Behranvji Malabari. By Dayaram Gidumal. With an Introduction by Florence
Nightingale. (T. Fisher Unwin.)—Mr. Malabari's life-work has been to bring about a reform in the marriage customs of his countrymen,—to abolish, to put the matter briefly, infant marriage and compulsory widowhood. A great step has been made in the direction of the first ; the second and more difficult reform, as Mr. Malabari has always recognised, has yet to be accomplished. It is a matter in which legislation can do nothing, except, indeed, to provide a more vigorous supervision in the matters mentioned on p. 197 seq. The compulsion is en- forced, in some instances at least, by murder. It is proposed, indeed, that " heavy damages should be laid against the Mahajari for patting a re-married widow out of caste; " but this is of
doubtful possibility. This is an interesting book, and one that gives a valuable insight into an important province of Indian affairs.
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