Concession are exotic among the Persians Logick contending that Distinctions and Laconical Evasions on which the Stress of the Aristotelian Doctrine seems to be laid are not to be held for the true Solution of the Argument but by a long Harangue and Affluence of Speech the Auditors are brought both to admire them and be of their side whereupon the greater the Convention of Auditors is the more earnest will their Contention be for to yield in such Assemblies is not at all to be expected unless he that holds his Tongue first intends to lose both his Credit and his Cause Universals Their Physicks Catagories and their depending Questions they often reject concerning the nature of a Body Place Vacuum Corruption Quantities and Qualities they inform their Students after the Aristotelian way being unacquainted with the Resolution of Causes of Sublunary Beings by Atoms according to our modern Cartesian Disciples revived in honour of Epicurus whom they suppose they have sufficiently Confuted by the Name of Zimorat with some vain and boyish Instances against Composition without Interruption and infinite Particles preaching up a Vacuum whereby they believe the Absurdity to be demonstrated In their Theology after the Contemplation of One Eternal Divinity after its Unity and Attributes which they maintain to be all one with its Essence they hold the World to be from Eternity and such a Treatise of the Soul and Passions with the other precisions of the Intellect which is no where to be found in Metaphysicks In these as in their other Speculations they cleave so pertinaciously to their Books and undoubted Authors as if it were piacular to depart from their Traditions They fancy to themselves a Chimerical Creation of the World by Ten Intelligencies which by the same inexpugnable Reason passes into their Creed and being freight with this Notion they say from one most simple Cause can proceed no more than one Effect and therefore God framed the first Intelligence and that mediating the First Heaven and so in their subaltern order to the Tenth That the World was many Ages before Adam and Eve Metaphysicks our first Parents Eduction out of the Earth Inhabited by Devils and that the Possession thereof was so long entrusted in their Hands till they had extirminated the true Worship of God which at first they applied themselves Religiously to observe and gave themselves up to Uncleanness and Prophaneness when Man was Created in their room and they cast out of any farther Possession and Men took their Places That Souls were from all Eternity and commanded by God on the actual Exigency of any Body to enter a Relation or a certain dependency with them not an Information or real Presence tota in toto tota in quâlibet parte corporis vitam habentis being all in all and all in every part where Life does exist from this foolish Conception of theirs they attribute Place and Circumscription to the Soul therefore they Object not a Spiritual but a Corporal Substance to be inferred They acknowledge Four kinds of Causes viz. Material Formal Efficient and Final they allow not of an exemplary but admit of a total Cause by which they understand such an one as no condition is defective to put it into Act and on these Foundations they suppose the World's Creation from Eternity to be enough proved The Books of greatest vogue Books in Esteem are those of Corge Nessir Tussi of the City Tuss in the Province of Korasam wrote Five hundred years ago he as it is credible understood the Greek Language as well as others from whence he has explained some Ancient Authors as Euclid Pâ—olomy's Alguma and Opticks and has reduced them into a Compendium as also the Works of Plato Some Expositors they have of their Law with Rules of Justice and Morality which they admire and extol to the Skies and rest implicitly on the ipse dixit of their Prophet never enquiring farther If any thing happen to oppose common Sense they protract the meaning Mysteriously or Anagogically not to the disquisition of the Truth but to defend their Fopperies Among which they have in the first esteem the Written Letter of their Prophet as immediately prescribed by him and these are Oracular In the Second place those who are since published by the Mahometan Sectators and these are look'd upon as Human any whereof if they appear foolish yet they doubt not but their Prophet uttered them that he might bring himself to the Capacities of his Hearers and of the Arabians to whom he was sent to call them from Idolatry to the Worship of the only One God for which the Persians make this Answer Should a Doctor talk to a Rustick and speak as if he were discoursing with a Professor and not conform himself to the apprehension of the Countryman How should he be understood Which course say they Mahomet took for the better Information of his Proselytes Who leaving Natural Causes declares these Secrets were Revealed to him That The Winds were raised by an Angel's moving his Wings Mahomet's Revelations The Flux and Reflux of the Sea was caused by an Angel's putting his Foot on the middle of the Ocean and compressing the Waves the Waters ran to the Shores which being removed they retired to their proper station Falling Stars are the Firebrands wherewith the Good Angels drive away the Bad when they are too sawcily inquisitive and approach too near the Empyreum the Virge of the Heavens to hearken to and eves-drop the Secrets there Thunder is nothing else but the Cracking of an Angel's Whip while he slashes the dull Clouds to such and such a place where Rains are wanting to make the Earth fertile and remedy its Driness Eclipses he delivers happen not by the mutual Interjection of the Heavenly Bodies but that the Sun and Moon are shut in a Pipe a Cupboard as well and turned up and down and that from each Pipe is a Window by which they enlighten the World but when God is angry at the Inhabitants thereof for their Transgressions he bids an Angel clap to the Window and turn the Lights towards Heaven from the Earth then the Light is taken away from the unworthy Miscreants and an Eclipse is made for which occasion he has left them Forms of Prayers to be used by the Mahometans that God would be pleased to avert his Judgments and restore Light to the World In an Eclipse of the Moon they beat Pots and Pans or any other brazen Instrument as in time of Idolatry it was a prevailing Custom even in Europe as well as here and in India which still some ignorant Old Women and the dregs of the People are ready enough to continue for the Tradition was handed down to them wherewith they were seduced of Yore that the Moon might be Inchanted and unless it were roused up by this Noise would certainly fall down dead asleep upon the Earth from Heaven Juvenal in his Satyrs Comments pleasantly
of Nereus The Navy or the Seamen these in the Persian Gulph are either Fishermen or such as brush the Ocean to get a Penny by Freight What are in the Caspian Sea I cannot be positive in my Relation but I never heard them boast of more hardy ones In the Persian Bay they have at Ormus Bunder-Abassee Larack and Kismash some few Gallies laid up but unprovided either of Men or Tackle and if at any time they are launched they fill them out of the Provincial Auxiliaries under the Caun of Bunder Thus have we run through this kind of Warlike Men from Top to Bottom CHAP. XIII Of their Bookmen and Books of their Religion and Religious Worship of their Notions in Philosophy of Heaven and Hell Their Astronomers Physicians and Lawyers AFter These come the Academicks A Learned Clerk rare for such is the Civility of these Regions that Arms take place of the Gown Letters being of small Esteem among them for the Incitements to Study are but few the Toil and Labours are many whereby it is no wonder that slenderness of Profit and Assiduity should be alike irksome when on the contrary a Military Condition slights these Inconveniences and Austerities and lives more at large taking Pleasure and commanding all where they come and are in a continual Prospect of Advancement On which score a Learned or a Noble Clerk in these Parts is as rare as a Black Swan they being raised to that Station out of the Dregs of the People The School-Language among the Persians is Arabick The School-Language as Latin is held so among us in which not only the Mysteries of their Alcoran but of all their Sciences are written They have their Grammars Their Books written with a Pen not Printed Dictionaries and Vocabulaes in which are the Roots of the Arabick Tongue which with other Books are all written with the Pen by great Industry and Pains Chap. XIII not committed to the Press wherefore they are chargeable and less free from Errors to correct which they compare with others more correct one reading with a loud Voice while the other takes notice of the Faults They reckon Fifty Letters to a Verse and for a Thousand Verses of ordinary Writing they give Two Abcees from Five to Ten and upward for that which is more exquisite after this rate are their Books for Sale valued An Account of the Character being stated they numerate the Verses of any one Page and multiplying the other Pages thereby the Price of the Book is produced If there be Lines of Gold Silver Oker or the like surrounding the Margin for Ornament as is their Custom they reckon nothing for them but bestow them gratis on the first Buyer and only pass as a better Grace to set off the Book they being mightily taken with a fair Hand and good Writing This agrees with the Custom of the Ancient Romans Candida nec nigrâ cornua fronte geras Nec titulus minio nec cedro charta notetur Ovid. Et Frontis gemino decens honore Et Cocco rubens superbus index Martial They use Indian Ink Pens made of Reeds being a midling sort betwixt our common Ink and that made use of in Printing Instead of a Pen they make use of a Reed as in India The Children of Nobles Education of Youth or other Rich Men are brought up at home not stirring out of their Houses without a Train of Eunuchs and Servants for fear of Sodomy so much practised among the pestilent Sect of Mahometans Other Children of Inferior Rank are taught in their Publick Schools for a small matter Their Childhood being passed Preposterous way of Learning and they beginning to write Man they frequent the Schools and Colleges and every one chuses a Master where he pleases and having chose him after a few Months leaves him at his own Will and goes over to another For such a strange Itch is here of Learning that before they are half way instructed in one Book they are desirous to be perfected in another and before they have read Philosophy Morality or any other Science to qualify them they leap into the Alcoran for here are neither Publick Professors to examine or Publick Acts to be kept either in Divinity Law or Physick They are constituted by the Primate of their cursed Fabulous Doctrine without formal Disputation or other Approbation than the Popular Fame Interest of Friends and a false Appearance of a Pious Life and are introduced by these means into the Pensions and Benefices of their Wealthiest Mosques Whence it comes to pass that they are so inclinable to read to all Comers Emulation in gaining Disciples for he whose Lectures are most frequented stands fairest in the Noisy Applause of the Town and seldom misses of Promotion though it is known many of them consume their Patrimony in purchasing Disciples and after all reap nothing but Poverty for their Pains Which kind of Philosophers are always attended with Envy and Ambition nor care they who they defame may they but extol themselves And after a long Invective both of Master and Scholar against whomever they think fit to bespatter or they are in danger of being outdone by insulting in the mean while over them as the greatest Dunces and Asses in Nature at length out of kindness to themselves having stretched their own Worth to the highest pitch lest the swoln Bladder should burst by too much Wind they feign an humble self-reprehension which because nothing is more practised I will use their own Phrase Ezked tacrit goufton ai behest amma hemme kess me donet It is indecent for a Man to speak his own Praise but were I silent this is a Justice you would do me it being nothing but what you know Whereby it is visible if they abate of their own Tumour it is likely to be very little to the favour of him they declaim against Notwithstanding these Tricks and disingenuous Insinuations yet this scabby Herd increases so that they are at their Wits ends how to live Some find Mecoenas's among the Noblemen and content themselves to live slavishly according to their Humours for a Morsel of Bread Others by saving what they have scraped up from the poor Trade of Scribes and teaching School hire an House purchase an Horse and a Servant to run before them it being a sign of the greatest Poverty to foot it through the City and if by good Luck they get a Name and are reputed Men of Note for Learning they then enlarge their Stock and Family And these are they that pride themselves in being the greatest Doctors among them and so set up for Academies of their own and teach Aristotle's Dialect and the Four Figures of Syllogism though the Question being propounded they bind not themselves up to the strict Rules thereof but they beg the Premise by way of Interrogation as a Truth granted and from thence draw their Conclusions The Terms of Negation and
Three Four or Five Minutes our Chymical Arithmetical Transmutation never entring their Thoughts of the Sixtieth Number swelled into an unity by Cyphers that all the Chords may evade absolute and intire no more have they any smattering of that never enough to be admired Science of Logarithms The Theory of the Planets the Middle Motions of Ptolemy and the solid Orbs as delivered by Purbachius they are perfect in Copernicus or rather before him Pythagoras's Hypotheses are confusedly and ignorantly disapproved by them neither desiring to be informed nor caring to concern themselves with any other than what they have imbibed Traditionally by their Forefathers For which reason Ticho's Instruments for Observation of the Heavenly Phenomenas are undervalued by them Their Astrolabe is the most Workmanly Tool among them it being neatly framed of Brass Copper or Silver in a truly plain and familiar method on one double Square only divided into 180 Parts each with their Tangents from the Structure of which Instrument all the Centers of the Circles are sooner found out by Steel Compasses hung in an Arch with their Screws than by our old way of Staefler and Regiomontanus which though true in it self yet it hardly is made to come right They have Tables shewing the exact Motion of the Planets and thence collect their Ephemeris which is Twofold One whereof is Cameri Answering to our Almanack where are set forth the Conjunctions and Oppositions of the Luminaries the Rains the Alterations of the Air also obscure and implicit Predictions to catch the believing Multitude The other is Chamesi in which the Longitudes Latitudes and Aspects of the Stars the Eclipses sometimes agreeing sometimes disagreeing with ours In this Book are the suspicions of War scarcity of Corn and other Incidents not discernible in Human Learning but so adapted that like the sound of Bells to the Fancies of some so these admit of an interpretation agreeable to every one's sense that the Prognosticator may not be reproved of unskilfulness Such an itch of knowing Contingencies reigns here that no Journey is undertaken no New Book read no Change of Garments put on no fresh Dwelling entred upon before the Stars are consulted here is controverted when is the good when the unlucky Hour to begin or end upon any Enterprize The Moon 's or other Planets ingrets into Scorpio is much dreaded among them and if that Planet be Retrograde a stop is put to all business Whence comes the vulgar Juggle of the oblong Cubes in which equal and unequal Numbers are disposed where they being cast at adventures what Figures they happen to be upon from these Points they thence make their judgments Something parallel is found in the occult Philosophy of Cornelius Agrippa in Page 221. These draw Schemes and are puffed with Necrâ—mantick Problems If a Thief have stolen any thing 〈◊〉 if a Servant have run from his Master with stolen Goods if any would be acquainted about Husbands or Wives they betake themselves to such Oracles as these Who begin their Delusion with a Gipsy Cant with Eyes and Hands lift up to Heaven then casting the Dye he observes the Points and aenigmatically canvesses the Event sometimes hitting the Case and sometimes as wide from it as the East is from the West and though by Experience they have found them tripping an Hundred times and upbraid them for the Cheat they put it off as if they had not stated the thing fairly that a Minute in the Calculation varies the truth that this is the true profession Daniel transmitted to Posterity and if it answer not the Question it is not because the Art is defective but because few are so happy as to attain its perfection and thus do they willingly continue in their belief of the Gull They encourage an infinite number of these Southsayers as many as can invent new Tricks to get Money by it When they consult for future success in Matters of great consequence they go to some Learned Doctor who Divines by the Alcoran and he having prayed opens the Alcoran that Legend of Lies and the first Page he sets his Eyes upon if the First Commandment happen to be in it the Augury is of force and they have no delay allowed them but hasten with all speed about their Work and if Twenty more come on the fame Errand they are seâ—t away with the same Response which after comparing Notes though the Event be as unfortunate as may be yet they contentedly acquiesce in the verity of the Prophecy however contradictory to their Senses and shall repeat the same method as if it were a Point of their Faith to go on in palpable Absurdities by constantly enquiring of the Alcoran The Emperor nourishes a great many Astrologers 〈◊〉 the chief of whom is always by his side with his Astrolabe at his Girdle and dictates the good hour or bad hour when to rise when to go to bed or to perpetrate any action of Note erecting a Scheme on the Sand whose Advice is always followed though some Stories are upon Record to their disadvantage Two whereof I shall relate About Eighteen Years ago it being famous and no longer since remains fresh in memory and is made use of to make sport with the Astrologers The Cossaks on the River Tanais came thence over the Caspian Sea and made a Descent into Persia and carried off a great Booty loading their small Ships without any opposition The Emperor of Persia incensed with this Affront and Depredation made on his Subjects arms such a Fleet as he thought sufficient to correct their Insolence with his Soldiers and bad them take the Sea at the precise time the Astrologers should direct that the Heavens also conspiring they should effectually chastise their Enemies which being without doubt carefully studied should as infallibly come to pass to that upon their invading them not one of them should escape And for the better obtaining their end advised'em to fasten their Ships together by strong Chains that so they should keep their Body intire lest the Cossacks should set upon any single Vessel and at the same time should enclose the Pirates so that they should by no means get out of their hands But the cunning Cossacks being used to Stratagems foreseeing their Design fell upon the first Ship with their Guns which so bored her Sides that she sunk and by her weight occasioned the rest to sink one after another so that 500 Men and Twelve Ships were sent to the bottom in a well-chosen hour and the Cossacks by this Exploit left Masters of the Sea and the Borders thereon liable to their continual Incursions Three Years after one of the same Tribe contriving how to augment his Pension in a chosen time presented a Petition to the Emperor when he happened to be out of humour and therefore commanded an exact Account to be given him of the expence he was at in maintaining this Vermin the return whereof amounting to 20000 Thomands Yearly made him
Sum And he answering aree yes goes on so thou art Debtor to Zeid an Hundred and Fifteen Twenty or Thirty Thomands payable this time Twelve Months being fully expired to which he replying aree it is valid in Law In which Form of Writing such caution is used that they trust not Figures nor bare Words that express the Sum intire and at length but half it and part it to prevent equivocation For Example the Sum of an Hundred Fifteen Thomands is the Principal the half whereof is Fifty seven and an half the Fifth part is Twenty three deluding hereby the skill of the most subtle Sophister since the Subsequents so inexpugnably strengthen the Antecedents They have another way of borrowing Money upon an House which they pawn for a certain Sum for so many years and Hire their own House of the Creditor at his terms till the Sum be payed in which if there happen any lapse or failure the House becomes forfeit at the end of the time and is seized for the use of the Creditor as well as if the Principal be not restored And this is held good in Law among them Besides the Cadi The 〈◊〉 they have another Splitter of Causes called Sheik el elloum being Interpreter of the Ancient Laws or something like our Court of Chancery the other being for the Common-Law who sits in his own House also without any subalternate Jurisdiction Nor does the Codre or Musty disdain to Hear sometimes The Codâ—â— but this Eagle catches not at Flies haec Aquila non capit Muscas the most weighty Affairs being reserved for his Audience And through these muddy Streams runs the Law over all the Realm Guilty of Bribery and Injustice they acting under the Cauns in the several Districts and the Codre under the Emperor which how consentaneous to self-preservation let any one judge where Bribery and Extortion get the upper-hand For where Nature has prescribed that Rule as a Fundamental Maxim That every man without respect to any ought to Patronize the innocent or help the injured whereby we seek to uphold the Community and therein indeed preserve our selves how can this come to pass unless it should be alike diffusive to all whereby every one of us become united in the same Law of Nature which if Magistrates would consider they would find the Press of the Argument lie thus To preside is to do right and profitable things agreeable to the Laws of self-preservation for as the Rulers are over the People so the Laws ought to be above the Rulers I mean so far as to Govern by them and act nothing contrary to them Nor can that Man be just or vertuous who conâ—orms himself to any other Sentiments or are they otherwise to be esteemed than those whose Senses being depraved have not the true relish of their Food who enslave the Laws and act not within their prescript and must come under the denomination of lustful flagitious covetous and insensible persons who have not the true Taste of Justice but stupidly follow the Dictates of their own Wills which is too truly the Case of this Government Nor need this be wondered at since even their Summum bonum is placed in such Sensualities as no ways consist with rectified Reason A Paradise Calculated for their blockish Temper Their Paradise whose Reach is not superior to the groveling Beasts and therefore aim at no higher Felicity Which makes them rely on their Interpreters of their Law when they preach That after this Life the blessed Mahometans are to be received into pleasant Gardens where they are to lie under the spreading Boughs of shady Trees Clothed with soft Raiments Adorned with most costly Gems hung with Rich Chains and Precious Rings â—ed with the most delightful Fruits delicate Fowls and inticing Cates shall quaff the best Nectar to Eternal Healths without Intemperance their Liquors distilling from Vines that are not â—briating which shall never offend the Brain their Couches shall be stuffed with the yielding Down their Quilts shall lighty press their Bodies and Virgins with never-dying Beauty shall bear them Company who shall love none besides their own Husbands nor never be less Virgins than when first enjoyed constantly renewing a full Tide of Glee which is never to Ebb into dull Sadness but continue an uninterrupted course of self-complacency These are the Excellent Attainments of their Coelestial Happiness and those that think these Promises of no avail their Prophet denounces Hell-fire and Brimstone for their Unbelief Flectere si nequeat superos Acheronta movebit If in his Heaven they doubt there is no Room Hark how he Thunders out his fearful Doom They shall be punished in smoaky Fire and Brimstone their Meat shall be Pitch and. Their Hell Tar mixed with Lime and Hair their Drink a Composition of Flame which shall cause intolerable Pains A Religion suitable enough to this Meridian where Polygamy or the use of many Women is Authorized which from these Borders has exspaciated it's self over the whole East with such impetuousness The Progress of their Religion that from the stinking Lake in Arabia whence it first sprang it has like a Torrent ran bearing all before it Until it was a little distracted by the Ottoman and Suffean Factions but so that its Course was not broken but divaricated into two Streams and so became more diffused and the Channels made more rapid and extensive so taking is this Doctrine fitter for Brutes than Men. For Man to speak with the Philosopher whether God or Nature the Mother of all things has given him a Soul than which nothing can be more Sublime or more Divine The Souls of Men superior to Brutes can he be so stupid or senselesly abject to imagine there should be no difference betwixt him and Four-footed Creatures Hâ—mo enim ut cum Philosopho dicam cum illi sive Deus sive Mater rerum omnium Natura Animam dederit quo nihil praestantius neque divinius sic ipse se abjiciet ac prosternat ut nihil inter illum quadrupidem putat On which consideration it might well be concluded with what the Author of Religio Medici writes on this Subject The Alcoran is a Book composed unadvisedly stuffed with idle and ridiculous Errors in Philosophy sustained by apparent Solicisms Subterfuges of Ignorance the decrying of Academies and the banishing of all manner of Learning upheld by Force more than Reason the Fortune of their Arms being their greatest Argument To which Lypsius consents O Nugamenta c. which made Avicenna of an extraordinary Happiness of Wit though unhappily born under the Mahometan Sect after he had seriously reflected on the Imposture blush to think their Prophet had placed Eternal Felicity in a life of Carnal Pleasures insomuch that he was forced to confess he could do no otherwise than abjure his Faith to become Master of his Reason For says he The Law Mahomet has delivered to us has limited