what I had heard about their politicks: they are artificial, unsubstantial, and unwholefome, but at the fame time most ruinously expensive. Sure,' faid I, your great men must have digeftions prodigiously fharp and strong, to carry off fuch a load of various meats as are ferved up to them every day! they must ⚫ not only be made with heads and hearts, but with flomachs, very different from other people! Not in the leaft,' anfwered he. They feldom touch any of the dainties that are before them: thofe dainties, ⚫ like the women in your feraglios, are more intended for ornament than use.. • There is always a plain difh fet in a ⚫ corner, a homely joint of Englith beef or mutton, on which the master of the feaft makes his dinner, and two or three choice friends, who are allowed to have a cut with him out of fpecial grace and favour; while the rest are languishing in vain for such a happinefs, and piddling upon ortolans and truffles. I have feen a poor country gentle• man fit down to one of these fine dinners with an extreme diflike to the * French cookery; yet, for fear of being counted unpolite, not daring to refufe any thing that was offered him, but cramming and sweating with the ftruggle between his averfion and civility." table: fome were fent him from the Euphrates and Perfian Gulph, others 'from the Oxus and Caspian Sea. One 'day, when he gave a dinner to his nobles, Mahomet Ali, keeper of the Three Tombs, was placed next to the best dish of all the feast, out of respect for the fanctity of his office: but instead of falling to, and eating heartily, zs holy men are wont to do, he fetched a difinal groan, and fell a weeping. Schah Abbas, furprized at his beha'viour, defired him to explain it to the company: he would fain have been excufed; but the fophi ordered him, on pain of his difpleasure, to acquaint them with the cause of his disorder. "Know, then," said he, “O mo. "narch of the earth! that when I faw "thy table covered in this manner, it "brought to my mind a dream, or ra"ther vifion, which was fent me from "the prophet whom I ferve. On the "feventh night of the moon Rhamazan, "I was fleeping under the fhade of the "facred tombs, when, methought, the holy ravens of the fanctuary bore me up on their wings into the air, and in a few moments conveyed me to the "lowest heaven, where the meffenger "of God, on whom be peace! was fitting in his luminous tribunal, to "receive petitions from the earth. A"round him stood an infinite throng of "animals, of every fpecies and quality, "which all joined in preferring a com"plaint against thee, Schah Abbas, for deftroying them wantonly and tyran"nically, beyond what any neceffity "could justify, or any natural appetite "demand. Why then,' faid I, this continual extravagance? Why this number of victims daily facrificed to the dæmon of luxury? How is it worth a man's ⚫ while to undo himself, perhaps to undo his country, that his board may be graced with patés of perigord, when his guests had rather have the fowl from his barn-door? Your compa• rifon of the feraglio will not hold; for though indeed there is an unneceffary" ⚫ variety, yet they are not all served up to us together; we content ourselves with one or two of them at a meal, and referve the reft for future enter⚫tainments.' I concluded, with repeating to him a ftory, which is taken out of the annals of our kings. Schah Abbas, at the beginning of his reign, was more luxurious than became fo great a prince. One might have judged of the vastnefs of his empire by the variety of dishes at his "It was alledged by them, that ten or twelve of them were often mur"dered, to compofe one difh for the niceness of thy palate; fome gave their "tongues only, fome their bowels, "fome their fat, and others their brains 66 or blood. In short, they declared, "fuch conftant waste was made of them, "that, unless a stop was put to it in "time, they fhould perish entirely by "thy gluttony. The prophet, hearing "this, bent his brows, and ordered fix "vultures to fetch thee alive before "him: they inftantly brought thee to "his tribunal, where he commanded "thy ftomach to be opened, and ex"amined whether it was bigger or more "capacious capacious than thofe of other men: "when it was found to be just of the common fize, he permitted all the ani"mals to make reprisals on the body ❝of their destroyer; but, before one in "ten thousand could get at thee, every "particle of it was devoured; fo ill "proportioned was the offender to the "offence." This ftory made fuch an impreffion on the fophi, that he would not fuffer ⚫ above one dish of meat to be brought to his table ever after.' LETTER LXXIV. TO IBRAHIM MOLLAC, AT ISPAHAN. FROM LONDON. YES, holy Mollac, I am more and fecurity, upon the flourishing ftate of more convinced of it; infidelity is certainly attended with a spirit of infatuation. The prophet hurts the understandings of those who refufe to receive his holy law; he punishes the hardness of their hearts, by the depravation of their judgments. How can we otherwise account for what I have seen fince my arrival among Chriftians? I have feen a people, whofe very being depends on commerce, fuffer luxury and the heavy load of taxes to ruin their manufactures at home, and turn the balance against them in foreign trade! I have feen them glory in the greatnefs of their wealth, when they are reduced every year to carry on the expences of government by robbing the very fund which is to ease them of a debt of fifty millions! I have feen them fit out fleets, augment their forces, exprefs continual fears of an invafion, and fuffer continual depredations upon their merchants from a contemptible enemy; yet all the while hug themselves in the notion of being bleft with a profound and lafting peace! I have feen them wrapped up in full publick credit, only because they had a prodigious flock of paper, which now, indeed, they circulate as money; but which the first alarm of a calamity may, in an inftant, make mere paper of again! I have feen them conftantly bufied in paling laws for the better regulation of their police, and never taking any care of their execution; loudly declaring the abufes of their government, and quietly allowing them to encreafe! I have feen them diftreffed for want of hands to carry on their husbandry and manufactures; yet permitting thousands of their people to be deftroyed, or rendered ufelefs and hurtful to fociety, by the abominable ufe of fpirituous liquors! I have feen them make fuch a provifion for their poor, as would relieve all their wants if well applied; and suffer a third part of them to farve, from the roguery and riot of thofe entrusted with the care of them! But the greatest of all the wonders I have feen, and which most of all proves their infatuation, is, that they profess TO MAINTAIN LIBERTY BY CORRUFTION. LETTER LXXV. SELIM, TO MIRZA AT ISPAHAN. FROM LONDON. felf honeftly and wifely, I fhall think I filicitate thee, Mirza, on thy new thee much greater from thy advance fore thee, not with the heart of a flatterer, but a friend; the favour of thy mafter fhines upon thee; he has raifed thee to the right-hand of his throne; the treasures of Perfia are committed to thy custody: if thou behaveft thy ment; if otherwife, much lower than before. Thou haft undertaken a charge very important to thy prince and to his people; both are equally concerned in thy administration, both have equally a right to thy fidelity. If ever thou shalt Ꮮ feparate feparate their interefts, if thou shalt fet up the one against the other, know, it will end in the ruin of both. Do not imagine that thy mafter will be richer by draining his fubjects of their wealth: fuch gains are irreparable loffes; they may ferve a prefent fordid pui pofe, but dry up the fources of opulence for futurity. 4 In relieving the people from their taxes, let it alfo be thy glory to relieve them from the infinite number of taxgatherers, which, far worse than the Turkish or Ruffian armies, have barraffed and plundered our poor county. As thou art the diftributor of the bounties of the crown, make them the reward of fervice and merit; not the hire of parafites and flatterers to thy mater or thyself But, above all, as thou art now a publick perfon, elevate thy mind beyond any private view; try to enrich the publick before thyself; and think lefs of establishing thy family at the head of thy country, than of fetting thy country at the head of Afia. I would recommend to thy attention and remembrance, the faying of a tamous English treajurer in the happy I do not reign of Queen Elizabeth. love, faid that truly able minifter, to fee the treasury fwell like a diftempered spleen, when the other parts of the ftate are in a confumption.' Be If thou canst iteadily perfevere in fuch it thy care to prevent fuch a decay; and, to that end, not only fave the publick a conduct, thy prince will want thee all unneceffary expence, but fo digeft more than thou doft him: if thou buildand order what is needful, that perplexi- elt thy fortune on any other bafis, how high foever it may rife, it will be totterty may not ferve to cover fraud, nor incapacity lurk behind confufion. Rathering from the weakness of it's foundafubmit to any difficulty and diftrefs in the conduct of thy miniftry, than anticipate the revenues of the government without an abfolute neceffity; for fuch expedients are a temporary ease, but a permanent deftruction. tion. He alone is a minifter of flate, whose fervices are necessary to the publick; the reft are the creatures of caprice, and feel their flavery even in their power. LETTER LXXVI. 'HE virtuous Abdallah is returned fent fourteen moons. I yesterday restored to him his lovely Zelis, the wife whom he had given me at his departure, and whom I had treated like a fifter. Nothing ever was fo moving as the icene, when I joined their hands again after a feparation which they had feared would prove eternal. The poffeffion of the fineft woman in the world could not give me fo much pleasure as this act of humanity and justice: I made two people happy, who deferved it; and am fecured of the affections of both to the last moment of their lives. FROM LONDON. THE HISTORY OF ABDALLAH. OU know that I failed from Eng you land with an intent to redeem my father from captivity. As foon as I came to Malta, I went and threw myself at the feet of the grand mafter, befecching him to take the ranfom I had brought, and let my father free. He answered me, that the perfon for whom I fued was no longer in a condition to be ranfomed, being condemned to die the next day. I was ready to die myself at this account; and, defiring to know his offence, was informed, that, being unable to redeem himself, he was put to the oar like a common flave, without any regard to his innocence or age: that during an engagement with a Turk * See Page 45: When the transports of their joy were a little over, Abdallah gave me the following relation of all that had happened to him fince he left us. if ifh fhip, he had perfuaded the other flaves to quit their oars, and fight against the Chriftians; but that, being overpowered, he was brought to Malta, and condemned to be broke upon the wheel, as an example to the other captives in the gallies; but this dreadful fentence was to be executed upon him the morning after my arrival, and no ransom could be accepted for his life. ་ 'O Heaven!' faid I, did I come fo far to no other purpofe but to be witnefs of the death of my wretched father, and a death fo full of horror! Would the waves of the fea had fwallowed me up, before I reached this fatal and accurfed fhore!-O Abderamen! Omy father! what avails to thee the piety of thy fon? How fhall I bear to take my leave of thee for ever, at our first meeting, after an abfence which feemed fo long? Can I ftand by, and give thee up to torments, when I flattered myself that I arrived to bring thee liberty? Alas! my prefence will only aggravate thy fufferings, and make the bitterness of death more infup• portable!' In this extremity, I offered the grand mafter, not only to pay down all the ranfom I had promifed before, but to yield myself a voluntary flave, and ferve in the gallies all my life, if Abderamen's might be spared. He feemed touched with my propofal, and inclined to pity me; but was told by a Jefuit, who was his confeffor, that an example of severity was necessary; and that he ought to pardon my father on no other terms but renouncing Ma. hometitin, and being converted immediately to the Church of Rome. No,' cried I, if that is to be the price of a few unhappy years, it is better both of us fhould perifh than accept them. But can you,' faid I to the priest, who profefs an holiness fuperior to other men, can you obstruct the mercy of your prince, and compel him to deftroy a wretched man, whofe only crime was the natural love of liberty? Is this your way of making converts to your faith, by the terror of racks and wheels, inftead of • reafon?' My reproaches fignified nothing bet to incenfe him, and I quitted the palace in defpair. I was going to the prifon, to fee my father, for the first and last time, when a Turkish flave accosted me, and bade me follow him. I refused to do it; but he affured me it was of moment to the life of Abderamen. I followed him, and he led me by a backway to a woman's apartment in the palace. I continued there till paft midnight without feeing any body, in agitations not to be conceived: at last there came to me a lady richly dreffed in the habit of my own country. After looking at me attentively fome time-O Abdallah!' faid fhe, have you forgot Zoraide, the fifter of Zelis?" These words foon brought her to my remembrance, though I had not feen her for many years. I embraced her tenderly, and defired to hear what fortune had carried her to Malta. 'You know,' faid fhe, that my fa mily is of the island of Cyprus, and that I was married young to a rich 'merchant of Aleppo. I had by him two children, a fon and daughter; and lived very happily fome years, till my hufband's bufiefs carrying him to Cyprus, I perfuaded him to let me go, and make a visit to my relations in that island. In our paffage a violent storm arote, which drove us weftward beC yond the isle of Candia; and before we could put into any harbour, a Maltele pirate attacked us, killed my hufband, and carried me to Malta. My beauty touched the heart of the grand mater; which is the more furprizing, as I took no pains to let it off, thinking of nothing but the lofs I had fuftained. He bought me of the knight whose prize I was; and I thought it fome comfort in my captivity, that I was delivered from the hands that had been tained in my husband's blood. The paffion of my new lord was fo 'exceffive, that he ufed me more like a princefs than a flave. He could deny me nothing I asked him; and was fo liberal, that he never approached me without a prefent. You fee the pomp and magnificence in which I live. My wealth is great, and my power in this place fuperior to any-body's. Hear then. Abdallah, what my friendthip hes done for you, and remember the obligation you have to me. I have employed at my intereft with my lover to fave the life of Abderamen: he has confented to it; and, moreover, to let ⚫ him free upon the payment of the lanL2 • lum fom you proposed. But, in recompence for the aid which I have given you, you must promife to affift me in an affair that will probably be at'tended with some danger.' I affured her, there was nothing I would not rifque, to do the fifter of Zelis any fer vice. You fhall know,' faid fhe, what it is I require of you, when the time ⚫ comes to put it in execution; till then, ⚫ remain at Malta, and wait my orders.' At these words, the delivered to me a pardon under the feal of the grand ma iter, and bid me carry it instantly to my father. I was fo tranfported that I could not stay to thank her: I ran, I flew, to the prifon of Abderamen; and, fhewing the order I brought with me to his guards, was admitted to the dungeon where he lay. The poor old man, expecting nothing but death, and believing I was the officer that came to carry him to the place of execution, fainted away before I had time to discover to him either my perfon or my errand. While he lay in that ftate of infenfibility, I unbound his chains, and bore him into the open air; where, with a good deal of difficulty, he recovered. O my father!' faid I to him, when I perceived that his fenfes were returned, do you not know your fon Abda lah, who is come hither to fave your life, who has obtained your pardon, and redeemed you from captivity? The furprize of joy that feized him in that inftant, at my fight and words, was too fudden and violent for his age and weaknefs to fupport, He ftruggled fome time to make an anfwer; but at laft, ftraining me in his arms, and muttering fome half-formed founds, he funk down, and expired on my bofom. When I faw that he was dead, I loft all patience; and, covering myself with duft, bewailed my folly, in not telling him my good tidings by degrees. By this time it was broad day; and the whole town, being informed of my affliction, was gathered about me in great crowds. The grand mafter himfelf, taking pity of me, fent to tell me, that he would permit me to bear away my father's body to Aleppo, and excufe me the ranfom I had offered, fince death had delivered him without it. This indulgence comforted me a little; and I would have embarked immediately for the Levant, if I had not been stopped by my promife to Zoraide. Several days paffed without my hearing any news of her. I had already hired a small vessel, and put on board the remains of Abderamen; when, late one night, I was waked out of my fleep by Zoraide, in the habit of a man, who told me, that he was come to claim my promife. I asked what the required me to do. To carry nie to Aleppo, answered fhe, that I may fee my dear children once again, and enrich them with the treasures which I have gained from the bounty of my lover. Those treafures are ufelefs to me without them; in the midst of all my pomp and outward pleasure, I am perpetually pining for their lofs; the mother's heart is 'unfatisfied within; nor will it let me enjoy a moment's peace, till I am reitored to them in my happy native land. As the faid this, the thewed me fome bags of gold, and a casket filled with jewels of great value. I muft infift, Abdallah,' continued fhe, that you fet fail this very night, and take me along with you. The weather is tempestuous, but that circumstance will favour my efcape; and I had rather venture to perifh in the fea, than live any longer from my family." The fenfe of the obligatiou I had to her made me consent to do what she defired, how perilous foever it appeared to me. As I had a permission from the grand mafter to go away as foon as I thought fit, I put to fea that night with. out any hindrance; and the wind blowing hard off the fhore, in a little while we were out of fight of Malta. The water was fo rough for two or three days, that we thought it impoffible our barque could weather it out; but at length, the ftorms abating, we purfued our voyage with a very fair wind, and arrived safe in the port of Scanderoon. Zoraide was tranfported with the thought of being fo near Aleppo and her children; the embraced me in the most affectionate manner, and expreffed a gratitude for the fervice I had done her far beyond what it deferved. But how great was her difappointment and affliction, when we were told by the people of Scanderoon, that the plague was at Aleppo, and had deftroyed a third part of the inhabitants! Ah, |