them to render tributary, or utterly to abolish all other fects. This command increases their ambition to so great a degree, that they wait for nothing but an opportunity to work the entire destruction of all the rest of the universe. It is owing to these maxims that their hatred against Christians, and all those of different religions, is carried to fuch an height, that they choose rather to remain in their primitive ignorance, than to profit by any of the new inventions and improvements in the arts and sciences; thinking it beneath them to be beholden, even in things that would turn to the inceafe of their grandeur, to a race of infidels, who have been accursed, and held in utter deteftation by their prophet and lawgiver. This people, however, who in regard to the more enlighted nations usually appear under the character of barbarians, are endowed with many fhining qualities, which must neceffarily turn to the fhame and dishonour of those, who have the good fortune to enjoy many confiderable advantages, which they are wholly ftrangers to. Their piety towards their Creator, the exact obfervance of the laws of their religion, the obedience to the commands of their fovereign, the respect to their fuperiors, their charity towards all distressed persons, their fobriety, their moderation, their unexampled integrity in trade, and the gravity and folidity, which they exprefs in all their actions, are virtues which are feldom wanting even to thofe of the meaneft rank. In their conversation they always behave with fuch affability and modefty, that an improper gefture, an indecent expreffion, or an ill-timed demonstration of mirth, would be fufficient to caft a blemish upon any person's reputation. When a Turk addresses his equal, he gives him the title of brother; if it be one older than himself, he calls him mafter; if one of fewer years, he speaks to him by the name of fon. Their union among one another is unexampled. Every

CUSTOMS

OF THE

TURKS.

OF THE

CUSTOMS mufulman, or true believer, thinks himself obliged to exert his TURKS, utmoft ftrength in the defence of any of his brethren; and in the common cause no danger is great enough to deter them from profecuting their purpofe. They are, notwithstanding, haughty and arrogant in their profperity; and, on the contrary, mean and abject under the frowns of fortune. The customs of this people, of whom I have given this short character, depending entirely upon the dictates of their religion, it would be abfolutely impossible to give any account of them without first mentioning the principal articles of their belief, the fountain, whence arifes that ftrict and infeparable union, which commands them to acknowledge all mufulmen for their brethren, and prove themselves firm adherents to their prophet, upon which character they value themselves greatly, complimenting one another by the title of Umèt Mahomet, or faithful followers of Mahomet. This religion acknowledges no other foundation than paffive obedience and the sword; and bears fo strong a connection with the government, that one could not fubfift without the affiftance of the other. No Mahometan, upon any pretence whatever, dare utter the least equivocal expreffion, or offer to put a double interpretation upon any text of the alcoran; fince fuch a crime would inevitably be punished with immediate death; they being enjoined to believe it an infallible register of divine precepts, delivered from time to time to Mahomet by the angel Gabriel, who had a divine commiffion. They are taught that at the time of the creation it was extracted from the great book of sacred ordinances, and deposited in one of the feven Heavens, whence, by the command of God, every particular article was delivered to Mahomet by the angel Gabriel, verfe by verfe, with an explanation of each text. To strengthen this legend, they are farther affured

141

OF THE

TURKS.

CAP.

AARAF.

САР. ANAAM.

that the first thing, that God created, was light; from which was firft RELIGION extracted the foul of Mahomet, and afterwards thofe of the other prophets: that the world was made for him alone, and that he was formed to be the fole mediator between God and man. The Creator befides promises that he will be merciful to fuch as live according to the laws of the alcoran, and who follow the example of his envoy, a plain and honeft man, whose name they would find registered in the old and new teftaments; which paffage the Turks pretend has been erafed by the malice and impiety of the Christians. This, fays God, is the strait path, follow it and feek no other; for if you do, you will be led out of your way. The fundamental rule then of Mahometism confifts in acknowledging one all-powerful divinity, and Mahomet his apoftle, the laft of all the prophets, who have been fent over the earth, predeftined from all eternity to free mankind from damnation, by publishing to them the facred dictates of religion contained in the alcoran, the only fure guide to falvation. This is the fole bafis of the Mahometan faith. With the confeffion of these articles only any infidel may introduce himself into the congregation of the faithful, and with the fame upon his death-bed any finner may abfolve himself from all his crimes. But, befides these principal rules, there are many private ceremonies and maxims, which are neceffary to be observed towards the forming a true mufulman. The chief of these is to entertain the notion of predestination, believing that all human affairs are regulated from the beginning by the divine ordinance; that whofoever is ordained originally to live, may remain fecure from all forts of accidents, nothing being able to overpower the determination of God; and that he, who is to come to an untimely end, can by no means avert his destiny. This opinion is carried ftill to a greater length, fince

they

САР.

ANFAL.

CAP. AARAF.