king seated in the corner, and Esther and Haman on each side of him? We see, too, the nature of the order of Saul to bring up David to him, that he might "kill him in his bed," (1 Sam. xix. 15.) Was the pillow of goats' hair a duan cushion, stuffed with goats' hair-instead of cotton; and laid in such a manner as to resemble the disorderly attitude and appearance of a sick man ?-Other passages the reader will observe for himself. This number closes with the following extract from Niebuhr : As the floors are spread with carpets, and cushions are laid round the walls, one cannot sit down, without inconvenience, on the ground; and the use of chairs is unknown in the East.

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"The Arabians practise several different modes of sitting. When they wish to be very much at their ease, they cross their legs under the body. I found, indeed, by experience, that this mode of sitting is the most commodious for people who wear long clothes, and wide breeches, without any confining ligatures; it seems to afford better rest after fatigue, than our posture of sitting upon chairs. In presence of superiors, an Arab sits with his two knees touching each other, and with the weight of the body resting upon the heels: as, in this position, a person occupies less room than in the other, this is the posture in which they usually place themselves at table; I often tried it, but found it extremely uneasy, and could never accustom myself to it. In many parts of Arabia, there are long and low chairs, made of straw mats; but they sit cross-legged upon them, as well as on the carpets." NIEBUHR, vol. ii. p. 223.

"In the presence of superiors," &c.—this describes exactly the attitude of "David when he sat before the Lord," 1 Chron. xvii. 16. See the Plate of ATTITUDES, with the explanations.

No. XIII. ON THE BEDS OF THE EAST.

We have seen in the former Number, the mode of sitting in the East; we may now easily conceive of the mode of sleeping, which is but little different from what we have been attending to; and the difference chiefly consists in laying on the duan a bed made of two thick cotton quilts, one of which, folded double, serves as a mattress, the other as a covering; upon this the person sleeps. Such a bed was that of David (1 Sam. xix. 15.): was it not, also, one of the same kind on which Saul reposed (xxvi. 11, 12.), and on which he slept (verse 7.), "his spear being stuck in the ground, at his bolster"? Also, that on which the paralytic was let down (Luke v. 19.)? unlike this is the idea which presents itself to most who read these passages!

How

Nothing sounds more uncouth to English ears, than to hear of a person carrying his bed about with him-to order a man, miraculously healed, to do this-is so strange to us, that although we discover it a convincing proof of his restoration to bodily strength, yet, we are almost tempted to ask, with the Pharisees, "Who bade thee carry thy bed"? But, when properly explained, the apparent incongruity vanishes before our better understanding. Such a kind of mattress, or even the simple oresh, of the former Number, might be the bed(paßßarov) of the New Testament; and was often, we may conclude from the circumstances of the occupier, without the accompaniment of a cushion, to complete it. So, Mark ii. 4, 11, “ Arise, take up thy bed,' i. e. thy mattress-the covering spread under thee. Acts ix. 34, Peter said to Eneas, Arise, and" hereafter "spread" thy bed "for thyself;"-thy thy palsy being cured, thou shalt be able not only to do that service for thyself, but to give assistance rather than to ask it. Krabbaton, then, is the meanest kind of bed in use: our truckle-bed, or any other which is supported by feet, &c. cannot justly represent it. Perhaps our sailors'

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hammocks are the nearest to it we have. See this subject resumed in our examination of the structure of EASTERN HOUSES, No. CCIV.

But we are not to suppose, that all beds were alike; no doubt, when King David wanted warmth, his attendants would put both mattresses below, and coverlits above to procure it for him. Neither are we to understand, when a bed is the subject of boasting, that it consisted merely of the krabbaton, or oresh. In Pro. vii. 16, the harlot vaunts of her bed, as highly ornamented "with tapestry-work-with brocade I have brocaded—bedecked-my oresh; the covering to my duan-(rather the makass) is fine linen of Egypt, embossed with embroidery." This description may be much illustrated by the account which Baron DU TOTT gives of a bed; in which he was expected to sleep, and in which he might have slept, had not European habit incapacitated him from that enjoyment.

"The time for taking our repose was now come, and we were conducted into another large room, in the middle of which was a kind of bed; without bedstead, or curtains. Though the coverlit and pillows exceeded in magnificence the richness of the sopha, which likewise ornamented the apartment, I foresaw that I could expect but little rest on this bed, and had the curiosity to examine its make in a more particular manner. Fifteen mattresses of quilted cotton, about three inches thick, placed one upon another, formed the ground-work, and were covered by a sheet of Indianlinen, sewed on the last mattress. A coverlit of green satin, adorned with gold embroidered in embossed work, was in like manner fastened to the sheets, the ends of which, turned in, were sewed down alternately. Two large pillows of crimson satin, covered with the like embroidery, in which there was no want of gold or spangles, rested on two cushions of the sopha, brought near to serve for a back, and intended to support our heads. The taking of the pillows entirely away, would have been a good resource, if we had had any bolster; and the expedient of turning the other side upwards, having only served to shew they were embroidered in the same manner on the bottom, we at last determined to lay our handkerchiefs over them, which, however, did not prevent our being very sensible of the embossed ornaments underneath." Vol. i. p. 95.

Here we have (1) many mattresses of quilted cotton: (2) a sheet of Indian linen; (query, muslin, or the fine linen of Egypt?) (3) a coverlit of green satin, embossed: (4) two large pillows, embossed also: (5) two cushions from the sopha, to form a back. So that we see, an Eastern bed may be an article of furniture sufficiently complicated. This description, compared with a Note of DE LA MOTRAYE, (p. 172), leads to the supposition, that somewhat like what he informs us is called MAKASS, i. e. a brocaded covering for show, is what the harlot boasts of, as being the upper covering to her minder, or oresh. "On a rich sopha," says he, "was a false covering of plain green silk, for the same reason as that in the hall; but I lifted it up, while the two eunuchs who were with us, had their backs turned, and I found that the MAKASS of the minders were a very rich brocade, with a gold ground, and flowered with silk of several colours, and the cushions of green velvet also, grounded with gold, and flowered like them," Note. "The minders have two covers, one of which is called MAKASS, for ornament: and the other to preserve that, especially when they are rich, as these were. This was in the Seraglio at Constantinople.

It is perfectly in character, for the harlot, who (Pro. ix. 14.) "sits on a kind of throne at her door," and who in this passage boasts of all her showy embellishments, to mention whatever is gaudy, even to the tinsel bedeckings of her room, her furni ture, and her makasses, assuming nothing less than regal dignity in words and

description: though her apartment be the way to hell; and the alcove containing her bed, be the very lurking chamber of death.

We are now, it is evident, at liberty to suppose that as much elegance (or, at least, show and pomposity) was displayed on the duans and their furniture, which served for repose by night, as on those used by day: and as it should seem that the same furniture did not not serve both day night, but was changed for each service respectively; hence it seems natural to conclude, that in a great house, there must be considerable stores of such furniture; which being not a little cumbersome, must require proper, and even large rooms, and warehouses, wherein to keep it. This leads to the true sense of the passage, (2 Kings xi. 2.), Joash and his nurse were hid six years in the house of the Lord-in the bed-chamber (BеCHEDER HEMETHUT) i. e. the repository-or store-room-for the beds-for the mattresses and their numerous accompaniments; which, being bulky, afforded the means of forming space among them sufficient to receive the child and his nurse, and sure to conceal them effectually. This was within the precincts of the House of the Lord, a sacred place, where none but priests could enter; and where, probably, none did enter but the high-priest, Jehoida and his wife Jehosheba. This explanation banishes all ideas of an English bed-room in the house of the Lord (which, to keep unvisited during six years, would have been very suspicious); it renders the concealment extremely easy and natural, since, certainly, this repository was under the charge of its proper keeper, who, only, managed its concerns; and it agrees to the formation of the Hebrew words. Moreover, if the infant, Joash, was wounded, apparently to death (as Athaliah, no doubt, thought him irrecoverably dead before she left him) this large room might afford more conveniences while he was under cure from his wounds, than any other room could do; and having been safe here for a time, where better could they place this child afterwards?

By way of close to this Article, we should note the various acceptations of the word divan, or duan: (1) for the raised floor; (3) for the whole settle on which a person (or several persons) sits: (3) for the room that contains the divan: (4) for the hall, or council-chamber; so called, because the council usually sits on the duan constructed around the room: (5) for the council itself; who are said, when in consultation to be "in duan." To how many of these senses may the Hebrew word mitheh, translated "bed," agree?

No. XIV. SPRINKLING, AS AN ACT OF POLITENESS.

THE prophet Isaiah (chap.lii. 13.) has this passage: "Behold, my servant shall act (or behave himself) wisely: he shall be exalted and elevated (perhaps promoted); and shall be (raised) very high in dignity, (how greatly shall many be astonished on thy account!) Yet then (under those exalted circumstances) shall his aspect be disfigured (corrupt) beyond that of men; and his form beyond that of the sons of men: Yet then (under such high circumstances) shall he (being engaged in humble offices) sprinkle many nations: kings shall shut their mouths at him; for what was not told them shall they see; and what they had not heard of shall they consider." This passage has been embarrassing to commentators, especially the expression of sprinkling many nations: the sense of astonishing many, has been followed by the LXX. Our translators say sprinkle; some have united the ideas, "He shall sprinkle many nations with astonishment." By attending to the scope of the passage, perhaps, we shall see whence these ideas, seemingly so different, took their rise; and that they are

radically the same. Imagine a great personage-a king-to be the speaker: "I, myself, consider a certain servant of mine, my officer of state, as very prudent and extremely sagacious; but when strangers, especially foreigners, look at him, they see only a mean and unpromising figure, so that when he introduces them into my presence, they wonder at seeing such a one in my court; but these strangers are from countries so very distant, as to be entirely unacquainted with our customs and manners; for when, as a sign of their kind reception, my servant sprinkles them with fragrant waters, they are absolutely astonished at this mode of our showing them kindness;-what they had never before heard of, they now see practised; and what they were entire strangers to, that they now experience."

Although this representation of the passage be uncommon, perhaps new, yet we shall not stay to consider who are these so distant strangers: nor who is this person, whose external appearance so ill denotes his internal excellencies; but shall merely subjoin the following extracts, which seem satisfactorily to account for the same Hebrew word being taken by some translators, to signify sprinkling; and by others to signify astonishment:

"He put it [the letter] in his bosom; and our coffee being done, I rose to take my leave, and was presently wet to the skin, by deluges of orange-flower water." BRUCE'S Travels, vol. iii. p. 14. N. B. This is the customary mode of doing respectful and kind honours to a guest throughout the East.

"The first time we were received with all the Eastern ceremonies (it was at Rosetto, at a Greek merchant's house) there was one of our company who was EXCESSIVELY SURPRISED, when a domestic placed himself before him, and threw water over him, as well on his face as over his clothes: by good fortune, there was with us a European acquainted with the customs of the country, who explained the matter to us in few words; without which we should have become laughing-stocks to the eastern people, who were present." NIEBUHR, Descrip. Arabie, French Edit. p. 52.

How naturally, then, might the idea of sprinkling suggest that of surprise, in relation to very distant strangers! and how near to equivalent were those ideas, in the estimation of the ancient translators! though to us widely dissimilar; as appears from the scarcely reconcileable import we annex to their expressions.

No. XV. GENEALOGICAL ANCESTORS.

“THE Arabians have contrived a compendious mode of verifying their lines of descent. From among their later ancestors they select some illustrious man, from whom they are universally allowed to be descended. This great man, again, is as universally allowed to be descended from some other great man: and thus they proceed backwards to the founder of the family." NIEBUHR, vol. iii. p. 209, Eng. Transl. "Thus, as no Arab doubts that Daui Seid and Daui Barkad were descendants of Al Bunemi, Al Bunemi of Hassun ibn Ali: also, Khassem alk bir of the Iman Hadi, and the Iman Hadi of Hossein ibn Ali: it is easy to the reigning families at Mecca, Sana, &c. to prove themselves descendants of Mahomet, by means of these heads of their families.' French Edit. 4to. p. 142.

As the Arabs did, so do the Jews-"The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, -the son of David -the son of Abraham," (Matt. i.) Two illustrious men selected, at undeniable points of time: so that David being universally acknowledged as the son of Abraham, whoever is son of David is son of Abraham also; thus proceeding backwards "by a compendious mode of verifying descents," to the founder of the

family. This first verse of Matthew, therefore, appears to be altogether conformable to Eastern usages; as does also the answer to the question, Whose son is Christ?→→ The son of David." Matt. xxii. 42.

No. XVI. ON THE KING'S MOTHER.

NOTHING is more pleasant and agreeable, than to establish the conjectures of learning and ingenuity; a favourable opportunity for this purpose, combining illustrations of the passage of Scripture, is afforded by the learned work of Mr. RAPHAEL BARUH, who thus expresses his sentiments on the passage, 1 Kings xv. 1, 2. 7, 8; collated with the same facts in 2 Chronicles xiii. 1, 2:

"There is a very remarkable variation in this Collation, in the name of king Abijam (or Abijah's) mother: in the book of Kings she is called, Maaca, the daughter of Absalom; and even in Chronicles, chap. ix. 20, she is also called by this same name: but in this passage, Chronicles calls her by the name of Micayau the daughter of Uriel, of Gibea.

"To solve this difficulty, I beg leave to offer, that the title TON [AM HEMELECH King's Mother] and that of [HEGEBIRCH, translated " Queen," 2 Kings x. 13; 2 Chron. xv. 16.] describe one and the same thing: I mean, that the phrase, And his Mother's name was, &c. when expressed on a king's accession to the throne, at the beginning of his history, does not always imply, that the lady whose name is then mentioned was the king's [natural] mother: I apprehend, that (2) "the King's Mother," when so introduced, is only a title of honour and dignity enjoyed by one lady, solely, of the royal family at a time, denoting her to be the first in rank, chief Sultana, or Queen Dowager, whether she happened to be the king's [natural] mother or not. This remark seems to be corroborated by the history of king Asa, (1 Kings xv. 10; and 2 Chron. xv. 16.); who was Abijah's son. In the book of Kings, at his accession, this same Maaca, Absalom's daughter, is said to be his Mother, and Asa afterwards deprived her of the dignity of (GeBIRCH) or chiefest in rank, on account of her idolatrous proceedings; but it is certain that Maaca was his grandmother, and not his mother, as here described; therefore, if we look upon the expression of the King's Mother, to be only a title of dignity, all the difficulty will cease: for this Maaca was really Abijah's mother, the dearly beloved wife of his father, Rehoboam, who, for her sake, appointed her son, Abijah, to be his successor to the throne; but when Abijah came to be king, that dignity of the King's Mother, or the first in rank of the royal family, was, for some reason, perhaps for seniority, given to Micayau, the daughter of Uriel of Gibea; and afterwards, on the death of Micayau, that dignity devolved to Maaca, and she enjoyed it at the accession of Asa, her grand-son, who afterwards degraded her for her idolatry. This I submit as a rational way of reconciling all these passages, which seem so contradictory and repugnant to each other.

"The better to prove this assertion, let it be observed, that in 2 Kings xxiv. 12, it is said, And Jehoiachim, the king of Judah, went out to the king of Babylon, he and his Mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers; and the king of Babylon took him,' &c. and, verse 15, and he carried away Jehoiachim to Babylon, and the King's Mother, and the king's wives, and his officers,' &c. And Jeremiah (xxix. 2.), mentioning the same circumstances, says, 'After that, Jeconiah the king, and the Queen and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah, &c. departed from Jerusalem': --now it is evident, that the Queen, in this verse, cannot mean the king's wife, as it would