Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

ceffant discharge of faliva, with which the floors of our smokers are inundated. They feel no inclination to fpit, and that affection, so customary with us, is, in the east, confidered as a piece of indecency in the prefence of perfons entitled to superior respect : it is, in like manner, looked upon as highly unpolite to wipe the nose while they are by.

"The Orientalifts, who are not under the neceffity of labouring, remain almost always in a fitting posture, with their legs croffed under them; they never walk, unless they are obliged to do fo; and do not ftir from one place to another, without a particular object to put them in motion. If they have an inclination to enjoy the coolness of an orchard, or the purling of a stream, the moment they reach their mark they fit down. They have no idea of taking a walk, except on horseback, for they are very fond of this exercife. It is a great curiofity to obferve their looks, as they contemplate an European walking backward and forward, in his chamber, or in the open air, re-treading continually the self-same steps which he had trodden before. It is impoffible for them to comprehend the meaning of that going and coming, without any apparent object, and which they confider as an act of folly. The more fenfible among them conceive it to be a prescription of our phyficians that fets us a-walking about in this manner, in order to take an exercife neceffary to the cure of fome disorder. The negroes, in Africa, have a fimilar idea of this practice, and I have seen the favages of South America laugh at it heartily among themselves. It is peculiar to thinking men; and this agitation of the body participates of that of the mind, as a kind of relief to its extreme tenfion. Hence it comes to pass that all those nations, whose head is empty, whose ideas are contracted, whofe mind is neither employed, nor fufceptible of meditation, have no need of fuch a relaxation, of fuch a diverfion of thought, with them, immobility of body is a fymptom of the inert state of the brain.

"Those who are oppreffed by want of employment, and this is the heritage of the rich, retire to the gardens, of which I have presented a sketch, and, evermore feated, delight themfelves with breathing a cool and balfamic air, or liftening to wretched music. If they do not choose to go out of town, they repair to one of the coffee-houses, of which we should form a very erroneous idea, in judging of them by our own.

S 24

ft

It is a mere tobacco-fmoking rendezvous, totally deftitute of decoration, and in which nothing abfolutely is to be found, except coffee and a live-coal to light the pipes. Mats are fpread for the company, and thefe places of refort are frequented by the men of all nations who refide in Egypt. There is nothing that deferves the name of converfation: a few words only drop occafionally. The Turk is cold and taciturn; he looks down on every other nation with difdain. The African is lefs difpofed to filence, but likes to follow the example of the Turk, and thofe who are not Muffulmans, take no pains to fhun the appearance of a fervile fubjection to the taste of their tyrants. With the pipe in one hand, à cup of coffee in the other, they flowly wath down, every four or five whiffs of tobacco, with a gulp of coffee. Dancing girls, buffoons, extempore declaimers, come to tender their fervices, and to earn a bit of money. There is fcarcely one of thofe haunts but what attracts to it fome ftory-teller by profeffion, who is never tired with talking, nor his auditors with liftening to him. The narrations of those indefatigable orators are, for the most part, very infipid and tirefome. The Arabian writers, however, from whom their flories are borrowed, fometimes furnish them with fome that are excellent.

"If a person be ever fo little known, he can scarcely pafs through a treet without being invited in, and requested to drink coffee. This expreffion of politenefs is to fuch a degree a matter of habit, that those who do not poffefs a single grain of coffee, fuch as the gardeners of Roffetta, never fail to make an offer of it, though you would embarrass them exceedingly by accepting it. They do not make use of utenfils of iron for roafting the beans of the coffee-plant; it is in an earthen veffel that this operation is performed. They afterwards pound them in a mortar of earthen-ware or wood, which preferves their perfume much better than by reducing them to powder in a mill. The vicinity of Arabia renders it perfe&ly easy to provide themselves with the excellent coffee which it produces. In the opinion of delicate palates, forty beans are little enough to make one cup fit for drinking; and no where do you meet with it fo highly flavoured. They do not fuffer it to ftand ftill a moment. When it has boiled three times over the fire, and drawing off fucceffively, and at each boiling, a coffee-por full with a long handful, they pour it into cups, and though it

be

be not quite clear, there is no reafon to regret the want of fugar, which it is not the cuftom at this place to mix with it."

Mr. SONNINI, though he has thus minutely defcribed the cities of ALEXANDRIA and ROSETTA, is by no means favourable to cities of any defcription. He therefore accompanies his delineation with these fpirited reflections:

"After the eye has wandered with delight over a portion of the brilliant agriculture of Egypt, it is reluctantly brought back to the interior of CITIES. There it is the picture of fertile and generous nature; here we are prefented with the facrilegious efforts to contradict and violate her, of men incapable of relishing of enjoying her beauties. There sensations the gentleft and the moft pure, follow each other in rapid fucceffion, and deliciously fill the feeling foul. Here the mind is fhocked at the hideous aspect of the vices which domineer in a fociety equally degenerate and corrupted. But I have engaged to prefent, without disguise, my obfervations of every kind; and those which have a reference to the manners of the exifting Egyptians, ought to find a place in a general defcription."

From these extracts our readers may form a tolerable judgment of this work, which feems to have been worthy of the excellent tranflation it has received. The industry and activity of the French in the advancement of arts and fciences, are to be warmly commended. But we cannot admire their confummate vanity; nor do we applaud their luft of empire, by which they are led to difturb the peace of other nations, and to involve their comforts in one common deftruction. These Travels were made by SONNINFin the year 1778; and we underftand that the favourable reports of this gentleman led Buonaparte to undertake his celebrated expedition into Egypt.

[blocks in formation]

The General Apiarian, wherein a simple, humane, and advantageous Method of obtaining the Produce of Bees, without deftroying them, is pointed out, in a Series of Letters to a Friend. By J. Ifaac, Secretary to the Apiarian Society. Trueman, Exeter; Johnfon, London. 2s. 6d.

THE title of this little work fully explains its nature

and tendency. Its ingenious author feems to underftand his fubject, and conveys in a fmall compafs much useful information. The bee is, in every respect, worthy of our admiration, and of the value of this induftrious animal Mr. Ifaac is thoroughly apprifed. Thirteen letters comprise the work, where the principal topics relative to this subject are discuffed with good sense and fimplicity. Two engravings accompany the publi. cation, which are nearly executed.

We are aware that our readers in general may find little intereft in the cultivation and management of bees, but to their fting we are all equally expofed. We fhall, therefore, tranfcribe the remedy here fpecified, confident that the benevolent author has here brought it for ward in full perfuafion of its efficacy." Nothing will, in all cafes, prevent fcalding and inflammation in fome people, when they are ftung; but the following is the beft remedy I am acquainted with. Take out the fling immediately, rub the wound well with broad cloth or other cloth, and then press and rub upon it the bee which has ftung you, or any other bee deprived of its fling. If this be done quickly, little or no fwelling will take place. But when the part has fwollen, ftrike it frequently with Goulard's extract of lead, hartfhorn, or vinegar,'

Letters

Letters written from various Parts of the Continent, between the Years 1785 and 1794, containing a Variety of Anecdotes relative to the prefent State of Literature in Germany, and the celebrated German Literati; with an Appendix, in which are included Three Letters of Gray's, never before published in this Country. Tranflated from the German of Frederick Mathifon. By Ann Plumptree, Tranflator of feveral of Kotzebue's Plays. 7s. Longman.

THE popularity of thefe Letters in Germany, occafioned their tranflation into our language, and they certainly contain many pieces of information, which contributed to our entertainment. It appears that the Germans are lofing that dull phlegm for which they were diftinguifhed, and are beginning to make a confiderable figure in the literary world.

The following account of Mr. Gibbon will entertain the reader, though we lament its brevity:

"Laufanne, 1789. "Iyefterday vifited Gibbon. His exterior is very striking, he is tall and athletic, but withal fomewhat unwieldy in his motions. His countenance is one of the most extraordinary phyfiognomical phænomena imaginable, on account of the irregular proportions of every part to the whole. His eyes are fo fmall that they form the most inflexible contrast with his high and stately-arched forehead: his flat nofe is almost lost between his full projecting cheeks, and his very long double chin makes a face already fomewhat of the longest fill more ftriking. But notwithstanding thefe irregularities, Gibbon's countenance has an uncommon expreffion of dignity, and fpeaks at the first glance the deep and acute reafoner. Nothing can exceed the glowing animation of his eyes.

"Gibbon has thoroughly the addrefs and manners of a po lifhed man of the world; he is coldly polite, fpeaks French with elegance, and has acquired (which is confidered as a real phænomenon in an Englishman) almoft the pronunciation of

the

« ПредишнаНапред »