fometimes in Practice too.

the might poffefs their Eftates. They took their time to effect this Project, and in about Four or Five Years, the that at first was worth little or nothing,became vaftly rich, through the Death of her Relations, having removed all of them by this

of thirteen, and that they went into Egypt at one Year Not many Years ago in France, old, all this amounts but to forty there was one of 'em imploy'd three Years. These things con- by a young Lady who had a fidered, will we think justly o- Mind to fend her Friends the verthrow that Opinion, that Fa-neareft Way to Heaven, that cob lerved feven Years before he marryed Leah. His Words are, Only that I may go in, &c. And not take her away, for that he cou'd not justly do till he had ferved feven years. In the 35 Verfe, thefe Words, Did not I ferve thee, muit be understood as if he had faid, not on-devilish Art, as the faw conly covenant to ferve the, but venient, without any Suspiciactually ferved thee, and gave on. And being incouraged by thee a Proof of my Industry for the Succefs, the proceeded by a Month, (as in verfe 14.) And Degrees to take away all her by the 27 verfe 'tis very plain Enemies; but at last by an Acthat he had Rachel immediately cident, as the miscarriage of a after Leah, fot Laban only re- Letter, or fome fuch thing, quires him to fulfill her (Leah's) they were difcovered, and he Week; that is, keep the Solem- took fuch a Dofe of hisown Pre nity of feven Days feasting, paration as foon put him out of which Space was allowed for the Power of the Law, but the Marriage Feafts, Judg. 14. 12. received publick juftice. The Indians have also this Art to Perfection. Tho' in Nubia we believe they have the strongest of all Poyfons; there is such a one found, that only one Grain of it will kill ten Men in a quarter of an Hour, and if one Man takes a Grain of it he will dye in a Moment. The inhabitants fet & great Value on it, as appears by the Price, for they won't fell it under a hundred Ducats an ounce ; and

Q. I have heard very strange Stories of the different Effects of Poyfen; as that fome Poyfons have been of fuch a Nature as to continue in the Body of a Man unperceiv'd for fome Months, nay, years before it proves mortal, and of other Poyfons fo ftrong that they will certainly kill a Perfon in a quarter of an Hour tho' taken but in a small Quantity: I defire to know whether there are fuch Sorts of Poyfon, or not; and if it was ever experiment-when they part with it to

ed?

A. Without Doubt there is as has been too often found: For the more dilatory Way there have been fome Germans and Italians who have underfood it very well, and put it

Strangers, they make them take an Oath that they will never make use of it in their Coun→ try.

Q. In the Fifth Chapter of Numbers where the Water of fealonfy is spoken of, this Verfe,

Then

than fhall the Man be guiltless from Iniquity and this Woman shall bear her Iniquity, feems to me to intimate that the Tryal concerned the innocency of the Man, as well as that of the Woman. If not, why bou'd there be thefe exprefs Words, Then fball the man be guiltless?

4. The Opinion of the Jews about it, is very probable; they from thefe Words concluded that the Water wou'd not try, nor have any Effect upon the fufpected Woman, if her Husband were not innocent himfelf when he brought her to this Tryal.

won't admit of a very good Conftruction; and it may be reafo nably feared fhe does not intend her good.

A. 2. Tho' a Child is in Duty obliged to confult the Will of a Parent, yet it is alfo required that the Parent endeavour to promote the true Happinefs of the Child, and not obftinately refufe to confent to any thing that may be very advantagious to it. If this young Lady is as well fatisfyed in all Refpects with continuing fingle, as with a marryed Life, and has enough, in Cafe her Mother dyes, to fecure her from the probable Accidents of Fortune, and Contempt of the World, we. think he'd do very well to bear with this Frailty in her Mother. But if not, that the may. very lawfully accept of the next good Offer, only out of. Refpect to her Mother, staying fome time, to fee if the can gain her Confent.

Q1. There is a young Lady (who is under the Government of a defigning, niggardly, griping Mother he is of a good Fortune and very beautiful; he has been courted by feveral Gentlemen five times her Equals in Fortune, but her Mothers ordinary Guife is to fay, the Eftate is remote, or elfe to difcredit her Reputation or Perfon, fo with this tale of Q. Why doth almost every a Tub fhe puts her off without Man both old and young, if he oLooking any farther, having enur-vertakes a Woman (especially if ed her by fome Force, and a great fbe be fine cloathed) look eardeal of Flattery, to this Dutiful-neftly into her Face.

ness.

4. Partly through the natuQ. 2. Whether it is not high-ral Propenfity he has to the fair ly probable, her Mother does this Sex; and partly out of Curioto make a hand of her? fity.

Q3. This premifed, how far fbe is bound in Duty to obey?

4. Prejudice fo often prevails in the judgments we make of other Perfons Actions, that 'tis difficult to discover the true Motives of 'em. Yet in this Cafe, if the Mother has feveral times refused marrying her Daughter, when the cou'd have done it to her Advantage, it

Q. After what Manner doth the People in Barbary live? Are they governed by any Law, or Customs like ours, or do they live independant, without Regard to one another; and what Sort of Worship generally have they?

A. The greatest part of the Moors amongft 'em are Corfairs, who believe it lawful to live by Piracy, and build Mofques

wherein

Pails of Water into the middle of the Sheet, directly upon the Egg, and they believe that through the Power of Sympathy, this Effufion of Water, caufes the Woman to be delivered.

The Religion chiefly profest among them is Mahometifm. Thefe generally bury their dead, (tho in fome parts they burn them) and place but one of them in one Tomb, for which they give this Reason, that they may be fo much the readier to appear in the day of Judgment, and not lofe time in feeking their Bones. They differ fomething from the other Mahometans, they look upon the Doctrine of Aliomar, and the other Interpreters of the Law, as humane Traditions; the receive none but the Wri

wherein they make Vows to Heaven, and pray for their Succefs in the taking of happy Prizes. Thefe People have fome good Customs which the Europeans have not. How much foever they may be tranfported with Paffion, they never fwear, nor murmur against GOD, or Heaven. It is affirmed by fome who pretend to know very well, that in the Arabian, Turkish and African Languages, which are uled by them, that there is no Words fitted for fuch Expreffions. If they furprize any Renegade Swearing in his own Language, they punish him feverely. There is never fo much as one Affaffination, or Murder heard of amongst them; and how high foever their Quarrels may arile, they never come to Blows. It is true, as they are very ignorant, fo they are ridi-tings of Efurcan as faithfulComculously fuperftitious. They have particularly a very pleafant way of curing the Pain in the Head, and delivering Women with child. If any ones Head akes, their Manner is to take a Lamb, or a young Kid, and to beat it as long as it can ftand, and when it falls to the Ground they imagine the Pain will pafs from theirs to the Head of the Animal. Their Method of helping Women in Labour is not leis comical, as foon as a Woman falls they fend for their Children from School, and give a Sheet to hold at the four Corners, into which they put a Hens Egg, and then the Children are lent out into the Sreets finging certain Prayers; and whofoever hears thefe Songs run immediately, and fling full

mentaries of their Law. This Change of their Doctrine was effected by Hamit, who was the Author of the Schifm, and who by his feditious Preaching found the Way, from the Condition of a poor Monk, to establish himfelf in that of a powerful King. Tho' other Mahometans forbid all Perfons (who are of a contrary Religion) on Pin of Death to enter their Mofques, or Temples; yet these permit all Sorts of Men, as well Jews as Chrillians, to frequent their Sermons and to affift in the Ceremonies of their Religi on. Since this Separation these diffenting Mahometans so much hate the reit, that if they take any of 'em Slaves, they treat them with as much Rigour as they do the Chritians. Yet in

Tome Places there are very reafonable Perfons amongst them, as the Manner of receiving any one into their Religion, in the Province of Tedley evidences; which is as follows; when any Christian wou'd Apoftatize, Custom obliges him to advertise his Brethren of it; after which a Place is affigned, where an equal Number of Mahometans and Chriftians meet, and he who has a Mind to change his Religion is placed in the midft; the Christians are permitted to give h m what Reafons they can to oblige him to keep firm; after which he may renounce his Faith, or continue to make a Profeffion of it as he pleases. Those who are minded to have a larger Account of these Stories, may read what Dapper lays of them.

Incense, within the vail, her they were obliged to offer up Incenfe; this was the moft holy, place, where the high Prieft. only was allowed to enter, but from that place to the brazen Altar the inferior Priefts might enter. Their Office alfo related to the Altar of burnt offerings without, wherein they were obliged to fprinkle the Blood, as in Leviticus they were commanded to do; by the Door of the Tabernacle; to put Fire and Wood on the Altar. The people being forbid to approach the Altar to minifter, tho' they were permitted to carry it in the Wilderness. To burn the parts; To remove the Ashes, and the Prieft having put on his Veftments, fhall take up the afbes which the fire has confumed with the burnt offering, or Q. What was the respective when the fire has confumed the Offices of the Priefs and Levites? burnt offering. Lev. 6. 10. And 4. The holy Function of the to offer the Memorial of the Priests confifted chiefly in these Meat Offering, 'Twas likewife two things, in the Bleffing the a part of their Employment People, and in miniftring in ho- to light the Lamps, to blow ly things, and performing di- the Trumpets, to Judge of the vine Offices. As Mifes in Deut. Leprofy; And to order and difSpeaking to the Ifraelites of pofe the Fire upon the Altar, the Priests, fays, Them the which was never quite extinLord my God has chofen to Mi-guifhed. It was alfo the Work nifter unto him, and to blefs in the Name of the Lord. And in another place Aaron is faid to be feparated that he fhou'd fantify the most holy things, he and his Sons for ever, to burn Incenfe before the Lord, to minifter unto him and to blefs his Name. Strictly Speaking the Prieft was the peoples Advocate with God and the Miniftry required of Arron's Sons was various. It gemerally related to the Altar of

of feveral of 'em together, (as feems to be intimated by the Word Priests lev. 1. 8.) To lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood, or fire, which was on the Altar.

The Work and Office of the Levites, was to min fer to the Priests, Num 3. Bring the Tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the Prieft, that they may minifter unto him. Toferve at the Tabernacle, as appears,

by

or

by their being commanded to Stream of a perfons thoughts by keep the charge of the whole their words, and actions, and Congregation, and herein they thence can argue to particulars, ferved the People, 2Chron. 35. 3. or provide particular fuitable Jofiah faid unto the Levites who Temptations. He can know taught all Ifrael, &c. Levi's much by the Face, by the mothree Sons Gerfon Kohath, and tions whereof even an obferving Merari, had each a particular Man will have a mighty guess charge. The Gershonites were what palles within; and even to take care of the Tabernacle, in the most retired meditation, the Tent, the covering thereof, where he can't pierce to the and the hanging of the Door of thoughts, he'll at least endea the Tabernacle of the Congregativour to disturb and distract on, and the hangings of the Court, them, either by presenting ex&c. Lev. 31. 26, 27. The ternal objects, and working upKoathites had the Ark under on them, or it may be by infitheir charge, the Table, Candle-nuating crowds of vain, stick, the Aliars, and the Veffels of the Sanctuary, &c. v. 31. And under the Merarites was the charge of the Boards of the Tabernacle, the Bars, and Pillars thereof, &c. The Sons of Kobath was to carry the Sanctuary, and all which belong'd to it till after the Temple was built, when they were excufed from it; but then they were appointed to be Singers in, and Porters at the feveral Gates of the Temple. They had the charge of those things which were dedicated. And in David's time, they were fome of them made Officers and Judges in the bufinefs of the Lord, and fervice of the King, 1 Chron.

worse thoughts, and immediately fixing them on the Fancy, as 'tis believ'd he does in fome fort of Dreams.

Q. I was perfwaded by a young Lady of my acquaintance, to wait on her, to a Fortune-teller; after the Lady had receiv'd answer to all her Questions, the afk'd the Fortune-teller about me; he made her answer, that I feemed to be Born very happy, but defired I might have a care of a certain Cholerick, Rafh, Lean Man, who was my Enemy, under the most Specious fhew of Friendship; and when he fee me smile in derifion of his Art, he told me not to laugh, for the perfon he meant was a lean bald Man, had small Eyes, his Hair betwixt Black and Brown; it happened two full Years thereafter,that a Man, with all the forefaid marks, did of a fudden,without any, provocation, abuse me in my good Name with fo much Spite, Malice, and fo dishonourable a way, upbraiding me with fuch things in which he had Interpofed religiously his Oath of fecrecy, that he has put it out

of