l''792. the Weill. 241 



posthumous charities, which flatter the pride of the 

 testator, and cost his avarice nothing ? 



I will, to count from the day of my decease, that 

 all my slaves, without exception, enjoy absolutely 

 and for ever their liberty. They deserve it so much 

 the more because they do not desire it, but since 

 they are afraid of losing me. I bequeath to those a- 

 mong them, whom age or infirmities render unable 

 to work, an annuity in proportion to their wants ; 

 but none under fifty pieees of gold. With regard to 

 the others, I love them too well to expose their 

 virtues to the dangers of idlenefs. They will live as 

 honest citizens by the trades I have had them 

 taught, and I content myself with a legacy to each 

 of tiiem, of a hundred and fifty pieces of gold, once 

 paid, which they will employ in forming their little 

 cstablifliments. 



I bequeath to the emir Mansour my Arabian 

 horse, with his authenticated pedi'gree, and his fur- 

 niture ornamented with pearls of Bahrem. 



I leave to the Molla Saheb my gold writing stand ; 

 and to the Iman his brother, an ancient Alcoran, 

 written with gold letters on thick vellum ; the samfe 

 as it is said, which the caliph Omar read on tlje 

 Fridays to die faithful afsembled in the great mosque. 



This book excepted, I leave to the philosopher 

 Anirou all the library which he had the ttouble to 

 collect for me himself. I know he loves books, and ' 

 that it will be more easy for him to make good ones, 

 tli}in buy them. I leave him mine ; but on tliis ei:- 

 prefs condition that first of all he accepts a purse of a 

 thousand pieces of gold, which for twentv years 1 



VOL, vii. H H + 



