured up a wife
weeping over her childless state, and in the
latter I was not mistaken, for I was afterwards
informed that the beautiful, pensive-
looking woman whose dress we admired, had
just been divorced from her husband, having
been wedded two years without presenting
him with a representative of his name. This
alone was ground for divorce.

All eyes were now turned towards the door;
the betrothed peered through her veil, as
anxious to behold the ceremony as we were;
and, as eight o'clock struck, the Rabbi entered,
followed by the bridegroom. Taking his
place in front of the bride's chair, the bride-
groom standing on his right, and the guests in
a circle round him, the guest read aloud from
the Hebraic ritual the moral and social duties
to be observed by the man and wife. The
greater part of the service is chanted—all
present lending their voices. A massive
gold ring, of a strange form, was given, to be
worn on the forefinger of the right hand. The
service ended, the bride was carried in her
chair of state to the chamber where she had
been exhibited during the preceding week,
and, halting on the threshold, a piece of sugar
was given to her by the Rabbi, who, taking a
full glass of water, at the same time broke the
glass over her head. The sugar is typical of
the sweets of Hymen; the water of its purity;
and the broken glass of the irrevocable
character of the ceremony. The bride was
then placed again upon the bed, and her
mother took her place beside her, as if to
guard the precious treasure until called upon
to resign her to her husband.

The ceremony of the sugar and broken glass
only appertains to Jewish weddings. The
cutting off the betrothed's hair is also peculiar
to them; but many of the Moorish and
ancient Jewish rites have become identical.
The eight days' feasting and the exclusion of
male visitors are alike common to both. A
pair of female's slippers placed on the threshold
of the door, is a sign that no male visitor
above the age of twelve may cross it. The
abuse of this privilege amongst the women is