for a piece of the pillar. The discovery which they made amply compensated for this mischief; as without their evidence the world would not have known at this hour, that there was originally a statue on this pillar, one foot and ancle of which are still remaining. The statue was probably of Pompey himself; and must have been of a gigantic size, to have appeared of a man's proportion at so great a height.

There are circumstances in this story which might give it an air of fiction, were it not demonstrated beyond all doubt. Besides the testimonies of many eyewitnesses, the adventurers themselves have left us a token of the fact, by the initials of their names, which are very legible in black paint, just beneath the capital. IRWIN,

SECT. XLVI.

OF THE MODERN PERSIANS.

THE modern Persians are robust, warlike and hardy, and are now become all soldiers. They are naturally inclined to temperance; and, with regard to diet, seem to be more in a state of nature than the Europeans. By way of amusement they use opiates, but not near so much as the Turks. They drink coffee in small quantities with the lees, also sheebets, and an infusion of cinnamon with sugar. Their simplicity of life generally renders their domestic expenses easy. The Persians, however, understand very little of what we call prudence and economical government.

In their common discourses they often introduce moral sentences, and poetical narrations, extracted from their poets and other writers. It was formerly their constant custom to entertain their guests with favourite passages out of their poets. Reflection and repetition are the only means of strengthening or supporting the memory. Custom has made it a kind of pedantry in Europe to be frequent in the repetition of the wise sayings either of the ancient or modern di

vines, philosophers, or poets. But if, from the na ture of the human mind, we ever stand in need of a monitor, what office is more consistent than to render the wholesome rules of life familiar, by making them a part of our ordinary conversation? It might be wished, that this practice were introduced among the Europeans, rather than the barrenness of discourse we often find, or the irksome and pernicious amusement of cards.

Now I have mentioned a circumstance so interesting to the great world in Europe, I must acknowledge that cards, in the original use of them, are confessedly as innocent as any other instrument of diversion, to those who are at a loss for something more rational ;* yet in the manner now in fashion, they cannot but dissipate the thoughts in some, and euervate the mind in almost every one who is closely attached to them. They must be a great means of feeding those passions which corrode the heart, and, warping the affections from their proper bias, oppose the establishment of virtue in the mind. We often see this verified, though few will confess it. Is it possible, in the nature of the thing, that those who give a constant application to this entertainment, especially if they play high, can support tranquillity of mind? And in proportion as the mind is distrurbed, is it not disqualified for the essential duties of life? This matter is best understood by those very persons who play high, and consume their time in this polite idleness. The Persians seem to fall into the contrary extreme. They delight in sitting still, and musing. I never observed any of them walk in their apartments, as the Europeans, and particularly the English, are used to do. I remember to have heard of a Turk, who, being on board an English man of war, enquired very seriously if the peaple were troubled with an evil spirit ? because, says he," they are never at rest.”

* I have somewhere heard, that cards were invented by a French courtier, to amuse one of the kings of that nation, who was remarkably weak.

The Persians are polite, but extravagantly hyperbolical in their compliments. This indeed is peculiar to the Eastern nations; and the scripture which partakes so much of that style, is known to be derived from that quarter. The Persians were celebrated for a particular genius in poetry: but war, which has destroyed their morals and learning, seems also to have damped their poetic fire; though they have still many traces of that fertility and strength of imagination, for which in past times they were deservedly famous. The ancient Persians are recorded to have taught their children a most exact reverence for truth; but the present generation are as notorious for falsehood. They poison with a sweet-meat, in always saying what is pleasing, without regarding the truth. In their dispositions they are cheerful, but rather inelined to seriousness than loud mirth. In this they are not so much the French of Asia, as in their politeness and civility to strangers. Hospitality is a part of their religion. On occasions of the least intercourse, men of any distinction invite strangers, as well as their friends, to their table; and it is remarkable how they pride themselves in other testimonies of respect.

The Persians, as well as the Turks, believe the Mosaic to have been the true religion before Christ, whom also they acknowledge to be a true prophet, and teacher sent from God; but that the religion he taught was contained in a book, which at Mahomet's coming, was taken by the angel Gabriel into heaven, and the Koran brought down in its stead. This however they do not attempt to prove. They say also, that Jesus Christ did not die upon the cross, but that another person was miraculously brought there in his place; thus confessing the truth of our Saviour's mission, but confounding it with absurd fables.

The common people pray at break of day, noon, and sun-set. The MULLAH, or High Priest, when he goes to prayers, mounts a turret appointed for that purpose, which overtops the houses; from whence

at day-break, mid-day, and evening, he invokes the Supreme Being, by saying, " O God, there is but one God, Mahomet is his prophet, and Ali his friend." After repeating these words three times, he makes a prayer to this effect: "Glory be to the Sovereign of the Universe, and to the Judge of the Last Day. We glorify thee: we beseech thee to assist us in our necessities, to lead us in thy ways, and in the paths of righteousness, and to prevent our falling into the snares of perdition."

I never observed that the Persians have any mark of that false modesty which prevails among Christians of the best sort, who, to avoid the imputation of affectation or hypocrisy, are as jealous to be seen on their knees, as afraid to commit any criminal action. If a bold masculine piety, and a sincere awful sense of the Deity are very cousistent things, this false modesty must be owing to an error in education.

The Persians have some of the Jewish rites among them; and also this peculiarity, that, when they pray, they never permit the image of any sensible object to lie before them; nor is it permitted to pray with any thing of gold about them, as if it was esteemed an object of idolatry. They invoke the intercession of the departed souls of some of their prophets and pious men. They give one proof of religion vastly superior to Christians; for I never could observe, that they mentioned the name of the Supreme Being, except upon solemu occasion, or at least in a respectful manner.

The Turkish language is the most common in Per sia. In matters of learning they use the Arabian language, in which is deposited the greatest part of that Knowledge, for which the Persians were once distinguished. The learned languages, familiar to Europeans, are not known amongst them. As time seems to have made no change in the customs of Asia, but the same manners remain as we read of two thousand years ago, so the language, particularly of the Persians, has the same idiom and sublimity of expression.

They write, as the Hebrews, from the right to the left, and often range their lines in an arbitrary manner; so that upon one leaf of paper they sometimes write in ten differerent directions, and this only to show the writer's ability in observing the proportion of words and lines in each. HANWAY.

XLVII.

OF THE MANNER OF ORDERING SILK WORMS AT GHILAN IN PERSIA.

THE silk worm, as it is well known, takes its birth from an egg no bigger than a small pin's head. In the month of March, when the sun is already very warm, I observed the peasants in Ghilan prepare to give life to the eggs, which they had preserved dur ing the winter, carrying them for the most part about them, in the warmest part of their bodies, and particularly under their arms. In ten or more days, according to the heat it receives, it becomes a maggot, and begins to feed. The shrub mulberry-trees, which are annually pruned, produce the most tender and proper leaves for their food. In about forty days the worm arrives to its maturity, and winds itself by daily gradations into a pod of silk as big as a pigeon's egg.

When this egg is completely formed, which is usually known by the silence of the worm within, they suffocate it by covering it with blankets, or by the heat of the sun; unless they wind off the silk immediately, for then warm water answers the same purpose. Some of them, however, must be permitted to live and perforate the pod; for when it breaks from its enclosure, it casts its seed or eggs, by means of which the generation is preserved. From the pods thus perforated, the silk cannot be wound off as from the others, but being prepared by pounding, it is spun off like cotton yarn. This silk we call ledge, the remains or refuge of which is so inferior, as to admit only of being milled and made into silk wadding.

HANWAY.