"and virtuous. It is enough for me that I have restored the "throne to its glory, and delivered my country from the "Affghans, the Turks, and the Russians." He then retired, that their deliberations might appear to be more free; and when requested to accept the vacant throne by their unanimous voice, he at first refused, but afterwards consented, on condition that the Sheah sect, which had been founded by Shah Ismail, the first monarch of the Suffavean dynasty, should be abolished.

After various successful struggles against those whom he denominated the enemies of his country, but who might, perhaps, with greater propriety have been termed the obstacles to his ambition, and a long series of the most horrible atrocities committed on his subjects, among which was putting out the eyes of his eldest son on an unfounded sus picion; he is said to have arrived at such a pitch of inhuman. phrenzy, as to have decreed the massacre of every Persian in his army. But some of his principal officers, who had learned that their names were in the list of proscribed victims, resolved to be beforehand with him in his bloody purpose; and taking advantage of their situations, they rushed past the guards, on pretence of urgent business with their sovereign, and entered the inner tent where the tyrant was asleep. The noise awoke him, but it was only to meet his fate. And thus was Persia freed from the violence of a tyrant, whose abilities qualified him for an hero, but whom his guilty passions transmuted into a monster.

"The character of this wonderful man is, perhaps, exhibited in its truest colours in these impressions, which the memory of his actions has left upon the minds of his countrymen. They speak of him as a deliverer and a destroyer: but while they expatiate with pride upon his deeds of glory, they dwell with more pity than horror upon the cruel enormities which disgraced the latter years of his reign; and neither his crimes, nor the attempt he made to abolish their religion, have subdued their gratitude and veneration for the hero, who revived in the breasts of his degraded countrymen a sense of their former fame, and restored Persia to her independence as a nation." Vol. II. p. 107.

Though the death of Nâdir Shah relieved Persia from the influence of his atrocious power, it opened a scene of contention for the vacant throne, which did not soon subside into peace; and the history of Persia, for the period of half a century, from the death of this prince to the elevation of Aga Mahomed Kan, the founder of the present reigning family, does not present one remarkable feature, except the life of Kurreem Khan Zund. Respecting Kurreem, Sir

John Malcolm observes, "on the happy reign of this ex"cellent prince, as contrasted with those who preceded and "followed him, affords the historian of Persia that descrip"tion of mixed pleasure and repose, which a traveller enjoys, "who arrives at a beautiful and fertile valley, in the midst "of an arduous journey over barren and rugged wastes." Unhappily this valley was but narrow; and those wastes were inhabited by animals of the most subtile and ferocious kind. We fully agree, however, with Sir John, that "it "is pleasing to recount the actions of a chief, who, though "born in an inferior rank, obtained power without crime, "and who exercised it with a moderation that was, in the "times in which he lived, as singular as his humanity and "his justice."

Having overcome all his competitors for power by the steady exercise of that valour which knows how to conquer, accompanied by that noble courage which often dares to pardon, and that generous confidence and clemency which so frequently convert a fallen foe into a faithful friend; he enjoyed independent power for the space of twenty-six years, during the last twenty of which he was acknowledged the sole ruler of the kingdom. He lived to near the age of eighty, and died in 1779, as amidst a family whom he had cherished, and by whom he was beloved. He had nothing romantic in his character; all his qualities were plain and intrinsic; and he was, under all circumstances, distinguished by a manly simplicity of mind, which placed him at an equal distance from arrogant pomp on the one hand, and affected humility on the other. But those features in his character which were most conspicuous, were his love of justice, and his goodness of heart. Several anecdotes are recorded, which exemplify these leading characteristics; but the length to which we have already extended this article obliges us to omit all of them but the following.

"It is the usage of the king of Persia to devote a number of hours each day to hear the complaints of his subjects. Kurreem Khan was one day on the point of retiring from his judgment-seat, harassed and fatigued with a long attendance, when a man rushed forward in apparent distrac tion, calling out in a loud voice for justice. Who are you?' said Kurreem. I am a merchant,' replied the man, and have been robbed and plundered by thieves of all I possessed. What were you about,' said the prince, when you was robbed?' I was asleep,' answered the man. And why did you sleep?' exclaimed Kurreem, in a peevish and impatient tone. Because,' said the undaunted Persian, I made a mistake, and thought you were awake.' The irritation of the royal judge

vanished in a moment: he was too much pleased with the manly boldness of the petitioner to be offended at the reproach his words conveyed. Turning to his vizier, he bad him pay the amount of the merchant's loses from the treasury. We must,' he added, ' try to recover the property from the robbers."" "Vol. II. p. 150.

. The subsequent events of the Persian monarchy are narrated with great fulness and perspicuity, and we regret our inability to enter into any detail of this period of its history. Aga Mabomed Khan, the founder of a new dynasty, and the uncle and immediate predecessor of the reigning monarch, was an extraordinary character, and placed under uncommon circumstances. Forced at an early period to drink the bitter dregs of captivity, and deprived of the enjoyment of those sensual gratifications which so often enervate both the bodies and minds of Eastern princes, by being made a eunuch before he was six years of age, his mind was directed to schemes of ambition and aggrandizement; and, by brooding over the recollection of his early misfortunes, his heart became callous, and his bosom harboured the most im. placable hatred towards those by whom they were occasioned. Our historian observes,

"His former conduct seems to have taken its strongest bias from the keen recollection of his misery and his wrongs. The first passion of his mind was the love of power; the second, avarice; and the third, revenge. In all these he indulged to excess; and they administered to each other: but the two latter, strong as they were, gave way to the first, when they came in collision. His knowledge of the character and feelings of others was wonderful; and it is to this knowledge, and his talent of concealing from all the secret purposes of his soul, that we must refer his extraordinary success in subduing his enemies. Against these he never employed force till art had failed; and, even in war, his policy effected more than his sword. His ablest and most confidential minister, when asked if Aga Mahomed Khan was personally brave, replied, "No doubt: but still I can hardly recollect an occasion where he had an opportunity of displaying courage. That monarch's head,' he emphatically added, never left work for his hand." Vol. II. p. 309.

We refer the reader to the work itself for the particulars of this reign; and we are persuaded it will be read with a lively interest by the student of Eastern history; and that his attention will meet with an ample recompense. Sir John has dismissed the reign of the present monarch with a very brief notice; and he concludes the whole with a copious and well-written account of the inhabitants of the Persian empire. Indeed, he has executed his whole task in a superior manner. His style is always perspicuous, and often nervous; and we regard the work not only as meriting a

distinguished place among our national histories, but as forming a valuable addition to eastern literature. It is accompanied by a good map of Persia, and twenty-one well executed engravings; besides numerous notes, either con firming and illustrating the text, or connecting the statements of former historians; all of which add greatly to its real value. We doubt not but that it will tend to secure to its author such a share of public approbation as will prove a sufficient reward for his past labours, and a stimulus to future exertions.

ART. VII.-The Veracity of the Evangelists demonstrated, by a comparative View of their Histories. By the Rev. ROBERT NARES, A. M. F.R.S. &c. London. Rivington. 1816. Pr. 8s.

To

o the sincere Christian it is pleasing to reflect, that the evidences for the truth of his religion, instead of being diminished or weakened by time, are every day increasing in number, and gaining strength, even from the means employed to destroy them. Philosophers have doubted as to the solidity of the grounds of our faith; but almost every progressive step that has been taken in philosophy itself, has served to illustrate something that was dark, or confirm something that was weak. If there be any of that order of men, who still persist in scepticism, true plilosophy would of itself have power to convince them, were it not that they have imbibed some principles and dispositions, which that reason on which they so implicitly rely, neither suggests nor encourages. Whatever may have been their reputation in matters of abstract knowledge, it is in the class of false philosophers alone, that the enemies of Christianity can justly be ranked.

No system of religion has ever been more ably or more violently attacked, but every attack has been immediately met by a champion capable of repelling it. Had it not been for the exceptions taken by our adversaries, the world would never have seen those incomparable works, which add lustre to our cause, at the same time that they establish its excellence. It is also fortunate for our religion, that, however great its obligations may be to such extraordinary lights as are seen in our firmament but once in an age, it is very far

from being indebted to their powerful influence solely for the advantages it has gained. These, it is true, have done much; but they have not done all. The man of less sublime talents, who is sometimes content to make use of the labours of others, and to methodize and arrange what they have collected, so as to adapt it to their common end, and invite attention to it, performs a work not less honourable perhaps, and certainly not less useful, than he whose genius first struck out the path in which they walk. The works of many early writers in every branch of learning, but more especially in theology, however valuable, have long ceased to be read, except by the student; and, to the generality of readers, live only in the writings of succeeding authors. There, however, we have generally the advantage of seeing the most important observations of these great men occupying an appropriate place in a system, and disencumbered of much of the extraneous matter, which commonly surrounds them in their original situation, diminishing their force and effect. Besides, it frequently happens that the dispassionate reflection, the industry, and accuracy, which distinguish many persons of moderate natural endowments, are necessary to restrain the extravagancies of genius, and to bring back those mighty minds from the eccentricities in which a consciousness of their powers had led them to indulge. The love of novelty is equally strong in those who write, and in those who read; and the vanity of being thought an original author, and of producing a theory which shall dazzle the world by its difference from all that have preceded it, has rendered useless, if not mischievous, the productions of many a man of talents. But let us not be too severe or hasty in our condemnation of this very natural feeling. The pride which arises from superior learning and abilities, is as pardonable and as well-founded as any other kind of pride and literary distinctions are as honourable to the possessor, and (we will venture to say) productive of as great advantage to society, as any other distinctions. For our own parts, we can see no sufficient reason why a literary combatant should not receive as solid and as rational gratification from having overturned a long established system, as a military leader is known to derive from having conquered a dangerous competitor, or a statesman from having foiled a subtle and experienced antagonist. Those, however, who consider how much the welfare of any country depends upon the state of its literature, and more especially on that of a religious kind,