much in the same manner, at Clermont, on the banks of the Hudson, during the life time of its hospitable and accomplished owner, the late Chancellor Livingston, and exclaimed as I then had done there, years before

"Oh maison d'Aristippe-oh jardins d'Epicure."

The Meerza had read and travelled much, although his reading was confined to his own language and the Arabic, and his travels to Persia and the interior of India. He had seen men with an observing eye in war and peace, and in every state of life. He was learned in oriental history and antiquities, and his mind was imbued to the very core with the spirit and imagery of his country's truest poetry.

As we became more intimate, I was more and more struck with the tone of original thought, and of high, pure morality which pervaded his conversation, and still more with that tolerance for difference of opinion and sympathy for human weakness, which are even rarer in the East

* It may be as well to inform my readers that Meerza (in its primitive sense, a scribe) is a title of civil honour as distinguished from military or ecclesiastical rank.

than amongst us. He did not reject the religion of his country, for he knew but little of any other; but his mind seemed to pass over its extravagances in silence, and to dwell upon those simple and sublime truths interwoven in its precepts and doctrines, which, derived from a purer source, shed their light amidst that darkness, making, as it were, (to use the beautiful and philosophical image of Dryden,) "a twilight of revelation after the sun of it was set."

I learnt from all quarters that his life corresponded with his opinions. His integrity, his scrupulous veracity, his open-handed charity were the theme of all. I could not help comparing this exemplary Mussulman to the devout centurion of Cesarea, whose prayers were answered and alms had in remembrance, and through whom the apostle was first taught the great truth," that God is no respecter of persons, and that in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."

Part of the time I spent with him was during the spring-fast of the Ramazaun. This he observed strictly, though without superstition. Every one who knows any thing of Mahometanism knows, that during the continuation of that fast, from sunrise to sunset, nothing is al

lowed to pass the lips of the true Mussulman, not even water or the smoke of his beloved pipe, and that business and festivity are alike suspended as long as the sun is above the horizon. This gave me much opportunity of conversation; and by means of my own smattering of Persic and Arabic, aided by the interpretation of our travelling attendant, half friend, half servant, who talked in one sort or other all the languages from Madras to Marseilles, we got into deep discussions on the laws, manners, arts and histories of our respective nations. I was the first native of the Yenzee Duneea, as the Persians call the " new world," the Meerza had ever seen. He had no need to ask me, as I once heard his Persian Majesty Futtee Allah Shah ask the British Envoy," How do you get at the Yenzee Duneea? Is it under ground?" But he had much to inquire about our government and history, customs and climate.

Hence we sometimes digressed to the history of our North American Indians and the native Mexicans and Peruvians, all of whom he pronounced after much consideration, to be of Tartar descent. One morning we strayed, naturally enough, from this topic to the origin of mankind and the planting of nations. Here the Meerza was quite at home, and I was obliged to get my

B *

Armenian bible and turn to Genesis to put myself at all on a footing with him, when he discussed the races and tribes which had severally sprung from the sons and grandsons of Noah. In tracing the line of Peleg, in whose days the nations and tongues of the earth were divided and scattered upon the plains of Shinar, he was startled at my asserting that I could not find in the Mosaic pedigree, the name of his favourite Houd the prophet, the father of Peleg. He soon, however, satisfied himself that the Eber of Moses, the grandson of Shem, was no other than this Houd; but that no mention was made of Houd's cousins, Shedeid and Shedaud, so famed in Arabian tradition, surprised him far more; nor was he less so to learn that I had never heard of either of these worthies.

Their history, he told me, had been preserved in some immemorial traditions of Arabia, which he believed to be founded in truth, though it had been, he confessed, so often made the theme of poetry, or used to convey moral instruction under the guise of history or fable, that the narrations varied widely, and must be received as having been coloured and exaggerated by the invention of successive relaters. I pressed him to tell the story, but he was not then in the mood; but instead of it, invited me to join him and

some chosen friends next morning at the breakfast an hour or two before dawn, with which the Persians during the Ramazaun prepare themselves for the long and tedious day: after which, my dessert, he promised, should be the story of Shedaud.

Before three next morning I was awakened by the Meerza himself, and soon after joined him and some of his friends in his Dewankhaneah, which was brilliantly lighted with a profusion of wax candles. There we partook of a most abundant banquet, beginning, in Persian fashion, with those delicate sweetmeats, ice-creams and comfits, for which the Persian kitchen is so famous, far surpassing in its confectionary luxury even the French or the West India table. Then came a solid meal of pillau of mutton and rice boiled with cream and almonds, eggs fried in sweet and sour sauce, stews of all sorts, kabobs of roast slices of meat, dolmahs of meal balls wrapt in vine leaves, lamb with prune sauce, fish and game in various disguises. Wine indeed we had not, for the Meerza firmly held the grape vine to be what the Koran calls it, "the Mother of Sins," though I believe that this opinion was rather more the result of his own good sense and experience, than of faith in the prophet. But the place of wine was amply supplied by