Then, northward proceeding, search out for the ground,
Which adjoining to Kinetown, in Warwickshire's found,
Where Charles First* met his people in hostile array,
And where neither could claim the rewards of the day.

In the county of Derby, 'tis somewhere related
That Pope pass'd two summers and Homer translated;
Then visit the spot since held sacred to lore,
And give for the present your wanderings o'er;

For you've travelled enough to complete my design,
I now ask you to name the celestial sign,

In which Phoebus shines glorious that time of the year

When the snow-drop just peeping, cries, "Sweet spring is near." Bath.

*A.D. 1642.

KEY TO ENIGMA No. 15.

Fenelon.

E uripides.

Bacon.

Reynolds, Sir Joshua.

U sher.

A damson.

Rowe.

Y alden.

None of the correspondents have answered correctly.
We have no reply to the Acrostic.

The initials will name a range of mountains in the Mediter

ranean; the finals the name of a king of Israel.

Plymouth.

THOMAS HEATH, jun.

THE DERVISHES.

DERVISHES are Mohammedan monks who belong to the Persian sect of Moslems. They make pretentions to a high state of sanctity, and assert that they have special revelations from Heaven. It is said that their name is derived from the Persian word "der," "the threshold of the house," and, metaphorically, "humanity."

There are many orders of them. Some say thirty-two, and others, thirty-six. When a person seeks admission to their community, he is admitted on trial, or, as it is called, goes through a novitiate. The length of time he is in this introductory state depends on the progress he makes. He pays absolute obedience to his superior, as the monks in the church of Rome do to theirs, and also tells all he dreams to this functionary; and by this it is said it is known what progress the candidate is making towards perfection. "Whatever you do, whatever you think, let your Sheikh (the chief) be ever present to your mind," is one of the precepts ever taught by this strange sect.

When they have passed their novitiate, they do not require the teaching of the Koran (the Mohammedan bible). They have mental illumination, and are not bound by rule, but obey impulse. Thus they do away with all outward forms; these are superseded by acts purely spiritual.

They have acquired great influence in Turkey, especially over the minds of the common people. This influence they strive to maintain and increase by pretending to work miracles. They are expert at jugglery, and various kinds of impositions, and these the vulgar mistake for genuine prodigies, and are therefore zealous in building up their fame. The government has to use the utmost care in dealing with these enthusiasts, or they might give the authorities some trouble, as the papists did this and other countries in the middle ages.

Most of the orders have religious houses like the convents of popery; and the dervishes are poor and beg. They go about crowded streets crying, "Relief for the love of God."

Many rich Turkish families keep a dervish, hoping thereby to procure blessings from Heaven, and also avert evils.

The mode in which the Dervishes in Turkey conduct religious services will be best described by quoting the statement of an eye-witness of one of their festivals: "The ceremony commenced by a procession consisting of the Sheikh, Imáms, Dervises, and people along the street, many of them carrying long poles, having several lamps attached at the upper end, or else wooden lanterns. After they had entered the mosque, the Dervises, about fifteen in number, sat down cross-legged on matting, in an elliptic circle, and the people stood or sat closely round them. At one end of the mosque were the Sheikh, Imám, and moon-'shids (or singers of poetry), and near the circle sat a player on a kind of small flute.

"The service commenced by the recital of a prayer called 'El-Fa'thhah,' in a slow, solemn chant, in which the whole assembly joined. After a few minutes' silence the Dervises began their special exercises, termed the Zikr, by chanting in a slow measure and very low tone, the words, 'La'ila'ha, il'la-llah' (there is no deity but God), bowing the head and body twice in each repetition of the words; after continuing this for about a quarter of an hour, they repeated the same words to the same air for about an equal space of time, but in a quicker measure and with corresponding quickened motions; during this the moon-'shids and Imám sometimes sang to a variation of the same air portions of an ode in praise generally of the Prophet;-the effect of the soft melody of the ode, contrasted with the hoarser voices of the Dervises, was at times pleasing.

"The Dervises then repeated the same words to a different air, beginning, as before, in a slow whisper, raised gradually

to louder tones, with very rapid motions of the head and body. They next rose on their feet in a circle, repeating the same words in very hoarse tones, laying the emphasis chiefly upon the word 'La,' and the first syllable of 'Allah,' which were uttered with great vehemence; each turned his head alternately to the right and to the left, bending also the body at the repetition of these syllables. The rapidity of their motions and ejaculations was gradually increased until they became apparently frantic with excitement, several of them jumping and throwing about their bodies in all directions; others, overcome with their intense exertions, were panting and gasping for breath, uttering the most unearthly and horrible sounds, and sinking down from exhaustion, bathed in perspiration. The quickness of their motions and vehemence of their ejaculations seemed to be regulated in some measure by the chant of the moon-'shids and Imám, who lowered their voices when the Dervises began to appear exhausted, and urged them on again by raising their notes after they were somewhat rested.

"During these performances, one of the spectators who had joined the circle became highly excited, throwing about his arms and body, looking very wildly upwards, and ejaculating the words, 'Allah! Al'lah! la' la' lah!' with extreme vehemence. In a short time his voice became extinct, his strength exhausted, and he sank down on the floor violently convulsed and foaming at the mouth; it was a fit of epilepsy, and he was considered by the assembly to be possessed, or, melboo's, like the demoniacs mentioned in the New Testament. Such occurrences are very frequent during these services.

"When these performances had lasted about two hours, they were completely suspended for some time, the actors taking coffee, and smoking; and the suddenness with which they subsided from the highest pitch of excitement into their ordinary dignified gravity of manner was very remarkable. After a short rest they resumed the Zikr, and continued the same frantic performances till day-break.