afhions of Venetian cloth of gold. called the paradife of affes." During His dress did not correfpond with this converfation, I took the fherriffe this magnificence, for it was nothing of Mecca's letter, alfo one from the but a large loofe fhirt of Surat blue king of Abyffinia; I gave him the cotron cloth, which feemed not to king's firft, and then the therriffe's. differ from the fame worn by his fer- He took them both as I gave them, vants, except that, all round the edges but laid afide the king's upon a cu of it, the feams were double-ftitched fhion, till he had read the fherriffe's. with white filk, and likewife round After this he read the king's, and the neck. His head was uncovered; called immediately again for an A. he wore his own fhort black hair, and byffinian interpreter; upon which I was as white in colour as an Arab. faid nothing, fuppofing, perhaps, he He feemed to be a man about thirty- might chufe to make him deliver fome four, his feet were bare, but covered meffage to me in private, which he by his thirt. He had a very plebeian would not have his people hear. But Countenance, on which was ftamped it was pure confufion and absence of no decided character; I fhould ra- mind, for he never spoke a word to ther guefs him to be a foft, timid, ir him when he came. "You are a phyrefolute man. At my coming for fician and a foldier," fays the king ward and kiffing his hand, he looked" Both, in time of need," said I. at me for a minute as if undetermin." But the faerriffe's letter tells me ed what to fay. He then asked for alfo, that you are a nobleman in the an Abyffinian interpreter, as there fervice of a great king that they call are many of thefe about the palace. I Englife-man, who is master of all the faid to him in Arabic, "That I appree Indies, and who has Mahometan as bended I understood as much of that ian- well as Chriftian fubjects, and allows guageas would enable me toanfwer any them ali to be governed by their own question he had to put to me. Upon laws."" Though Lnever faid fo to which he turned to the people that the therriffe, teplied I, yet it is true; I were with him, "Downright Arabic, am as noble as any individual in my indeed! You did not learn that lan- nation, and am alto fervant to the guage in Habefh faid he to me. I greateft king now reigning upon earth, anfwered, "No; I have been in E- of whofe dominions, it is likewife gypt Turkey, and Arabia, where I truly faid, thefe Indies are but a fmall learned it; but I have likewife often part."" The greatest king! fays be fpoken it in Abyffinia, where Greek, that fpoke about the affes, you should Turkish, and feveral other languages, not fay that: You forgot the Grand were used." He faid, "Impollible! Signior; there are four, Otman, Fer, he did not think they knew any thing fee, Bornow, and Habesh."—" I neiof languages, excepting their own, in ther forgot the Grand Signior, nor do Abyffinia." him wrong, replied I. What I have faid, I have faid."-"Kafrs and gaves! all of them, fays Ifmael; there is the Turk, the king of England, and the king of France; what kings are Bornow and the rest?—Kairs."—" How comes it, fays the king, you that are fo noble and learned, that you know all things, all languages, and fo brave that you fear no danger, but pass, with two or three old men, into fuch countries as this and Habefb, where

There were fitting, in the fide of the room, oppofite to him, four men dreffed in white cotton fhirts, with a white fhawl covering their heads and part of their face, by which it was known they were religious men, or men of learning, or of the law, One of these answered the king's doubt of the Abyffinians knowledge in languages. "They have languages edough; and you know that Habesh is

Q ૧૩

Baady

Adelan, prime minifter at Sennaar, then encamped at Aira at the head of the horfe and Nuba, levying the tax upon the Arabs as they went down, out of the limits of the rains, into the fandy countries below Atba ra to protect their cattle from the fly, Another of thefe three was Cadi of Kordofan, in the intereft of Maho. met Abou Kalec, and fpy upon the king. The third was a faint in the neighbourhood, confervator of a large extent of ground, where great crops of dora not only grow, but when threfhed out are likewife kept in large excavations called Matamores; the place they call Shaddly. This man was efteemed another Jofeph among the Funge, who accumulated grain in years of plenty, that he might diftribute it at fmall prices among the poor when scarcity came. He was held in very great reverence in the neighbourhood of Sennaar,

Baady my father perifhed with an army! How comes it that you do not ftay at home and enjoy yourself, eat, drink, take pleafure and reft, and not wander like a poor man, a prey to every danger? You, Sir, I replied, may know fome of this fort of men; certainly you do know them; for there are in your religion, as well as mine, men of learning, and thofe tog of great rank and nobility, who, on account of fins they have committed, or vows they have made, renounce the world, its riches and pleafures: They lay down their nobility, and become humble and poor, fo as often to be infulted by wicked and low men, not having the fear of God before their eyes. True, thefe are Dervith," faid the other three men. I am then one of thefe Dervish, faid I, content with the bread that is given me, and bound for fome years to travel in hardthips and danger, doing all the good I can to poor The cadi then afked me," If I and rich, ferving every man, and hurt- knew when Hagiuge Magiuge was to ing none." "Tybe! that is well," come? Remembering my old learn, fays the king. And how long have ed friend at Teawa, I fcarce could you been travelling about?" adds one forbear laughing, "I have no with of the others. Near twenty years," to know any thing about him, faid I; faid I--" You must be very young, I hope thofe days are far off, and will fays the king, to have committed fo not happen in my time." " What many fins, and fo early; they must do your backs fay concerning him? all have been with women?" Part (fays he, affecting a great look of of them, I fuppofe, were, replied I; wifdam) Do they agree with ours?" but I did not lay that I was one of "I don't know that, faid I, till I thofe who travelled on account of hear what is written in your books." their fins, but that there were fome Hagiuge Magiuge, fays he, are lit Dervishes who did fo on account of their vows, and fome to learn wif dom." He now made a fign, and a flave brought a cafhion, which I would have refufed, but he forced me to fit down upon it.

tle people, not fo big as bees, or like the zimb, or fly of Sennaar, that come in great swarms out of the earth, aye, in multitudes that cannot be counted; two of their chiefs are to ride upon an afs, and every hair of that afs is I found afterwards who the three to be a pipe, and every pipe is to play a men were who had joined in r con- different kind of mufic, and all that hear verfation; the first was Ali Mogrebi, and follow them are carried to hell." a native of Morocco, who was Cadi, "I know them not, faid, I, and, in or chief judge at Sennaar, and was the name of the Lord, I fear them then fallen into difgrace with the two not, were they twice as little as you brothers, Mahomet Abou Kalec, fay they are, and twice as numerous. governor of Kordofan, and Shiekh I trust in God I hall never be fo fend

of

of mufic as to go to hell after an afs greafed myfelf as he did? I faid, for all the tunes that he or they can Very feldom, but fancied it would play." The king laughed violently, be very expenfive. He then told I rofe to go away, for I was heartily me, That it was elephant's greafe, tired of the converfation. I whif which made people ftrong, and prepered the Abyffinian fervant in Am- ferved the skin very fmooth. I faid, haric, to afk when I fhould bring a I thought it very proper, but could trifle I had to offer the king. He not bear the fmell of it, though my faid, Not that night, as I fhould be fkin fhould turn as rough as an eletired, but defired that I should now go phant's for want of it. He faid, home, and he would fend me notice "If I had ufed it, my hair would when to come. I accordingly went not have turned fo red as it was, and away, and found a number of people that it would all become white prein the street, all having fome taunt fently when that redness came off. or affronting matter to lay. I paffed You may fee the Arabs driven in through the great fquare before the here by the Daveina, and all their cat palace, and could not help fhuddering, le taken from them, because they upon reflection, at what had happened have no longer any greafe for their in that fpot to the unfortunate M. du hair. The fun first turns it red and Roule and hiscompanions,though under then perfectly white; and you'll know a protection which thould have fecured them in the street by their hair being them from all danger, every part of the colour of yours. As for the fanell, which I was then unprovided with. you will fee that cured prefently."

The drum beat a little after fix After having rubbed him abundanto'clock in the evening. We then had ly with greafe, they brought a pretty a very comfortable dinner fent us, large horn, and in it fomething fcent camel's flesh ftewed with an herb of a ed, about as liquid as honey. It was viscous flimy fubftance, called Bam- plain that civet was a great part of mia. After having dined, and finish. the compofition, The king went out ed the journal of the day, I fell to at the door, I fuppofe into another unpacking my inftruments, the baro- room, and there two men deluged him meter and thermometer firft, and, af- over with pitchers of cold water, ter having hung them up, was con- whilft, as I imagine, he was ftarkverfing with Adelan's fervant when I naked. He then returned, and a fhould pay my vifit to his mafter. flave anointed him with this sweet About eight o'clock came a fervant ointment; after which he fat down, from the palace, telling me now was as compleately dreffed, being just gothe time to bring the prefent to the ing to his women's apartment where king. I forted the feparate articles he was to fup. I told him I wonwith all the fpeed I could, and we dered why he did not ufe rofe-water went directly to the palace. The as in Abyffinia, Arabia, and Cairo king was then fitting in a large apart- He faid, he had it often from Cairo, ment, as far as I could guefs, at fome when the merchants arrived; but as diftance from the former. He was it was now long fince any came, his naked, but had several clothes lying people could not make more, for the upon his knee, and about him, and a rofe would not grow in his country, fervant was rubbing him over with though the women made fomething yery ftinking butter or greafe, with like it of lemon-flower. which his hair was dropping as if wet with water. Large as the room was, it could be melled through the whole ofit, The king afked me, if ever

I

His toilet being finished, I then produced my prefent, which I told him the king of Abyffinia had fent tỏ him, hoping that, according to the

faith and cuftom of nations, he would not only protect me while here, but fend me fafely and fpeedily out of his dominions into Egypt. He answered, There was a time when he could have done all this and more, but thofe times were changed. Sen

naar was in ruin, and was not like what it once was. He then ordered fome perfumed forbet to be brought for me to drink in his prefence, which is a pledge that your person is in fafety. I thereupon withdrew, and he went to his ladies.

Two Letters from Sir George Etherege, Minifter at Ratisbon, 1686, to George Duke of Buckingham, during his retirement in Yorkshire.

LETTER I.

MY LORD, RECEIVED the news of your Grace's retirement into Yorkshire, and leading a fedate contemplative life there, with no lefs aftonifhment, than 1 fhould hear of his Chriftian Majefty's turning Benedictine Monk, or the Pope's wearing a long periwig, and fetting up for a flaming beau in the feventy-fourth year of his age.

We have a picture here in our Townhall, which I never look upon, but it makes me think on your Grace; and I dare fwear you will fay there is no dishonour done you, when you hear whofe it is; in fhort, it is of the famous Charles the Vth, who, amidst all the magnificence that this foolish world affords, amidst all his African laurels and Galic triumphs, freely divefted himself of the Empire of Europe, and his hereditary kingdom, to pafs the remainder of his life in folitade and retirement.

Is it poffible that your Grace, who has feen ten times more luxury than that Emperor ever knew; converfed with finer women; kept politer company; poffeffed as much 100, of the true real greatnefs of the world, as ever he enjoyed, fhould in an age, ftill capable of pleasure, and under a fortune, whofe very ruins would make a comfortable electorate here in Germany; is it poffible, I fay, that your Grace fhould leave the play at the beginning of the fourth act, when all

the fpectators are in pain to know what will become of the Hero, and what mighty matters he is reserved for,that fet out fo advantageoufly at firft; That a perfon of your exquifite tafte, who has breathed the air of Courts even from your infancy, fhould be content, in that part of your life which is moft difficult to be pleased, and moft eafy to be difgufted, to take up with the converfation of country per fons, a fort of people, whom to my knowledge your Grace never admired; and do penance in the nauseous company of lawyers, whom I'am certain you abominate ?

To raife our aftonishment higher; who could ever have prophefied, though he had a double gift of Noftradamus's fpirit, that the Duke of Buckingham, who never vouchfafed his embraces to any ordinary beauty, would ever condefcend to figh and languish for the heiress-apparent of a thatched cottage, in a ftraw hat, a flannel petticoat, stockings of as grofs a thrum as the blue-coat boys caps at the hofpital, and a fmock, the Lord defend me from the wicked icea of it! of as course a canvas as ever fer ved an apprenticeship to a mackarel, boat? Who could have believed, till matter of fact had confirmed the be lief of it; and your Crace knows that matter of fact is not to be dif puted, that the moft polifhed refined epicure of his age, that had regaled

himself

of Italy, Greece, and Spain, would, in the laft scene of his life, debauch his conftitution in execrable Yorkthire ale? And that he, who all his life time, had either feen Princes his play-fellows, or companions, would fubmit to the nonfenfical chat, and barbarous language of farmers and higglers!

himself in the most exquifite wines I live in one of the finest and beft. mannered cities in Germany, where, it is true, we have not pleasure in that perfection we fee in London and Paris, yet, to make us amends, we enjoy a noble ferene air, that makes us as hungry as hawks; and tho' bufinefs, and even the very worft of bufinefs, wicked politics, is the diftinguishing commodity of the place, yet I will fay, that for the Germans, they manage it the best of any people of the world; they cut off, and retrench, all thofe idle preliminaries and ufelefs ceremonies that clog the wheels of it every where else? and I find, that to this day, they make good the observation of Tacitus to their ancestors; I mean, that their affairs, let them be ever fo ferious and preffing, never put a top to good eating and drinking, and that they debare their weightieft negociations over their cups.

This, I confefs, fo much fhocks me, that I cannot tell what to make of it; and unless the news came to me confirmed from fo many authentic hands, that I have no room left to fufpect the veracity of it, I should ftill look upon it to be apocryphal. Is your Grace then in earneft, and really pleafed with fo prodigious an alteration of perfons and things? For my part, I believe it; for 1 am certain that your Grace can act any perfon better than that of a hypocrite.

But I humbly beg your Grace's pardon for this familiarity I have taken with you. Give me leave, therefore, you pleafe, to tell you fomething of myself. I prefume that an account of what paffes in this bufy part of the world, will not come unacceptable to you, fince all my correfpondents from England affure me, your Grace does me the honour to enquire of en after me, and has expreffed fome fort of a defire to know how my new character fits upon me.

Ten years ago, I as little thought that my stars defigned to make a politician of me, and that it would come to my fhare to debate in public af femblies, and regulate the affairs of Christendom, as the Grand Signior dreamed of lofing Hungary: but my Royal Mater having the charity to believe me matter of fome qualities, of which I never fufpected myfelf, I find that zeal and alacrity, I difcovered in myself to fupport a dignity which he has thought fit to confer upon me, has fupplied all other defects, and given me a talent, for which, till now, I justly faucied myself incapable.

'Tis true, they carry this humour by much too far for one of my com plexion; for which reafon I decline appearing among them, but when my mafter's concerns make it neceffary for me to come to their affemblies They are, indeed, a free hearted open fort of gentlemen that compofe the Diet; without referve, affectation, and artifice, but they are fuch unmerciful plyers of the bottle, fo wholly given up to what fots call good fellowship, that'tis as great a reftraint upon my nature, to fit out a night's entertainment with them, as it would be to hear half a fcore 1 ng-winded Prefbyterian Divines cant fucceffively one after another.

To unbofom myfelf frankly and freely to your Grace, I always looked upon drunkenness to be an unpar donable crime in a young fellow, who, without any of thefe foreign helps, has fire enough in his veins to enable him to do justice to Celia, whenever the demands a tribute of him. In a middle aged man, I confider the bottle only as fubfervient to the noble pleafure of love; and he

that