himself was married too, and one could not resist the conjecture that
_his_ marriage was another sacrifice for the family, and that his
marriage had saved his father from bringing home yet another stepmother.
The redeeming feature of the story--the strength of Indian family
ties--let us not be blind to.

Polygamy in India is certainly now hiding itself. A couple of
generations ago it was practised wholesale by the kulin brahmans of
Bengal. Several middle-aged kulins are known to have had more than 100
wives, and to have spent their lives in a round of visits to their
numerous fathers-in-law. For each wife they had received a handsome
bridegroom-price. So declares the last _Census Report_. Except among
Indian Mahomedans, who have the sanction of the Koran and the example of
the Prophet himself, there are now few upholders of polygamy in India.
In a meeting of educated gentlemen in Calcutta a Mahomedan lately
protested against some passing condemnatory reference to polygamy, on
the ground that in a general meeting he expected that his religion would
be free from attack. A learned Mahomedan judge, on the other hand,
writes that among Indian Mahomedans "the feeling against polygamy is
becoming a strong social if not a moral conviction." "Ninety-five out of
every 100 are either by conviction or necessity monogamists." "It has
become customary," he tells us, "to insert in the marriage deed a clause
by which the intending husband formally renounces his supposed right to
contract a second union."[26]

[Sidenote: Seclusion of women.]

With regard to the seclusion of women, at some points the custom seems
to be slowly yielding to Western ideas, although it is still practically
true that Indian ladies are never seen in society and in the streets of