THE MARRIAGE CEREMONIES AMONGST THE JEWS. Every Jew is obliged to enter into the marriage state; the proper time for entering into that state by the Rabbins is the age of eighteen; a man that lives single till twenty, is looked upon as a profligate. This institution is grounded upon the Almighty's especial command to our first parents: "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth." Genesis, ch. i. 28. It is lawful for first cousins to marry; an uncle may also marry his niece; but an aunt may not marry her nephew: the reason is obvious, that the law of nature may not be reversed: for, when the uncle marries his niece, the same person remains at the head who was so before; but, when the nephew marries his aunt, he becomes, as it were, her head, and she must pay homage to him, by which means the law of nature is reversed. It is customany for the bride and bridegroom to be betrothed, sometimes six months or a year before marriage, as agreed on between the parties, during which time the bridegroom visits his bride, but without having any farther commerce with her. On the day appointed for the celebration of the nuptials, the bride and bridegroom are conducted to the place appointed for the nuptial ceremony; the bridegroom by the men, and the bride by the women; where are generally assembled all, or most of their relations or acquaintance, for they generally invite a great many, they being obliged to have ten men present at least, otherwise the marriage is null and void. When all the company are assembled, and the priest and reader of the synagogue come, the ceremony is performed in the following manner: A velvet canopy is brought into the room, supported by four long poles, under which the bride and bridegroom are led in the following order :-the bridegroom being supported by two friends, one under each arm, and the bride by two women, (which two men and two women are always the parents of the bride and bridegroom, if living, otherwise their nearest kindred; one man and wife for the bride, and the other for the bridegroom, although the bridegroom is led by the men, and the bride by the women,) having her face covered with a veil, in token of female modesty. The bride being in this manner led by the women under the canopy, is placed opposite the bridegroom: the priest then takes a glass of wine in his hand, and says as follows: "Blessed art thou, O Lord our God! King of the universe; the Creator of the fruit of the vine! Blessed art thou, O Lord our God! King of the universe, who hath sanctified us with his commandments, and hath forbid us fornication, and hath prohibited unto us the betrothed, but hath allowed unto us those that are married, by means of the canopy and the wedding-ring: blessed art thou, O Lord! the Sanctifier of his people Israel, by the means of the canopy and wedlock."-Then the bridegroom and bride drink of the wine, after which the bridegroom takes the ring and puts it on the bride's finger, in presence of all those who stand round the canopy, and says-" Behold thou art betrothed unto me with this ring, according to the rites of Moses and Israel." Then the instrument of marriage contract is read, which specifies that the bridegroom A. B. doth agree to take the bride C. D. as his lawful wife, according to the law of Moses and Israel; and that he will keep, maintain, honour, and cherish her, according to the manner of all the Jews, who honour, keep, maintain, and cherish their wives, and keep her in clothing decently, according to the manner and custom of the world. It likewise specifies what sum he settles on her in case of his death; wherein he obliges his heirs, executors, administrators, &c. to pay the same to her out of the first produce of his effects, &c. The reader then drinks another glass of wine, and, after a prayer, the bride and bridegroom drink of the wine, the empty glass is laid on the ground, and the bridegroom stamps on and breaks it; the intent and meaning of which ceremony is to remind them of death, to whose power frail mortals must yield sooner or later; and, therefore, to induce them to lead such a life as not to be terrified at the approach of death. This being over, all cry out Mozol lour-i, e." May it turn out happily," which ends the ceremony. THE ADVENTURES OF HAJJI BABA, OF ISPAHAN. [Continued from page 316.] The Turcomans carry away three richly dressed prisoners, in the hopes of obtaining a large ransom for them; but nothing could be more unfortunate than their speculation. One is a poor cadi in his robes of office, another a ferash (or carpet-spreader), and the third the court poet, who had just received a robe of honour in return for a copy of verses addressed to the Prince of Shiraz. Hajjî had stolen the largest bag of money, which was taken away from him without his being allowed the smallest share of its contents. He is made guardian over the poet, and learns from him the history of his life. He is presently re-captured by some of his own countrymen and treated infinitely worse than by the Turcomans. There is a great deal of amusement in the story of his adventures, and a tone of sarcasm and irony runs through the relation which is extremely piquant. Plundered of all his property, poor Hajjî finds himself in Meshed, pennyless and razorless, and in his despair applies to a friend for advice: "My friend, the muleteer, who knew the ways and means of Meshed, recommended me strongly to become a saka, or water-carrier. You are young and strong,' said he, 'you have a good voice, and would entice people to drink by an harmonious cry. You have besides a great talent for cant and palaver, and for laughing at one's beard. The number of pilgrims who come to Meshed to perform their devotions at the tomb of the Imâm is great, and, charity being one of the principal instruments which they use for the salvation of their souls, they give freely to those who promise them the best reward. You must sell each draught in the name and for the sake of Imâm Hossein; for he, you know, is the favourite saint of all the sectaries of Ali. Always offer it gratis; but be sure you get money in hand before you pour it out; and when your customer has drank, say, with great emphasis, May your draught be propitious ! May the holy Imam take you under his protection! May you never suffer the thirst of the blessed Hossein!" and such like sort of speeches, which you must chaunt out so loud that every body may hear you. In short, to devotees who come some hundreds of parasangs to say their prayers, you may say any thing and every thing, and you will be sure to be believed. Imyself have been a saka at Meshed, and know the trade. It has enabled me to buy a string of mules, and to be the man you see.' His success is wonderful: but through the stratagem of a rival he sprains his back, and is obliged to relinquish the profession. He turns tobacco-vender, becomes intimate with Dervishes, and is a great cheat in his trade: "One evening, when it was dusk, and about the closing of the bazars, an old woman in rags, apparently bent double with age, stopped me, and requested me to dress a pipe for her to smoke. She was closely veiled, and scarcely uttered a word beyond her want. I filled her one of my very worst mixture; she put it to her mouth, and at her spitting, coughing, and exclamations, half a dozen stout fellows, with long twigs in their hands, immediately came up, seized me, and threw me on my back. The supposed old woman then cast off her veil, and I beheld the Mohtesib in person. 'At length, wretch of an Ispahani !' said he, 'I have caught you-you, that have so long been poisoning the people of Meshed with your abominable mixtures. You shall receive as many strokes on your feet as you have received dinars for your pipes. Bring the felek, said he to his officers, and lay on till his nails drop off.' My feet were instantly inserted into the dreaded noose, and the blows fell upon them so thick, that I soon saw the images of ten thousand Mohtesibs, intermixed with ten thousand old women, dancing before my eyes, apparently SATURDAY NIGHT. enjoying my torture, and laughing at my writhing and contortions. I implored the mercy of my tormentor by the souls of his father, mother, and grandfather-by his own head-by that of his child-and by that of his prince-by the Prophet-by Ali-and by all the Imâms. I cursed tobacco. I renounced smoking. I appealed to the feelings of the surrounding spectators, to my friends the three dervishes, who stood there stirring neither limb nor muscle for me; in short, I bawled, cried, entreated, until I entirely lost all sensation and all recollection. At length, when I came to myself, I found that I was seated with my head against the wall on the side of the road, surrounded by a crowd gaping at my miserable situation. No one seemed to pity me. My pipes, my jug, and every thing that I possessed, had been taken from me, and I was left to crawl to my home as well as I was able. Luckily it was not far off, and I reached it on my hands and knees, making the most piteous moans imaginable." He absconds from Meshed, and after a variety of perils, hazardous to him, but amusing to the reader, in which trickery, theft, and falsehood are frequently the principal ingredients, he becomes, through the aid of his quondam fellow-prisoner the poet, confidential servant to the royal physician. He assists the Doctor in his schemes to keep down the rising influence of an European physician with the King, and succeeds. The Doctor refuses him any salary, and he falls in love with his favourite slave Zeenab. It is not possible for us to run over the perilous history of their mutual loves, nor to abstract any of the strange and amusing adventures which they experienced. Zeenab is at last transferred to the Harem of the King, and Hajjî himself raised from the degrading station of a surgeon's slave, to the honourable post of Lieutenant to the Chief Executioner of the Court. Some notion of the duties of this office may be gathered from the following extract: "Do not suppose that the salary which the Shah gives his servants is a matter of much consideration with them: no, the value of their places depends upon the range of extortion which circumstances may afford, and upon their ingenuity in taking advantage of it. As, for instance, take our chief; his salary is 1000 tomauns per annum, which may or may not be re- 6 ciently; and then, having ably made him increase his offer until he had bid up to any price we wished, we gradually ceased beating his feet, and only broke our sticks over the felek. Much ingenuity was displayed on both sides, in order that the Shah might not discover that there was any understanding between us. His bidding was interwoven with his groans, something after this manner: 'Ăhi amán, amán! For pity's sake, by the soul of the Prophet! twelve tomauns.-By the love of your fathers and mothers! fifteen tomauns.By the king's beard! twenty tomauns. -By all the Imams! by all the prophets! thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, hundred, thousand,-any thing you want.' When it was over, we soon found that his generosity had diminished quite as rapidly as it had before increased, and we were satisfied to receive what he first offered to us, which he was obliged to give, fearing, if a similar misfortune again overtook him, we should then show him no mercy." (To be concluded in our next.) VERSES ADDRESSED TO THE SPANISH NATION. BY THE EARL OF CRAWFORD. "Fond impious man, think'st thou yon sanguine cloud, Rais'd by thy breath has quench'd the orb of day. To-morrow he repairs the golden flood, And warms the nations with redoubled ray.- Mourn, hapless Spain! thy captive warriors mourn, Thy borders ravag'd and thy laurels torn, With steady care, and with a heart of steel, Now Persecution mends her broken wheel; And hopes her fires, with ashes cover'd o'er, Shall flame in terror as they flam'd before. But do not grieve, like those of Hope bereft, Iberia to but transient sorrow's left; Let smiling Hope, the foe of fell despair, Attend thy steps, and wave her golden hair; And o'er Apostacy's dark night effulge the day. But we in patience for the time must wait In Heav'n recorded by eternal fate The ALMIGHTY Spoke th' immutable decree, The time for Superstition's bonds to free; No pow'r on earth a moment can delay, Nor hasten, all the pow'r of earth, the day; The fount of truth, of goodness and of light, The King of saints, in action, word, is right; Bright and full-orb'd he holds his gracious sway, Without a spot, and still without de sire, Think not the Muse is sullen, nor inclin'd To wish to aid the welfare of mankind; Mankind have been generally too hasty about the downfall of the Papal and Mahometan powers, which are to continue 1260 prophetical years. The Popedom cannot fall until the ten pire, of which Spain is one, unanimously agree Kings in the Western part of the Roman Emto its abolition. The Mahometan power cannot fall until the twelve tribes of the Jews (which may consist of thirty or forty or more millions of persons) shall be converted and collected together. The Mahometans (who are estimated at fifty millions of persons) say that If they meau until the first resurrection, they are their empire is to last until the day of judgment. right. She hopes a portion of celestial fire Is wont her gen'rous numbers to inspire; She wishes bounty wisely to relieve, And sheds her tears sincere for those who grieve, Mourn, injur'd Spain! thy captive warriors mourn, Thy borders ravag'd, and thy laurels torn! Richmond Hill, 1824. LIVES OF THE BRITISH POETS. MILTON. John Milton, the British Homer, and Prince of Modern Poets, was descended from the proprietors of Milton, near Thame, in Oxfordshire, one of whom forfeited his estate in the times of York and Lancaster. Which side he took is not known, but his descendant inherited no veneration for the White Rose. Milton's grandfather, John,was Keeper of the forest of Shotover, a zealous Papist, who disinherited his son because he had forsaken the religion of his ancestors. This son, the father of our Poet, had recourse to the profession of a scrivener for his support. He was a man eminent for his skill in music; and many of his compositions are still to be met with. He obtained such reputation in his profession, that he grew rich, and retired to an estate. It is probable he possessed more than common learning, as his son addressed one of his most elaborate Latin poems to him. He married a lady of the name of Castor, a Welsh family, by whom he had two sons, John, our Poet, and Christopher, who studied the law. Christopher adhered to the King's party, for which he was awhile persecuted; but by the interest of our poet he obtained permission to live in quiet, and supported himself so honourably by chamber-practice, that on the accession of King James, he was knighted, and made a judge; but his constitution being too weak for business, he resigned. Milton had also a sister, Ann, whom his father had married, with a considerable fortune, to Edward Phillips, who came from Shrewsbury, and rose in the Crown Office to be secondary. By him she had two sons, John and Edward, who were educated by our Poet, and from whom is derived the authentic account of our Poet's private manners. Milton was born in his fa ther's house, at the Spread-Eagle, in Bread-street, December 9th, 1608.Milton's father was so solicitous about his education, that he at first placed his son under a private tutor, Thomas Young, afterwards Chaplain to the English merchants at Hamburgh, and to whom Milton addressed an epistolary elegy. He was sent to St. Paul's School, under Mr. Gill; from whence, in his sixteenth year, he was removed to Christ College, Cambridge, where, as appears by the College Register, he was admitted a pensioner Feb. 12th, 1624. Milton was at this time eminently skilled in Latin, as appears from the dates affixed to his poems in that language. It is difficult to form an estimate of the powers of his mind; for although many may have excelled him in first efforts, none ever rose to such sublimity of conception as did Milton in his Paradise Lost. His elegies, written in his eighteenth year, prove that he had read the Latin classics with a nice discernment. Mr. Hampton, translator of Polybius, said of him, that he was the first Englishman, after the revival of letters, who wrote Latin verses with classic elegance. His College Exercises, published in his maturer years, were such as few can perform; yet there is reason to believe, that he was regardad at Cambridge with no great esteem for his superior powers. He is said to be the last who suffered flagellation over the Buttery hatch, a mode of punishment which formerly prevailed in the University; but it must be remembered, that youths were admitted to reside at a much earlier period of their lives than now. From one of his Latin pieces, to Diodati, it may be inferred that he was subject to rustication,— which is a temporary dismissal from college, with the loss of a term or more: the word is derived from the Latin word Rus, the country. He took the usual degrees of B. A. (Bachelor of Arts) in 1628, and M. A. (Master of Arts) in 1632; but whether alienated in his mind by the injudicious treatment of his governors, or his own captious perverseness, is not known, but certain it is, he retained no partiality for the institutions of Alma mater-nor does it appear that, under her fostering hand, he obtained either a fellowship or any other academic distinction.Milton's Treatise on Education, in which one of his objections to university education is because men intended |