BARBAR Y. 



265 



Uirbary. a n<j write, their progress in learning is terminated, 

 k "~ v ' and they are allowed to grow up without any farther 

 discipline or ins -uction. There are still some remains 

 of literary institutions in the city of Fez ; and the 

 children of the more wealthy Moors are sometimes 

 sent thither to acquire a more accurate knowledge 

 of the Arabic language, and to be instructed in the 

 religion and laws of their country. Their studies, 

 however, are confined to the Koran and its comments ; 

 or, at the utmost, to the cultivation of poetry, to 

 which their language is admirably adapted. They 

 generally record any extraordinary event in rhyme ; 

 and the young men sometimes hold extemporary, po- 

 etical conversations, in which they display an astonish- 

 ing fluency of expression, and accuracy of measure. 

 One great trial of skill on these occasions, consists in 

 proposing enigmas in verse, of which another person 

 expresses the solution in corresponding measures. 

 The rest of their literature is composed of a little in- 

 accurate geography, and some tiresome memoirs of 

 modern transactions among themselves. They have 

 no conception of the speculative sciences, and wonder 

 at the folly of Europeans, who bestow time and ex- 

 pense upon such pursuits. They are utterly igno- 

 rant of mathematics ; and regard as unmeaning cu- 

 riosities the few philosophical instruments of their 

 ancestors, which have been preserved among them. 

 Of the MSS. which they possess of the works of se- 

 veral learned Arabians, those only are considered as 

 worthy of perusal, which treat af astrology and ma- 

 gic. The elementary operations in algebra and arith- 

 metic are not understood by one in twenty thousand ; 

 but they display the greatest ingenuity and quickness 

 of apprehension in making calculations by memory, 

 and communicating the results, by touching each 

 others fingers. Their most profound astronomers do 

 not possess sufficient 6kill in trigonometry to construct 

 a sun dial. Their whole art of navigation consists in 

 what is called pricking a chart, and distinguishing 

 the principal points of the compass. Their highest 

 attainment in chemistry is the distillation of rose- 

 water. The extent of their physiology is to distin- 

 guish the figures of a few plants and animals in a Spa- 

 nish edition of Dioscorides. The amount of their me- 

 dical skill is to know the properties of a few simples, and 

 to accompany the application of these with suitable in- 

 cantations. They depend chiefly upon topical remedies, 

 and seldom make use of internal medicines. They can 

 scarcely even be brought to conceive how a substance, 

 received into the stomach, should be able to reach the 

 head or the extremities. A decoction of ground pine 

 13 frequently used in fevers, of arisarum in the stone, 

 and of hanzsera in the**nereal disease. The gall of 

 the bird houbary is in great esteem as a cure for sore 

 eyes ; and a composition of myrrh, saffron, aloes, and 

 myrtle berries, is given in the plague. A drachm or 

 two of orbanche root is given in diarrhoeas ; and round 

 birthwort is a sovereign remedy for colics and flatu- 

 lences ; but the great resource in all distempers is 

 the hammams or natural hot baths and springs. Their 

 surgery consists much in bleeding, cupping, scarifying, 

 and fomentations. In rheumatism and pleurisy, they 

 scarify, or puncture with red hot iron, the place that 

 is affected. They sometimes evacuate the water, in 

 hydrocele, with a lancet ; and even couch for the ca- 

 vol. in. part II. 



Baibaiv 



taract, with a piece of thick brass wire, terminating 

 gradually at one end in a point not very sharp. Sim- 

 ple and gun shot wounds are healed by actual cau- 

 tery, or by pouring fresh butter boiling hot into the 

 sore ; and the roasted leaves of the prickly pear are 

 applied as warm as possible, to bruises, boils, and 

 other inflamed swellings. The bite of venomous ani- 

 mals is cured by burning or cutting deep upon the 

 wounded part ; or by burying the patient to the neck 

 i'i hot sand to produce perspiration ; or, if no great 

 danger is apprehended, by applying merely hot ashes, 

 or the powder of alhenna, with two or three slices ot 

 onion, by way of cataplasm. They occasionally ino- 

 culate for the small-pox, upon the fleshy part of the 

 hand between the thumb and forefinger ; and in these 

 cases they think it necessary to purchase the matter 

 from an affected person, by giving a few nuts or com- 

 fits in exchange. The patient is kept warm ; fresh 

 butter is rubbed upon the skin to prevent pitting ; 6 

 or S grains of alkermes are now and then administer- 

 ed to throw out the pustules ; and the eye-lids are ' 

 tinged with lead ore to prevent the ulcers from fal- 

 ling upon the eyes. 



The mechanic arts, likewise, are in a very rude Mechanic 

 state among the Moors ; and seem to have undergone trades, 

 no improvement whatever for many ages past. Their 

 tools are very few and simple ; their implements 

 of husbandry, &c. especially their ploughs, mills, 

 looms, forges, are all in miniature, and, at the same 

 time, most clumsily constructed. A goldsmith, for 

 instance, will come to work for his employer in the 

 corner of a court, where he soon fixes his stall. His 

 anvil, hammer, bellows, files, and melting laddies, are 

 all brought along with him in a bag : His bellows are 

 made of a goat skin, into which he inserts a reed ; and 

 holding this with one hand, he presses the bag with 

 the other, and thus kindles and blows his fire. Other 

 trades are carried on with the same rude simplicity ; 

 and yet, so ingenious are the workmen, that they can 

 accomplish comparatively great things, by the most 

 inadequate means. Their wants indeed are few, and 

 easily supplied ; and it is only the most useful and es- 

 sential arts, that are generally practised among them. 

 The art, with which they are most conversant, and Architec- 

 in which they display most knowledge, is that of ar- ture - 

 chitecture. Their mode of buildhw seems to have 

 continued from the earliest ages, without the smallest 

 alteration ; and appears, upon the whole, to be well 

 adapted to the climate. They are not capable, in- 

 deed, of producing any scientific plans, or elegant 

 proportions ; and the distinguishing character of their 

 edifices is massy strength. But their cement is pecu- 

 liarly excellent ; and is very probably the same kind, 

 which has been employed in the most ancient fabrics. 

 It is composed of one part of sand, two of wood 

 ashes, and three of lime, which, after being well sift- 

 ed and mixed together, is beaten with wooden mal- 

 lets, three days and nights without intermission, and 

 frequently sprinkled, during this operation, with a 

 mixture of oil and water. For the purpose of con- 

 necting the earthen pipes of their aqueducts, they 

 beat together only tow, lime, and oil, without any 

 water. Both these kinds of cement acquire, in a 

 short time, the hardness of stone ; and are completely 

 impenetrable by water. The walls of the cities and 

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