C A L 



262 



C A L 



Caliph, of pomp, of oppression, of luxury, and effeminacy, 

 "V . naturally inspired by uncontrouled dominion over 

 countless myriads, and by the exhatistless resources of 

 the richest portions of the globe. The cares of go- 

 vernment were relinquished For the softening pleasures 

 of the seraglio ; the rewards, by which merit ought 

 to have been encouraged, were appropriated by wo- 

 men and favourites ; and even when a caliph took the 

 field against an enemy, his camp was encumbered by 

 the unwieldy luxury of the palace. The enervating 

 influence of this example spread rapidly through the 

 empire. The warlike ardour of the Saracens was 

 quenched by their love of ease, and of debasing in- 

 dulgence ; and no promises or rewards could allure to 

 the field the descendants of those enthusiastic cham- 

 ' pions, who had voluntarily crowded to the stand- 

 ards of Abubeker and Omar. After a duration of 

 656 years, the power of the caliphs was abolished by 

 the Tartars, who captured the holy city of Bagdad, 

 A. D. 1258, and put to death Al Mostasem Billah, 

 the last of the race of Abassides. 



As the caliphs succeeded to the regal and sacerdo- 

 tal offices which Mahomet had assumed, they were 

 the most absolute monarchs in the world. No pri- 

 vileged order was recognized in the Arabian empire, 

 to impose a salutary restraint on the will of the despot ; 

 and among a people, enslaved by superstition, and ig- 

 norant even of the name of liberty, no feelings of inde- 

 pendence ever arose to prompt resistance to the tyran- 

 ny of the vicar of the prophet, the vicegerent of God. 

 The Koran was, indeed, prescribed as the rule of their 

 actions, and inculcated strongly the duties of justice 

 and humanity ; but they were themselves the judges 

 and interpreters of that sacred code, nor was the most 

 zealous Moslem at-liberty to dispute their infallibility. 

 In quality of imam, or high priest of the Mussulman 

 religion, the caliph began the public prayers every 

 Friday in the chief mosque, and delivered the Ichoih- 

 bah, or sermon, animating his hearers to zeal and fide- 

 lity in their duties as true believers. The first part 

 of this service was always performed by the caliphs 

 in person, even when they affected the most pompous 

 state, or were sunk in the most luxurious indulgence; 

 but the utterance of the sermon was committed, in 

 later times, to a deputy or assistant It was part of 

 the duty of the caliphs to conduct the pilgrims to 

 Mecca, and to march at the head of the armies of his 

 empire ; and it was their prerogative to grant letters 

 patent of investiture, as well as swords, standards, 

 robes, and other insignia to the Mahometan princes, 

 who, even after they had thrown off the yoke of the 

 caliphate, continued to hold of it as vassals. The 

 caliphs usually went to the mosques mounted on 

 mules ; and the sultans Selgiucides, although masters 

 of Bagdad, were compelled to hold their stirrups, and 

 to lead their mules for some distance on foot ; until 

 they received from the caliph the sign of permission 

 to mount on horseback. Jn short, the office of the 

 ' caliphs, uniting spiritual influence with temporal 

 power, bore a striking resemblance to that of the 

 pope ; and in their pomp, their haughtiness, and their 

 oppression, little difference can be traced between 



Callao, 



the vicars of Mahomet, and the successors of Peter. Calippic 

 See Herbelot's Bibliotheque Orient ale ; O<klry's 

 History of the Saracens; Sale's Koran; Gibbon's 

 History, vol. ix. x.; and Mud. Univ. Hist. vols. i. ii. 

 iii. (k) 



CALIPPIC PERIOD. See CHRONOLOGY. 



CALY YUG. See CHRONOLOGY. 



CALLA, a genus of plants of the class Heptan- 

 dria, and order Monogynia. Linuxus ranks this ge- 

 nus under Gynandria Polyandria ; Schrebcr under 

 Monoecia Monandria ; and Dr Smith under Monoecia 

 Polyandria. See BOTANY, p. 108. 



CALLAH EL, from Calah, the top, is the name 

 of a town in the western province of Algiers, and 

 appears to be the Gitlui or Aptar of Ptolemy, from 

 the number of large rivers. It is situated on aia 

 eminence on a range of mountains, which forms a 

 part of Mount Atlas. Though larger than Mascar, 

 from which it ia distant about 5 leagues north east, 

 it is dirty and irregular, and has neither pavements, 

 causeways, nor drains. " There are several villages 

 of the same nature, says Dr Shaw, and in the like 

 situation, round about it ; all of them profitably 

 emptayed in the same manufacture of carpets and 

 burnooses." * The Turks have a small garrison and 

 citadel in this place. See Shaw's Travels in Barbary t 

 vol. i. chap. ix. p. 71. Edinb. Edit, (w) 



CALLANDER, a town of Scotland, in the 

 county of Perth, is situated on the banks of the 

 river Teith, a very considerable stream which issues 

 from Loch Katrine, and discharges itself into the 

 Forth. Calendar is built on both sides of the river, 

 but principally on the northern side, and the river is 

 crossed by a good stone bridge. It consists chiefly 

 of one long street : the houses are well built, and 

 covered with slate. In a square space, on the north- 

 ern side of the street, and in the middle of the vil- 

 lage, stands the parish church, which has a pavilion 

 roof, and a spire over the pediment. Near the mi- 

 nister's house is the foundation of an old square 

 castle, built or repaired in 1596, by Livingstone, 

 Earl of Linlithgow. Since the introduction of the 

 cotton manufactures, the town has been greatly ex- 

 tended. About 100 looms are employed in weaving 

 muslin in Callander, and in the adjacent village of 

 Kilmahog, and nearly 100 girls are occupied in the 

 tambour manufacture. Since Loch Katrine became 

 such a fashionable place of resort, Callander has been 

 much frequented during the summer season, and a 

 large and commodious inn has been built for the ac- 

 commodation of travellers. Population of the vil- 

 lage about 1000. See PERTHSHIRE. (o) 



CALLAO, a eea-port town of Peru, situated on 

 the west coast of South America, at the embouchure 

 of the river Lima, and about 2-^ leagues from the city 

 of Lima. Prior to the earthquake which happened 

 in 1746, the Spaniards regarded this town as im- 

 pregnable. It was defended by a garrison, and was 

 fortified with bastions and batteries. Two of the 

 suburbs were then inhabited by the Indians. 



The harbour of Callao has always been regarded 

 as the largest and most secure in the South Sea. 



* The burnoose answers to our cloak. It is generally wove in one piece, and is strait about the neck, having a cape for 

 a cover to the head. 



