Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-09

ems OF Egypt. where Potiphar was a high
priest and where Joseph and Moses were
educated. Just before you reach the obelisk
| by the roadway you can see the spire- of a
| great church which stands where Joseph
| and Mary rested with the Child Jesus and
found an asylum among hospitable fellow
countrymen OF Heliopolis after their flight
| into Egypt. And the father of our Lord
doubtless worked there at his trade. for he
was carpenter.
| At the end of a railway bridge across the
| Nile was fought the battle of the pyramids
between Napoleon and Mamelukes Of
Egypt Wherever you may look you will
find antiquity and history. romance and
tragedy hidden like jewels In q rubbish
heap. II your Imagination is strong enough
you can see Cleopatra and Marc Antony
sitting side by side upon the deck of a
oahabiyeh. one of those curious Households
In which modern travellers enjoy the peace
and pleasures of the Nile.
The Usefulness Of Saladin.
Until I began to study the history of
Cairo had no comprehension of the char
acter or the usefulness of salad,n. He is
best known as a fighter. as the champion
OF the crescent against Richard Couer de
Lion, the champion OF the cross; and 1t is
true that his career was chiefly outside OF
Egypt. He conquered Abyssinia and Nubia;
| he subdued the valleys of the Tigris and
the Euphrates; recovered Jerusalem and
damascus from the Christian, and fought a
duel twelve years long with the chivalry OF
Europe. All christendom could not shake
his power. Between wars he built fortresses
and founded institutions of learning, at
which the people of his empire might be
taught the religion in which he believed, for
he was devout Moslem and hated heresy.
The medresas, or theological seminares,
which he founded as citadels for the de-
tense of the true faith all stand today. and
are among the most notable Of the institu-
tions of the Moslem world They have not
only been bulwarks of the faith, but have
encouraged learning and cultivated the
| taste Of the people in art and architecture.
His hospital, known as the Marfstan,
founded In Cairo in 1l76, is believed to be
the first institution for the free treatment
Of the insane and sick poor people ever
erected. and Ibn-Gubeyr Persian writer
OF the twelfth century, in giving an account
of visit to Cairo, described it in detail as
one of the novelties of the town.
1T is one of the great palaces there" he
says. spacious and magnificent, and the
sultan has been prompted to establish this
hospital solely by the hope of gaining favor
of God and recompense in the world to
come. He has appointed here an admins
traitor, man of knowledge, in whose
charge provision of drugs has been placed
with power to compound potions with them
according to divers receipts, and to pre-
scribe them. In the chambers Of this pal
ace couches have been placed which the
sick folk make use of as BEDS these being
fully provided with bed clothes. The adj
ministrator has under him servants who
are charged with the duty of inquiring into
the condition of the sick morning and
evening, and these last receive food and
medicines according as their state require.
Opposite this hospital is another separate
therefrom for women who are sick, and
they also have persons who attend them,
while adjacent to these two hospitals is an
other building with a spacious court, in
which are iron gratings, which serve for
the confinement of those who are mad; and
these are also visited daily by persons who
examine their condition and supply them
with what Is needful to amel1orate the
same. The sultan himself inspects the
state of these various institutions, investi-
eating everything and asking questions,
verifying the statements with care and
trouble, even to the uttermost; and in M1sr
also there is another hospital. exactly after
the pattern of-the one described"
This. as I have suggested, Is probably the
first hospital and insane asylum in history
and 1t is interesting to know that its founder
was the noble knight whose title to fame
has generally been limited to his courage
and skill as a warrior.
More Than a Warrior.
But he was something more. His intro
duction of colleges into Egypt not only
ceunteracted the heretical tendencies of the
time but attracted scholars from all over
the world. Under his influence intellectual
commerce between nations was revived;
professors from Persia and India met in
the cloisters of these institutions; learned
doctors from Cordoba, Granada and Seville:
pupils came from all the tribes of the. earth
by thousands, and followed the instructions
of the professors of the schools that at
tracted their taste. There was a revolution
in culture which lasted for 300 years. and
had a universal influence.
The professors and students lodged in the
colleges. where they would be convenient to
the lecture rooms, libraries and laboratories,
and when Saladin was in Cairo this impet-
~
learned and spent much of his time with
the poets, philosophers and men of letters
which were attracted to this court.
II found him." wrote Abd-el-Latif, IA
nous Bagdad physician. "a great prince,
whose appearance inspired at once respect
and love- who was approachable. deeply in
tellectual. gracious and noble In his
thoughts. I found him surrounded by a
discussing various sciences. He listened
with pleasure and took part in their con-
versation."
saladin is still the ideal hero of the des-
ert the foremost defender of the Moslen
faith, and his influence upon Islam was
undoubtedly greater than that of any other
man except the prophet himself. When he
left Cairo upon his last campaign against
the crusaders, and the people of his court
came to his stirrup to bid him farewell.
mysterious voice. was heard above the hum
of conversation singing an Arab song:
Enjoy the perfume Of the ox-eyes of Nejd;
After tonight there will be no more ox-eyes."
The prophecy Of this ill-omened verse
came true. After that night there were no
more ox-eyes for Saladin. Cairo never saw
him again. All christendom had risen in
arms at the appeal of the pope to recover
the holy city and restore the sepulcher Of
the Redeemer to His followers, but Saladin
drove the hosts of the Lord slowly before
him until not inch of Palestine was left
to the Christians but their small fortress at
Acre, where, in September. 1892, the treaty
of peace was signed Saladin retired to
Damascus, his northern capital where he
died and was buried the following March,
1193.
MADAME DU PERRoN.
Celebrated Newspaper Vender Of Paris