them factories, and made commercial treaties with them. What was the confequence? The Chriftians have ravaged their provinces, deftroyed their cities, conquered their kingdom, and, after reducing them to flavery, have established idolatry on the ruins of the true religion. Faithful Muffulmen, a fimilar fate awaits you. Ali, the ally of these Europeans, is about to overturn the conftitution of your empire, to throw open Egypt to the infidels, aud force you to become Chriftians. Aid me to repulfe the enemy of the republic, of your laws, of Iflamifm; or prepare yourselves for all the miferies your brethren of Bengal have fuffered.-Chufe between him and me." At the conclufion of this harangue, Abou Dahab pretended a defire to abdicate the dignity of Scheik Elbalad, and to withdraw. But the whole audience pronounced with one unanimous cry, anathemas against Ali, and promifed to fpill the laft drop of their blood in defence of the common caufe. Availing himself adroitly of this moment of enthufiafm, Abou Dahab published a manifefto in the city, by which every man who loved his religion and his country, was invited to take arms; and before the clofe of the day, twenty thousand men were ranged under his banners. He fet out immediately at the head of this army, to attack the enemy. The Janizaries, faithful to their promife, refufed to follow him, and waited with tranquillity, the refult of the combat. "Ali was unprepared for this event. He no fooner heard that Abou Dahab was approaching with troops, three times fuperior to his in number, than he abandoned himself to despair, and fell dangeroufly ill. His friends advifed him to return to Acre, but he declared he would fooner perish than retreat an inch. "The 13th of April, 1773, the army of Grand Cairo appeared in the prefence of his camp. He immediately ranged his troops in order of battle. Scheik Lebi and Scheik Crim had the command of the left wing. The right he gave to Tentaoui, and placed his infantry in the center. Having made thefe able difpofitions and exhorted the chiefs to fight valiantly, he made them convey him to his tent, for he was too weak to fit on horseback. The battle began at eleven in the morning. Both parties charged with fury, and in fpite of the inferiority of Ali's troops, they at first had the advantage. Scheik Lebi and Scheik Crim gloriously repulfed the Egyptian cavalry. Tentaoui, at the head of the brave Mamalukes, overthrew every thing before him. Victory was declaring for Ali, when the Mograbi, thofe mercenary troops, invariably led by the allurement of gain, fuffered themselves to be corrupted by the fplendid promifes of Abou Dahab, and paffed over to his fide. The fortune of the day was changed. The fugitives rallied, and having now but three thousand men to contend with, they environed them on every fide, and flew a great number of them. The generous Tentaoui could not furvive his defeat. He precipitated himself into the middle of their fquadrons, and fell, covered with wounds, on a heap of dead, whom he had facrificed. Scheik I ebi, the valiant fon of the prince of Acre defended himself for a long time with his Arabs, and died combating. Scheik Crim, opening himself a paffage through the Egyptian ranks, rode full fpeed to the tent of Ali, and conjured conjured him to take refuge with him at St. John of Acre. Mourad, Ibrahim, Soliman, and Abd Errohman, arrived there alfo, and made the fame remonftrances. My friends, replied he, fly, I command you; as for me, my hour is come. Scarcely had they quitted him, before he was furrounded by the victorious troops. The Mamalukes, who were near his tent, defended their mafter to the last drop of their blood, and all perished with their arms in their hands. Defpair having given new force to the unhappy Scheik Elbalad, he rofe up, and flew the first two foldiers who attempted to feize him. He was fired upon, and wounded with two balls. At this moment the lieutenant of Abou Dahab appearing, fabre in hand, Ali fhot him with a piftol. Swimming in his blood he fought like a lion, but a foldier having beat him down by the back stroke of a fabre, they threw themselves upon him, and carried him to the tent of the conqueror. The traitor carrying his perfidy to its greatest height, fhed feigned tears on feeing him in this condition, and tried to confole him for his difgrace. Ali turned away his eyes, and uttered not a word. He died of his wounds eight days after. Others have affured me that they were not mortal, and that he was poifoned by his infamous bro ther-in-law. This was to complete his enormities; nor can we reflect, without fhuddering on the horrors to which men are hurried by ambition. "Ali was of the middle fize; he had large eyes, full of fire; his carriage was graceful and noble, and his character frank and generous. He Nature had endowed him with an unfurmountable courage, and a lofty genius. Far removed from that barbarous pride which leads the Turks to defpife strangers, he loved them for their talents, and generously repaid their fervices. He wifhed ardently for officers to difcipline his troops, and teach them the European tactics. died the victim of his friendship. His misfortunes arofe from nourifhing and bringing up a traitor, who took advantage of his bounty to imbitter his days, and to conduct him to his grave. Had Ruffia availed herself of his offers, had the but granted him fome engineers, and three or four thousand men, he would have made himself fovereign of Syria and Egypt, and have transferred to his ally the commerce of Arabia and India. He perifhed at 45 years of age. The Egyptians long wept his lofs, and faw themselves again plunged into all the miferies from which he had delivered them. MAN MANNERS OF NATION S. EFFECT of the PUBLIC GAMES on the CHARACTER of the GREEKS. [From the First Volume of Dr. GILLIES's Hiftory of GREECE.] Ν "IN examining the effect of the, the feafon of the Olympic games), games, as inftitutions for bo- they received, bare headed, the direct rays of the fun. And the firm organization, acquired by perpetual exercife, counteracted that fatal propenfity to vicious indulgence, too natural to their voluptuous climate, and produced thofe inimitable models of strength and beauty, which are fo defervedly admired in the precious remains of Grecian ftatuary. dily exercife and mental improvement, it is neceffary to reflect, not. only on the univerfality of their eftablishment, but on the frequency of their repetition. Befides the public folemnities already defcribed, innumerable provincial festivals were celebrated in each particular republic. The Athenians employ-, ed near a third part of the year in fuch amusements; and, if we may be allowed to conjecture, that those communities which indituted moft feftivals, would moft excel in the arts and exercifes difplayed in them, we may conclude, from the national defignations of the Olympic victors, preferved in ancient authors, that the number of the Athenian feftivals was rivalled by that of feveral other states. "For thefe warlike and elegant amufements the youth were carefully trained by the difcipline of the gymnafia, in which they learned whatever can give ftrength and agility to the limbs, eafe and grace to the motions, force and beauty to the genius. Bodily ftrength and agility were accompanied by health and vigour of constitution. Their athletic hardinefs bore, without inconvenience, the viciffitudes of cold and heat. Even in the fcorching warmth of July (for that was "Thefe corporeal advantages were followed by a train of excellencies, to which they are nearly allied. There is a courage depending on nerves and blood, which was improved to the highest pitch among the Greeks. They delight, fays Lucian, to behold the combats of bold and generous animals; and their own contentions are still more animated. In the memorable war with Perfia, they fhewed the fuperiority of their national courage; and it is worthy of obfervation, that the moft fignal exploits were performed in the field of battle by thofe who had been previoufly adorned with the Olympic crown. It was a general boaft, that one Grecian could conquer ten Perfians; and the fuggeftions of reafon tend to confirm the evidence of hiftory. In the battles of the Greeks and Perfians, victory was not obtained by the mechanical exer tions of diftant hoftility. The conteft was decided by the point of the fword and fpear. Thefe weapons require activity of the limbs, iteadiness of the eye, and dexterity of the hand. They improve the courage as well as the vigour of the foldier; and both were admirably promoted by the habitual exercifes of the gymnasia, which infpired not only the fpirit to undertake, but the ability to execute, the most dangerous and difficult enterprizes. The gymnaftic arts encouraged other qualities ftill more important than bodily accomplishments and courage. Chiefly by their influence, the love of pleafure and the love of action, the two most powerful principles in the human breat, were directed to purposes not only innocent but ufeful. The defire of an Olympic crown reftrained alike thofe weakneffes which form the difgrace, and thofe vices which form the guilt and mifery, of undifciplined minds; and an object of earthly and pe rifhable ambition, led to the fame external purity and temperance, that is recommended by the precepts, and enforced by the fanctions, of a divine and immutable religion. The oil, the crown, the robes, and the palms, compofe not the only refemblance between the Chriftian and the Olympic victors. Thefe vifible images have been borrowed, indeed, by the facred writers, to affiit our imperfect conception of divine truths; but they have been borrowed from an inftitution which refembles Chriftianity, not in the honours and rewards which it propofed, but in the efforts and duties which it required. The ambition of honeft fame taught men to controul the appetites of the body by the affections of the foul; the fprings of emulation repreffed the allurements of fenfuality; one dangerous paffion combated another fill more dangerous; and a train of useful prejudices fupported the caufe, and maintained the afcendant of virtue. INFLUENCE of their MUSICAL and POETICAL CONTESTS. [From the fame. Work.] IN explaining the influence of Ν the Grecian folemnities, we mut not forget the mutical and poetical exhibitions, which, from being employed to reward the victors in the gymnafic exercises, came to be themfelves thought worthy of reward. The martial leffons of Tyrtæus and Callinus admirably confpired with the effects which have already been described, encouraging the firm and manly virtues both by the enthufiafm with which their precepts were conveyed, and by the lively impreffions which they gave of those objects for which it is important to contend. The courage depending on blood and nerves is uncertain and tranfitory in its exiftence; and even while it exists, may be indifferently employed to purposes beneficial or deftructive. It belonged to the martial bards to determine its doubtful nature, to fix and illuftrate its genuine motives, and to direct it to the proper objects of its purfuit. "The [48] INFLUENCE of the Musical and Poetical Contests of the GREEKS. "The mufical entertainments thus ftrengthened, efined, and exalted the manly principles inspired by all the customs and inftitutions of that warlike age. But as bravery is a hardy plant that grows in every foil, the most beneficial confequence of the arts confifled in infufing a proper mixture of foftnefs and fenfibility into the Grecian character. This is well known to be their effect in every country where they are allowed to flourish. The Greeks, in a peculiar manner required their affiftance; nor could it have been poffible for that people, without the happy influence of the arts, to controul the barbarity naturally occafioned by their conftant employment in war, the favage cruelty introduced by the practice of domeftic fervitude, and the intolerable ferocity which feems effentially inherent in the nature of democratical government. Amidst these sources of degeneracy and corruption, the time and appli cation neceffary to attain proficiency in the pursuits of genius, habituated the Greeks to gentle amufements, and innocent pleafures. The honours and rewards bestowed on the fuccefsful candidates for literary fame, engaged them to feek happiness and glory in the peaceful fhade of retirement, as well as on the contentious theatre of active life; and the obfervations and difcoveries occafionally fuggefted by the free communication of fentiment, ftrengthened and confirmed thofe happy prejudices which combat on the tide of virtue, and enforce the practice of fuch rules of behaviour as are most useful and agreeable in fociety. "If the mufical and literary entertainments acquired fuch an happy influence over the moral difpofitions of the heart, they pro duced a ftill more confiderable effect on the intellectual faculties of the mind. It is almost impoffible, in the prefent age, to conceive the full extent of their efficacy in improving the memory, animating the imagination, and correcting the judgment. As to the memory, indeed, there is a period in the progrefs of fociety preceding the introduction of writing, when the energies of this faculty have been exerted among many nations with a wonderful degree of force. Even among the barbarous Celtic inhabitants of our own ifland, the Druids could repeat an incredible number of verfes, containing the knowledge of their history, laws, and religion; and a period of twenty years was required to complete the poetical ftudies of a candidate for the priesthood. "But if the Greeks are more than equalled by other nations in the exercife of the memory, they have always been unrivalled in the delicacy of their taste, and the inimitable charms of their fancy. These excellencies, whether originally produced by natural and moral causes, or more probably by a combination of both, were doubtlefs extended and improved by emulation and habitual exercise. To this exercife the public folemnities afforded a proper field; and, in the contefts of mufic and poetry, were difplayed the opening bloffoms of Grecian genius, bloffoms which afterwards ripened into thofe fruits of philofophy and eloquence, that will form the admiration and delight of the laft ages of the world. CONDITION |