freely and sociably together without being burdened with a load of arbitrary signs, which must always be a great enemy to improvement, and an almost insuperable obstacle in the way of social intercourse.

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Say not the possessors of science have passed away and are forgotten; every one who has walked in the path of science has reached the goal.

"Increase of knowledge is a victory over idleness, and the beauty of knowledge is rectitude of conduct. "Let the elegance of thy speech be founded on grammar; for he who knows not the properties of words is most deficient."*

Hermes had proceeded thus far in his address, when Abdallah mustered courage enough to interrupt him; but here I must again beg leave, most learned Wilfred, to break off, and to subscribe myself your sincere friend,

ISHMAEL NOBILIUS OLEANDER.

Alexandria, 8th of the month Jir,

in the year 5584.†

* Hermes takes these lines from an Arabic poem called "The Lamja," written by Ebn El Wardi.-ED.

+ i. e. 2d May, 1824.-ED.

No IV.

CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF ABDALLAH, THE SON OF ABULFAID.

Conversation between Hermes and Abdallah-Tale of the Sewah and Elephant-Panegyric on the Arabic Language-Verses-Conclusion of the Story.

"O HERMES!" said Abdallah, "the study of languages, and the deep mysteries of the science of Hieroglyphics, however desirable an accurate knowledge of them may be, must always be a matter of too difficult attainment for the ordinary powers of the human mind to accomplish. The variety of tongues is almost infinite; and, in fact, Language appears to my mind in the shape of a hydra-headed monster, which all my efforts and study would never be able to subdue, and render subservient for any useful purpose either to myself or to those around me.”

Nay," answered Hermes, "my good friend, the greatest difficulties will always be found to yield to the united genius and perseverance of individuals. Even the weakest creatures have been known in this way to subdue the strongest; and, in order to set this matter in a clear point of view, allow me to repeat to you the Tale of the Sewah and the Elephant, which affords what an Oriental Story-teller would consider as a good illustration of my argu

ment.

"THE SEWAH AND THE ELEPHANT.

"IN a certain city there was a tree round like an umbrella. On that tree a feeble sewah† had deposited her eggs. One day an elephant came into that place, and began to scratch his body with the trunk of the tree, and from the violent concussion those

*From "The Tooti Nameh, or Tales of a Parrot," by Nakhshebi.-ED.

a little bird, resembling a sparrow, with a red

eggs tumbled down from it. The helpless sewah, from excessive perturbation, flew about, struck herself against the branches, and wept ; but what can a flea do with an elephant? The sewah said to herself, A powerful enemy it is necessary to repel by fraud and stratagem.'

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"The sewah had a friend, a bird whom they called long-bill; to her she went and disclosed her story, and said,- An elephant has committed cruelty upon me! Contrive a stratagem, and form a plan, and obtain vengeance for me of him; for friends should come of use in the season of distress." The bird said,— Engaging with an elephant is an arduous affair, and will not come right with us by ourselves. I have a friend, a bee, who is extremely knowing; with him I will make a consultation.' Then they went to the bee and made known the circumstances to him. The bee when he heard this relation was afraid, and said, 'It is a long time since I have tied on my girdle in the service of my friends; but I have a friend, the commander of the army of the frogs; it is necessary to disclose this narration to him.'

"Then the sewah, the bee, and the long-bill, all

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*

three went to the frog and disclosed the circumstances, and demanded assistance from him. The frog made much sighing about the breaking of the eggs, and said, Hold your minds collected; for, by stratagem, it is possible to make even a mountain level.' Then the frog said, A stratagem passes into my mind for the vanquishing of the elephant, and it is this:-Let the bee go near the ear of the elephant, and with his murmuring noise render him intoxicated. When the elephant becomes intoxicated, the bird with the long snout will pull out both his eyes with the point of his bill, and cause the world of light to become dark upon him. When some days shall have passed, and thirst becomes triumphant over him, I will come and make a noise before him; he will know my voice, and will say in his own mind, Any place where there are frogs

* i. e. "Be of good courage.' ." It may be necessary to remark here, that the above Tale, as well as all others that are introduced by the learned Rabbi into his epistles, are translated from the languages of the Oriental authors in the most literal manner possible, for the express purpose of giving the "Western Literati" the fittest opportunity of comparing their own style of writing with that which, from the remotest ages, has invariably been peculiar to the "Wise men of the East."-ED.