The Sun.
London, England, 1829-07-23 00:00:00

PHILTRES.

Among the many interesting conversations
which I have had with Lady Hester, she related
several anecdotes of the people of the East, most
of which were extremely illustrative of their
manners and superstitions. I select the follow-
ing, as it relates to the two greatest men of which
the East can boast—Sultan Mahmoud and
Mehmet Ali. The growing power of the Pacha
of Egypt had long been the cause of uneasiness
to the Sublime Porte. In vain were capidgi`•
bashis, armed with the bowstring and the dagger,
despatched to the capital of the Pyramids ; iii
vain the treacherous agents of the Porte endea-
voured by poison or stratagem to rid it of a
dangerous rival. Mehmet Ali was too well
warned, by his spies at Constantinople, of the;
toils which were spread around him to suffer
himself to fall into the slave. At length the
Sultan Mahmoud resolved upon adopting a
scheme which should be so cleverly devised, and
involved in such impenetrable secrecy, that it
was impossible to fail of success. Be had in
the imperial harem a beautiful Georgian slave,
whose innocence and beauty fitted her, in the
Sultan's eyes, for the atrocious act of perfidy for
which she was to be the unsuspecting 'agent.
The belief in talismans is still prevalent through-
out the East; and, perhaps, even the enlightened
Mahmoud himself is not superior to the rest of
his nation in matters of traditionary superstition.
He sent one day for the fair Georgian, and, af-
fecting a great love for her person, and desire to-
advance her interests, told her that it was his
imperial will to send her to Egypt as a present
to Mehmet Ali, whose power and riches were
as unbounded as the regions over which he held
the sway of a sovereign prince, second to no one
in the universe, but to himself the great Padisha.
He observed to her how much happiness would fall
to her lot if she could contrive to captivate the affec-
tions of the master for whom he designed her ; that'
she would become, as it were, the Queen of
Egypt, and would reign over boundless empires.;
but, in order to insure to her so desirable a con-
summation of his imperial wishes for her welfare
and happiness, he would present her with a talis-
man, which he then placed upon her finger.
" Watch," said he, " a favourable moment,
when the Pacha is lying on your bosom to drop
this ring into a glass of water, which, when he
has drunk, will give you the full possession of
his affections, and render him your captive for
ever." The unsuspecting Georgian eagerly ac-
cepted the lot which was offered her, and, dazzled
by its promised splendour, determined upon fol-
lowing the instructions of the Sultan to the very
letter. In the due course of time she arrived at
Cairo, with a splendid suite, and many slaves,
bearing rich presents. Mehmet Ali's spies had,
however, contrived to put him on his guard.
Such a splendid demonstration of esteem,fiom
his imperial master alarmed him for his safety.
He would not suffer the.fair Georgian to see the

BIRTHS.
On the 21st inst. the lady of G. A. Moultrie, Esq. °f
Aston-hall, Shropshire, of a son.
On the 21st inst. Mrs. Thomas Abbot, of North-bankt
Regent's-park, of a son.
On the 22d inst. at Upper Wimp°le-street, the 1 idy of
the Rev. R. F. Fuller, of a son.
On the 20th inst. at Fellbridge, the lady of G. T{aiks'
Esq. of a son.
_ _ .