much reading, in the absence of proper theatricals the trade of a professed Story-teller must be a matter of no inconsiderable interest. A person of this sort, who can speak with good emphasis and discretion, whose action is easy to him, though expressive and emphatical, and whose countenance exhibits strong marks of eloquent expression;-such a person, reciting the choice productions of the most celebrated composers of Asia, must be the means of affording acceptable entertainment to the inhabitants of almost all the Oriental regions.*

Accordingly we find that this employment is patronised, more or less, by the entire population of the Eastern world, including the whole of Turkey, Tartary, Persia, Hindoostan, Arabia, Egypt, and Morocco; and I am told that something of the same kind is to be found also in some parts of Frangistan; the Story-teller being there denominated Improvisatore or Improvisatrice.

They are, in general, well remunerated in propor

Our blessed Lord seems to have acted much in conformity to this Oriental practice in his general method of delivering his instructions in parables, &c.—ED.

tion to their abilities and the degree of interest which their narration may excite; and there is a piece of art in his profession without which the Story-teller could scarcely contrive to live ;-just as he gets to a most interesting part of the story, when he has wound the imagination of his auditors up to the highest climax of expectation, he purposely breaks off to make them eager for the rest.—I am, Most learned Wilfred,

Your faithful friend,

Alexandria, 12th of the month Sivan,

in the year 584.*

• i. e. 5th June, 1824.-ED.

I. N. O.

No VI.

Funds of Oriental Story-telling The "Arabian Nights' Entertainments”—Lokman-The Fable or Parable-Meerkhond-Bidpai or Pilpai-Account of his Work, and the different Translations of itThe Brahmuns-General Remark on Eastern Fables-Esop-Sádee.

THE Story-teller, most courteous Wilfred, is sure to have all the former company the next day, with additional numbers, who come on their report; and he makes his terms to finish the story.

In regard to the funds from which they derive their materials, you are, no doubt, aware, my learned friend, that the stories of the "Elf leelut wa leelut," i. e. "The thousand nights and a night,” afford by far the most common subjects of declamation. A part of these has been translated long ago, I believe, into the language of the Franks, and is

well known in the Western World by the name of "The Arabian Nights' Entertainments."*

Some learned men are of opinion that these celebrated productions were composed by Lokman, the well-known Arabian philosopher and moralist ;+ but this, I think, can hardly be the case, as it is more than probable that the sage Lokman belonged to a

* We may well say, in the words of the preface to the French edition of the "Arabian Nights' Entertainments,"" It is unnecessary to prepossess the reader respecting the merit and beauty of the tales contained in this work. They convey their own commendation; and need but be read, to establish the opinion, that no production of this nature, so entertaining, has hitherto appeared in any language.

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“In effect, what could be more ingenious than the composition of so prodigious a body of tales, of which the variety is surprising; and the connexion so admirable, that they appear to have formed a regular division of the ample collection from which they have been taken. I say ample collection, for the original Arabian, which is entitled The Thousand and One Nights,' contains thirtysix parts, and it is only a translation of the first that is now given to the public. The name of the author of this great work is unknown; but probably it was not all effected by a single hand; for how can we believe that one man could have an imagination sufficiently fertile to produce so many and such interesting fictions?" -ED.

+ Lokman is said, in the Eastern histories, to have been the inventor of gunpowder; and, however strange it may appear, it is an undoubted fact, that guns and gunpowder are mentioned by Oriental historians as being in use many hundred years before such things were heard of in Christendom,―ED.

much more ancient era.* His history, indeed, is quite uncertain; but it is asserted that he was of a servile condition, his trade being that of a tailor, a carpenter, or a shoemaker; that he was by birth an Abyssinian, and was sold as a slave to the Israelites during the reign of David or of Solomon, (on whom be peace.) However this may be, it is certain that his name is held in veneration over almost all the East; and his Fables, Apologues, and Proverbs, are deservedly held in high estimation by almost all the nations of the known world.

There is no need of going far to prove the great use of this way of conveying instruction by fables. The fable or parable recorded in our sacred books of the trees choosing themselves a king, is a sufficient testimony of the ancient honour done to this allegorical way of writing. And since that time our nation

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* The time when "The Arabian Nights' Entertainments" were composed, may be guessed at from what is said in the Story of the Lame Young Man of Bagdad," where the time is mentioned, incidentally, as being in the 653d year of the Hejira, the common epoch of the Mahommedans, which answers to the year 1255 from the nativity of Christ; whence we may conjecture, that these tales were composed in Arabia, or more probably in Egypt, about that time.-ED.