arduous journey haunted by recollections of European comforts. My friends sought all that evening to trace in my features some traitorous indications of the excitement within. They were, however, greatly out in their anticipations. In a state of ecstatic enjoyment I lay buried in my silk-velvet arm-chair. sible prayer. But, as his words now stand, | scheme) that I was, on this occasion, for he ascribes an extremely high value to the last time in my life to partake of Europrayer, condemns the prayers hitherto de- pean fare, served up in European fashion. vised, and gives no help towards discovering The elegant dining-room at the hotel of the the right kind of prayer. If he is satisfied Embassy was brilliantly illuminated, the with any existing type- say with that of best dishes were placed before the guests, the Lord's Prayer, which has been largely the best wines were passed round; they imitated in the Christian Church-it would wanted, in short, to send me forth on my have been more natural to ask our spiritual authorities to abstain from devising new forms, than to represent so vast a good as depending upon their power to devise another form. And the whole passage suggests a doubt whether "the man of science" would consider a prayer for moral or spiritual good consistent with science. Mr. Tyndall does not contrast "external nature" with the realm of the spirit. He knows that the two cannot be severed : indeed, he intimates that the reflex effect of prayer upon the mindas spiritual a process as we can imagine will probably be found to illustrate that law of the conservation of energy which makes prayer impotent in external nature; and therefore it is clear that he would include spiritual relations within "the economy of nature." I gladly recognise however that Professor Tyndall does not teach that we must pray for the sake of the benefit we derive from the act of praying. He would admit, I am sure, that the only prayer which can possibly produce a "benign" effect upon him who prays is the lifting of a voice "as unto One that hears." He desiderates a genuine prayer, but one that will not aim at affecting the course of nature. The question I would again ask is this: Whether, in using the unchangeable economy of nature to condemn prayers for physical objects, philosophers are not really assuming a system of fatalism, and binding down the free action of spirit under a fixed mechanical necessity? If this is so, the controversy might as well ascend at once from the discussion of forms of prayer to a still higher region. From Good Words. MY DERVISH LIFE. In the evening of the 27th March, 1863, my noble patron, the Turkish ambassador in Teheran, received me at his table for the last time before my departure. It was said (but this, of course, was only to frighten and dissuade me from my adventurous Twenty-four hours afterwards, in the evening of the 28th March, I was in the middle of my mendicant associates, on my journey to Sari. We had taken refuge in a half-ruined mud hut, named Dagarn. The rain fell in torrents. Tolerably well soaked, we hastened, all of us, to shelter ourselves under the dry roof. The space was small, and it was my destiny this very first evening to find myself in the closest contact with my travelling companions, whose tattered clothes, giving out at no time any very fragrant odours, in their present wet condition emitted a vaporous steam really curious to observe! It was not, then, surprising under such circumstances, that I had little desire to assail the large wooden dish from which the famished Hadjis extracted and devoured their supper, splashing about as they did so with their hands in the common receptacle. Besides, I was at the moment less tormented by the pangs of hunger than exhausted with fatigue and uneasy in my wet dress of rags, to which habit had not yet made me familiar. Huddled together in a ball on the ground, I sought to abandon myself to sleep; but sleep in such confined space was impossible. Now I felt my neighbour's hand, now his head, whirled over me; at another time it was the foot of a vis-à-vis which was extended to scratch me behind my ear. With the patience of a Job I had to defend myself against all these offices of questionable amiability. I might even then have contrived to snatch some moments of slumber, had it not been for the snoring dialogue kept up by the Tartars, and more especially for the loud cries of suffering that a Persian mule-driver, afflicted with rheumatism, emitted in his agony. Finding all attempts to close my eyes fruitless, I extricated myself from the midst of the heap of human beings spread around my acter interested them only in the first moment of approach, theirs on the other hand was an object of continual study to me; certainly the idea never could have occurred to any one amongst them, that my mind was employed upon a twofold task, even when we were jesting and chattering in the most familiar terms of companionship. in chaotic confusion, and set myself upon mounting them, in comparison with the my legs. The rain continued to fall, and trouble that it costs to metamorphose sentilooking out into the deep and troubled ob- ments and feelings! One is always more scurity I thought of where I had been excited and observant, and more disposed twenty-four hours previously, and of the to play the critic, during journeys than on sumptuous parting entertainment at the other occasions of everyday life; it requires splendid hotel of the Turkish Embassy. an unspeakable effort for an European to All seemed to me like a dramatic represen- conceal the curiosity, wonder, and other tation of the "King and the Beggar," in emotions which the contemplation of the which I was myself playing the principal all-indifferent, the energiless Oriental expart. The sentiment of reality produced, cites in his mind. The object, however, of however, upon me not so bitter an impres- the journey of my friends was to reach sion, for was I not master of the position? their homes; my object was simply the was I not he who had worked this sudden journey itself. The peculiarity of my charmetamorphosis? had not I myself imposed fate upon myself? The task of conquering my own feelings, however hard, did not occupy me more than a few days. With respect to externals, I soon made myself familiar with all the attributes, movable and immovable, of the state of Dervish- its filth aud other etceteras. The best garment that I had brought with me from Teheran, I presented as a gift to a poor infirm sick ladji, and this act of beneficence won me the hearts of all. My new uniform consisted of a felt jacket, worn by me without any shirt, close to my skin, and a Djubbe (upper garment) tied round my loins by a cord. I had enveloped my feet in rags, and covered my head with an immense turban; the latter served me as a parasol by day, and as a bolster by night. Like the rest of the Hadjis, I slung around me a sack by way of cartouche-box, containing a voluminous Koran; and then contemplating myself thus accoutred for grand parade, I felt authorized to cry out proudly, "Verily, I am a beggar born." The Any one who has the smallest practical or theoretical experience of the East will understand how hard it is to adapt oneself to these remarkable idiosyncrasies. happy result that attended my "disguise" may appear surprising, but still not a subject of extraordinary astonishment, when I lay before the reader the key to the secret in the following observations. First. Only one of my travelling companions had ever seen Europe or had to do with Europeans: this was Hadji Bilal, who may perhaps have known a few Greeks or Armenians passing for Frenghi. Even Stambul, and the mode of living amongst the Stambuli, were but imperfectly known to them. My transgressions against custom and usage did not pass unobserved, but met with the ready excuse: "Stambul kaidesi sundek iken." "It is the custom at Constantinople." They regarded, therefore, the particular offence as a mere solecism. The external, the material part of my "disguise," was easy. The moral, the inner part, presented more difficulty than I had contemplated. For many a long year I had had occasion to study the contrast between European and Asiatic modes of existence; the critical position in which I was forced me to be on my guard, and yet I Secondly. The consciousness of the imcould not help committing many gross blun- minent danger that threatened me when ders. It is not merely in language, features, once beyond the circle of my companions, and dress that essential differences exist be- disposed me to make the greatest sacrifices. tween the two races. We Europeans eat, I soon was aware of the high value of their drink, sleep, sit, and stand otherwise than friendship, and did everything I could to the Orientals, nay, I might even say, we win it. In spite of my admitted superiority laugh, cry, and wink differently. These to them from being a Mollah, no one in the are little points, evident at once to the Karavan, in purse, clothes, or food, was senses, and still difficult enough of imita- poorer or worse off than myself. I submittion and yet what is the difficulty of sur-ted to all, and was ever ready to render a *This is called Hirkai Dervishan: even the rich est Dervishes are bound to wear it over their clothes, in however good a state these may be. service or do an obliging act; and as they really all were at bottom straightforward and honest men, I saw at once that they would not fail to protect their friend and fellow-traveller, who was a universal favourite. the Karavan devouring my unleavened Thirdly. And this perhaps may be regarded as the main cause: my poverty and my bodily infirmity beyond dispute were my principal safeguards. Amongst the Turkomans, and especially in Etnek, the Hadjis not being in much respect, I ran considerable risk; but at the current market rate for slaves of inferior class, I was hardly worth more than three ducats not so valuable, in fact, as a stout ass. I could only be used by private individuals to turn a millstone or take charge of camels: trivial services these, hardly on the one side worth the cost of my maintenance, and on the other not possessing sufficient force of attraction to tempt the superstitious Nomad to commit a sin. Again, in Bokhara the emptiness of my purse was of more help to me than all the learning of Islamism. My character of Mollah and Devotee made me certainly safe from any public attack, but had I been in the possession of visible property, it would not have secured me from the underhand proceedings of secret Perhaps the expression, "measures of enemies. Strangers in Bokhara, objects of precaution," may be regarded as inapprosuspicion, have in other cases excited cupi-priate, and my whole proceedings be asdity by being known to be possessors of money and other articles of value; whereas I was not only a beggar, but an urgent one, from whose importunities all men carefully sought to escape. Such were the causes which prevented my disguise from having any evil consequences, and made it happily contribute to the ends I had in view. But every one will understand that whilst I was actually occupied with my journey, I was only half conscious of the efficacy of these causes, and so could not place any entire confidence in them. Habit too enables us to endure a life subject even to constant perils: still it is remarkable how long and violent the struggle is which the soul, in its recklessness and its callousness, maintains with the hope of an existence beyond this world. To guard against every event, it was long before I ventured to make a hearty meal at my supper: for I dreaded lest an overloaded stomach should lead to dreams, and dreams to the utterance of foreign European phrases. I laughed at my pusillanimity, and blamed myself, but still I persisted, particularly in the first months, in my ceaseless measures of precaution. What pain these phantom terrors occasioned me! how they persecuted me, when I sat alone in the immense desert away from Often did it happen, and the remark applies particularly to Khiva, that when I was lying all alone in the dark and closed tent, the cry to prayers reached my ears, and made me spring hurriedly up from my couch, and apply myself to the fatiguing operation of the thirteen Rikaat (genuflexions). At the sixth, seventh, eighth, I said to myself, "Surely it is enough, for no eye beholds thee." Not at all, for I could not divest myself of the idea that prying eyes were regarding me through the crevices, and so I continued until I had conscientiously completed the prescribed number. cribed to want of courage. Now I will not deny that, seeing with what suspicion I was at first regarded, and in how wild and anarchical a state Central Asia was, I did not feel in any great spirits for my adventure. But this discouragement did not extend beyond the first month of my disguise. In the others, from the moment when I had turned my back upon Bokhara, I was really metamorphosed into a poverty-stricken Dervish, who, as he himself gradually forgot the assumed part that he was playing, ceased to excite suspicion in the minds of others. When I now, in the centre of European civilisation, reflect upon my position at that time, I cannot refrain from laughing at what habit and necessity were capable of making of me in so short a time. That life of Dervish began even to have charms, it procured me many a moment of great enjoyment. Without feeling any especial aptitude to play the part of the Russian Count who, weary of a life spent in saloons, retreated to one of the valleys of Cashmere, I felt often an inner sensation of satisfaction as I warmed myself to my heart's content in some ruin or other sequestered spot by the temperate beams of the autumn sun. And then it is beyond expression sweet to know that one can, without money, position, or business—and yet free from all care, agitation, and exciting impulse-rock oneself to repose in the soft cradle of Oriental indifference and tranquillity! and manners, which have remained in stereotype there for so many years, one might even say for thousands, have left upon my soul ineffaceable impressions. After being with the Nomads some hours, they often began to converse with me in the most confidential tone of the rearing of cattle or some other subject of domestic economy. Of course for us Europeans such enjoyment must be of brief duration; for let but our thoughts flee away towards that remote West that is ever active and ever moving, and the great contrast of the two presents itself to us in the clearest light. European A husband would speak of the peculiar enterprise and Oriental repose are the two problems that occupy the mind: need we do more than glance at those ruins lying everywhere scattered in the East, to see on which side is the true philosophy? Here everything tends to destruction and slavery; there, to prosperity and world-wide domin ion! qualities that distinguished one of his horses, of the sons of the famous chieftain N. N., of the failure of a predatory expedition undertaken by this or that tribe, &c. The wife would question me whether in my country this year the Rugar (a sort of red root) had a similarly pale colour, whether the camel's hair was there as bad, and so on. How little likely such people were to have any notion of the meaning of an academical mission the reader must easily see, and will as easily divine what was the nature of my answers to each particular question! But these enjoyments of the "state of Dervish" were in my case prevented, by my strong European temperament, from being more than short-lived and transitory. My disguise, however, furnished me with another of a far more elevated description However incredible the avowal may apthe enjoyment, I mean, derived by me pear, I will nevertheless make it openly, from being able, as an accomplished Der- that the very extraordinary condition in vish, to hold free and unconstrained inter- which I found myself during my time of discourse with those strange nations. Was it guise was far from being attended by as an innate talent, or a particular predilection much hardship and fatigue as many Europefor the status, which enabled me soon to ans may faney. At this moment, it is true, outstrip in Fakirship even my preceptor in I find my health somewhat impaired, and the art? I know not. When in the cities my former acquaintances do not affect to or amongst the Nomads I undertook the conceal from me that I seem grown much part of levying contributions, my friends older; but during the journey itself I did felt at once assured that I would return not experience the slightest sensation of with my bags well crammed. Of the tribes exhaustion or uneasiness, excepting of of Central Asia the Ozbegs, from their course when I was suffering from the torstraightforward and honest natures, possess ments of thirst. Was it the continued state hearts most accessible and most easily won. of excitement that lightened the burden At one house in the vicinity of Khiva, which I had to endure; or was it the everwhere I spent several days, they tried even fresh, free air of the desert that imparted a forcibly to detain me; nay, even to marry giant energy to my stomach, enabling it to at least, the head of the family, repre- assimilate and digest such dough kneaded senting his daughter, had already made me with sand and ashes as even my camel found a declaration of love. The honest, unsus- too bad to touch? This still remains a ridpicious people saw, as they thought, in me a dle to me. poor Garib (stranger) whom his passion (arman) impelled forth into the wide world, and so they took a real interest in my fortunes. In their opinion the travelling Dervish is a sort of wandering Jew in miniature, in whose ear some spirit abiding within keeps whispering those ominous words, "On, on!" and who can never rest until he has reached the goal prescribed by fate. me This childish simplicity, these characters Certain, however, it is, that at this moment, in the midst of the civilised life of Europe, I seem somewhat to miss those active movements of body and soul; and who knows if I shall not in my later years dwell often upon that time when, although covered with rags and having no roof to cover me, I tramped sturdily and of good heart through the steppes of Central Asia! ARMINIUS VAMBÉRY, From Good Words. ON THE ENFORCED PAUSES OF LIFE. keen sense of your own vitality you must have, for the mind puts forth an immense fresh elasticity of power in the presence of vast suggestive spaces, and magnificent sights and sounds, such as are round it on the great deep and yet there is rest, and a triumphant immunity. upon you. Your whole being lies fallow. Ceasing to plague and to be plagued; knowing that the great world gets on without It seems that in old Scandinavia there your fretting and fuming about it; and yet were trolls, or lubber dwarfs, who were retaining a keen sense of your own vitality, always busy; who never knew what it was tooh, it must be a pleasant situation. A repose. A country fellow- as I remember the story, which I quote upon the strength of a child's recollection employed one of these trolls to assist him in stealing a quantity of wheat from another countryman's barn. "Take a little more, Mr. Troll, take a little more," says the thief, "by-and-by you shall have some rest." So the troll takes a little more, saying, however, "Rest, rest! What is rest?" Off they go, the pair of them, carrying heavy loads of the stolen goods. When they are at a safe distance from the scene of their theft, they sit down for a rest. "Oh," says the troll, "if I had only known how good rest is, I would have brought away the entire barn!" Most of us know how good rest is, and are ready enough to take it, though not always when we need it: on the other hand, it is sometimes forced upon us in a way that teaches more than one lesson. We find, in the compelled pauses of our lives, that the world can do without us, and that it is a good thing to be occasionally cut off from it. How nice it is to let alone; how nice to be let alone! Nearly all forms of travelling give us some degree of this kind of feeling. Not, of course, riding in an omnibus, for there is no telling whom you may meet in it; but in some degree riding in a cab, and in a considerable degree, riding on the railway for any distance. In a cab you may lean back so that nobody can see you; and you may shut your eyes upon the hard faces, and squalid dresses, and filthy gutters, and frowsy corners of the streets. Nobody is likely to stop the carriage, and nobody can stop a train! So that, unless you have unpleasant fellow-travellers, you are comfortably shut up from the rest of the world, with a delicious sensation that there is no drawbridge. It is an old remark that, from a similar point of view, a sea-voyage is delightful. Nobody can knock at the door. If you are ill, nobody can look in, to condole; and how delightful that is sometimes to escape being reminded that you are not well! On the other hand, you have your own delicious incapacities. You cannot knock at anybody else's door. If something nasty occurs to you, you cannot write it, and post it to a friend-who would be vexed by it. A masterly inactivity is forced The forced repose which accompanies very severe illness, or confinement to the house on a wet day, or the recovery from a swoon, brings with it something of the same soothing effect. In the midst of a heavy personal trouble, or a serious enterprise, which seems to demand the most strenuous effort on your own part, you are suddenly stricken with illness. The oars drop from your hands, and the boat does it stop? No, thank God, it pulls through, it gets safely past the rapids, and you have to reflect, amid the fretfulness of returning health, what a useless, unimportant fellow you arc. Or again. For days past you have been earnestly working your affairs up to a certain point for a certain day, "sharp." Perhaps you have even fixed the hour at which a particular iron shall be hot, and shall be struck by your energetic hand. On that day it comes on to rain, thunder, and lighten so furiously that all the world stays indoors, and you, not being quite well, feel that you must. The next day, you go out with the intention of taking up the broken thread and working it into your scheme, but find that the course of events has superseded your ingenious activity, and your efforts are not required. Not unfrequently the new turn which things have. taken is felicitous, but let it be clearly understood that this does not condemn your activity, or show that it could have been spared. It may not appear to have any connection with the result, but you and I do not know quite everything, and there may be a real though invisible connection between things the most remote. Taking care not to draw the false moral from anything of this kind that happens in our lives, we may yet draw the right one. How much have we all suffered, as some French epigrammatist says, in rhyme, from evils that never occurred! How exaggerated are some of our strivings! Napoleon, as we have all read, used to leave his letters unopened for days, and then find with cynical joy, on breaking their seals at last, that |