I.

V.

So much for the theory and the general idea of divine possession. Its practical exhibitions are of a very diversified character, and some of them sufficiently curious. To attempt any account of them here, even the most condensed, would swell this article far beyond the limits allowed us. We shall, however, probably return, before long, to the subject; and, gathering into a few distinct groups some of the most striking exemplifications of Hindoo Pythonism, in its assumed divine character, lay them before our readers, as practical illustrations of the views which we have here endeavoured to work out, on a subject confessedly full of obscurity; but one, ex

ercising at this day so large and prac tical an influence in the daily life of millions of our fellow-creatures in India throwing so much light on many of the Scripture narrativesand so important to the history of the human mind, that no observant and thoughtful man could obtain access to the shrines and tabernacles of Western India could sojourn familiarly among its wizards and soothsayers, and witness the manifold operations and influences of its oracles and familiar spirits its OBOTH and BAHALATH-OB, without seeking for some comprehensive theory, which might prove a key to all their mysteries, and a harmony to all their apparent discords.

THE infinite variety of works upon the East, with which we are at present inundated, results, of course, from the increased facility of locomotion, as well as from the very unfortunate idea, which is only too prevalent, that every one who travels should favour the world with the result, in the shape of a hotpressed volume. Now we always-be it known to those whom it may concern, to those who, their valet "having packed between their travelling carriage their new portmanteau,'

are

about to journey into far countrieswe consider it a duty, to which we shall most rigidly adhere, not to tolerate this sort of thing: they have no right to do it. They have no right to foist their rubbish upon honest publishers (if there be such curiosities not in a fossil state); they have no right to impose upon industrious keepers of circulating libraries; they are not justified in trespassing upon the public; they are unwarranted in imposing upon us. Why should we have to read-why should that ingenious youth whom we keep for the purpose, undergo the fatigue of cutting down the mountains of such unmitigated rubbish. Will people never learn the truth that lies within the

"Cælum non aninum mutant"

of Horace-never become aware, until they have annoyed the public, and fatally outraged the feelings of their respectable relatives, that it is not without much labour and pains, and after a long apprenticeship, that a man learns how to write-that there are very few people who ever arrive at this knowledge, even with the advantage of study-and that there are fewer still who ever attain to that most difficult art of knowing how much of what they see, in the course of their travels, will have the effect of interesting the public.

We have commenced this paper as

though we were about to annihilate the existence of some incorrigible culprit, which happily is not the case; but such vent to our feelings occasionally is a great relief; for frequent and most melancholy are the examples which come across us of the style of composition to which we allude, and they aggravate us beyond all endurance. But of a very different class, indeed, is the book whose title stands at the head of this article. We have read its pages both with instruction and pleasure; and even had it been cast upon the world anonymously, and without that guarantee which anything coming from the author must afford, we could not have turned over many of the pages without becoming aware that the work was that of a scholar and a gentleman. Our pleasure in making this avowal is by no means diminished by the reflection that we are speaking in praise of a countryman of our own. We strain no point to do so; but when a work of home manufacture is good, we have, we own, no slight satisfaction in proclaiming its character to the world. We have asserted often what we shall take this opportunity of repeating, that whenever an Irishman chooses to do a thing well, he can do it better, and in a more dashing style than any one else. Whether in love or in war, in carrying off an heiress, or in leading a forlorn hope-in oratory, in poetry, or in any other of those accomplishments which men of genius possess, extracts from our dear Emerald Isle are sure to bear away the palin. Desert is ever the precursor of success; they deserve it, and, therefore, they have it.

Upwards of six years ago, Lord Castlereagh accomplished a tour through some of the most interesting parts of the East, and made notes of the result of his own observations and reflections, destined, as he states in his preface, "for the amusement of a family

VOL. XXXI.-NO. CLXXXIII.

Ꮓ

circle only;" but with the laudable desire of adding to the amount of these contributions, which the splendid benevolence of so many private individuals in England have granted in aid of the suffering poor of this country, these notes have been published in the present shape, in order that the proceeds might be applied to the uses of charity. A purpose so generous, would alone be sufficient to disarm criticism of its severity, but in this case no such indulgence is requisite, for this work has ample merits of its own; and whether our countryman is moralizing over the mouldering remains of ruined empires, wandering amid the fanes of some forgotten faith, lingering amid the lofty spires and arches of Jerusalem, or chatting upon Eastern politics with Mehemet Ali, we have evidence the most abundant that he possesses a mind keenly alive to the beauties of nature-a pen of extraordinary facility in conveying these impressions to his readers, and, above all, a cultivated intellect and a correct judgment. And though some of the brilliant colouring of eastern scenery, with which the pencil of "the great Caucasian" charms our fancy, may be wanting-though his work may not possess the boldness of thought which the pages of Eothen present to our view, yet neither the absurd theological speculations of the one, nor the almost infidel indifference of the other, are here to offend our taste. There is a tone of calm and serious thinking when the author approaches sacred subjects, which is the evidence of a genuine and unaffected regard for the great truths of which they are the still existing monuments; there are freshness and originality of thought when he is musing over the crumbling remnants of Egyptian splendour, all of which show that his heart is in the right place; and, besides all this, there is a felicity of description, and where he has occasion to touch off incidents of character, a piquancy of illustration, which evinces a writer of no common power. As an instance of this, we shall point to his description of his interview with Mehemet Ali; and we do not think that any eastern traveller has been more felicitous in his description of the great Pacha of Egypt:

"The palace is situated in a garden

of fruit-trees, and belongs to Abbas Pacha, the viceroy's grandson, Mehemet Ali merely using it as a halting-place in his progress. Abbas Pacha has forsaken it for some other more recent acquisition, and the place appeared neglected. A few steps led us into a hall, where some Cavasses, or, as we commonly call them, Janissaries, were lounging about, lying on mats. The pacha's officer showed us the way up stairs, and I asked if he was taking us at once to the pacha. Oui voila son altesse,' he replied. A red curtain was suddenly thrown aside, and we found ourselves in the presence. The pacha was at dinner, with his back to the door, so that we could not see him, concealed as he was by the attendants, until we reached the table. It must here be stated that all our conversation was carried on through an interpreter, as the pacha speaks only Turkish. On seeing us, he said- Welcome-I am glad to see you -sit down and eat.' We were placed at the right and left of his highness, and as the silence of the meal lasted for some time, I had leisure to observe him. Mehemet Ali gave me, from first to last, the idea of a sprightly, well-bred old man. It is nonsense to talk, as some have done, about his cold and stern eye, and his hollow, heartless laugh. His eye is fine and expressive; if he chose, he could appear to look through you; but his expression is soft, at least the one which apparently is habitual to him. He has dark eye-brows, not particularly shaggy; and his beard is celebrated for its silver whiteness and the luxuriance of its growth. His hands are weatherbeaten, but were formed for strength, and had no marked wrinkles, such as one would expect from his age, which is seventy-five. I could not correctly see his figure, which was completely concealed by the eastern dress.

"On his head was a tarbouch, by no means new or smart; but his cap, worn under it, was of a clear and dazzling white; and his caftan-for he wears the long robe-was dove-colour, lined with white fur; his under-jacket crimson, striped with yellow; his trowsers were very large, of the same colour as the caftan, having very little embroi dery. He wore no decoration, and his ́ sash was a plain Cashmere shawl, trimmed with a gold border. On a cushion, on the divan which surrounded the room, lay his sword, which was as plain as a soldier's; a white handkerchief and a pair of gloves completed his equip

ment.

"So much for his dress. Behind his chair, which I was told had been given to him by Sir Moses Montefiore-a common Dover,' with leather straps

for arms, and two cushions-stood the attendants, wearing silver decorations. One held a wisk of palm-leaves, to keep off the flies; and another a snuff-box, which the viceroy employed a great deal during dinner with particular grace, and with so much cleanliness as to allow no particle to fall upon his dress, beard, or moustache. The room was matted, and a divan extended round the whitewashed walls. In a corner stood a small table, at which the wine was poured out and served. Towels, with gold embroidery, and a small muslin handkerchief, were placed by the side of our plates; and then a multitude of dishes succeeded each other, nicely served, and well cooked. The pacha is

helped first, by an attendant standing opposite to him, whose duty it is to carve every dish. Very little is placed on each plate, and the instant this is done, the dish is removed, so that the guest has no chance of obtaining a second portion. In the middle of dinner a nargileh was brought to the pacha, of which he took two or three long draughts. He talked very little at the meal, and I found when he did it made him coughfor the orientals are habitually silent while eating. The style of attendance at table is entirely French. The officer who carves is a Frenchman, and the entertainment was like a Paris dejeuner, except in the profusion of dishes. Mehemet Ali said he had heard of our coming, and had expected us last night.' I replied, I could not make up my mind to leave his dominions without paying him my duty, not only as the Sovereign of the country, but as one of the most distinguished men of the day;' and added, that I was surprised to see him in such vigorous health at his time of life.' He said he had nothing to complain of; that he was always moving about, and never felt fatigue. He had never been ill till lately; and when he was, he made his doctor take a little blood from him, and that was all his remedy.' He confessed to being fond of sugar and sweet things, which he used to dislike in his younger days; and remarked, that old age did this for him, which had also brought about many changes. Wellington is my age,' he said; I hear his health is breaking.' 'The duke has undergone a life of continual labour,' I replied. I, too, have not been an idle man,' said he;

nor am

I now. I have never spared myself; but I am stronger, I think, than Wellington, from what I have heard.' When I thought of the duke's frugal meal, with his glass of sherry drowned in soda water, I could not help contrasting it with the luxuries before him, and the pacha's free enjoyment of them. On

his asking if Wellington rode on horseback, I replied in the affirmative. I ride sometimes on horseback,' he added, 'when I am with the troops; but I prefer a mule. You rode my horse to-day -how do you like him?' I was delighted to ride an animal that had carried your highness,' I answered; 'but I had rather have seen you on his back.' Upon asking him where his cavalry was, he said they were encamped at different places on the Nile;' but I did not think he liked the subject. He then said that he had sent troops to Abyssinia, as there had been some misunder standing there, and had given orders that they should enter the country. I told him he ought to take Abyssinia; to which he made no answer. Very shortly afterwards the pacha rose, and so quick was his action that we were quite unaware of it. In a moment a basin and ewer were brought to him, and he washed his hands, face, and beard carefully, turning his back to us, one man holding the embroidered towel, another the soap, a third the basin, and a fourth pouring water from the ewer. He then seated himself on the divan with great alertness, and putting one leg under him, and the left arm on a high cushion, took up his position, and made me sit close by him. Two attendants entered, each bearing a long pipe, with a magnificent mouth-piece of amber, set in diamonds. The pipe-sticks were of jasmine, covered with silk and gold, and the two ends ornamented with broad bands of enamel. The tobacco was heaped upon the bowl with such care, that every particle seemed to have its place; and so beautifully was the pyramid arranged, that the contents burned evenly, and without any effort, and kept a light without any trouble. Coffee was brought upon a small tray, with a cover upon it of cloth of gold, and the pacha's cup was studded with diamonds and rubies. When Mehemet Ali had drank his coffee, all left the room except the interpreter. The pacha then said, 'Say me something, or tell me something.' I expressed the pleasure I felt at seeing this part of his kingdom, the plains of the Delta, after I had traversed it from nearly one end to another; and above all, my satisfaction at being permitted to behold him without ceremony. He replied, 'Yes, you have seen much within a few years-you will see more.' Then I expressed my astonishment at the extreme fertility of the soil, and the abundance of the crops. I have done this,' he said; a few years back, and there was nothing I have made the country what it is. When I came to Egypt, there were only two canals; now the land is intersected and irrigated everywhere.

As I wished to get him on this subject, I asked whether the Nile was not the source of all the fertility of the country? 'Yes,' he said; but it destroyed what it created, until properly regulated. In a few years more we shall control it, make use of its power, and prevent its evils. By flood-gates we shall bar its course when we choose, or admit it when we like. I have formed canals round the land to the foot of the moun❤ tains, where water never flowed before; and I have made tracts bear crops whereon ear of corn never grew. I oblige the people to do this, and do not pay them, because it is for their good. They make their villages near the river, and await till the inundation sweeps them away, and are so idle that they will not raise a hand, unless they are forced, to ward off their own ruin. I have set them to dig canals to carry off the water, which labour not only preserves them and their homesteads, but brings fresh tracts into tillage, and carries the sediment of the river even to the base of the hills.' I was afraid to inquire what he did with all the money he took from the people, and to remark that no one here could hope, under his government, to realize an independence. Eventually, I asked him if he remembered Lord Prudhoe? Yes,' he replied; and inquired if he was married. On my answering in the negative, he said

·

Tell him it is wrong. He promised me he would. He is very rich-is he not?' he asked. I answered this and some similar inquiries, to which he added others that were not so easily disposed of, respecting the great amount of the incomes of certain wealthy peers. He was equally inquisitive respecting our public journals, and seemed surprised at the freedom permitted them. I allow no papers,' he said, 'except that published at Cairo, under the aus pices of my government, and this is merely a return of the prices current, &c.' Then he said, 'The French papers abuse the English, and the English the French, as if they were the representative powers of the country.' told him I had much admired Sinant's work at Foum-el-Karinen, and the way in which the multitude were performing their various tasks. He did not seem to relish this; but remarked, some time after-You passed over a bridge today. I built it; I was my own architect, and it cost me very little. I mean to build a great many more.' 'Why does your highness,' I inquired, 'not employ steam in raising water from the Nile?'

I

"Steam is too dear,' he replied; but I have constructed two steamengines at Cairo, and mean to put them

6

on board a ship I am building.' On my saying I hoped they would succeed, he answered, Everything English is good but the price, and I can get labour, which will go as far as steam, for nothing.' He then said he intended to make a railway across the Delta, a distance of forty miles, to transport goods, cotton, wheat, rice, from one branch to the other, but not for passengers, because the people were too poor. He asked many questions on the capabilities of locomotives, and in the replies I gave he seemed to think I was romancing. I advised him not to have any Arab employed on his railroad, as it would lead to accidents. On his remarking that he would have English, I told him he would probably patronize the French, as I had seen a Frenchman employed in the construction of a small engine in the dock-yard; he smiled, and said nothing. I informed him that we were going to Syria, and had heard the country was not safe for travellers. He replied, he did not know; when he knew Syria, it was as safe as Cairo. 'Stay with me,' he said: 'I am going, in ten days, to Alexandria, and will take you with me, and we will see the country together.' On my endeavouring to excuse myself, he seemed desirous of detaining me, and at last silenced my excuses by saying, You will dine and sleep here, and breakfast with me tomorrow, and then the wind will blow fresher after twelve o'clock, and you may depart.' I replied I was at his highness's disposal. An officer accompanied us across the garden to a detached building, where we found sentries at the door, and another was placed at the head of the stairs near our room. The staircase led to a gallery, round which were several empty apartments, with low whitewashed walls and divans, and into one of these we were ushered. In a few minutes the pacha's valet-de-chambre, M. Dormadieu, appeared, saying he had orders to stay with us, and to see that we had all that we desired. Presently pipes and coffee were brought; soon afterwards we were joined by the pacha's physician, who sat with us for some time. this we were left to our repose, until it was made known to us that the pacha was going to dinner. As soon as we entered the room, the table was brought in, and five musicians appeared with two fiddles, an instrument made of wires, stretched upon a sounding-board, cymbals, and a tambourine; the fifth musician was the vocalist, who did not sing, but literally howled and yelled.

After

"After dinner, which was conducted precisely like the other meal, we had coffee, and when the viceroy's pipe was