The second volume of letters writ by a Turkish spy who lived five and forty years undiscover'd at Paris : giving an impartial account to the Divan at Constantinople of the most remarkable transactions of Europe, and discovering several intrigues and secrets of the Christian courts (especially of that of France) continued from the year 1642 to the year 1682 / written originally in Arabick, translated into Italian, and from thence into English, by the translator of the first volume.

LETTER XXIX.

To Egry Boinou, a White Eunuch.

I Cannot forget the Time, since thou and I sate together in the Chiosc at Scutari, and entertained each other with the Stories of the Ancient Greek Poets. The Prospect which that Gallery afforded, renew'd our Memory of several Nations Strife about the Birth-place of Homer; and, from thence gave us Occa∣sion, to discourse and make Comparisons be∣tween Him and Hesiod, Orpheus, and the Rest of the celebrated Poets, Philosophers, and Sages of the East. I remember, we passed by De∣grees from one Subject to another, till at length we fell upon the Translation of their Heroes, and the Genealogy of their Gods. Thou wilt say, I have a good Memory, should I now rehearse the Series of our Conversation on this Point. But, I will not be so trouble-some for the sake of Applause. Though I often think over thy Sentiments with infinite Delight, yet I will not repeat them here, lest I tempt thee to throw away my Letter,

before thou hast half read it. Only give me leave to put thee in mind, How thou didst then vindicate the Infant World, for placing those Excellent Souls in Heaven, who had been Illustrious Benefactors to Mankind on Earth: And, that though after-Ages fell into the Crime of Idolatry, by giving Divine Ho∣nours to the first Inventors of Arts and Sci∣ences, and by sacrificing to the Manes of de∣parted Heroes; yet, it was thy Opinion that those who first consecrated them to Immorta∣lity, and a Fame that should know no End, did but perform the Rights of Gratitude, exe∣cute the Dictates of Innocent Nature, with∣out ever dreaming of the Religious Cere∣monies which their deluded Posterity super-in∣duc'd.

To do thee Justice, this was a Noble Thought, full of Humanity, and exactly squaring with unbyass'd Reason; and, I must confess, I owe the frequent Cure of my Me∣lancholy, to the Force of this generous Senti∣ment.

The Christians, especially here in the West, out-go the Jews in the Superstitious Narrowness of their Principles; and, as the latter confined Salvation to the Lineage of Jacob, so the former restrain it to the Latin Church. I have often convers'd with some of their Learned Der∣vises, on the Theme of the Pagans Salvation, but can by no Arguments beat them off from their inveterate Prejudice. They will not al∣low so much as one of the Heathens to be saved, and but a Hundred and Forty Four Thou∣sand

of the Jews, accounting Twelve Thou∣sand of every Tribe. This is the severe A∣rithmetick of the Western Religion, whose Professors thereby render themselves greater Infidels than those they damn. 'Tis to be hop'd, there is a larger Calcule with God for the Number of the Blessed, or else one would think, Hell would be too populous, and the Devil would be forced to make frequent De∣cimations, and send Colonies abroad, to make Room for the ever fresh Glut of his new Guests.

For my Part, who was Educated in the im∣partial Rudiments of Truth, in the serene Prin∣ciples of the Mahometan Faith, I believe, That there are some saved of all Religions, and that at the Day of Judgment, there shall be erected a Fourth Banner for such to resort to, who never heard of Moses, Jesus or Ma∣homet. Assuredly, there is no Malice in the Omnipotent, and he will not Damn Men for their Involuntary Ignorance of his Revealed Laws, provided they live up to the genuine Dictates of Nature and Reason, which are the truest Standards of Vertue and Positive Reli∣gion.

The Christians have a Heaven for their Saints, and a Hell for Sinners; in this they agree with the Mussulmans. They have a Limbo for Infants, that die unbaptized; and, another for the Vertuous Israelites, who lived before the Messias. Their Charity had been complete, had they provided a Third, for Just and Vertuous Men of all Religions; whom it

is too hard to damn on the Score of what they know not, so long as they unblameably pra∣ctise whatsoever Good they know. The Chap∣ter of Prisons in the Alcoran, seems to contain a more equal Distribution of Justice, when it assigns a Middle-Place, between Paradise and Hell, to those who have led an indifferent Life, equally checquer'd with Vertue and Vice. They there shall behold the Joys of the Blessed, and the Torments of the Damned; yet shall nei∣ther taste of the One, nor feel the Other; but pass their Time in a tedious Neutrality, between the Height of Bliss, and the Depth of Misery.

But, what Mussulman will question the Sal∣vation of the Gentiles, when the Book of Glory it self tells us, That Alexander the Great was an Holy Prophet; and yet we know, he neither was of the Seed of Abraham, nor was he so much as Circumcis'd.

My Converse with the Learned Dervises in this City, has taught me some of their School-Distinctions; among which, they use a pretty one in the Damnation of Unbaptized Infants; teaching, That such are damn'd to the Pain of Loss, but not to the Pain of Sense. I am apt to think, this Distinction may very well be adapted to the Case of many Men, who as their Vertues are not of that Heroick Stamp, as to carry them directly to Paradise; so nei∣ther are their Vices of so black a Tincture, as to sink them immediately to Hell. I believe, there are Proportionate Rewards and Punish∣ments, for all Sorts and Degrees of Vertue and

Vice; and that the Souls of the Departed, are marshall'd and disposed in Receptacles a∣greeable to their proper Rank and Quality. And, if I can but get to Virgil's pleasant Greens and shady Woods, the fortunate Mansions of Innocent and Just Men; I will not envy the Heroes, nor desire to be canoniz'd among the Gods. Elyzium or Paradise are much One to me: I seek not the Name, but the Nature of Bliss. Provided I may but gain a Place of Rest and Refreshment, and be admitted into agreeable Company, I will not complain, nor disturb the Peace of the Blessed, with an Am∣bitious Quest of the Highest Dignities in Heaven; as if a Man could not be Happy, unless he be made a Vizir of the Bench a∣bove.

Let thou and I, dear Egry, live in such an exact Conformity of Manners here, that when we go hence, we may by the Divine Numen, be both disposed in the same Apartment and Society, carry our Friendship along with us to that other World; and let us make a Co∣venant, That whosoever dies first, shall soon appear to the Surviver, and give a hirn true Ac∣count of his State, if it be in the Power of the Dead to perform such Bargains.

In the mean Time, I counsel thee to make much of this present Life; not by sordid Vo∣luptuousness and Vice, from which I know thy natural Aversion; but by borrowing from each Element, an Occasion of improving thy Science and Vertue. This is the Way to be raised above the Elements, in which at pre∣sent

thou art a Sojourner; and, to attain thy Native Skies, and Kindred Stars, where the Renown'd Poets, Philosophers, Lawgivers, and other Vertuous Men, are gone before us, ex∣pect our Coming, and are ready to welcom us to the Rights of their happy Society. A∣dieu.

Paris, 13th. of the 4th. Moon, of the Year 1645.