lated into French a part of the Zend-Avesta, which was published in 1771. The learned men of Europe generally acknowledge it as the ancient Zend-Avesta and an authentic record of the doctrines of Zoroaster.

The priesthood is not hereditary among the Parsees. The son of the poorest labourer may be educated for the sacred office. But these simple devotional people regard their religious teachers with the utmost veneration. They are considered polluted by the touch of foreigners, or even by men of their own faith. If a physician cures a priest of any dangerous illness, he is considered amply repaid by his prayers, so very efficacious are they deemed. Before reciting a prayer, the priests always wash their hands, saying: "I repent of all my sins. I renounce them." To render their supplications more powerful, they use a formula to unite them with all souls who have ever been pleasing to Ormuzd, or ever will be so, till the day of resurrection. The priest also declares that he takes part in all the good actions of all the just, who have ever lived in the world, and that he joins his actions to theirs. This communion of prayers is everywhere conspicuous in all their ceremonies. The ancient doctrine concerning Arimanes has become modified. They now teach that he was an inferior Spirit, who rebelled against Ormuzd, his Creator. A spirit of benevolence pervades their maxims. Their writings declare "there is no greater crime than to buy grain and keep it till it becomes dear. He who pursues this course, renders himself responsible for all the famine and misery in the world."

Of all known religions, that of the Parsees is the only one in which fasting and celibacy are never enjoined as meritorious, but are, on the contrary, expressly forbidden. They say the power of Arimanes is increased by punishing the body and rendering it feeble and sluggish; that Ormuzd is best pleased when the body is kept fresh and vigorous, as a means of rendering the soul more strong to resist the attacks of evil. They believe that a man in good health and spirits can listen more attentively to the Sacred Word,

and has more courage of heart to perform good works. They consider large families a blessing, and keep all birthdays as holy festivals. They say beneficent genii gave fragrance to flowers, and flavour to fruit, on purpose that man might enjoy them. They take cheerful and benevolent views of death. To the good it is only a passage into Paradise; to the wicked it is the beginning of penances that will finally atone for their sins, and from which the living can help to deliver them by their prayers. When a man commits crimes, it is ordained that relatives and friends should perform pious rites and make donations to the poor, in expiation of his faults, because they believe such observances will diminish his period of punishment.

They have a tradition that a holy personage, named Pashoutan, is waiting in a region called Kanguedez, for a summons from the Ized Serosch, who in the last days will bring him to Persia, to restore the ancient dominion of that country and spread the religion of Zoroaster over the whole earth.

In the northern districts of Kurdistan there is, at this present time, a sect called Yezidis, or Devil-Worshippers, greatly despised by the Mahometans and Christians around them. They are kind and simple people, extremely devout, according to the faith which they believe was delivered to their saints. They have a tradition that they came from the banks of the Euphrates, and their worship indicates a Chaldean or Persian origin. They believe in One Supreme Being, but have a reverential awe of talking about his existence or attributes. They believe Satan was once chief of the angelic host. He is now suffering punishment for his rebellion against the Supreme, but will eventually be restored to his high estate in the celestial hierarchy. He has under his control seven Spirits, who exercise great influence over the affairs of this world. They say it is necessary to conciliate him, because he now has means of doing much evil to mankind, and he will hereafter have power to reward them. When they allude to him, they do it with great reverence; calling him Melek el Kout, the

Mighty Angel. They will not mention his name, or even utter any word which resembles it in sound. It irritates them to hear it spoken by others, and it is said they have put to death some who wantonly persisted in doing it to annoy them. The bronze image of a bird, consecrated to him, is treated with great veneration. The Sheik carries it in all his journeys, and his deputies have small copies of it made in wax. They practise circumcision, and baptize a child in water, if possible, seven days after birth. They consider Abraham and Mahomet great prophets, and believe that Christ was a heavenly Spirit, who took on himself the form of a man, for benevolent purposes. They say he did not die on the cross, but ascended living to heaven, whence he will come a second time on this earth. They have very great reverence for the Hebrew Scriptures, and a lesser degree for the New Testament and the Koran. They practise frequent ablutions, and have great abhorrence of pork. They have a volume in Arabic, containing chants, prayers, and directions for the performance of religious ceremonies. They consider this very sacred, and will not show it to strangers. Their holy day is Wednesday; they do not abstain from work, but some always fast. They have four orders of hereditary priesthood, and, what is very remarkable in Asia, these offices descend to women as well as men, and both are treated with equal reverence. The higher orders of priests generally wear white linen garments, the inferior wear black, or dark brown. Every district has a religious head, called a Sheik. The office is hereditary in his family, but the descendant best qualified by character is chosen to succeed him. An order of priests called Pirs, or Saints, are much reverenced. Their intercessions for the people are supposed to have great influence, and it is believed that they are invested with power to cure insanity and disease. They are expected to lead a very pure and holy life.

The Yezidis always turn toward the east when they pray, and kiss the first objects touched by the rays of the rising sun. On great festivals they sacrifice white oxen to the

Sun, and distribute the flesh among the poor. They venerate fire, and suffer nothing unclean to be thrown into it. Sheik Adi is their great saint. They have many traditions of his interviews with angels. The valley where he is buried is a place of pilgrimage. Worshippers wash themselves and their garments, and take the shoes from their feet, before they step on the hallowed ground. A yearly sum is paid to priests, who guard the sacred valley from all pollution, keep lamps lighted, and perform the appointed ceremonies. The badge of their office is a girdle of red and yellow, the colours of fire. On the door of the tomb are rudely carved a lion, a serpent, a man, a hatchet, and a comb. The serpent is particularly conspicuous. Balls of clay taken from this tomb are sold as relics, and believed to be very efficacious against diseases and Evil Spirits. A chapter from the Koran is written on the interior walls. Only Sheiks and high priests are permitted to be buried in the vicinity. Near by is a reservoir of water, which they believe the saint brought miraculously from the holy well of Zem Zem, at Mecca. It is carefully guarded from all impurities, and eagerly drank by crowds. of pilgrims. A low edifice, with a small white spire, is called the Sanctuary of the Sun. On a slab, near the door, is carved an invocation to the Spirit of the Sun, and it is so built that the first rays of that luminary fall upon it. The interior is continually lighted by lamps, and is considered a very holy place. There are no buildings in all the valley, except those for worship and the dwellings of resident priests. They are kept very pure with repeated coats of whitewash. On the evening of festivals, lamps are placed in all the niches of the walls, and in apertures of the rocky mountains that enclose this sacred valley. They are generally votive offerings from pilgrims, who have prayed to the saint in time of danger or distress, and found relief from his supposed intercessions. As priests walk by carrying these lamps, pilgrims crowd round them, striving to pass their right hands through the flame. They devoutly kiss the hand thus purified, and rub the right eyebrow VOL. I.-24*

with it. They hold out little children to have their right hands purified in the same way. Those who cannot reach the flame, strive to touch the hands of others who are more fortunate. They reverently kiss the very stones blackened by the smoke of these lamps.

On the festival of Sheik Adi, his tomb is visited by long processions of priests in white linen robes, musicians with pipes and tambourines, and pilgrims from all their districts. Peddlers congregate there to sell their wares. Sheiks and priests walk familiarly among the people, or sit talking with them in the shadows of the trees. Seven or eight thousand usually meet together on this occasion, and it is a picturesque sight to see them wandering about among the trees and rocks with their lighted torches. Layard thus describes some of the religious ceremonies he witnessed at this festival: "Thousands of lights danced in the distance, glimmered among the trees, and were reflected in the fountains and streams. Suddenly all voices were hushed. A solemn strain of sweet pathetic music came from the tomb of the saint; the voices of men and women in harmony with flutes. At measured intervals, the song was broken by the loud clash of cymbals and tambourines; and then those without the precincts of the tomb joined in the melody. The same slow and solemn strain, occasionally varied, lasted nearly an hour. Gradually, the chant gave way to a lively melody, ever increasing in quickness. Voices were raised to the highest pitch; women made the rocks resound with their shrill tones; men among the multitude without joined in the cry; tambourines were beaten with extraordinary energy; musicians strained their limbs in violent contortions, till they fell exhausted on the ground. I never heard a more frightful yell than rose in that valley. It was midnight. There were no immodest gestures or unseemly ceremonies. When musicians and singers were exhausted, the sounds died away, groups scattered about the valley, and resumed their previous cheerfulness."

The Yezidis are remarkable for tenacious attachment to their religion. A person of mature age among them never