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AUCTION OF LADiEs.-An suction of un- married ladies used to take place annually m Babyion.--''ln every district" says ihe his- ioIian, ''they assembled on certain day of every year, ali the yirgius of marriageable age.n The most beautiful were frs, put up, and the man who bid the largest sum of mon ey gained possession of her The second in personal appearance followed, and the bid- ders grati6ed themselves with handsome wives according to the depth of their pur- ses. But alas il seems there were in Baby lon some ladies for which no money was likely to be offered, yet these were also dis posed of, SO prevident were the Babyionians. .'w hen all the beautiful virgins" says the historian, 'swere sold, the crier ordered the most deformed to stand up, and after he had openly demanded who would marry her with small sam, she was a, length adiadged to the man who would be satisfied with the least; in this manner the money arising from the sale of the handsome, served ss a portion to those who were either of disagreeable looks, or that had any other imperieetion, This custom prevailed about five hundred years be- fore Christ"

 