Divinity of Christ. It is this doctrine that exposes me to the contempt of the learned Mahometans, in whom it is difficult to say whether pride or ignorance predominates. Their sneers are more difficult to bear, than the brickbats which the boys sometimes throw at me: however, both are an honor of which I am not worthy. How many times in the day have I occasion to repeat the words,

If on my face, for thy dear name,
Shame and reproaches be;

All hail reproach, and welcome shame,
If Thou remember me.'

"The more they wish me to give up one pointthe Divinity of Christ, the more I seem to feel the necessity of it, and rejoice and glory in it. Indeed, I trust I would sooner give up my life than surrender it."

The following account of an interview, to which Mr. Martyn was admitted, with the head of the sect of the Soofies, will interest those whose thoughts are turned towards the state of religion in the East: a large proportion of the city of Shiraz, it is computed, are either the secret or avowed disciples of Mirza Abulcasim. Whenever "a great and effectual door" is opened for Christianity, "there are many adversaries." It is otherwise with a delusion congenial to the "desires of the flesh and of the mind” in fallen man. Such a system, the God of this world is concerned to uphold rather than oppose.

"In the evening we went to pay a long promised visit to Mirza Abulcasim, one of the most renowned Soofies in all Persia. We found several persons sitting in an open court, in which a few greens and flowers were placed; the master in a corner, a very fresh looking old man, with a silver beard. I was surprised to observe the downcast sorrowful looks of the assembly, and still more at the silence that reigned. After sitting some time in expectation, and being not at all disposed to waste my time sitting there, I said softly to Seid Ali, 'What is this?' He said, 'It is the custom here, to think much and speak little.' 'May I ask the master a question?' said I. With some hesitation he consented to let me: so I begged Jaffier Ali to inquire, 'What is the way to be happy?

This he did in his own manner: he began by observing, 'that there was a great deal of misery in the world, and that the learned shared as largely in it as the rest; that I wished, therefore, to know what we must do to escape it.' The master replied, 'that, for his part, he did not know; but that it was usually said, the subjugation of the passions was the shortest way to happiness.'

"After a considerable pause, I ventured to ask, 'what were his feelings at the prospect of deathhope, fear, or neither?" "Neither,' said he, and 'that pleasure and pain were both alike.' I then perceived that the Stoics were Greek Soofies. I asked, *whether he had attained this apathy?' He said,

you

'No.' 'Why do you think it attainable?" He could not tell. 'Why do you think that pleasure and pain are not the same?" said Seid Ali, taking his master's part. Because,' said I, 'I have the evidence of my senses for it. And you also act as if there was a difference. Why do you eat, but that fear pain?" These silent sages sat unmoved. One of the disciples is the son of the Moojtuhid, who, greatly to the vexation of his father, is entirely devoted to the Soofi Doctor. He attended his calean with the utmost humility. On observing the pensive countenance of the young man, and knowing something of his history from Seid Ali, how he had left all to find happiness in the contemplation of God, I longed to make known the glad tidings of a Savior, and thanked God, on coming away, that I was not left ignorant of the Gospel. I could not help being a little pleasant on Seid Ali, afterwards, for his admiration of this silent instructor. There you sit, (said I,) immersed in thought, full of anxiety and care, and will not take the trouble to ask whether God has said

any thing or not. No: that is too easy and direct a way of coming to the truth. I compare you to spiders, who weave their house of defence out of their own bowels, or to a set of people who are groping for a light in broad day.""

Mr. Martyn's mathematical acquirements were to him invaluable, inasmuch as they gave him that habit of patient and persevering study, which was sanctified in the application of his powers to the highest

ends and purposes. There were also occasions, in which this, and other sciences, were of service to the cause he had at heart, by procuring for him that attention and respect, which learning ever secures in countries where the light of civilization shines, though but faintly and imperfectly. Of this we have an instance in the following account.—“26.— Waited this morning on Mahommed Nubee Khan, late Ambassador at Calcutta, and now Prime Minister of Fars. There were a vast number of clients in his court, with whom he transacted business while chatting with us. Amongst the others who came and sat with us, was my tetric adversary, Aga Acber, who came for the very purpose of presenting the Minister with a little book he had written in answer to mine. After presenting it in due form, he sat down, and told me he meant to bring me a copy that day-a promise he did not perform, through Seid Ali's persuasion, who told him it was a performance that would do him no credit. Aga Acber gave me a hint respecting its contents, namely, that there were four answers to my objections to Mahometans using the sword.

"He then, without any ceremony, began to question me, before the company, (there were more than fifty in the hall, and crowds in front, all listening,) about the European philosophy, and brought objections against the world's motion, with as much spleen as if he had an estate he was afraid would run away from him. As it was a visit of mere

ceremony, I was not a little surprised and looked at the Minister, to know if it would not be a breach of good manners to dispute at such a time; but it seems there was nothing contrary to costume, as he rather expected my answer. I explained our system to Aga Acber, but there were many things not to be understood without diagrams; so a scribe in waiting was ordered to produce his implements, and I was obliged to shew him, first, the sections of the cone, and how a body revolves in an eclipse round the sun in one focus, &c. He knew nothing of mathematics, as I suspected, so it was soon found useless to proceed-he comprehended nothing.

"On my return, Jaffier Ali Khan and Mirza Seid Ali, requested me to explain to them my proofs. I did my best; but there were so many things they were obliged to take for granted, that all my endeavors were to little purpose. So much Mirza Seid Ali comprehended, that the hypothesis of a force, varying inversely as the square of the distance, was sufficient to account for every phenomenon, and therefore, according to the rules of philosophy, a more complex hypothesis was not to be admitted. This he had sense enough to see."

There is something so estimable in the character of Mr. Martyn's opponent, Mirza Ibraheem, that it will not fail to secure the attention of the reader, in perusing the subjoined relation of the effect produced on his mind, by Mr. Martyn's defence of Christianity and attack upon Mahometanism.--