it is for their good; we make them believe that, if they do not buy of our consecrated nails, or expiate their sins by giving us money, they will, in the next world, be post-horses, dogs, or lizzards. This terrifies them into goodness.

Ou. Are you not aware that this is perverting the poor people? Reasoning is not so scarce among them as is imagined; there are great numbers who reflect; who laugh at your nails, your miracles, your superstitions; and who know better than their being changed into lizzards or post-horses. What is the consequence? They have sense to see that you preach up a sophisticated religion, but not enough to raise themselves to a pure religion, free from superstition and folly such as ours. Their passions lead them to believe there is nothing in religion; the only religion taught them being manifestly ridiculous; and thus you share in all the guilt into which they plunge themselves.

BAM. Not in the least: for we only teach them a good morality.

Ou. You would get yourself stoned to death were you to preach a false morality; men are of such a make that amidst all their iniquity they will not bear the preaching of it to them: but absurd fables should not be intermixed with good morality; for thus, by your impostures, which might as well be suppressed, you weaken that morality, which, for self-preservation, you are obliged to teach.

BAM. How! do you imagine there is any such thing as teaching truth to the people without calling in fables?

Ou. To be sure I do. Our literati are of the same texture as our taylors, weavers and

farmers. They worship one God, the creator of all things, who rewards and punishes; their religion is not darkened with absurd systems, nor disfigured with fantastical ceremonies; and much less wickedness is there among the literati than among the common people. Wherefore then do you not condescend to instruct our artificers as we instruct our literati?

BAM. That would be idle indeed, as if they were to have all the good breeding and knowledge of a counsellor; that is neither possible nor proper. White bread for masters; and brown bread will go down with servants.

Ou. All men, I own, should not have an equal stock of knowledge; but some points there are necessary to all: it is necessary that all men should be just; and the surest method to make men so, is to teach them pure religion, without any superstitions.

BAM. A specious scheme, only impracti cable. Think you that for men to believe a rewarding and punishing God, will do the business? You say that the sensible part of the people are offended at my fables; and as little will they digest your bare truths; they will say, how am I certain that God punishes and rewards? Your proofs ? Where is your mission? What miracles have you done for me to believe you? It is you they will flout at, and not me.

Ou. There lies your mistake. Because they reject dangerous absurdities, and fictions shocking to common sense, you fancy they will not admit a doctrine highly probable, conducive to virtue, productive of the greatest benefit to all mankind, and perfectly consonant with human

reason?

The

The people are thoroughly inclined to refer to their magistrates: when the belief recommended by these is rational, they readily close with it. Miracles are not necessary to inforce a belief of a just God, to whom all hearts are open; the idea is too natural to be long opposed. To tell precisely how, and in what manner, God will punish and reward is out of the question. Believe him just, and that's enough; I assure you I have seen whole cities with scarce any other tenet, and no where have I observed so much virtue.

BAM. Fair and softly; those same cities swarm with philosophers, who deny both rewards and punishments.

Ou. You must withal own that those philosophers will much more peremptorily deny your inventions, so that makes but little on your side. As for philosophers differing from my principles, they may still be good men, still as sedulous in the cultivation of virtue, which is to be embraced from love, and not out of fear. But I aver that no philosopher can ever be assured that Providence has not in store punishments for the wicked, and recompences for the good: for should they ask me, who told me that God punishes? my answer is, who told them that God does not punish? In short, the philosopher, I dare say, instead of opposing me would second me. Are you inclined to be a philosopher?

BAM. Very much so; but not a word of it to the Faquirs.

FRIEND.

FRIENDSHIP.

FRIENDSHIP is a tacit contract between two sensible and virtuous persons, I say SENSIBLE; for a monk, a hermit, may not be wicked, yet live a stranger to friendship. I add VIRTUOUS, for the wicked have only accomplices, the voluptuous have companions, the designing have associates, the men of business have partners, the politicians form a factious band; the bulk of idle men have connections; princes have courtiers: but virtuous men alone have friends. Cethegus was Cataline's accomplice, and Mecenas was Octavius's courtier; but Cicero was Atticus's friend.

What is implied in this contract between two tender and ingenuous souls? Its obligations are stronger and weaker, according to their degree of sensibility, and the number of good offices performed, &c.

The enthusiasm of friendship was stronger among the Greeks and Arabs than among us. The tales on friendship composed by those people are admirable: we have nothing like them; in every thing we are somewhat dry and jejune.

Among the Greeks friendship was a point of religion, and an object of the legislation. The Thebans had a regiment called the regiment of lovers, and a fine regiment I dare say it was; some have mistaken it for a regiment of SoDOMITES, but this is a gross error, taking an accessory for the principal. Among the Greeks friendship was recommended both by the law and religion. Unhappily their manners allowed of

pederasty;

pederasty; but the law is not to be charged with any shameful abuses.

GLORY.(1)

BEN-AL-BETIF that worthy superior of the

Dervises, one day said to them: Brethren, it is

very fit, that you should often use that sacred form

in our Koran, " in the name of the most merci"ful God," for God sheweth mercy, and you learn to practise it by the frequent repetition of words, recommending a virtue, without which there would be few people remaining on earth: but, brethren, far be it from you to imitate the presumption of those, who are continually boasting, that what they do is for the glory of God. When a raw scholar maintains a thesis on the Categories before some furred ignoramus of a president, he is sure to write in large characters at the head of his thesis: "Ek allha abron doxa, "Ad majoram Dei gloriam." So a devout mussulman, having caused his saloon to be whitewashed, must have the like folly engraved over his door; a Saka likewise carries water to pro

mote

(') There is a good deal of quibble in this article. If by GLORY our author means addition of real power or greatness, it is certain, that the creature can make no such addition to the Creator. But this should not hinder us from expressing our gratitude for the favours received of the Supreme. This we are taught to do in sundry parts of scripture: thus the multitude of the heavenly host praised God, saying, Glory to God in the highest. To deny the propriety of giving glory to God in this sense betrays an ingratitude in man, and strikes at all external worship.