yet surely none of you can be ignorant of the fact, that as my powers alone distinguish man from brute, it therefore behoves that I be greater than you all in the estimation of the wise. Yes, cried the ear, recollecting yourself, my forward scholar, after the lessons which you have received from me as your master."

This was my answer, most learned Wilfred, to my friend Abraham, on the subject of the Rashites ; and I am humbly of opinion, that these philosophers should not presume too much on the credulity of the public; for there have been many instances of such things having been run after for a while, either for novelty or even for contention's sake. For instance, we all know, that Demonology was succeeded by Astrology, and that by Palmology, and that again by Physiognology, which, in its turn, has now been succeeded by Phrenology; and who knows what strange fancies may be promulgated after this, as it were to try the gullibility of mankind, who have been alternately frightened and amused with such things from the beginning. Indeed I should not be surprised to hear, by and by, from you Wilfred Waverley, Esquire, that the Wise

men of the West, in attempting to search out hidden causes which are beyond the reach of human intelligence, have been led away with many absurdities, and have actually imposed upon themselves by supposing that they have made discoveries in nature which, in fact, never had any existence except in their own imaginations:

"As Rosycrucian virtuosos

Can see with ears, and hear with noses;

And when their eyes discover least,
Discern the subtlest objects best."

So says your satirical poet Butler, whose writings, excepting what he says in regard to Hebrew Roots,* -a subject which he evidently did not understand, -I very much admire.

In short, by way of getting quit of this matter, until I acquire farther light to discern the foundations of the science, I would be very much inclined to answer all such speculative dreamers, who spend their time in making useless inquiries, after the

* The Rabbi is referring here, no doubt, to the well-known lines of Butler's Hudibras :-

"For Hebrew roots, altho' they're found

To flourish most in barren ground," &c.-ED.

manner of the Durwesh, as we have it in the following story of the Persian Moonshee :

The Durwesh and Sceptic.-A certain man went to a Durwesh,* and proposed three questions : -First, " Why do they say God is omnipresent ? I do not see him in any place; show me where he is." Second, "Why is man punished for crimes, since whatever he does proceeds from God? Man has no ability in himself; for without the will of God he is not able to do any thing; and if he had power he would do every thing for his own good." Third, "How can God punish Satan in hell-fire since his composition is of fire; and what impression can fire make on itself?"

The Durwesh took up a large clod of earth and struck him on the head with it. The man, weeping, went to the Kazee,+ and said, "I proposed three questions to such a Durwesh, who struck such a clod of earth at my head that it is pained, and he has not given me any answer." The Kazee sent

* Pers.

درویش

a religious mendicant.-ED.

.a judge. En قاضي .t Ar

for the Durwesh, and asked, "Why did you strike a clod of earth at his head, and not give an answer to his questions ?" The Durwesh replied,-" That clod of earth is an answer to his speech;-he says he has a pain in his head; let him show where it is, when I will make God visible to him: and why has he made a complaint against me before your Excellency? Whatever I did was the act of God; I did not strike him without the will of God; what ability is there in me? And as his composition is of earth, how has pain come to him from that element ?" The man became confounded, and the Kazee approved much of the answer of the Durwesh.

We are all inclined, most learned Wilfred, to think ourselves more intelligent, of greater consequence, and more on a footing of intimacy with Dame Nature in regard to her secrets, than we really are. But she has, perhaps, been equally bountiful to all her children in this respect, and has given even the lowest of them an equal idea of its importance in the scale of creation. "One day," says the Persian fable, "a person was saying to himself, Whatever is on earth or in heaven is all for

me; God created me very great." At that instant a flea settled on his nose, and said, "Such pride does not become you; because whatever is on earth or in heaven God created for you, and you for me; do you not know that I am greater than you?"

You will allow me now, most illustrious Seignior, to return from this digression, which, I hope, you have not found to be more tiresome than digressions are in general; and it may perhaps be as well to warn you just now, that my rambles and transgressions in this way will be frequent; although, I hope, they will never be found to be unpleasant to either of us. You do not need to be informed, most erudite Wilfred, that all Oriental story-tellers are addicted to digression. In fact, when should we have seen that magnificent assemblage of all that is rare and excellent in amusing narration, the THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS,* had it not been for the glorious system of digression, which is there carried on in perfection.

O most delectable Scheherazade! thou art, in

Commonly known by the name of "The Arabian Nights' Entertainments."-ED.