The fourth 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 XII.

To Mehemet, an Eunuch in the Seraglio.

I Acquainted thee formerly with the first Necessity I had to drink Wine, that I might the better conceal my being a Mussulman, when I was made a Prisoner by Cardinal Ma∣zarini's Order. I tell thee now, this Liquor is grown Habitual to me; it being the Natu∣ral Beverage of the Country where I am. But the French temper it with Water, the bet∣ter to allay their Thirst, and prevent Fevers: Which Custom agrees not with the Stomach of a Mahometan, who when he drinks either Water or Wine, loves to have them Pure without Mixture. I use it moderately for my Health, and to create an Appetite. But this Evening, I drank a Glass of Wine, which is like to make me abhorr it for Ever. In all Probability, I shall turn as strict and pre∣cise as an Hodgia. For, in the Midst of my Draught, I had almost swallowed a Great Spider, which lay drowned in the Wine. The little Beast, had pass'd my Lips; but I soon clear'd my Mouth, of so Ungrateful a Mor∣sel. I wish I could as easily discharge my I∣magination, of the hated Idea's it has imbibed with this Fatal Potion. Not that I think I am poisoned, or have received any Real Da∣mage

from the Spider: The worst Venom, lies in my own Phancy. It will be Impossible for all the Water in France, to wash away the Prejudices I have Conceiv'd against this little Insect. I have a perfect Antipathy a∣gainst it. The Sight of a Spider, would al∣ways make me sweat and tremble. Now, if ever I should taste of Wine again, I should imagine every Mouthful I swallowed, had a Spider in it. My Reason tells me, there were no Danger, if I had one in my Stomach; having seen a Physician, without the Use of any Antidote, swallow Two or Three large Spiders in a Glass of Wine: And this was his ordinary Practice every Morning. And most of that Profession maintain, That Spiders so drank, can do no harm. Yet my Antipathy overcomes my Reason in this Point. And if Galen or Hippocrates were alive, they would not be able with all their Learned Demon∣strations, to reconcile me to a Creature, for which I have an Invincible Aversion and Ab∣horrence. I had rather encounter with a Lyon or a Tyger, in the Deserts of Arabia, provi∣ded I had but a Sword in my Hand, than to have a Spider crawling about me in the Dark. And therefore, I have often envied the Hap∣piness of the Irish-Men; for, in that Island, they say no Venomous Creature will live. The same is reported, of the Isle of Malta. Which Wonderful Privilege, both these Islands a∣scribe, to the Prayers of certain Saints.

There is no Reason to be given for these secret Antipathies, which are discovered in

many Men. Some will sweat and faint away, if there be a Cat in the Room where they are, though they know Nothing of it, any other∣wise than by the Secret Intimations of this Ʋnaccountable Sence, which Nature has ad∣ded to their other Five. I have seen a Gen∣tleman drop down in a Swoon, as soon as he entered a Chamber, where there was a Squir∣rel kept in a Cage. And those that knew him, said, It was his constant Infirmity.

If there be any Truth in the Doctrine of the Soul's Transmigration, I should think the best Reasons for these private Antipathies, might be drawn from some Former State of the Soul. And according to that Supposition, I should con∣clude, That I had been a Flie, before I came into this Body; and having been frequently persecuted by Spiders in that State, do still retain the Dread of my Old Enemy, which all the Circumstances of my present Metamorpho∣sis, are not able to efface. But if this be so, I wonder I shou'd have no distinct Remembrance of my former little Volatile Life; since Pytha∣goras, the Great Patron of the Metempsychosis declares, That he could remember several Changes he had undergone. And particular∣ly recounts, how he led a Merrier Life when he was a Frog, than since he became a Philo∣sopher.

It affords me Matter of Thought and is no small Diversion, to behold the Contrariety that is in Mens Dier. One Man never tastes of Fish all his days, another abhorrs Flesh; this faints if his Bread be cut with a Knife

that has touched Cheese, that swoons at the Smell of Mutton. Men have as different Ap∣petites, as they have Faces. Some are squea∣mish, and almost nauseate every Thing that others eat freely of. Again, there are others to whom nothing comes amiss. For my Part, I have many Aversions in Point of Diet: And, above all Things, I can never be reconciled to the eating of Insects, Serpents and other Reptile Creatures. Yet here are Men in this Kingdom, who live upon Frogs, Vipers, Grashoppers, and such Kind of Loath∣some Animals. And I have read of a Peo∣ple in the Southern Parts of Africa, who had no other Diet but salted Locusts, which they catch in the Spring: When certain Winds, bring Innumerable swarms of them over the Land, so that all the Country is covered. These People are very Lean, Active and Black. They run swift as Stags, and will climb Trees and jump from one Bough and Tree to another as nimbly as Apes or Squirrels. But they are short Liv'd, never exceeding Forty Years of Age. For, about that Time, they feel a Violent Itching all over their Bodies: Which tempting them to scratch themselves, they never cease till they make Holes in their Flesh, where certain Winged Insects breed; which multiply so fast, that in a little Time they devour the poor Wretches. This is thought to be the Result of their Ill Diet.

Let not what I have said, create any Squea∣mishness in thee, but eat thy Pillaw with a

good Stomach: For, that Food, has the Be∣nediction of God and his Prophet.

Paris, 23d. of the 6th. Moon, of the Year 1654.