The Sun.
London, England, 1835-08-31 00:00:00

Author oj EY .1. A. ST. JOAN." Egypt and Mohammed Ali," 6-c. In 3 Vols.
-London. Richard Bentley. 1835.
The atit'aor of these elegant transcripts of Oriental
cust°nls, manners, and modes of expression, bids fttir
to attain a high rank among the distinguished illustra-
tors of Eastern history. He is not deficient in fancy
jand imagination, chastened and corrected by a sober
udgment and a good taste. His style is flowing
language
being inflated ; and in his use of the figurative
"gunge of the Orientalists he evinces a regard for
Precision and appropriateness rather uncommon even
among writers of no mean pretension to literary ability.
Ilia present work consists of a series of 'Ales, recited
du'ing the Ramad'han, or Mohammedan Lent—a
season which the founder of Moslemism ordered to be
'et apart for spiritual exercises, but which the more
enlightened classes among the Osmanlis of the pre-
sent day devote to the indulgence of the more animal
,Pisassi(ins• As the Prophet only enjoined fasting from
rising till the setting of the sun, his followers take
Care to crowd into the hours of the night the enjoyment
oh
every pleasure allowed to the most privileged of
te worshippers of Allah. Among these the recital
of tales claims a first place, the story-tellers being not
°llly fellows of infinite wit and humour, but moreover
the most learned and intelligent class of persons in the
East,.
Several of these Tales arc full of striking incident,
although we must confess that they remind us rather
frequently of the " Arabian Nights." That they are
equal to these celebrated fictions in a delineation of
the Oriental character, is a degree of praise which we
cannot concede to them ; and perhaps the frequency
Iv-
hi' whichh
the author recall the memory of heroes and
er°ines, whose adventures are familiar to every school-
-37' will, in many cases, operate powerfully to his
° 'sadvantage. One of his greatest oversights is giving
lig descriptions of scenery in the half-poetic, half-
Crazy style of a sentimental Novelist. Now, hi the
,‘ -Arabian Nights," the description of a country and
inhabitants is given in three lines, the author never
Pearing to apprehend that there can be anything
cderful about it. The soil is arid or humid, moun-
t'
ain°us or level, covered with woods, or " bleak, bar-
te;ll) and bare" as a desert, and there ends the descrip-
:Le Part of the story. Every particular cave, tree,
ticat4ce, or other locality which happens to be men-
.", ed, is as necessary to the developement of the fiction
,8 its hero or heroine. There is another discrepancy
"etween the Tales of Mr. St. John and the Arabian
nights," which struck us very forcibly, after we found
;Itirselves compelled, by occasional resemblances in the
'Lading incidents, to institute comparisons between
the
In reading his fictions we never lose sight of
fact that they are designed to make us acquainted
with the customs of the Orientalists. This never oc-
curs, even to persons of mature age, who read the
Arabian Nights" for the first time. They know
arid feel the genuineness of a fiction unequalled in cold
stateliness, and that absence of all personal sympa-
y which characterises society in the East. A
doubt is never apprehended, nor is the least effort
ever made to meet the objections of incredulity.
nlgeh We might make many extracts from these Tales
more interesting than the one annexed to this
tnotice, were they not too long for insertion in our co-
htnna. The Plague Doctor, the Pearl Merchant,
e Shater Mansoor and the Princess Sitara, the
kabyle Chief—all contain passages rich in whatever
Is most attractive in Oriental scenery, customs, and as-
sociations. The scenes of blood and treason in Cairo
nreot full of human interest and passion, even did they
rni relate to occurrences which actually took place du-
t'g.the Vice-Royalty of Mehemet Ali. The follow-
in 1S trom the Tale of the Bisharein and the Derwish
;,)g, the first of the series :-
4, at hammed at once discovered the advantages offered by
the datel ure of the ground, where, owing to the narrowness of
C,..„e, a small band might defend itself against an enemy.
st--Tmg
ePo
fo his lance firmly, and commanding the brave Bisb-
ee llow, he descended towards the foe, and encountered
thierni
oatf the steepest and narrowest part of the ravine. The
Insnhth the Sheyghia, a man of athletic form, in the prime of
hishe3", eager to add insult to aggression, advanced before
cr, °l).le, and cried aloud to Mohammed—
blood Uield thee, stripling ! I would not have thy unripe
my spear. In the camp, thou mightest aid
ththe
.ccup,!ll sPinning our tents, in drawing water, an
.in o
.er
"ast %Zs beconAing the effeminate nature of a Bisharem.
entrusttil fa`..ner, or dares he not come forth, that thou art
thytribe, before thy beard be grown, with the command of
11484 replied Mohammed, ' wilt thou suffer me to
S'e'LlidtV"ce? Our tribes have no hereditary feud. Why
InY"tribSir e be blood between us?'
iritless boy !' answered the Sheyghia chief, are not
tellitiehrasreil the natural lords of this desert, upon which whoever
n-or enemy ? I tell thee, no blood but that of the
thou,,,k will this day be shed. Ye are the persevering
off 81" 'leak rivals of my power. Lately I fell upon and cut
turb:neid,ad, Your sheikh ; and behold his heron-plume in my
Alit,' ifting up his eyes, Mohammed indeed saw his father's
kif_comuPon the Slieyghia's brow ; but with that unparalleled
'repress 'd'l,_ai.let Pfiuired by the constant presence of danger, lio
r fiery indignation and said—
areat ! My father —may his soul rest in peace !
s;" •b e But
tureiv fallen lighting, I doubt not, as became the rav _
t.
blood' the Sheygliia did not pollute their hands with he
,12if my mother and sisters? Where are they, sheikh ?
the
solemnln y camp, young mail,' replied the chief, moved by
earnestness of his manner.
7'' Now God judge between thee and me !' said Moham-
. fled My father's blood is on thy sword. Mine also shall
nlge brightness, or I will ride forth from this glen with thy
Lead upon my saddle-bow.'
" Saying these words, he put spurs to his barb, and rushing on
tail enemy with extended lance, their horses met ; their spears
grazing each other's shoulders, missed their aim ; but the
'hock was 5..0 violent, that both 'steeds and riders came to the
ground. At this moment the fray also commenced in the
rear, and several Bisharein, passing their unhorsed chief, en-
gaged the assailing Sheyghia, endeavouring to force them
..'lloo,v.vn the glen. Without observinn, the movements of their
!lowers, the two chiefs disentangled themselves from the yips, leaped leaped upon their feet, and recommenced the combat
*lsijoth__ theirs scimitars. All around, carnage was going on.
lh_7,heeded them, except the merchants and slaves ; but
had been
looked on with the most intense interest. Selyma, who
Peen for greater safety placed in the centre of the line,
" too far removed to know more than that the caravan was
itttaeked.
pith 11Sheyghia, a tall, powerful man, handled his weapon
strew gular : and more than once his superior bodily
fewgth and greater skill compelled Mohammed to recoil a
ak: aces, which he again recovered by desperate efforts of
each
ahem . They pressed upon each other with the fury of tigers,
pting to cleave his adversary asunder—the rushed
thr.stwt!rd—they retreated. At length Mohammed woy unding
'was
Nieyghia in the arm, the savage seeing his blood flow,
enraged to madness, and making a furious stroke, his
sword met Mohammed's blade, and fell shivered in pieces
1.0"1 his grasp. For an instant, of which the youth omitted
?tie blow
take advantaoe, he stood unarmed and defenceless, when
would terminated the struggle. Next moment
;11 drew his dagger, and throwing himslf deserately uon
s enernY, closed with him before he had e
time top make use of
onceadvantage ; and in. the deadly contest which ensued both
1.-7 b.. more rolled to the earth, the Sheyghia endeavouring to
~ailk,e use of his dagger, and Mohammed, who had grasped his
0641,Laarrn, trying to draw his own poinard to terminate the
loos: t. In this attempt they rolled together in the dust and
forth stones, where the blood of the wounded chief oozing
cor and covering both, they appeared like two blood-stained
Pses, animated by infernal agency. At length Mohammed
Illvi)ePre_ared to be losing strength, and the efforts of the Sheyghia
L4ee every moment becoming more successful, when a sudden
grwT,_Y•ement rendered the youth master of his enemy's dagger,
Fs. at the same moment he freed himself partly from his hsworked round, and gradually gaining the ascendancy,
sowtotitu..enerny completely under him, and pressing his knee
breast, said_
ritirsiaGytho tdi:o
uthou seest, is great, sheikh ;
and the stripling
ou contemnedst, he has rendered master of thy life.
hast ngt slain my father, and I will even now