decorum, and an unaltered countenance: "O king! all thou hast said of the Arabs is most true. The green lizard of the desert was their sometime food, the brackish water of wells their drink; their garments were of haircloth, and they buried their infant daughters to restrain the increase of their tribes. All this was in the days of ignorance. They knew not good from evil. They were guilty, and they suffered. But Allah in His mercy sent His apostle Mohammed and His sacred Koran among them. He rendered them wise and valiant. He commanded them to war with infidels until all should be converted to the true faith. On his behest we come. All we demand of thee is to acknowledge that there is no God but God, and that Mohammed is His apostle, and to pay from thy income the customary contribution of the Zacat, paid by all true believers, in charity to the poor and for the support of the family of the Prophet. Do this, and not a Moslem shall enter the Persian dominions without thy leave; but if thou refuse it, and refuse to pay the tribute exacted from all the unbelievers, prepare for the subjugation of the sword."

The forbearance of Yezdegird was at an end. "Were it not unworthy of a great padishah," said he, "to put ambassadors to death, the sword should be the only tongue with which I would reply to your insolence. Away, ye robbers of the lands of others! take with ye a portion of the Persian soil ye crave.” So saying, he caused sacks of earth to be bound upon their shoulders, to be delivered by them to their chiefs

as symbols of the graves they were sure to find at Kadesia.

When beyond the limits of the city, the envoys transferred the sacks of earth to the backs of their camels, and returned with them to Saad Ibn Abu Wakkâs; shrewdly interpreting into a good omen what had been intended by the Persian monarch as a scornful taunt. "Earth," said they, "is the emblem of empire. As surely, O Saad, as we deliver thee these sacks of earth, so surely will Allah deliver the empire of Persia into the hands of true believers."

From "Mahomet and his Successors," by WASHINGTON IRVING.

32. ABOU BEN ADHEM.

Abou Ben Adhem—may his tribe increase—
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold.
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the presence in the room he said,

"What writest thou?" The vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord,

Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord." "And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so," Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low, But cheerly still, and said, "I pray thee, then, Write me as one that loves his fellow-men."

The angel wrote and vanished. The next night

It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,
And, lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.

LEIGH HUNT.

33. TURKISH LADIES AT HOME.

ADRIANOPLE, April 18, 1717.

I wrote to you, dear sister, and to all my other English correspondents, by the last ship; but I cannot forbear to write again, though perhaps my letter may lie upon my hands these two months. To confess the truth, my head is so full of my entertainment yesterday that 'tis absolutely necessary for my own repose to give it some vent. Without further preface, I will

then begin my story.

I was invited to dine with the grand vizier's lady, and it was with a great deal of pleasure I prepared myself for an entertainment which was never before given to any Christian. I thought I should very little satisfy her curiosity-which, I did not doubt, was a considerable motive to the invitation-by going in a dress she was used to see, and therefore dressed myself in the court habit of Vienna, which is much more magnificent than ours.

I went in a Turkish coach, only attended by my woman that held up my train and the Greek lady who was my interpretress. I was met at the court door by the chief slave, who conducted me through several rooms, in the innermost of which I found the lady sitting on her sofa. She advanced to meet me, and presented me to half a dozen of her friends with great civility. She seemed a very good-looking woman, near fifty years old.

I was surprised to observe so little magnificence in her house, the furniture being all very moderate;

and, except the habits and number of her slaves, nothing about her appeared expensive. She guessed at my thoughts, and told me she was no longer of an age to spend either her time or her money in superfluities; that her whole expense was charity, and her whole employment praying to God. There was no affectation in this speech-both she and her husband are entirely given up to devotion. He touches no bribes, notwithstanding the example of all his predecessors. He is so scrupulous on this point, he would not accept Mr. Wortley's present till he had been assured over and over that it was a settled perquisite of his place at the entrance of every ambassador.

She entertained me with all kinds of civility till dinner came in, which was served- -one dish at a time to a vast number, all finely dressed after their manner, which I don't think so bad as you have perhaps heard it represented. The treat concluded with coffee and perfumes, which is a high mark of respect; two slaves, kneeling, censed my hair, clothes, and handkerchief. After this ceremony, she commanded her slaves to play and dance, which they did, with their guitars in their hands. And she excused to me their want of skill, saying she took no care to accomplish them in that art. I returned her thanks, and soon after took my leave.

I would have gone straight to my own house, but the Greek lady with me earnestly solicited me to visit the kiyàya's lady, saying he was the second officer in the empire, and ought, indeed, to be looked

upon as the first, the grand vizier having only the name, while he exercised the authority.

All things here were with quite another air than at the grand vizier's, and the very house confessed the difference between an old devotee and a young

and magnificent. I

beauty. It was nicely clean was led into a large room, or rather pavilion, built round with gilded sashes, which were most of them thrown up, and the trees planted near them gave an agreeable shade which hindered the sun from being troublesome. The jasmines and honeysuckles shed a soft perfume, increased by a white marble fountain playing sweet water in the lower part of the room, which fell into three or four basins with a pleasing sound. The room was painted with all sorts of flowers falling out of gilded baskets.

On a sofa, raised three steps and covered with fine Persian carpets, sat the kiyàya's lady, leaning on cushions of white satin, embroidered; and at her feet sat two young girls of twelve years old, lovely as angels, dressed perfectly rich and almost covered with jewels. But they were hardly seen near the fair Fatima-for that is her name-so much her beauty effaced everything I have seen, nay, all that has been called lovely either in England or Germany. I must own that I never saw anything so gloriously beautiful, nor can I recollect a face that would have been taken notice of near hers.

She stood up to receive me, saluting me after their fashion, putting her hand to her heart with a sweetness full of majesty that no court breeding could ever