from them it was catched by the Goths in Spain. Even till this hour, the remains of these notions influence the character of the Spanish nation, the people of which pride themfelves justly on the unfullied integrity of their conduct to mankind.

The height to which this point of honour had attained among the Moors in Spain, is well illuftrated by the following story, which, on account of its fingularity, has been retailed in many publications, but which, as it is fhort, and can never be too generally known, I fhall not hesitate here to transcribe.

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"While the Moors ftill kept poffeffion of the fouthern parts of Spain, a Spanish cavalier, in a fudden quarrel in the town of Granada, flew a Moorish gentleman, and fled. His purfuers foon loft fight of him; for he had, un perceived, thrown limfelf over a garden wall. The owner, a Moor, happening to be in his garden, was addreffed by the Spaniard on his knees, who acquainted him with his cafe, and implored concealment. this, faid the Moor (giving him half a peach); you now know that you may confide in my protection." He then locked him up in his garden apartment, telling him, as foon as it was night, he would provide for his escape to a place of greater fafety. The Moor then went into his houfe, where he had fcarce feated himfelf, when a great crowd, with loud lamentations, came to his gate, bringing the corpfe of his fon, who had just been killed by a Spaniard. When the firft fhock of furprise was a little over, he learned from the defcription given, that the fatal deed was done by the very perfon then in his power. He mentioned this to no one ; but as foon as it was dark, retired to his garden, as if to grieve alone, giving orders that no one should follow him. Then accofting the Spaniard, he faid, Chriftian, the perfon whom you have killed is my fon; his body is now in my houfe; you ought to fuffer, but you have eaten with me, and I have given you my faith, which must not be broken. He then led the aftonifhed Spaniard to his ftable, mount

ed him on one of his fleetest horses, faid, fly far while the night shall cover you'; you will be safe in the morning you indeed are guilty of my fon's blood, but God is juft and good, and I thank him that I am innocent, and that my faith given is preserved."

Having thus endeavoured to give fome flight notions of the people to whom the infcriptions apply, I fhall now lay before my readers a few other infcriptions transcribed from the walls of the Moorish palaces of the Alhambra and Genereliffe of Granada.

"The palace of the Alhambra, fays a late ingenious traveller *, to whom I am indebted for the most of these inscriptions, may be called a collection of fugitive pieces; and whatever duration these may have, time, with which every thing paffes away, has too much contributed to confirm to them that title. If the fimplicity of early ages, ideas frequently fublime, although expreffed with emphafis, and manners not our own, and marked with the ftamp of feveral centuries, can excite the curiofity of those by whom my book may be read, they will not blame me for having tranfmitted to them the minuteft details of this kind; they will regret with me my inability to preferve the full-blown flowers of the imagination of a valiant and illuftrious people, with all their freshness and natural elegance."

In one of the apartments, is the following infcription, allufive to the great Miramolin.

"Observe, that all the kings who have been and now are in this palace, render justice to Abu Nazar, " and take pride in him: He is endowed with fuch "majesty, that, placed in the heavens, he would have "obfcured the planets and the figns of the zodiac. His "looks ftrike terror into the minds of kings; but, "without violence, he attracts them to him, and pro"tects them by his own glory; for, to his terrible

†M. de Bourgoanne.

"look, he always joins greatness of mind and benevo"lence. He ferved not Arabian and Andalufian kings only, but all the fovereignsof the earth."

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In another cabinet, is the following infcription on the fame fubject.

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"Glory of the kings who have disappeared from the "earth, honour of those by whom thou shalt be fuc"ceeded; wert thou compared to the ftars, they would "be humbled; were fplendor and nobility wanting to thy dignity, thy perfon would give it fufficient luftre. "Thou art the depofitory of the books which have pu"rified the fect *, and which will be fuch evidence as none fhall contradict; how many former nations, "how many of those which now exift, have been fav"ed by thy zeal! Thou concealeft fublime ideas, and "thy virtues are fo neceffary, that thy end ought never to come; they have all chosen an asylum in thy "breaft; but especially, clemency and oblivion of injuries."

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The Moors delighted in fine gardens, and their moft pleafing apartments looked into thefe.-Fresh water was in all cafes, a most delightful object in these warm regions, and it furnishes a fubject for repeated eulogium. The following infcription, which was placed over a window that looked into a garden, overlooking a bafon.

* When the famous Ximenes de Cufneros came to Granada, to cooperate with the first archbishop of that city, Fernando de Talavera, in the converfion of infidels, it is faid, they collected a million and twentyfive thousand copies of the Alcoran, which were burnt in the public fquare; feveral works of taste and erudition, worthy of defcending to pofterity, were confounded with the law of the prophet, and partook of its fate: The press, upon wnich this inscription is written, probably contained the Alcoran.

The great Almanzor entertained every pilgrim who came to his pa lace, for fix days; and when those who were poor departed, they had provifions given them to support them on their journey, for one day longer, at leaft. Edit.

VOL. II.

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May 4+ of limpid water, muft have had a fine effect. Some English poets have attempted this kind of personifica

tion.

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"I am like the fweet exhalation of plants, which "fatisfies, captivates and enchants thy fenfes. Behold "the vafe I fupport, and, in its purity, thou wilt fee "the truth of my words. If thou fhouldft defire to give me one like it, thou canft find it no where, but "in the moon when at the full; and Nazar, who is my mafter, is the ftar which communicates to me its light As long as he watches over me, I shall never "be eclipfed."

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ચંદ

Over another window in the fame apartment, is the following.

"Well may a fublime name be given to me, for I "am am fortunate and magnificent. This tranfparent and liquid refervoir which prefents itself to thy view, "will, if thou pleafeft, quench thy thirst; but were "the water to ftop in its courfe, and never more to "fill up thefe fortunate banks, it would not less testify "the praises of Nazar, the man liberal beyond measure, "whom no one leaves with the want which brought him "into his prefence."

Over the window of another apartment, which seems to have been fet apart for the entertainment of pilgrims, is the following infcription. The windows looked into the garden.

"Praife be to God, becaufe my beauty vivifies this "palace, and I attain from the circle with which I am "crowned, the elevation of the highest plants. My "bofom contains fprings of pure water; I embellish "these scenes pleafing of themfelves. They who in"habit me are powerful, and God protects me. I "have preferved the remembrance of the great actions "of men who believe in God, and whom he calls to

himfelf. The liberal hand of Abulghaghegh has or"namented my outlines: It is a moon in its full, the

learnefs of which diffipates the darkness of heaen, and, at the fame time, acts upon the whole arth."

ver a window on the infide of the fame apartment, ae following:

Praise be to God: My architect has elevated me > the height of glory. I surpass in beauty the bed f the bridegroom, and am fufficient to give a juft iea of fymetry and conjugal love. He who comes me with the complaint of an injury, finds in me immediate avenger. I yield myself to fuch as efire my table; I resemble the bow in the heavens, ad like it, I am decorated with the colours of beau7. My light is Albughagheg, who, in the paths the world, continnally watches over the temple "of God, encourages pilgrims, and loads them with gifts." [To be continued occafionally.]

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We shall have occafion, in fome future number, to give a particular account of the library of Almanzor. The ignorant Ximenes, unable to read, ccnfounded all books on this occafion with the Coran, to the irreparable damage of literature. Edit.

Difquifition concerning the different varieties of the different kinds of grain, and the uses that may be derived from a knowledge of this particular by the Farmer, exemplified with regard to oats." NATURALISTS have arranged bodies into claffes, genera, and fpecies; but the leffer fubdivifions called varieties, have been disregarded as not deferving the dignity of philofophic investigation. But though philofophers may despise these particulars as trivial, men in common life are often obliged to attend to them as of the moft important concern. This is particularly evinced in regard to the object that now attracts our notice. To the gardener and the farmer, it is a matter of the Ų u 2