The Press. — London, England, 1856-01-19 00:00:00

JANUARY 19, 1856. Nittraturt. Pereonal Narrative of a Pilgrimayo to El- Metlinah and Meccah. Vol. 111. By Lieut. Burton. London: Longinans. FEW men achieve success or reputation by means beyond the scope of ordinary people without exciting envy and incurring disparage ment. It is the peculiar province of medio crity to sneer at such claims. No man ever yet by one happy stroke obtained •that little scrap of fame for which we arc all so bitterly struggling each day of our lives, without find ing, after the first brief flash of success had passed away, that his failings were exaggerated and his merits disallowed. The malicious spite with which, as Byron said, some good " natured friend " writes a good-natured cri tique upon your achievements would be in credible, if human nature were not so prone to " envy, hatred, and malice." Even so humble a person as Lieutenant Burton, who in the land of Mohammed only travelled farther and saw mote than most other Christians before him, is not free from the spite of these esprits du dernier ordre, Qui n'etant bons a rien cherchent a mordre. His courage and energy have been sneered at, his statements questioned, his acquain tance with Eastern customs distrusted, and his whole knowledge of Eastern life doubted, if not denied, because here and there in his two former volumes an Arabic word is spelt wrong, or previous a'ithorities are set right. No man who has really seen Eastern lite can doubt the authenticity of Lieut. Burton's sketches. To judge only by the statements of previous Eastern travellers, Lieutenant Burton, in his narrative, gives one of the most careful, interesting, and accurately descriptive accounts of the country he traversed, and of the peculiar customs of the people he was thrown among. To assume the life and manners of an Oriental, daily deceiving so sagacious a people for so long a period, and to succeed in reaching Meccali and Medinah as a pilgrim, was alone a feat, tested by the fact that so few have ever achieved it, re quiring no ordinary courage, the most per fect self-possession, thorough endurance, and all the higher attributes of a great traveller. To these qualities Lieutenant Burton adds an extensive acquaintance with Oriental languages, infinite tact, and a personality, to judge from his portrait in the first volume, thoroughly Eastern. Combining so many personal requisites for success, his narrative, he may rest assured, has secured for him the place he deserves, an undoubted pre-eminence among Eastern travellers It is to such men, risking health and fortune, and sacrificing their ease and plea sure for a life of hardship and danger, that the material interests of a country owe much fur their advancement, that trade and commerce are led into new sources, and civilisation spread over the world. Let us, therefore, do honour to these pioneers of civilisation, these makers of history, and in this land of recognised but unrewarded merit rather bear willing witne3s to the hard-won honours of a bold and adven turous spirit, than with petty and contemptible censure seek to disparage such efforts of suc cessful enterprise. In this concluding volume of his narrative, Lieutenant Burton details his various adven tures from Medinah to Nleccah, and his resi dence at that city during the great festival of the year. With all the spirit of a " true believer," he undergoes every preliminary with scrupulous care, and performs every ceremony of the day with a tact and success remarkable to a degree, bearing in mind the certainty of a cruel death being surely be fore him if detected. His cool courage, perfect self-confidence, and thorough know ledge of his position, carried him tri umphantly through every ordeal. Suspicious eyes in vain watched him keenly at each stage of the proceedings ; he never faltered, or, if he did, cleverly evaded inquiries, and succeeded with marvellous skill in baffling the most astute Arabs. The long, dull journey of the pilgrimage is characteristically de scribed. The utter weariness of being carried by night at a slow pace upon the back of an JANUARY 19, 1 Nittl Pereonal Narrative of Medinah and Meccah. Burton. London: I FEW men achieve suc means beyond the sec without exciting envy a ment. It is the peeul crity to sneer at such yet by one happy stroll scrap of fame for whirl struggling each day of ing, after the first bri , passed away, that his fa and his merits disalh spite with which, as I " natured friend " writ tique upon your achit credible, if human natu " envy, hatred, and 'nal a person as Lieutenan land of Mohammed onl saw more than most o him, is not free from th esprits Qui n'etant bons a rien cl His courage and enerl at, his statements quo tanco with Eastern and his whole know' doubted, if not denie , there in his two forme word is spelt wrong, o are set right. No mat Eastern lite can doub Lieut. Burton's sketch( the statements of previi Lieutenant Burton, in I of the most careful, inte descriptive accounts c traversed, and of the people he was thrown am and manners of an Oriet sagacious a people for SI succeed in reaching MCI pilgrim, was alone a fl that so few have e quiring no ordinary cc feet self-possession, the all the higher attribute: To these qualities Lieut , extensive acquaintance w infinite tact, and a persor portrait in the first.volurr Combining so many p( success, his narrative, has secured for him th an undoubted pre-emit travellers It is to suc and fortune, and sacrifici sure for a life of hardshi material interests of a c their advancement, tha' are led into new sources, over the world. Let us, to these pioneers of civi of history, and in this la unrewarded merit rathe to the hard-won honour turous spirit, than with censure seek to dispara4 cessful enterprise. In this concluding vo Lieutenant Burton deta tures from Medinah to dence at that city durir the year. With all tl believer," he undergo( with scrupulous care, ceremony of the day wi remarkable to a degree, certainty of a cruel de fore him if detected. perfect self-confidence, ledge of his positioi umphantly through eve: eyes in vain watched stage of the proceedinE or, if he did, cleverly succeeded with marvellc most astute Arabs. TI of the pilgrimage is sciibed. The utter wea by night at a slow pace THE PRESS. uneasy camel is not forgotten; but even deserts conic to an end, and Meccah is at length reached. The first thing to visit is the " Kaabah," the mosque of Mohammed, with which the most fanatical superstitions of the East. are interwoven. It is regarded lite rally as the " House of Allah," is believed to have been built and rebuilt ten times by order of the Almighty, and contains the Black Stone supposed to have been placed there by Abraham himself. At the first. streak of early dawn our " Pilgrim " proceeds with his boy Mohammed to the Sanctuary : There at last it lay, the bourn of my long and weary pilgrimage, realising the plans and hopes of many and many a year. The mirage medium of Fancy invested the huge catafalque and its gloomy pall with peculiar charms. There were no giant fragments of hoar antiquity as in Egypt, no remains of graceful and harmonious beauty as in Greece and Italy, no barbaric gorgeousness as in the buildings of India; yet the view was strange, unique, and how few have looked upon the celebrated shrine ! 1 may say truly that, of all the worshippers who clung weeping to the curtain, or who pressed their beating hearts to the stone, none felt for the moment a deeper emotion than did the Hadji from the far north. It was as if the poetical legends of the Arab spoke truth, and that the waving wings of angels, not the sweet breeze of morning, were agitating and swelling the black covering of the shrine. But, to confess humbling truth, theirs was the high feeling of religious enthusiasm, mine was the ecatacy of gratified pride. After the necessary prostrations, prayers, and circumambulations, the sacred stone with some difficulty was reached, kissed, nar rowly observed, and is declared to be " a big aiirolite." In the evening the pilgrim again repairs to the Sanctuary : The oval pavement around the Kaabah was crowded with men, women, and children, mostly divided into parties, which followed a Mutawwif ; some walking staidly, and others running, whilst many stood in groups to prayer. What a scene of contrast ! Here stalked the Bedouin woman, in her long black robe like a nun's serge, and poppy-coloured face-veil, pierced to show two fiercely flashing orbs. There an Indian woman, with her semi- Tartar features, nakedly hideous, and her thin parenthe tical legs, encased in wrinkled tights, hurried round the fane. Every now and then a corpse, borne upon its wooden shell, circuited the shrine by means of four bearers, whom other ➢foslems, as is the custom, occasionally relieved. A few faipskinned Turks lounged about, looking cold and repulsive, as their wont is. In one place a fast C-ilcutta " Khitmugar " stood, with turban awry and arms akimbo, contemplating the view jauntily, as those gentlemen's gentlemen will do. In another, some poor wretch, with arms thrown on high, so that every part of his person might touch the Kaabah, was clinging to the curtain and sobbing as though his heart would break. Yet, during such sacred duties Meccah women, we learn, are not more immaculate than the rest of their sex. During a solemn sermon at Arafat our pilgrim's red shawl attracted the attention of a fair young Mcccan Close to us sat a party of fair Meccans, apparently belonging to the higher classes, and one of these I had already several times remarked. She was a tall girl, about eighteen years old, with regular features, a skin somewhat citrine.coloured, but soft and clear, symmetrical eyebrows, the most beautiful eyes, and a figure all grace. There was no head thrown back, no straightened neck, no flat shoul ders, nor toes turned out—in fact, no elegant barbarisms; but the shape was what the Arabs love—soft, bending, and relaxed, as a woman's figure ought to be. Unhappily she wore, instead of the usual veil, a " Yashmak " of trans parent muslin, bound round the face ; and the chaperone, mother, or duenna, by whose side she stood, was apparently a very unsuspicious or compliant old person. Flirtilla fixed a glance of admiration upon my cashmere. directed a reply with interest at her eyes. She then, by the usual coquettish gesture, threw back an inch or two of head•veil, disclosing broad bands of jetty hair, crowning a lovely oval. My palpable admiration of the new charm was rewarded by a partial removal of the Yashmak; when a dimpled mouth and a rounded chin stood cut from the envious muslin. Seeing that my companions were safely employed, I ventured upon the dangerous ground of raising hand to forehead. She smiled almost impercep tibly, and turned away. The pilgrim was in ecatacy. After performing the several ceremonies im posed upon hi►n by his disguise, our pilgrim rested in Meccah for a short time. Upon the risk of a visit to Meccah during the pilgrimage season Lieutenant Burton writes : A learned Orientalist and divine intimated his intention, in a work published but a few years ago, of visiting Meccah without disguise. He was assured that the Turkish governor would now offer no obstacle to a European tra veller. I would strongly dissuade a friend from making the attempt. It is true that the Frank is no longer, as in Capt. Head's day, insulted when he ventures out of the Meccan gate of Jeddah ; and that our vice•consuls and travellers are allowed, on condition that their glance do not pollute the shrine, to visit Taif and the regions lying east• ward of the Holy City. Neither the Pacha nor the Sherif would, in these days, dare to enforce, in the case of an Englishman, the old law, a choice thrice offered between circumcision and death. But the first Bedouin who 63 caught sight of the Frank's hat would not deem himself a man if he did not drive a bullet through the wearer's head. At the pilgrimage season disguise is easy, on account of the vast and varied multitudes which visit Meccab, exposing the traveller only to " stand the buffet with knaves who smell of sweat." But woe to the unfortunate who happens to be recognised in public as an infidel— unless at least he could throw himself at once upon the protection of the Government. Amidst, however, a crowd of pilgrims, whose fanaticism is worked up to the highest pitch, deteztiou would probably insure his dismissal at once al :oaten) de' pie. Those who find danger the salt of pleasure may visit Meccali ; but if asked whether the results justify the risk, 1 should reply in the negative. And the vice-consul at Jeddah would only do his duty in peremptorily forbidding European travellers to attempt Ifeccah without disguise, until the day comes when such steps can be taken in the certainty of not causing a mishap, which would not redound to our reputation, as we could not iu justice revenge it. Beyond the Kaabah there are not many objects to interest the stranger in Mecca. Mohammed's old house, and a few mosques, with whitewashed walls, are all that are to be seen. After a brief stay, Lieutenant Burton set out for Jeddah, and from thence returned to Suez and home. This volume, forming an admirable conclusion to the series of travels undertaken by Lieut. Burton, is embellished with several coloured and plain engravings, and with plans of the Kaabah, while an accurate index affords au c...sy reference to every inci dent mentioned in the previous volumes of the narrative. The Confidential Correspondence of Napoleon Bonaparte with his Brother Joseph. Two Vols. London: Nluiray. [Second Notice.] WE have adverted to the deplorable position held by Joseph as nominal king of a country over which he had no real authority, and as commander-in-chief of armies he was not per mitted to control. His complaints were piteous. To Napoleon himself he wrote (Feb. 19, 1809) : Sire,—lt grieves me to infer from your letter of the 6th February that with respect to the affairs of Madrid you listen to persons who are interested in deceiving you. I have not your entire confidence, and yet without it my position is not tenable. I shall not repeat all that I have frequently written on the state of the finances. I devote to business all my faculties from seven in the morning till eleven at night. I have not a farthing to give anybody. I am in the fourth year of my reign, and my guards aria still wearing the coats which I gave to them four years ago. All complaints are addressed to me; all prejudices are opposed to me. I have no real power beyond Madrid, and even at Madrid I am every day counteracted by people who grieve that things are not managed according to their own system. They accuse me of being too mild ; they would become infamous if I were more severe, and left them to the judgment of the tribunals. You thought proper to sequester the property of ten families ; more than twice that number have been thus treated. Officers are in possession of every habitable house; '2,000 servants belonging to the seques tered families have been turned into the streets. All beg ; the boldest try to assassinate my officers. All those who with me sacrificed their position in the kingdom of Naples are billeted on the inhabitants. NVithout any capital, with out any money, without any revenue, what can 1 do ? This picture, dark as it is, is not exaggerated. Well might Wellington, accurately informed of the real state of affairs in Spain, feel confi dent of ultimate success in his glorious mis sion. The " system " established by Napoleon in his conquered countries was too monstrous to last. The only question was, bow long the vast armies and resources of France would be able to prop it up. He was continually forced to the necessity of new conquests to keep those he had acquired : with each new exten sion of his power the hatred of oppressed nations grew stronger, until at last he found himself, with the resources of France ex hausted, opposed to the world in arms. The pre-eminent sagacity of the Wellesleys—for the Marquis was as clearsighted as his illus trious brother—foresaw this result. Presently we shall notice its realisation. To all the re monstrances of Joseph, Napoleon deigned no answer. Why, then, did he consent to remain in a position which he felt to be so igno minious? The answer is to be found in the weak character of Joseph. He was well fitted for an amiable private gentleman, but he had neither audacity to act upon his brother's sys tem and efficiently to aid him, nor courage fairly to resign a situation he felt himself in competent to fill. Pathetically did he implore that he might be permitted to occupy a private station in France. It seems that he dared not abandon his post without permis sion. Perhaps he feared the consequences of