Having dwelt fo long on this obfolete and abfurd mode of trying the juftice of an accufation, we must now close our review of the volume before us; a work which, in our opinion, does Mr. D. great credit, not merely as an heraldist, if we may ufe the word, but as an antiquary, an hiftorian, and a claffical fcholar. The notes fhew that his reading has been extenfive, and his acquaintance with the antients as well as the moderns very intimate; while tafte in the selection and judgment in the arrangement of his matter are highly confpicuous through the whole work, There are, it is true, fome errors to be found in it, fuch as, (page 140) his making Lewis XI. king of France hufband of the princefs Mary of England, who was the wife of Lewis XII.; and (page 100) his calling Edmund king of Sicily brother to our Henry ill. when Edmund, (who by the way was only titular king of Sicily, under a grant from the Pope, which in the end was revoked,) was in reality fon to that monarch, who created him Earl of Lancafter. Though thefe errors are not noticed in the errata, they must be confidered as mere overfights; Mr. D. being too good an hiftorian not to have been able to correct them, if in the hurry of revifion he had not accidentally overlooked them.

Of the plates and typographical beauties of this volume we cannot speak too highly,

ART. III. The Natural History of Aleppo. Containing a Defcription of the City, and the principal natural Productions in its Neighbourhood: together with an Account of the Climate, Inhabitants, and Difeafes; particularly of the Plague. By Alex. Ruffell, M. D. The fecond Edition, revifed, enlarged, and illuftrated with Notes. By Pat, Ruffell, M. D. & F. R. S. 2 Vols. 4to. 31. 12s. Boards. Robinfons. 1794.

OF

F the firft edition of this work, published about 40 years fince, an account may be found in the 15th vol. of our Review. From Dr. Patrick Ruffel's preface, we learn that the author foon meditated a fecond edition, with large additions and improvements; and that, having tranfmitted a copy to his brother, (the prefent editor,) who remained at Aleppo in the ftation which he had occupied of phyfician to the factory, he accompanied it with a requeft that every poffible attention might be paid towards fupplying its defects. Nothing, however, was done during the life of the author: but, on Dr. Patrick R.'s return to England, he found, among his deceased brother's manufcripts, confiderable materials for the new edi tion. Thefe, together with a variety of matter fince accumu lated, have at length produced the long projected new impreffion;

which, being more than double the bulk and price of the former, may in great measure be regarded as a new work.

One of the moft ftriking and useful alterations is a deviation from the miscellaneous arrangement before adopted, and a divifion of the work into fix books. Of thefe, the first three contain a description of the city of Aleppo and its environs, an account of its various inhabitants, their manners and cuftoms, government, literature, &c. ; the fourth relates to natural hif

the fifth contains meteorological obfervations, and an account of epidemical difeafes; the fixth is entirely devoted to every thing concerning the plague. Notes and illustrations

are added to each volume.

As the additional matter is not diftinguifhed by a particular mark, nothing but a direct comparifon between the two editions could enable us to ftate it with exactnefs:-but the editor, in a general way, points out the parts which have received the principal augmentations. The catalogue of plants, by the affiftance of Sir Jof. Banks and Dr. Solander, has aflumed a new and much more perfect form. The account of the domeftic manners of the people of Aleppo has been greatly extended; as well as that of the religious practices of the Mohammedans. The editor has also availed himself of the opportunity which his profeffion afforded, in gratifying his own and the public curiofity by a more detailed account of the Harem, or female apartments, that characteristic object of the Eaftern domeftic economy. From this we fhall make fome extracts for the entertainment of our readers.

• When the ladies vifit one another in a forenoon, they do not immediately unveil on coming into the Harem, left fome of the men should happen to be ftill at home, and might fee them as they pafs; but, as foon as they enter the apartment of the lady to whom the vifit is intended, either one of the young ladies, or a flave, assists in taking off the veil, which, being carefully folded up, is laid afide. It is a fign that the vifitant intends only a fhort ftay, when inflead of refigning the veil, fhe only uncovers her head, permitting the veil to hang carelessly down on the fkoulders. This generally produces a friendly contest between the parties; one infifting upon taking the veil away, the other refufing to furrender it. A like conteft takes place at the clofe of the vifit. When entreaty cannot prevail on the vifitant to tay longer, the veil is hidden, the flaves, inftructed before hand, pretend to fearch for it every where in vain, and when the urges the abfolute neceflity of her going, fhe is affured that the Aga, or mafter of the houfe, is not yet gone abroad, and is then jocolely dared to depart without it.

In their manner of receiving one another, the ladies are lefs formal than the men; their complimental fpeeches, though in a highfrain, are more rapidly and familiarly expreffied.

The

The common falutation is performed by laying the right hand on the left breaft, and gently inclining the head. They fometimes falute by kiffing the cheek; and the young ladies kifs the hands of their fenior relations. They entertain with coffee and tobacco, but the Sherbet and perfume are only produced on particular occafions.

The great men are attended in the Harem, by the female flaves, in the fame manner as, in the outer apartments, by the pages. They remain tanding in the humble attitude of attendance, their hands croffed before them on their cincture, and their eyes fixed on the ground. The other ladies, as well as the daughters of the family, occafionally bring the pipe and coffee, but do not remain ftanding; they either are defired to fit down, or they retire. This however is to be underflood of the Grandees; for in ordinary life, both wives and daughters minifter fervilely to the men: the two fexes never fitting at table together.

It is feldom that all the ladies of a Harem are, by the great man, feen assembled, unless they happen, in the fammer, to be furprized fitting in the Divan where they meet to enjoy the cool air. At his approach, they all rife up, but, if defired, refume their places, (fome of the flaves excepted) and return to their work. However loquacious they may have been before he entered, a refpe&ful filence enfues the moment he appears: a refraint which they feel the less, from their being accuflomed to it almoft from infancy. It is furprizing how fuddenly the clamour of children is hushed on the approach of the father; but the women often lament their want of power, in his abfence, of quieting the children either by threats, or foothing.

Though the prefence of the great man may impofe filence on the younger ladies, he always finds fome of the elderly matrons, ready enough to entertain him, fhould he be difpofed for converfation. In this manner he learns the domeftic news of the town, which, though rarely a topic of difcourfe among the men, being in great request at the public baths, is circulated by the female pedlers, and the Bidoween women attached to the Harem. The former, who are chiefly Jewish or Christian women of a certain age, fupply the ladies with gauzes, muflin, embroidery, and trinkets, and moreover have the art of collecting and embellishing all kinds of private hiftory; the latter are not lefs talkative, nor more fecret, but poffefs alfo a licenfed privilege of fpeaking freely to the men, which they perfectly know how to exercife. Their licence is derived from being often retained as nurfes, by which they gain a permanent establishment in the family; the fofter fifter remaining attached to the Harem, and in time fucceeding her mother. The Grandees, in thefe indolent hours converfe alfo on their own domeftic affairs, and amuse themselves with their children. When they wish to be more retired, they withdraw to another apartment, into which no perfon, except the lady to whom it belongs, prefumes to enter uncalled.

The Turks, in prefence of their women, appear to affect a more haughty, referved air, than ufual, and in their manner of speaking to them, are lefs courteous, and more abrupt, than they are to one another, or even to men who are much their inferiors. As this was frequently obferved in perfons remarkable for an affable deportment

ΤΟ

to men, it may be confidered rather as their ufual manner, than afcribed to the accidental prefence of an European; and is further confirmed by the ordinary behaviour of the boys, who talk to the women in an imperious manner, which they could only have learned from example. The men perhaps judge it politic to affume this demeanour, in a fituation where dominion may be fupposed to be maintained with more difficulty, than among their male dependants; and therefore venture only in hours of retirement, to avow that gentlenefs, which, as if derogatory from their dignity, they think prudent; in their general conduct, to conceal, from perfons whofe obedience they believe can alone be fecured; by an air of itern authority.

:

The ladies, efpecially thofe of rank, appear referved in regard to their husbands, while they fhow an engaging, affectionate fondness for their brothers, though it is often returned with little more than frigid complaifance as if their tender endearments were a tribute due to male fuperiority. There are times however when natural affection gets the better of this cold indifference of the young men. The fight of a fifter in diftrefs, or languishing in a fit of severe illness, often produces emotion, of which, judging from general appearances, they would feem to be unfufceptible. The affectation of apathy, is a remarkable trait in the character of the Turks. They are led by it, under misfortunes, to affume an appearance of tranquillity, more than they poffefs in reality; and, on other occafions, they strive to hide that fenfibility which other nations think it honourable to indulge. Their exterior manners are univerfally marked by this affectation! their real feelings, influenced by the common fprings of humanity, are more remote from the eye of observation.

• Perfons of diftinction, who are in office, leave the Harem early in the morning, and, two hours after noon excepted, pass most of their time in the outer apartments. But others, who have little bufinefs, and the luxurious young men of all denominations, lounge many hours in their Harem. Some allowance, in this refpect, is made to youth, for fome weeks after marriage; but an effeminate character, which is by no means refpectable among the men, is far from being acceptable to the women. The prefence of the men, at unufual hours in the day time, lays the whole Harem under restraint, and however fome particular favourite may be gratified by the particular attention of her Lord, the rest of the women are apt to lament the liberty they are deprived of, by his remaining too much at home.

The Grandees, if flightly indifpofed, continue to fee company in the outer apartments; but when the diforder becomes serious they retreat into the Harem, to be nurfed by their women and in this fituation, befides their medical attendants, and very near relations, no perfon whatever can have accefs, except on very urgent bufiness. They make choice of the females they wish to have more immediately about their perfon, and one in particular is appointed to give an account to the phyfician, of what happens in the intervals of his vifits, to receive his directions, and to fee them duly obeyed.

Medical people, whether Europeans or natives, have access to the Harem, at all times when their attendance is requifite. The phyfician, after being announced, is obliged to wait at the door till the

way

way be cleared; that is, till his patient, when a female, her company, and attendants, and others who might happen to be in the Courts through which he must pass, have either veiled, or retired out of fight. He is then conducted to the chamber of the fick lady by a flave, who continues, in a loud voice, to give warning of his approach, by exclaiming Dirb, Dirb, al Hakeem Gia-y. Way! Way! the doctor is coming: a precaution which does not always prevent the unveiled ladies, who have not been apprized, from accidentally croffing the court, in which cafe it becomes the well bred physician to turn his eyes another way.

Upon entering the chamber, he finds his patient covered with a loofe veil, and, it being a vulgar notion that the malady may be difcovered from the pulfe †, he is no fooner feated, than the naked wrift is prefented for his examination ‡. She then defcribes her complaints, and, if it be neceffary to look at the tongue, the veil is for that pur pofe removed, while the affiftants keep the rest of the face, and especially the crown of the head, carefully covered. The women do not hefitate to expose the neck, the bofom, or the ftomach, when the case requires thofe parts to be infpected, but, never without extreme reluctance confent to uncover the head. Ladies whom I had known very young, and who, from long acquaintance, were careless in concealing their faces from me, never appeared without a handkerchief or fome other flight covering thrown over the head. So far as I could judge, from general practice, it feemed to be confidered, in point of decorum, of more confequence to veil the head, than the face.

The phyfician is ufually entertained with tobacco and coffee, which, being intended as a mark of refpect, cannot in civility be declined, though the compliance leads to an intemperate ufe of both. After he has examined, and given directions concerning his patient, he requefts leave to retire, but is feldom allowed to efcape without hearing the incurable complaints of as many valetudinary vifitants, as happen to be prefent, who either fit ready veiled, or talk from behind a curtain occafionally fufpended in the chamber. Thefe ladies always confider themselves entitled to verbal advice, or at least to an opinion of fuch remedies, as have been recommended by others; and a principal part of the medical art, among the native practitioners, confists

When it is known that the phyfician is about to enter, the flave, who undertakes to clear the way, gives notice by calling Amel Dirb! Amel Dirb! make way, make way; and, returning after fome time, fays fi Dirb, the way is clear.

The native practitioners give a fanction to this foolish notion.. I followed, in that respect, the example of my brother, who, except in fevers, always infifted on the fick giving an account of their complaints, before he would feel the pulfe.

I have been offered fometimes, the wrift covered with thin muflin, but the Aleppo ladies in general ridicule that punctilio, and I always refufed compliance with a piece of prudery not fanctioned by custom.

Tournefort found the practice different in the Harems he visited. Voyage, Tom. ii. p. 17.'

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