ing; in my estimation, not comparable, as an amusement, with harehunting, if company, and a friendly coalition of powers and purposes, with a full observation of the actions of the dogs and their game, be, as I take them to be, the agreeable circumstances of hunting. It is mere riding-post-boy's work. There is getting the brush indeed; but then, like the great prize in the lottery, only one can get it. I have the general voice against me. Fox-hunters despise the harriers; there is not speed enough with them, they say; and this is the true secret of their preference: there is no contest of riders-no room for horse-pride, the loftiest pride, I fancy, that is. In my account of these sports, I know not that I have made out any ground for the enthusiasm with which they are pursued. It is necessary, perhaps, to be present to understand this. At all events, as incidental to a morning's ride, hunting may be allowed to be a pleasing diversion. Every body must have felt sometimes the dulness of taking exercise only for its own sake: a hunt gives an object-something to follow; and for my part, with three or four bold fellows in company, I should not care if it were a pig. R. A. THE KING OF PERSIA'S FEMALE GUARDS. Every one has heard, or every one may have heard, that his Majesty the King of Persia has eight hundred wives, or ladies, in his harem, and that every other man in the country has as many as he can keep, and more than he can manage. European husbands, who have only one, and yet find it difficult enough at times to be masters in their own houses, can hardly imagine the straits their eastern brethren in matrimony are sometimes driven to by thus multiplying their domestic blessings. A man can with little propriety, in this country, talk of his rib, or his better half; he is the mere stem of a cluster of dates-a poor dry stick, surrounded and weighed down with rich ripe fruit. Yet he must endeavour to subdue the inveterate animosities of interested rivals, and contrive to preserve some order amidst the discordance of the divided wives of his bosom (peace and quiet he never hopes for). As this must absolutely be effected by his own exertions, it being indecent even to name his wife or wives to a neighbour, or to ask his advice or assistance under any circumstances; the science of managing one's own family has long been the favourite pursuit, and intricate study, of the most learned philosophers and able diplomatists. Many are the schemes, good and bad, to effect this great purpose, which have been proposed, adopted, and rejected in their turn. The last, and perhaps one of the best, is that devised, and at present actually practised, by the Moolah Alaverdi, of the Ibraim Mosque. It is concise, simple, and, as far as it goes, tolerably efficacious; but it is extremely limited in its action. It consists in hanging up a small whip, with a whistle attached, to the right hand door-post of the ladies' apartment. When the venerable Moolah enters, he unhooks his whip, and first gives a neat distinct whistle, which immediately assembles the ladies around him; as the pipe of the shepherd collects together his dispersed flock. He then lays the whip smartly over the back of the first, or head wife, and continues to apply a similar discipline to every one present, till each has received her portion, strictly observing the regular order of precedency and rank, and carefully avoiding all partiality, by giving out his whole strength to each blow. He has hitherto invariably found himself respected, loved, and obeyed at the conclusion of the ceremony by his affectionate and dutiful spouses. He now boasts of his method as infallible, asserts that his theory is now confirmed and established by experiment, and that this is the true and only way to manage a family. The Moolah, like many other men, is the devoted bigot of his own system, and blind to its imperfections as a general practice, or he must feel conscious, as any impartial observer does, that it never could be applied with any advantage in a large marriage establishment. Taking his own word for it, I make no doubt that he has found it perfectly successful in his own; but the Moolah should recollect, that the discipline adequate to maintain order and regularity in the house of a parish priest, whose whole inside (as we correctly translate Haram Khonar) contains but four wives and nine concubines, would prove totally insufficient for the extended interior of a Khan, or Bey li Beggy. In the first instance, any man, endowed with ordinary strength and facility of wrist, can sufficiently illustrate the necessity of passive obedience to thirteen wives in one quarter of an hour, allowing one minute to each, and two for changing places. But-but to proceed from the fountain head, let us turn our eyes for an instant on the Brother of the Sun, our most merciful King, first Cousin to the Moon, Light of the World, and Glory of the Universe, and conceive his having to whip eight hundred wives daily. The thing is in itself impossible. His Majesty might neglect the most important of the state affairs, might abstain from all amusement and recreation, not even witness the bastinadoing of a Khan, or the bowstringing of a single Mirza, exhausting his precious and celestial powers in useless efforts, and not accomplish the work to his own satisfaction in the course of one sun. The very few eunuchs attached to the court, and their inability to afford any assistance, (except by good wishes) would always leave the whole burthen on his own illustrious shoulders, and convert his Sublime Majesty into a mere currier of raw hides. This weighty enterprise has been regulated and conducted in a much more dignified and certain manner by his Majesty's glorious progenitors, predecessors I would say, the Crown here not being exactly hereditary in descent; indeed, our present gracious Sovereign is the first of his race who has reigned by succession. His worthy uncle, whose title he justly inherits, dethroned his master, the then reigning tyrant (all dethroned kings are fools or tyrants). They have ever wielded the sceptre with paternal solicitude, chastising their refractory subjects as a tender parent corrects his disobedient child with the rod. Within the harem is established a regular court, in exact imitation of the exterior one, with officers of state, guards, attendants, &c.-she-duplicates of all, excepting priests. As it always has been a very disputed point, whether women have souls or not, it is deemed more prudent to leave that question undetermined. The establishment of a female priesthood must be expensive, and, without any certain benefit, would tend to confirm them in their ambitious belief, that in the eyes of Providence they are equal to men; yet such is the affectionate lenity of these patriarchal rulers, that every woman asserting herself possessed of a soul is permitted the entire keeping and exercise of it for her own private advantage. To these lady-ministers and generals is entrusted the entire administration of all the interior affairs, the strictest precautions being observed to exclude all communication with the exterior. When his Majesty intends to dispel the clouds of the harem by the joy of his presence, he is conducted by his male guards to the entrance of a certain crooked narrow passage, where they are drawn up to present their parting homage. When the darkness of night falls upon the eyes of the exteriors, by the setting of the sun into the afore-mentioned crooked passage, he dawns forth resplendent from the little door at the other end, to enliven with the radiance of his countenance the day of the interior. He is there received by his attendant female goulams and feraches, (or cutthroats) who conduct him through the assembled ministers to the nummud or carpet of state, where he seats himself to administer (first calling for his calcoon or pipe) impartial and severe justice to his faithful female subjects. One of these trials, or courts-martial, (for the offender, it seems, was a military lady) has lately come to my own knowledge; how, I need not explain. I was always inquisitive, and liked to have a friend at court. As the proceedings are rather singular, and in some measure illustrate the interior economy of the royal household, they may not, altogether, be unacceptable to a European reader. I shall therefore transcribe them, de ferring to another occasion my further animadversions and objections to the Moolah Alaverdi's plan, as entirely inapplicable to large insides. I shall omit the Persian titles of Serang, Sultaun, &c. and adopt, as near as may be, the corresponding terms in English, as more intelligible. The court being solemnly assembled, seated, and served with pipes and coffee, the charges were brought forward and read aloud by the secretary, Minikin, with all the emphasis of nasal monotony of which the language is so peculiarly sus ceptible. The indictment, or accusation, is against Ensign Chubby, of the sweetmeat battalion, and is divided into three separate charges of misde meanor. First, for most improper, indecent, disorderly behaviour in the public bazaar; having walked across the same without a veil, contrary to all military discipline, and the strict decorum of deportment absolutely imposed on all officers of the rank of Ensign Chubby. Secondly, for unofficer and unlady-like conduct, totally subversive of all military discipline, in wantonly and cruelly wounding Corporal Dimple; and in using indelicate language to Major Rosebud, of the laundry department, an officer of irreproachable reputation, undeniable virtue, and mother of a large family by a lawful husband, from whose violent temper and cruel stick the Major had every thing to fear, had this slanderous imputation reached his ears. Thirdly, that, in consequence of certain suspicions excited by the frequent absence of Ensign Chubby from duty, without assigning sufficient cause, a jury of discreet matronly officers had been appointed to examine the case; who, after the most careful investigation, report the aforesaid ensign to be some months advanced in a state, utterly unbecoming the character of a single officer and girl of honor. Upon the first charge, it was clearly proved, by the testimonies of Captains Sloe-eye and Beauty, confirmed by Serjeant Languish, that on Thursday, the 6th of last moon, at or about the first hour, after calling mid-day prayers, Ensign Chubby walked twice across the jeweller's bazaar, with a veil immodestly arranged, and only partially covering the face with one corner of it; two-thirds of the nose, at least, and one eye of the said ensign, being absolutely exposed to the public gaze. Moreover, that on turning the corner, just by the shawlmender's stall, leading to Hassan Ali Mirza's, the said Ensign stopped, and familiarly conversed, full five minutes, with a He Serjeant of the Shegaughies, then quartered in town, or passing through. The facts being clearly proved, the guilt of the Ensign was fully established. The Upon the second charge, the following facts were advanced, and most distinctly proved by a number of reputable witnesses. The respectable Major, whose superior knowledge and skill in all kinds of needle work is undisputed and admired by the whole corps, was kindly giving some instructions, how to cut out six chemises to the greatest advantage from a piece of Indian muslin, to Corporal Dimple, who had undertaken to make and embroider them down the front, with the new Ispahaun pattern, for the lady Fatima. Ensign Chubby entered the chamber, and commenced conversation so as to bring a blush into the cheeks of every young soldier present. Ensign continued in the same strain for a considerable period; at the same time throwing on one side the scissors; wilfully burning a thread paper of green silk; at last, heating the Major's best chased silver thimble in the mangal, and privately and maliciously replacing it at the moment that the honest corporal looked out a superfine needle to backstitch the left hand gusset of the second chemise. A horrid wound was inflicted upon the sewing finger of the unfortunate corporal; the celebrated Bandinjon cataplasm was speedily provided, and applied by the active exertions of the party; but unfortunately without that happy success which so frequently attends the operation of this far-famed remedy. The suffering object of this diabolical joke remains yet incapable of duty, civil or military; and, in consequence, the lady Fatima is deprived of the advantages of clean linen. No superior officer could witness such outrageous conduet without giving a reprimand to the offender, which, although couched in perfectly genteel and lady-like language, provoked a most flippant reply. Finally, that the slanderous tongue of the afore said Ensign dared, in the presence of numerous witnesses, to contaminate the pure name of the virtuous major with an odious appellation. To the third charge, the person of the ensign bore sufficient testimony of guilt. Accordingly, the court found the prisoner guilty on all and each of the accusations; and, without hesitation, unanimously declared their verdict. The president, Colonel Simper, of the kitchen guard, a chaste maiden officer, advanced in years, after a most delicate and pathetic discourse on the loveliness of virtue, in which the spotless purity of conduct requisite to embellish the character of a young soldier was finely illustrated, pronounced the sentence of the court: That Ensign Chubby, of the sweetmeat battalion, be degraded to the rank of a common soldier, and rendered incapable of ever again bearing a commission. The court, in the mean time, to prevent disgrace to the corps, will take care to provide a husband suitable to the present rank of the late Ensign. In consequence of this trial, the following general orders have been issued and enforced through the whole harem. That no officer capable of bearing children shall presume to frequent the bazaars, markets, or other public places, without being attended by a reputable old woman. It is also highly recommended to young officers to wear the Indian corsets, for the better preservation of their shapes. The practice of soldiers suckling their children on parade, having introduced various and considerable disorders in the discipline requisite for all good troops, male and female; the same is strictly forbidden from this day. Nevertheless, the king of kings, ever careful of the well-being of his ariny, condescends, in his excelling bounty, to grant one hundred and eighty days leave of absence to all soldiers seven moons gone with child, for the purpose of being confined, and suckling the said child during its tenderest infancy; provided always that the same be lawfully begotten in wedlock, and that no disparagement be brought upon the corps by its birth. J. W. W. Teheran. SONETTI. We have the pleasure to present our readers with three Italian sonnets, which we trust will be new to them. They are in the style of Zappi's celebrated sonnet on the colossal statue of Moses, by Michel Angelo. The first of them, on Thorwaldson's statue of our Saviour, may form no unworthy accompaniment to it; and the conclusion, indeed, excels it; for, in that part, Zappi has indulged in rather a hard conceit. Quale é il duro sasso, Tal era il cor di Faraone allora. As a preface to the second, on the death of Samson, we will place Milton's verses, descriptive of the same event. Straining all his nerves, he bow'd; He tugg'd, he shook, till down they came, and drew Upon the heads of all who sat beneath, Lords, ladies, captains, counsellors, or priests, At the close of the third, on Curtius at the Gulf, it will be observed, that the poet has had his eye on the passage on Homer, so highly commended by Longinus. *Εδδεισεν δ' ὑπένερθεν ἄναξ ἐνέρων ̓Αϊδωνεύς. ΧΧ. 61. Upstarted from his throne, appall'd, the king Of Erebus, &c.-Cowper. But the imitation is carried too far. In Homer every thing has prepared us for so terrific an image. It is very difficult for poets, who come late, not to strive at distinguishing themselves by too much effort. SOPRA IL CRISTO DI THORWALDSON. OH! quale augusto simulacro, oh quanto Palestina il mirò, così di un riso Le angeliche ordinanze allegra in cielo, Campi tale il mirasti, o, in Paradiso LA MORTE DI SANSONE. Irto il redento crin, sangue grondante Quei delle loggie, e gli archi, e le colonne, Coi vecchi infranti, e le schiacciate donne, CURZIO ALLA VORAGINE. Conl'una man diè Curzio ai suoi Latini Gli orecchi, il cavalier scotea dal dorso, Roma, 1822. B. SESTINI. |