I have lately made an acquaintance for poor Sophy never diftreffes her friends with an agreeable young lady, about my by recounting her own miferies.-She own age: the lives with her grandmother, fighs in fecret. about half a mile from this place. She has had a very liberal education; but her father marrying a fecond wife, the old lady begged the might have Mifs Herbert live with her :-a very good natured old woman is this grandmother; quite a different character to your aunt.-Sophy and I are together every day ;-fhe is this inftant calling me to take a walk with her: -I go; after affuring you of the esteem and friendship of your

Jeffey Belmont.

LETTER XVII.

I Should have answered my dear Julia's letters before this time, if I had been at home; but they came at the time I was at Oxford. My uncle having fome bufinefs to tranfact there, took the opportunity of going while I was with him:-he rode on horfeback, iny aunt and I in the chaife.

I think Oxford a delightful place ;nay, I can fearce determine, whether my heart is quite fafe; for I faw a most enchanting youth at study in one of the libraries; by his drefs he was a gentleman commoner; but what was very provoking, he took not the leaft notice of us, fo very attentive was he to the nafty Greek book he was reading.

You may be fure I looked fharp for my fquare-cap'd Adonis; but I could never be certain of him again. I once fancied I faw him at prayers in one of the chapels, but was not near enough to determine.-However I am returned in very good fpirits fo conclude, my heart is not wounded very deeply we were upon the ramble four months. I longed much to hear how all my good friends did at your end of the world; but could not, as we fhifted our quarters fo frequently: but I imagine you heard of all our manoeuvres, as I conftantly wrote to my mother.

I forbear to mention a certain tranfactiof, for reafons you give; though much do I long, and much could I fay about it. -Keep your fpirits up, my dear girl, and hope for happier days. I am glad Frank Brewter is pleafed with your conduct; for I efteem him one of your beft friends.

When do you expect your aunt from Bath? How does the lively Mrs. Brudenel do?--Return her my thinks for her chari

tanie letters..

Por Sophy Herbert is fallen a prey to hopeless love:-the beloved object is either abroad on his travels, or at college. This intelligence I had from my aunt

I find 'twas love at firft fight with her; but the youth was rather obdurate. The circumftance of their first meeting was really romantic:-Sophy was lolling over a rail in her garden to fith, the rail broke, and poor Sophy plunged into the water: however the had the good fortune to get near enough to the bank to lay hold; but 'twas fo ficep, and her clothes fo wet and heavy, that the found 'twas impoffible to clamber;-fhe then gave a violent fhriek, which was heard by this young man, who was riding by at that intant: he flew to the place, and was but juft in time to fave her life for the ground fhe had hold of gave way he pulled off his coat and waistcoat, and brought up the half-dead nymph in an inftant.-You may conceive the was all gratitude :-but the poor girl fuffered inconceivably, when he was informed her protector was given over of a violent fever, which he had got by going into the water when he was very warm.

:

I wonder Sophy never mentioned this to me; but he is the most modeft, diffident girl I ever faw. My aunt fays, the never faw her preferver, but believes him to be the fon of a gentleman of large property, that lives about fixteen miles off; but, in pity to the lovely fufferer, never makes any inquiries: though 'tis fuppofed, Sophy has feen him feveral times fince the accident.

Upon my word, I think this fame Sophy is a fad fly-boots :-well, I'll be even with her when I am in love; or know the reafon why.

Tell my mother, I mean to be at home in a month or fix weeks.-I think 'tis an age fince I faw my friends at the Grove: obferve, I comprehend you and Emily;

nor have I forgot my dear friends at Campley green :-to all whom I defire my love and beft respects.

Yours,

Jeffey Belmont. LETTER XIX.

My day is at last come, Julia; I am no longer the little infenfible Jeffey you ufed to call me-I am indeed in love.The amiable youth, that attracted my notice at Oxford, is now in this part of the world. Unfortunate Jefley! why did I not go home at the time appointed ? then would my poor heart have been free.— I wear are goiden ones; and I glory in But why fould I complain -the chains my captivity and though I have great reafon to think the amiable object, that poffiffes my foul, has no heart to return;

1781.

Account of a remarkable Imperfection of Sight.

yet would I not be free for the univerfe.

19

think, Julia, the ufed me friendly?-But I muft forgive the dear girl; for in every other refpect the is all my heart could with her.

bye.

About a month ago, my aunt and I were riding out for an airing; we had got about nine miles from our own houfe, What a teazing creature this aunt of admiring a very pretty garden which be- mine is !--come in on purpose to tell me, nged to a houfe at a little diftance from Eugene has left the country!-Thomas the road, when prefently we difcovered a law him pals the houfe in a pott-chaife, beautiful youth lying on a bank reading; with boxes before and behind. Heigh-ho! bat guefs my aftonishment, when upon his methinks he might have faid goodtarting up, I difcovered that he was the very philofopher that had made fo deep an impreffion on my heart at Queen's College. He came very politely towards us, and aked, if we would walk in :-upon our refusing, he informed us we were cut of the road, for the lane we were in only led to their farm-yard: however he fcramhed over the hedge, and turned the chaife round himself.

I am ture, Julia, you would admire m: for if the face is a true index of the sind, he must be a moft valuable being. I have met him feveral times fince, and ant help thinking but his looks are greaty changed fince the time he leaped the hedge: he is quite pale; fighs continually; and once or twice I have feen the hiz tear ready to start from his eye. What can this mean, my Julia?-Is he in -Surely, if he is, the maid he hors with his affection, muft return it with delight! And if fo, what makes him 6 dull?

We spent an evening together, laft week, a neighbour's of my uncle's. Every was attentive when he fpoke :-"The pradet Roman blushed to hear his virts, and old-age grew wife."

The gentleman at whofe houfe he is, and who came with him, is his guardian ; 4. I understand, has recommended a g lady to him. Perhaps he don't rehis guardian's choice. Alas! what's

My uncle and aunt have promised to attend me home.-She fearce remembers my mother; for the married when my aunt was not above eight years old and not doing it with the confent of her parents, they would never fee her after-· wards.

I must confefs, I fhall leave this charming peaceful retreat with fome concern.Mr. and Mrs. Jenour's kind regard, Sophy's partiality, not to forget the few hours of rapture I have spent in the company of the enchanting Eugene;-all thefe things confidered, can I do lefs than mourn a feparation, though I fly to triends I fo much efteem and love?-From your tender difpofition I have every thing to hope-you'll fooh me in my hours of forrow, and calm my apprehenfions of what I dread the mot;-need I explain what?-Mr. Afhington's friend. Alas! poor Jelley !-I tremble with the idea:but whether in joy or forrow, I fhal always be my dear Julia's unfeigned friend, Jeffey Belmont. An Account of a remarkable Imperfection of Sight. (From the Philofophical Tranfac tions.)

Rafen, May 26, 1777.

tut to me ! Such an accomplished, cle. I should have given you my

at young man, with a large fortune, afpire to fomething above the unforate Jeffey Belmont-who has no portibut a virtuous mind. Are you not patient to know his name?-'Tis EuHe comes from Germany ;-his Prents both dead.

Tis very odd, I can't prevail upon Soto make me her confidante. I thought bad almost perfuaded her, the other and to encourage her, had confeffed pafion for Eugene: but no fooner opened my whole heart to her, than barit into tears, and intreated I would preis her no more. She affured me, hers abopeless flame, and the fhould enour to conquer it; and the thought way to effectual, as to banish him from

er converfation and thoughts. Do you

Rev. Sir, Received your favour in due time. I anfwer fooner, but have been greatly afflicted with the gout. I am very willing to inform you (and take your inquiry, as a favour) of my inability concerning colours, as far as I am able from my own common obfervation.

It is a family failing my father has exactly the fame impediment: my mother and one of my fifters were perfect in all colours my other filter and myself alike imperfect;-but fhe has a daughter who is very perfect: I have a fon and daughter, who both know all colours without exdeption; and fo did their mother: my mother's own brother had the like impediment with me, though my mother, as men. tioned above, knew all colours very well.

Now I will inform you what colours I have leaft knowledge of. I do not know

C 2

any

1781. lafure, fufficient to prepare the plans for his future greatnefs. It was fifteen years after this marriage before he publicly affumed the prophetic character: and he then met with fuch vigorous oppofition, particularly from the leading men of his own tribe, that, nearly crushed as he often was, he muft probably have been quite overwhelmed; had not his riches, by increafing his power, his importance, and his profelytes, furnished him with refour ces to overcome difficulties; which might otherwife have baffled all the vigour of his genius.

Arabian Heroines.

21

The Arabian women of rank seem indeed to have taken a very active concera both in civil and military affairs. At the battle of Ohod, where Mohammed was defeated by the Pagan Meccans, the referve, we find, was led on by Henda, the wife of Abu Sofian, a man of the first rank. She was accompanied by fifteen other women of diftinction; who, with mufic and exhortations, animated the troops. By their fpirit and reproaches they were repeatedly rallied, when retiring before Mohammed: and by them, in a great measure, was the fortune of the day decided.

and

The Prophet, at his death, left many widows: four of whom, whilft they lived, One of the most confiderable of the prohad confiderable weight in the councils of phet's oppofers, was a lady called Forka; the Arabs. But the influence of Ayesha, who seems to have answered exactly the whom they dignified with the title of Mo- defcription of a feudal peerefs in the midther of the Faithful, was almost unbound- dle ages of Europe. She was poffeffed of ed. Ali, as fon-in-law and cousin-german territory, of a caftle, and of great riches to Mohammed, was generally confidered and confideration. Her troops had checkas his fucceffor: but he had incurred the ed the inroads of the prophet's marauding difpleasure of Ayefha, whom he had once, parties; and Zeid, one of his chief genewith many others, accused of incontinence: rals, was fent to reduce her to obedience. and the never forgave him. Her father The defence of her caftle was obftinate: Abubeker owed his elevation to the Kha- but it was at length taken by ftorm lifat chiefly to her addrefs. Upon his de- the lady, with part of her garrison, were ceafe, the fupported Omar. She was chief killed. Amongst other captives was Forconfpirater against Othman, the fucceffor ka's young daughter and heiress; who, of Omar. And when Ali, at length, fuc- with all her wealth, became the prize of ceeded to the Khalifat, fhe headed a for- the conqueror. midable rebellion against him. She took Bafrah; and gave him battle near that place. This famous action is called fumu' jamal, the day of the Camel, from a large white one, upon which he was mounted. She rode through the ranks; and, to animate her troops, the drove into the thickeft of the battle. Seventy hands, it is faid, were truck off, in attempting to feize her bridle. And, when the legs of her camel were at length cut off, the carriage in which the fat refembled a porcupine, from the number of javelins and arrows with which it was transfixed. The fuperior generalfhip of Ali prevailed; her army, tho' more numerous, was routed; and the fell into the hands of the Khalif. When brought before him, he faid, "What doft thou think of the work of God to thee?" She anfwered, "Thou haft conquered, O Ali! be merciful." The generous Ali did how her mercy. He fent her to Me dina, attended by feventy women in men's apparel; where the was ordered to confine berfelf to her house, and meddie no more in ftate affairs. On the death of Ali, however, the recovered her influence; and many years afterwards, when Moawiyah wifhed to make the Khalifat hereditary in his family, he thought it neceffary to feCure her intereft, by a prefent of bracelets valued at 150,000 dinars, near 70,000l.

Many other examples might be given ; · but it may be fufficient, for the prefent fubject, to obferve in general, that the dignified behaviour, which distinguished the Arabian women, long before and after Mohammed, points clearly to a confcioufnefs of their own importance: to which an habitual flavery and subjection could never poffibly have given birth.

Numberlefs inftances of the confequence of women might be brought also from Perfia, Tartary, and other Eastern countries. But I muft again beg the reader to remember, that the limits of these sketches will not permit me to enter into details; or to prefent to his attention any thing but mere outlines. It is certain, among other privileges, that they poffeffed the right of fucceffion to the throne; and often acted as regents during the minority of their fons. Touran dokht and Azurmi dokht, the daughters of Khofrou Parvis, were fucceffively the reigning queens of Perfia, a few years before the Mohammedan conqueft.-About the beginning of the tenth century, queen Seidet was regent, during the non age of her fon, and governed with much wifdom. When he took the reins of government, he appointed the famous phyfician Avicenna to be his vizir. But, public affairs being managed with much imprudence, the queen mother, finding

her.

V

herfelf treated with indignity, retired from throne, the court was furprized, that he court; and, raifing an army, defeated her- fhould have accepted it. And a friend fon: whom, nevertheless, the restored to begging of him to know, what could inthe throne; and aflifted, from that time, duce him to refign the power he had over with her councils. The kingdom flourish- fo viti an empire, to take the charge of a ed whilft the lived: but on or death, Corner: Altum Tifh replied, "By the the powerful Sultan Mahmoud of Chezna, God who created heaven and earth, the who had ever treated her with much re- fecret which I thall now difclofe to you I fpe&t, attacked her dilipated fon, and an- have not revealed to any living foul. It nexed Perfia to his empire. was the enmity of Jemila Kandahari, and that only, which made me give up the power I had over this great empire. For, many years have the affairs thereof been under my management: and, in that time, whatever I tied the unloofed; and whatever I unloofed the tied. What the refolved upon I was incapable of opposing ; and whatever the opposed it was in vain for me to attempt. Vexed with being continually foiled, and unable to apply a remedy, the world appeared dark in my eyes; and I voluntarily threw myself into this retirement, where I trust in God I fhall be fafe from the effects of her refentment." We must not fuppofe, that this female influence was thus powerful in the Court of a weak or a diffipated prince: for Mahmoud was one of the greatest monarchs that ever reigned; almost the whole of his great empire he had conquered himfelf; and it was governed intirely under his own infpection. Jemila Kandahari appears to have been the first lady of the bed-chamber to Mahmoud's Sultana: and her refentment againit Altun Tafh, was owing to his oppolition to the Vizir Abmen Haffan, whom he patronized. Gallantry, at the fame time, does not appear to have had any concern in her operations: for Nezam obferves, that, though her favourite Ahmed correfponded with her often, they did not fee one another perhaps once in twelve months.

According to Abulgazi Khan, by the antient lans of the Moguls, a prince could not reign till he was thirty years of age: on which occafions, the queen mother acted always as reg nt. He gives an inftance, in this place, of a princefs, named Alinea, (from whom Jengiz Khan derived defcent) who governed her people, for many years, during the minority of her fon. Turkhan Khatun, a Tartar lady, mother of Mohammed, Sultan of Khafezmé, was a princels of uncommon abilities, and had fuch an afcendancy over her fon, that he, in a great meafure, governed the kingdom; which, before the invafion of Jeng z Khan, was confidered as the most powerful in the Eaft: and the court the most magnificent and po. Yet ladies of the first distinction thought it not inconfiftent with the delicacy of their fex to take the field against the Moguls. They made alfo many fallies during the fiege of the capital; which held out, near twelve months, against a prodigious army commanded by three of Jengiz Khan's fons. And, when it was taken at hit by affult, the inhabitants, male and female, retired, fighting, from house to houfe, and from street to ftreet; till, according to the loweft computation, above a hundred thousand were killed. The fpirit, indeed, of the Kharezmian women, has induced fome writers to confider them as the defcendants of the antient Amazons.

lite.

The Vizar Nezam gives many inftances of the political influence of the women in Eaftern courts; and is at infinite pains to advife his fon to pay to treni the higheft attention. He divides the court into four chaffes, at the head of which he places the women: and obferves, that much of his fuccefs will depend upon the manner in which he conducts himself towards them. The first class that claims your notice, fays he, are the principal women: the next, the king's fons: after them, the great Omras: and, laft of all, the inferior minifters. Altun Tah, continues the Vizir, was the first Omra of the Divan, in the reign of Sultan Mahmoud of Ghezna, When the government of Kharezmé being vacant, he folicited the appointment. As he was ettcomed the chief pillar of the

Marriage fettlements and portions given with daughters, or filters, appear to be of great antiquity in Arabia: for, long before Mohammed, they had refined fo much upon them, that it became common, where two men were obliged to give great for. tunes with their female relations, to evade payment, by making a double marriage; one espousing the daughter or sister of the other; and giving his daughter or fitter in return. This practice, which they called Shigar, probably with the view of encouraging alliances among different tribes, or preventing too much wealth from accumulating in particular families, Mohammed declared to be illegal in the Alcoran.-The feparate property, or paraphernalia, which the wife enjoyed, feems to have been the produce of fuch prefents as the bride received from her friends, or from her future hufband, before marriage. Thofe of the