480) 
sire to have the mechanism of this 
marvellous machine explained to 
me, and I charge myself with thy 
fortune: Thus,’? pursued he, ad. 
dressing himself to his sister, ‘ you 
shall be satisfied, Abassa; I shall 
keep the instrument and its in- 
ventor.”’ 
“© The very same day I was esta- 
blished in the palace. . I was fur- 
nished with an extensive apartment, 
a multitude ef slaves, and several 
magnificent presents. I had no fof 
tune, and I was charmed that I had 
acquired one with so much rapidity 
and singularity ; but I was not less 
struck with the despotism which 
this' prince mingled with his fa- 
vours, even those which were most 
distinguished. He had disposed of 
ge as of a slave, without consulting 
my inclinations, without conde- 
scending to inform himself whether 
any particular engagement might 
interfere with the desire he felt of 
attaching me to him. I made on 
this subjeét many melancholy re- 
- flections ; but I was young, with. 
_ Out experience, and dazzled with 
the brilliant qualities of the Caliph. 
In truth, he has very exalted ones. 
I shut my eyes against the terrible 
effects of his disposition and’ cha- 
ra¢ter, and delivered up my mind 
to the splendid prospeéts with which 
fortune and ambition presented 
me.’? The next day the Caliph 
sent for me, to explain to him the 
mechanism of my organ, While 
demonstrasing its principles, I 
perceived in a few minutes that he 
had no notion of the previous in- 
formation that was necessary to 
comprehend with facility the me- 
chanism of a machine somewhat 
complicared ; and, at the same time, 
had so much self-conceit as ta de- 
sire to conceal his ignorance. 
*© As he hasa fund of intelligence 
. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1706. 
and good sense, I could easily, by 
explaining to him some of the first 
principles, and by clearing up his 
doubts, have shewn him plainly 
what he wished to know; but he 
required a learned explanation ; he 
pretended to understand what it was 
impossible he could comprehend, 
so that my illustration was abso- 
lutely useless to him. He carried 
away with him only the secret 
persuasion that he had imposed on 
me on the subject of his instruétion ; 
and he left in my mind the chagrin 
of perceiving to what an extent of 
puerility may be strained the pride 
of the’ most enlightened of men, 
when their mind has been vitiated 
by along possession of unlimited 
dominion. 
‘« He made, however, of my organ, 
an use which was very grateful to 
me. The ambassadors of Charle- 
magne were then at his court, and 
the Caliph added my organ to the 
numerous presents with which he 
entrusted them for their master.?? 
Madame Genlis here informs her ° 
readers in a note, that the first or-° 
gan known in Europe was sent, as 
appears from history, to Charle. 
magne by the Caliph Aaron, 
Ox the Injustice of the Charges 
brought against the genuine Phi- 
losophers. From De la Croix’s 
French SpeGator. 
ACCORDING to those who 
suffer from our revolution, ail the 
‘errors, the atts of injustice. and 
the persecutions, which affliét the 
friends of humanity, are the work 
of philosophy. May it not be ase 
serted, with more truth, that it is 
because men have despised her 
lessons, and been deaf to her voice, 
that so many troubles and disasters 
have 
