gantly by the above-mentioned authors, with the addition of fome idle fables and impertinent projects. As to the Greek writers of the Byzantine history, who have given us an account of the Turks, it was the lefs neceffary to examine them with attention, as Knolles seems to have reduced them to their quinteffence; and indeed, the generality of those hiftorians were more attentive to the harmony of their periods, and the beauty of their expreffions, than either to the truth of the facts which they related, or to the folidity of the remarks deduced from them. They were no longer thofe excellent Greeks, whofe works remain to this age, as a perfect example of the nobleft fentiments delivered in the pureft ftyle: they feemed to think, that fine writing confifted in a florid exuberance of words, and that, if they pleased the ear, they were fure to satisfy the heart: they even knowingly corrupted the Afiatic names, to give them a more agreeable found*, by which they have led their fuc* Thus they changed Togrul Beg into Tangrolipix, and Azzo'ddin + into Azatines.

ceffors into a number of ridiculous errors, and have given their hiftories the air of a

romance.

Before I proceed to the books, which the Turks themselves have written on their own affairs, it will be necessary to make a digresfion on their literature in general, left the opinion which most men entertain of the Turkish ignorance, fhould induce fome of them to fufpect the authority of these works, or even to doubt of their existence.

I

It is a ridiculous notion, then, which prevails among us, that ignorance is a principle of the Mohammedan religion, and that the Koran inftructs the Turks not to be inftructed. have heard many fenfible men inveighing against the mean policy of Mohammed, who they say commanded his followers to be ignorant, left they should one day or other learn that he had impofed upon them. There is not a fhadow of truth in this: Mohammed not only permitted but advised his people to apply themselves to learning. He says expressly in his ftrange book, where there are many fine ideas mixed with a heap of rubbish, that

the man who has knowledge for his portion, has received a valuable gift; and among his fayings, which were preserved by his intimate friends, and are now confidered as authentic, there are several which recommend learning in the strongest terms; as, the ink of the learned and the blood of martyrs are of equal value in heaven, and learning is permitted to all be◄ lievers both male and female: not to mention that precept of his, which is well known, Seek learning, though it were in China.

There would be no end of quoting all the ftriking expreffions of this fingular man, and the ableft profeffors of his religion, in praise of knowledge and letters; indeed we all know, no modern nation was ever more addicted to learning of every kind than the Arabians; they cultivated fome branches of science with great success, and brought their language to a high degree of clearness and precision; a proof that they had not only men of taste, but even many philofophers among them; for, that language will always be moft clear and precife, in which moft works of real philofophy

have been written. We are willing alfo to allow, that the Perfians have been a polite and ingenious people, which they could not have been without a fufficient culture of their

talents. They lay for a long time astonished and ftupified at the rapid progrefs of the Mohammedan arms; but when they began to revive, and had embraced the religion of their conquerors, they followed their natural bent, and applied themselves with great eagerness to the improvement of their language; which was by that time grown very rich by its mixture with the Arabic. We are no lefs candid to the Indians, whom we know to have been a wife and inventive nation; we read with pleasure their fables of Pilpai; we adopt their numerical characters; we divert and ftrengthen our minds with their game of Chefs; and of late years, we have condefcended to look into their writings; but by a strange de gree of obftinacy, we perfift in confidering the Turks as rude, favage, and not only unacquainted with the advantages of learning, but even its avowed perfecutors.

This prejudice, abfurd as it may feem, is of very ancient growth; it was first brought into Europe at that memorable period, when letters began to revive in the weft; and has continued to this day without any diminution. It was the fashion in that age to look upon every person as barbarous, who did not study the philosophy of the old Academy; and because the Turks had driven the Greeks from their country, it was immediately concluded that they perfecuted even the language and learning of that nation.

It is certain, indeed, that the Turks were for many years wholly addicted to arms; but when they had secured their conquests in Afia, and especially when they were fettled at Conftantinople, they began to cultivate every species of literature; and their fultans often set them the example. At that time, they were fo fenfible of the high polish which learning gives to the manners of every nation, that they reflected with disdain on their ancient rudeness; and one of the best poets, quoted by M. d'Herbelot, fays, although the rude dif