, 1865-06-06


appealed. Lord Peterborough did not
know that, idolatry being always local,
the mass of Hindoos cared nothing what
ever about the temple of Somnath, rather
repeated tales of the Ghaznevide's gran
deur with a national prde which over
came all religious hate; and Napoleon
does not know that there are fatalisms
and fataIismS, that the MusSuIman fatal
ism is one thing. and the Christian fatal
ism quite another. His fataIism, quite
unconsciously to himself, is that OF the
old Christian worId-the disposition 10
believe in judgment by ordeal. He sees
in victory, in any accomplished fact, as
Cromwell saw, as modern CalviniSts still
see, a proof that God wishes that victory,
is favourable 10 that fact. Resistance to the
victor therefore, he suggests, is impiouS,
as impious for Arabs as resistance to Caesar
is for Frepchmen it is a duty to submit
willingly to the destiny hidden in French
arms. The Asiatic does not take that
view at all He also believes in fate, but
it is as an eUiI power, as something above
and behind God, something which, so to
speak, is struggling against God, to which
he must p~erforce submit, but only until
the Almighty sees fit once more to exert
his omnipotence. He accepts his defeat
as he accepts the cholera, as something
which may destroy him, which he must
in any event wait OUT, but which is not
necessarily good because it is irresistible.
To-day faie cOmpeIs HIM to yield TO the
Frank, tomorrow God may call him TO
battle against the Frank either power is
resistless, but the right has always been
with God. He meets the argument that
the victory proves the favour of Heaven
with the simple reply that it proves onIy the
favouro of Fate, thai Gods ultimate verdict
must always be in favour Of the Faithful.
Crime may be irresistible, or even the
temptation to crime, but it is not there
fore of God, and calamity must be hum
bly accepted, but not because God willed
it. The truth is, ;hat while the Chris
tian fataIiSt has at his heart the convic-
ton that God rules all things, that good
and evil, as shown in events, only differ
in seeming, that all things work together
for some end indefinitely higher than the
steps which lead to it, The Asiatic still
has at his heart the more ancient and evil
theory-the never-endiug struggle of two
almost equal forces. Each creed gives
them different names; the Parsee talks
Of OrmuSd and Ahriman, the Buddhist Of
Spirit and Matter, the Mussulman of
God and Fate, but each in his heart be-
lieves that they are battling for the sole
rule. Each principle wins by turns, and
when victor, is reSistlesS, and to be ac-
cepted with resignation, but the duty of
man never changes--to be the soldier
of God, and not of the adverse power.
So completely does this philosophy pervade
every act of life, that the Asiatic, whe-
Their MosIem, or Hindoo, or Buddhist,
when speaking his own thoughts, never
by any chance applies the word "fate"
except in connection with misfortune.
If the Arab is foiIed he says 'Kismet,"
if the Hindoo is beaten he remarks ''What
is on the forehead will be = if you pun
ish either u%njustly he declares that his
fate is unpropitious. But if he wins his
game, if fortune f%avours, or he is in any
way delighted, then Fate has nothing to
do with it, then 'Godi is merciful," "God
has heard him." "Praise be to the name
of the Lord" The Algerine will admit
therefore to-day that all Napoleon has