fasten, with a gold bodkin, a veil which covers the face and a great part of the body. There are few of the female faces which have not one or two black moles or artificial marks; which the Perfians name Khal, and the Arabians Ulteh.-Women of inferior rank, who cannot purchase jewels, make their necklaces, bracelets, and other ornaments, of small shells, or beads of different coloured glass. *

IT may be observed, before we finish this article of drefs, that face and eye-painting are also in use among the men; who pay the fame attention to their beards, which the women pay to their hair. They perfume them highly, and often tinge them; sometimes of a fine red, fometimes with faffron, and with various other dyes. Red was the favourite colour of Mohammed, Abubeker, or Omar: and their example was greatly followed.

1

SECT. III.

Of the Paffive Obedience of Afiatics. The dif tinguishing manners of the Eaft and Weft not always attended to by the learned. Mr. Bryant's criticifm, on this head, confidered. Implicit fubmiffion of the Carmathians to their chiefs. And of the Affaffins or fubjects of the Old Man of the Mountain.

THAT steady system of constitutional government, founded upon laws, which, whilst it gives to the monarch a folid dignity, points out to the subject the happy medium between rational obedience and abject submisfion, has, in all times, been imperfectly known in the Eaft. There the defpotifm of the prince, checked only by the momentary and defultory refiftance of the people, alternately curbs and unreins the spirit: and places the Afiatic character in lights fo opposite, that we must not be furprized to find a fingular mixture of flavishness and freedom in the defcription of the fame people.

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A PROPER attention to distinguishing cha racteristics is not, however, always to be found in the remarks of the learned. They too often decide with precipitation. They form their ideas of Afiatic objects by the ftandard alone of ancient and modern Europe; and treat perhaps rather too lightly whatever is foreign to their own line of observation. It is with pain that I find myself under the neceffity of bringing this obfervation home to Mr. Bryant; and of differing fo often and so pointedly from a gentleman, whofe erudition, opportunities, and ingenuity, properly directed, might have greatly extended our knowledge, and happily guided our researches into the darker periods of the hiftory of man. But, wedded, with fome fuperftition, to one language, and to one fet of writers, he looks proudly down upon all fcience, without his own pale; and confiders facts, perfectly confiftent with Eastern manners, as precisely on a level with the Tales of Mother Goofe.

To illuftrate the oppofite fenfes of the fame words, in different dialects of Arabia, I had introduced into my Differtation (p. 5.) a fhort anecdote of the King of Arabia Felix and an envoy. This has given Mr. Bryant field for a pretty difplay of humour. He has embellished my fimple tale with a very facetious

counterpart. And as it may poffibly amuse the reader, to avoid doing him injuftice by any attempt to abridge it, I fhall throw the whole into the notes

* "The story, p. v. concerning the envoy, who was fent to the Tobba of Arabia, is equally extraordinary and entertaining. The prince, it seems, upon the envoy being introduced, said to him, T'heb, be feated. But this, in the dialect of the perfon spoken to, unluckily fignified-precipitate yourself: which proved an unfortunate circumftance. For the poor envoy, with a fingular deference for the orders of his fovereign, went and threw himself from the wall of the castle, and broke his neck. Now the commands of princes ought without doubt to be heeded: yet I believe in this cafe few would have fhewn fuch fingular deference at fo fudden warning. One should think, that a perfon would have hesitated a little, and have made fome small inquiry before he had ventured all for nothing. In later times a fenfible man may have fhewn a mistaken regard; and have been led into an errour: but hardly into one so fatal, as that mentioned above, However there have been facts fomewhat fimilar and as nothing fets off a history to fuch advantage, as its parallel, accept what follows by way of illuftration: for the precife truth of which I will not vouch but give it you as I receive it. The person concerned is supposed to have been, like the man above, an envoy: one, who refided here in the reign of Queen Elizabeth but of what country is not faid: though from his great politenefs fome judgment may perhaps be formed. He is represented as very infirm, and gouty and at the fame time troubled with a painful retention.

:

The MSS.

It is a happy talent, we must confess, to trifle gracefully. Yet how few poffefs it! Below indeed we find a vein of pleasantry, which we do not difcover every where. And, as my poor story has happily breathed this vein, it would be wrong to regret the infertion of it, were it even irreconcileable with history and manners. It happens, however, not only to be recorded by many Afiatic writers, as well as by D'Herbelot, Sale, and other European Orientalifts; but is in fuch perfect conformity with that enthufiaftic deference, which people have been known, even in later times, to pay to the most dreadful

in which he is mentioned, deferibes him in the following manner. He was a very aged, and a very coftive Lord: and fo marred in his knees and in his ancles with the gout, that he could fcant flond. One day, when he was in Privy Chamber, the Queen's Majeftie noting his infirmities, fayd unto him: Good my Lord, I wifh, that you could procure yourself a fool. He not truly apprehending her Grace's meaning through default of language, but thinking of his private malady, went incontinent home: and took so many laxatives, enemas, and cathartics, that he was well nigh killed. And though they gave him Hippocrafs, and many cordial apozems, yet from Allhallowtide to Saint Swithin his bowels were like a bladder. Nor did they recover themselves in a year, they were jo angered and aggrieved. Whatever mistake may have been made, we see here the utmost complaifance: and this too, let me tell you, in very critical circumftances. Nothing