mia's death, he married his
former handfasted wife Elizabeth."

Sir J. Chardin observes that contracts for temporary wives are frequent
in the East, which contracts are made before the Cadi with the formality
of a measure of corn, mentioned over and above the stipulated sum of
money.

Baron du Tott's account of "Marriages by Capin," corroborated by Eastern
travellers, corresponds with the custom of _Handfasting_. He says:

"There is another kind of marriage which, stipulating the return
to be made, fixes likewise the time when the divorce is to take
place. This contract is called _capin_: and, properly speaking,
is only an agreement between the parties to live together _for
such a price, during such a time_."

This contract is a regular form of marriage, and is so regarded
generally in the East.

The Jews seem to have had a similar custom, which perhaps they borrowed
from the neighbouring nations; at least the connexion formed by the
prophet Hosea (chap. iii. 2.) bears a strong resemblance to
_Handfasting_ and _Capin_.

JARLTZBERG.

* * * * *

ADAM OF BREMEN'S JULIN.

In reply to V. from Belgravia (Vol. ii., p. 230.), I am partially at a
loss to know the exact bearing of his Query. Adam of Bremen's account of
Julin is no _legend_, nor does he mention it at all as a _doomed city_.
On the contrary, his description is that of a flourishing emporium of
commerce, for which purpose he selects very strong superlatives, as in
the following account (_De Situ Damae_, lib. ii. cap. ii.):

"Ultra Leuticos qui alio nomine Welzi dicuntur Oddera Flumen
occurrit; amnis dilectissimus Slavonicae regionis. In cujus
ostro, qui Scythicas alludet paludes, nobilissima civitas
Julinum celeberrimam Barbaris et Graecis qui in circuitu praestet
stationem. De cujus praeconio quia magna et vix credibilia
recitantur, volupe arbitror pauca inserere digna relata. Est
sane maxime omnium quas Europa claudit civitatum, quam incolunt
Slavi cum aliis gentibus Graecis et Barbaris. Nam et advenae
Saxones parem cohabitandi legem acceperunt, si tamen
Christianitatis titulum ibi morantes non publicaverint. Omnes
enim adhuc paganicis ritibus aberrant, ceterum moribus et
hospitalitate nulla gens honestior aut benignior poterit
inveniri. Urbs illa mercibus omnium septentrionalium nationum
locuples nihil non habet jucundi et rari."

As Adam