Juge the rest of Europe with blood, and fubdue it to the law of Mahomet. Let no one imagine the tide of fuccess is so turned against them, that it can never return, nor fuppofe that their appearing content with their prefent dominions arifes from moderation. Let fuch as are under fo great a delufion turn to that most entertaining volume, the life of the great Sobiefki King of Poland, they will there find that, though repeatedly defeated, they always rofe again with fresh vigour, they will alfo meet a detail of fuch accumulated inftances of savage, barbarity, oppreffion and cruelty, as are horrid in the extreme; and thew how unjustly thofe perfons arrogated the title of liberal minded, who fupport a power which inevitably and neceffarily renders every country miferable which has the fevere miffortune of falling under its yoke. They will find also that it is little more than one hundred years fince the Turks befieged, and were on the very point of taking Vienna; the relief of which place forms the moft fplendid æra of that hero's history.-Had Providence permitted that capital of Germany to fall under their dominion, his Pruffian Majefty, mead of being their protector, might ere now have been their vaffal;-that barrier once burft, how far the raging torrent might have flowed, na human wisdom can afcertain.

As the history of Sobieski fhews the r tremendous power and political tyranny, fo the late Memoirs of the celebrated Tott unfold to us their civil and domestic oppreffion; and that as they render every country miferable which falls under their iron rod, fo they themselves are equally wretched from their corrupt and baneful government, whofe horrid policy blafts every opening bud of genius or merit, and fends the fatal bowstring to the molt prudent statefman or gallant commander, if inevitable misfortune fhall defeat his beft laid plans, or boldest

enterprizes, or even without that pre tence, if the intrigues of the Seraglie fhall demand a victim, or the avarice of the Sultan require a wealthy criminal.

But in taking a review of the calamities which attend the establishment of the Turkish Government, (more efpecially over a country which has once been blessed with science and with freedom) one of the most affecting parts of the fcene is the degraded fituation of the female fex-Woman, lovely woman, endowed with all the foft and tender fympathies, most admirably framed both in body and mind, to embellish the creation, to exalt fociety into rapture, and soften friendfhip into love;-woman, the folace of our care, the foother of adverfity, the enlivening companion, the ftedfaft un fhaken friend, is there regarded folely as the object of brutal appetite.-The grofs fenfualift, ftranger to all the delicate refinements of fentiment,-infenfible to the exquifite delights of fincere and mutual affection,-perverts this first beft gift of heaven by mifufe;

and finks the wife, the friend, the companion, into the flave. To gratify his erring and depraved fenfe, he repairs, in order to procure a partner of his bed, a folace of his cares, a mother for his children, to-the PUBLIC MARKET.-Blush-blush-manhood; at the foul difgrace,-at the outrage thus offered to the charming, the helplefs, the weeping maid; dragged from all the endearments of parental tendernefs, by a band of favage Tartars, who thus provide the proud and luftful Turk with a fucceffion of fresh victims, "meanly poffeffed of a mere lifeless violated form,"--torn, perhaps, from the arms of the virtuous and beloved youth on whom her innocent heart had beftowed its moft ardent affections, with whom the fondly imagined fcenes of pure and permanent felicity, the partner of her choice, "with whofe fweet converse bleffed," the hoped to pafs the varied fcenes of life,

torn from every early attachment,

and

:

-ta

and all the focial ties which entwine around the heart, and become a part of our existence, by rude and unhallow 1 hands, fhe is offered up a facrifice to brutal paffion;-with a foul Harrowed by all the phrenzy of defpair, fhe is borne to the accurfed Haram of a lewd, a cruel, and unfeeling man; perhaps no lefs an object of loathing and difguft as to his perfon, than of contempt and hatred with refpect to his manners, his fentiments, and his character. There Hymen bears his torch inverted, his faffron robe and crown of flowers exchanged for eme blems of defpair, and his fong of joy for figs and tears, and bitter lamentarions. Is there then no faving hand to rescue innocence oppreffed?fnatch the shrieking victim from this temple of pollntion? Alas none!— Our enlightened times have it feems discovered, that, to preferve liberty in the Weft of Europe, iris requifite that the Eaft should fuffer all the rigours of flavery, that, to promote knowledge amongst us, intellectual darknefs fhould overshadow the original feat of arts and fciences, from whence we, having borrowed them, thus repay our mafters ;-to confirm and diffuse the pure and holy religion of Chrift, it is found proper that the grofs fuperftitions and fenfuality of Mahomet fhould reign triumphant over half the world, -probably from a pious care; that ours may fhine the brighter from the contraft. To enter here into an examination of their respective merits were foreign to the purpose, and would open too wide a field for difcuffion,-those who wish to understand what Mahometanifm truly is, may confult the elegant Sermons of Mr White of Oxford, compofed exprefsly on that fubject, and which difplay fuch a fund of erudi tion, are fo replete with found reasoning, and instructive entertaining information, and are clothed in the garb of fuch a truly harmonious and claffical filé, as raise them above commendation—all that is, or can be intended

from these remarks, is to convey tor those who have not much turned their thoughts to this fubject, a flight idea of the manifold imperfections of the Turkish eftablishments, religious, civil, and domeftic;-the former are more ftriking to the world, the latter more affecting to the heart.-Amongst them, "relations dear, and all the charities of father, fon, and brother," if not unknown, are at least felt with diminished force. The affection of the hufband and the father, divided and diftracted amongst a multiplicity of objects, muft of courfe fink to a mere vague obtuse sensation, which vi brates feebly at the heart, and is incapable of calling forth the finer and more vivid fentiments which arife from the focial affections when concentrated to the focus of a family united in inte refts, held together in the filken cords: of delicate and mutual affection.

Whichever way we turn our eyes in the Turkish empire, cruelties and outrages wound our feelings, and call forth our indignation. One viola tion of the rights of nature creates another. In order to retain fecurely the wretched females whom their lufthas doomed to captivity, human natureitself is dishonoured by the mutilated wretches who are stationed as their guards. This enormous infalt to manhood is neceffarily connected with the tyranny exercifed over the other fex; having tranfgreffed the bounds of nature in collecting the victims of their bafe pations, they found that nature furnished them not with the means of detaining them ;~~~ from women they could hope for no thing but deceit ;-where no confdence is placed, no fidelity can be expected. To men, their luscious treasures were objects folely of env and rivalship. They were therefore of courfe compelled to pass the bounds of nature, for beings in whom they could confide; and who, forced in youth from the bofom of their coun try, deprived of all poffibility of fo

cial joys, and looking up to their tyrant for fubfiftence, are ready inftruments to diffufe that mifery which they fo keenly feel. Can fancy picture a more gloomy terrific image than the establishment of fuch a family? Well may we fay Præfectura illius domus ficulâ non mitior aulâ,"-Family -did I fay! A family is a fcene of the pureft, the most refined pleasures; there Love his golden ihafts employs, there lights his conftant lamp, and waves his purple wings."-But, alas! il does that endearing title befit fuch an household.-Can the joys, the delights, the blandifhments of a family, cheer the abode of the tyrant and his flaves? Such endearments as pafs between the commander of a galley, and the wretches at the oar,-between the goaler and his prifoners,-the executioner and the criminal,-fuch, and fuch only can be experienced within the dreary walls of a Turkish Haram, which we may justly term regions of forrow, doleful fhades, where peace can never dwell, hope never comes.' Upon the whole, it appears manifeft, that every impartial perfon who takes a general view of the ftate of Society among the Turks, who examines into the radical imperfections of their religion, laws, and policy,-and traces the innumerable vices, and grofs corruption of their government through out all their dominions, will be conftrained to acknowledge that fuch a depraved, perverted fyftem of affairs demands renovation-Indeed fuch is the general wickedness of the inhabitants, that there cannot remain a doubt that a conqueft of their country by a civilized and enlightened nation would not only prove a glorious emancipation to their Chriftian fubjects, but would be even, for the Mahometans themfelves, an happy change.- -The enlightened and liberal manners of the prefent times would fufficiently fecure them from the horrors of religious perfecution, which was the characteristic and everlafling reproach of

""

the darker ages; and particularly of the famous Crufaders, who went, as Thompfon ftrongly expreffes it, "to deftroy bigotry with the fpirit of bigots.' But fanaticifm is now no more; and though the Turkish Em- ́ pire fhould be overthrown, the Turkifh religion would not fuffer perfecution. Such an event may therefore he defired by the most liberal and unprejudiced mind; and fuch we may ftill hope this age will fee, notwithftanding all the efforts of narrow and fhort-fighted policy.

Let us judge of the prefent from the paft, and by the light of experience decide this question.-Spain was for feveral centuries under the government of Moorish Kings. Although in their expulfion fcenes of horrid perfecution arofe, yet thofe enormities took place from the spirit of the times, and are not again to be apprehended. But except in thofe circumstances (which every perfon of true Chriftianity muft undoubtedly abhor and reprobate), let those who are most folicitous to preferve the Turkish Empire unbroken, declare whether it be not for the advantage of Europe, and the general interests of humanity, that Spain fhould be, as it is at prefent, in the hands of a Chriftian power, rather than of its former Mafters. Although its government be arbitrary, no one furely will compare it with Turkish defpotifm: befides, being within the fphere and attraction of other Chrif tian States, it may, moft probably will, imbibe the fpirit of reformation civil and religious matters. The fparks of freedom which already appear may ere long kindle a flame, before fuch fuperftition and tyranny will melt away. All this is within poffibility,-nay, is highly probable; but had it remained under Mahometan government, such a change could not have been. In Chriftian countries liberty may flourish or may fade,"—but in Maho metan ones it is an exotic,-it cannot exift,-on that it muft perifh. If at

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tempted to be tranfplanted there, its root will ever fail, and all the beauteous verdure, and "blushing honours" of its head, shrink and wither at the touch of that peftilential air, where never did, nor ever can fubfift, liberty, in any form, or under any

modification whatever. Those, therefore, who wish the support of Mahometanism again ft Christianity, wish the triumph of Falfehood over Truth,

of Bigotry over Liberality-of Barbarifm over Civilization,—and of DESPOTISM Over LIberty.

IN order to give an adequate idea of the extenfive circulation of Indian commodities by land carriage, it would be neceffary to trace the route, and to eftimate the number of the various, caravans by which they are conveyed. Could this be executed with accuracy, it would be a curious object of geographical research, as well as a valuable addition to commercial history. Though it is inconfiftent with the brevity which I have uniformly ftudied in conducting this difquifition, to enter into a detail of fo great length, it may be proper here, for illuftrating this part of my fubject, to take fuch a view of two caravans which vifit Mecca, as may enable my readers to estimate more juftly the magnitude of their commercial tranfactions. The firft is the caravan which takes its departure from Cairo in Egypt, and the other from Damafcus in Syria; and I felect thefe, both because they are the most confiderable, and because they are defcribed by authors of undoubted credit, who had the beft opportunities of receiving full information concerning them. The former is compofed, not only of pilgrims from every part of E. gypt, but of those which arrive from all the fmall Mahomedan ftates on the African coaft of the Mediterranean, from the empire of Morocco and even from the Negroe kingdoms on the Atlantic. When affembled, the caravan D d VOL. XIV No. 81.

confifts at least of fifty thousand perfons, and the number of camels employed in carrying water, provifions, and merchandize, is still greater. The journey, which, in going from Cairo and returning thither, is not completed in lefs than a hundred days, is performed wholly by land; and as the route lies mostly thro' fandy defarts, or barren uninhabited wilds, which feldom afford any fubfiftence, and where often no fources of water can be found, the pilgrims always undergo much fatigue, and fometimes must endure incredible hardships. An early and good defcription of this caravan is publifhed by Hakluyt, vol. ii. p. 202, &c. Maillet has entered into a minute and curious detail with regard to it; Defcript. de l'Egypte, part ii. p. 212, &c. Pocock has given a route, together with the length of each day's march, which he received from a perfon who had been fourteen times at Mecca, vol. i. pp. 188, 261, &c.-The caravan from Damafcus, compofed of pilgrims from almoft every province of the Turkish empire, is little inferior to the former in number, and the commerce which it carries on is hardly lefs valuable. Voyage de Volney, tom. ii. p. 251, &c. This pilgrimage was performed in the year 1741, by Khizeh Abdulkurreem.

He gives the ufual route from Damafcus to Mecca, computed by hours,

the

a

the common mode of reckoning a journey in the Eaft through countries little frequented. According to the moft moderate eftimate, the distance between the two cities, by his account, must be above a thousand miles ; great part of the journey is through a defart, and the pilgrims not only endure much fatigue, but are often ex pofed to great danger from the wild Arabs Memoirs, 114, &c. It is p. a fingular proof of the predatory fpirit of the Arabs, that although all their independent tribes are zealous Mahomedians, yet they make no feruple of plundering the caravans of pilgrims, while engaged in performing one of the noft indifpenfible duties of their religion. Great as these caravans are, we must not fuppofe that all the pilgrims who vifit Mecca belong to them; fuch confiderable additions are received from the extenfive dominions of Perfia, from every province of Indostan, and the countries to the Eaft of it, from Abyffinia, from various ftates on the Southern coast of Africa, and from all parts of Arabia, that, when the whole are affen bled, they have been computed to amount to two hundred theufand. In fome years the number is farther increased by fmall bands of pilgrims from feveral interior provinces of Africa; the names and fituations of which are just beginning to be known in Europe. For this laft fact we are indebted to the Affociation for promoting the Discovery of the Interior Parts of Africa, formed by fome British gentlemen, upon principles fo liberal, and with views fo public-fpirited, as do honour to themselves and to their country. Proceedings, &c. p. 174. In the Report of the Committee of the Privy Council on the Slave Trade other particulars are contained; and it appears that the commerce carried on by caravans in the interior parts of Africa, is not only widely extended, but of confiderable value. Befides the great caravan which proceeds to Cairo, and is joined by Mahomedan

pilgrims from every part of Africa, there are caravans which have no object but commerce, which fet out from Fez, Algiers, i unis, Tripoli, and other ftates on the fea-coaft, and penctrate far into the interior country. Some of them take no lefs than fifty days to reach the place of their deftination; and, as the medium of their rate of travelling may be estimated at about eighteen miles a-day, the extent of their journey may be eafily computed. As both the time of their outfet and their route are known, they are met by the people of all the countries through which they travel who trade with them. Indian goods of every kind form a confiderable ar ticle in this traffic; in exchange for which the chief commodity they can give is Slaves. As the journeys of the caravans, which are purely commercial, do not commence at ftated feasons, and their routes vary according to the convenience or fancy of the merchants of whom they are compofed, a defcription cannot be given of them with the fame degree of accuracy. But by attending to the accounts of fome authors, and the occafional hints of others, fufficient information may be gathered, to fatisfy us that the circulation of Eastern goods by these caravans is very extenfive. The fame intercourfe which was anciently kept up by the provinces in the North-eaft of Afia with Indoftan and China, ftill fubfifts. Among all the numerous tribes of Tartars, even of thofe which retain their paftoral manners in greateft purity, the demand for the productions of thefe two countries is very confiderable. Voyages de Pallas, tom, i. p. 357, &c. tom. ii. p. 422. In order to fupply them with thefe, caravans fet out annually from Boghar, (Hackluyt, vol. i. p. 332.) Samarcand, Thibet, and feveral other places, and return with large cargoes of Indian and Chinese goods. But the trade carried on between Ruffia and China in this part of Afia is by far the most exten

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