a newly-married woman. Among the Greeks it was customary for the bride to be conducted from her father's house to her husband's in a chariot, the evening being chosen for that purpose to conceal her blushes. She was placed in the middle, her husband sitting on one side, and one of her most intimate friends on the other; torches were carried before her, and she was entertained on the passage with a song suitable to the occasion. When they arrived at the end of the journey the axle-tree of the coach they rode in was burnt, to signify that the bride was never to return to her father's house. Amongst the Romans the semblance of ravishing by force the bride from her mother, was kept up in memory, it is said, of the rape of the Sabines under Romulus. She was carried home in the night-time to the bridegroom's house, accompanied by three boys, one of whom carried a torch, and the other two led the bride, while a spindle and distaff were carried with her. She brought three pieces of money, called asses, in her hand to the bridegroom, whose doors on this occasion were adorned with flowers and branches of trees. Being there interrogated who she was, she answered Coia, in memory of Caia Cecilia, wife of Tarquin the elder, who was an excellent lamia or spinstress; and for a singular reason, before her entrance, she lined the door-posts with wool, and smeared them with grease. Fire and water being set on the threshold, she touched both; but, starting back from the door, refused to enter, till at length she passed the threshold, being careful to step over without touching it. Here the keys were given her, a nuptial supper was prepared, and minstrels attended; she was seated on the figure of a priapus, and in this situation the attendant boys resigned her to the promotor, who brought her into the nuptial chamber and put her to bed. This office was performed by matrons who had only been once married, to denote that the marriage was to be in perpetuity.