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py-seeds with the seed of hemp and some other simples, and drink the water poured upon it, when it has imbibed the virtue of all these ingredients. This drink is made use of in Hindostan for the purpose of depriving those princes of the use of their understanding, whom they want to render incapable of reigning. The Moors, or Mohammedans of Hindostan, refrain but little from spirituous liquors. But, like all the orientals, they greatly prefer distilled waters to wine, which they say is not strong enough for them. They even despise arrack as too weak, unless it has been three times drawn off; nay, what is still more incomprehensible, says Grose, they affirm, that brandy has a cooling quality, when taken not in too great quantities, in languors occasioned by violent exertions, or by the extreme heat of the sun. The common Moors, and some sects of the Hindoos, intoxicate themselves with an infusion compounded of the rind, the leaves, and the seeds of hemp. Chardin indeed says, that the Banians abstain from this drink, as the Bramins do in general from all heating liquors; but professor Pallas took notice that even the Banians in Astrachan threw leaves of assafœdita, or of wild hemp, into their pilau, by which they became somewhat intoxicated and drowsy, and that the same effects, in a greater degree, are produced when they prepare themselves a drink of the same leaves. The Bramins and others of the Hindoos drink melted butter, as we Europeans take stomachic wine; nay, they drink it, if Antequetil does not exaggerate, at times even to intoxication. But far more precious than all heating liquors and drugs, used by the orientals, is to many of the Hindoos the holy and expiatory water of the Ganges, of which they frequently consume at one meal as much as costs an hundred pounds of English money.

A great part of the Arabians likewise scruple not to drink wine or other inflammatory liquors; at the same time agreeing with the Turks

and Persians in this, that the pleasure is very imperfect, unless they tipple to intoxication. The freethinkers among the Arabians pretend, that the prohibition of Mohammed is not so inviolable a law as the commandment of circumcision, but rather an admonition by which he meant to restrain them from pernicious intemperance. The common Arabs smoke hemp-leaves, as tobacco, in order to intoxicate themselves; and the people of rank eat opium, among the effects whereof Arvieux mentions some that I do not find noticed by other travellers....... Persons, says this author, who have long accustomed themselves to the use of opium, fall into such a state of continual drowziness and relaxation, that if a man discharge a musket within their hearing, or only speak somewhat loud, they shake with fear as if they were in imminent danger of death. Another bad consequence from the taking of opium is this, that it entirely destroys all relish for meat, and even inspires a distate for wine, and whatever else has a tendency to exhilirate the spirits.

The Armenians and Bucharians are not less addicted to the use of opium, and all the other means of inebriation that have been from time immemorial introduced into the east, than the above-mentioned nations..... Even the Armenian women drink wine, like water, and in the morning it is their custom to strengthen their stomachs with brandy made hot. The Bucharians intoxicate themselves either with opium, or with little balls made of hemp-blossoms, which latter they likewise smoke, mixed with tobacco. The Moors of Africa distinguish themselves from the Arabs and other eastern nations, in that they neither smoke tobacco, nor drink wine or any other heating liquors. They think, however, that they continue strict mussulmans, though they eat themselves drunk. To this end they make use of the seeds of hemp together with the leaves of the same plant, which they either chew in their crude state, or boil up with ho

hey and spices. Sometimes they light the seeds and leaves of hemp, and then three or four whiffs are sufficient to make the strongest head turn round.

What opium is to the western Asiatics, that betel is to the southern Asiatic nations, which is constantly used from Hindostan to the extreme boundaries of China, and on all the East-Indian and Asiatic islands by persons of both sexes. The betel consists of three several component parts: namely, of the quarter of an areca or arac-nut, which most resembles a moscat-nut; of a betelleaf, which is very like a laurel-leaf, and in which the portion of the areca-nut is wrapped; and lastly, of a fine powder, or chalk, of calcined muscle-shells, and sprinkled thinly over the betel-leaf. Over all the southern Asia it is usual for every one to carry betel-boxes constantly about him, and to present betel at visits, as wine and coffee are handed about in Europe. They believe that betel not only sweetens the breath, preserves the gums, though it makes them and the teeth red, and fortifies the stomach, but also that it possesses other medicinal virtues. Both Dampier and Grose assure us, that the areca-nut causes violent giddinesses to such as are in the habit of taking it, but that they do not last so long as the effects of opium, which on the Malayan coast is prohibited on pain of death, by reason of the blood-thirsty rage into which it drives many of the Malayan........ Marsden contradicts, or at least doubts of these dangerous effects of opium, and affirms that it is generally smoked by the rich Malayans. He likewise allows the smoking of opium to be noxious, though not so pernicious as is commonly pretended. He says, that the Boygess-soldiers and others, who are most addicted to the smoking of opium, are indeed generally thin and meagre, but that this may probably proceed from their other excesses; for the gold-dealers who use opium in the same profusion are the strongest and healthiest men on the whole island.

Besides the betel, a more immoderate use of arrack is observable in the southern Asiatic tribes, beyond what the western nations of that quarter of the globe indulge in. Indeed the use of wine and other inflammatory liquors is forbidden to the inhabitants of the southern Asia, who have adopted the religion of the Hindoos, as it is to the Bramins, and therefore it is said that even the emperor of China drinks no wine, or rather ought to drink none; but this prohibition is still less regarded in the southern than in the western parts of Asia. The Chinese, the Siamese, the Tunquinese, Formosans, and their neighbours, get intoxicated as often as they can, but mostly in secret, towards night, with arrack.

The relaxed and oppressive state of the fibres, and the total languor of the animal spirits, produced in the torrid zone by the incessant heats, and the immoderate exhalations thence arising, soon effect an alteration in the constitution of the Europeans transplanted thither, and force them to have recourse to the hottest spices and the most inflammatory liquors, without which they could not keep their stomach and the other organs of digestion in order. The French, in the Antilles, and the Spaniards, as well as the Mestizes, in South America, take sugar-brandy in great quantities betimes in the morning, as a stomachic; and the Spaniards, so sober as they are in Europe, give themselves up to the greatest excesses, when they have been some time at Quito, and other provinces of South America. A similar enervation, or listlessness, arising from the heat of the climate, may probably be the reason why the Roman ladies drink wine without any mixture.

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always seemed desirous of accompanying him: whenever, therefore, he had to perform the service of his church, he was always under the necessity of shutting it up in a room. Once, however, the animal escaped, and followed the father to the church, where, silently mounting on the sounding board above the pulpit, he lay perfectly still till the sermon commenced. He then crept to the edge, and overlooking the preacher, imitated all his gestures in so grotesque a manner that the whole congregation was unavoidably caused to laugh. The father, surprised and confounded at this ill-timed levity, severely reproved his audience for their inattention. The reproof failed in its effect, the congregation still laughed, and the preacher, in the warmth of his zeal, redoubled his vociferations and his actions: these the ape imitated so exactly, that the congregation could no longer retain themselves, but burst out into a loud and continued laughter. A friend of the preacher at length stepped up to him, and pointed out the cause of this improper conduct; and such was the arch demeanour of his animal, that it was with the utmost difficulty he could command the muscles of his countenance, and keep himself apparently serious, while he ordered the servants of the church to take him away.

NOTES FROM THE EDITOR.

THIS work has received such generous encouragement, that it is proposed occasionally to ornament the numbers with engravings.

The editor feels grateful to several intelligent and scientific friends for the favours which have been received from them. To others.....to the patriot, to the friends of literature, he would still extend his call; he would solicit the aid of the man of science, and breathe his invita

tion through the shades where the muses are slumbering.

The literary fraternity of NewYork, friends of the editor, and of the editor's friends, are respectfully saluted, and requested not to be unmindful, in the midst of their professional engagements, of their promises.

The poem entitled "Self-deluded Jessy," from our correspondent “Sabina," has afforded us very high pleasure. It is inserted in the present number. The writer will perceive that we have exercised very sparingly the liberty allowed to us. Such ditties as hers, which breathe the true spirit of empassioned and pathetic simplicity, we shall always consider as the most valuable ornaments of our publication.

Denville, Valverdi, and Cassander, we hope, are not already tired of our acquaintance.

The Remarks on the Pronunciation of the Latin Language," though somewhat prolix, will appear in our next number.

We are sorry that our political neutrality will not allow us to admit the speculations of "Demonax.” We are ambitious of treading, in this respect, in the footsteps of that sage ancient whose name our correspondent has assumed, without sufficiently considering the sentiments and conduct belonging to it.

Philo is informed, that the treatment his essay will receive at our hands will depend upon our judgment of it when we see it. The literary world abounds with projects like his, and his sanguine predictions remind us of "John Stewart the traveller," whose numerous works are dated from the year of the publication of the first of them, called "the Apocalypse of Nature." If a projector cannot stifle the suggestions of vanity in his own heart, he can at least intercept them in their progress from his heart to his lips.

The lines of N. N. have been received, and will receive a speedy and honourable place. We should be proud of any future communications from the same hand.

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