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270 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



the only place for their coronation ; and this, too, was the 

 .cafe of Abyffinia with their metropolis of Axum. 



The next remarkable ceremony in which thefe two na- 

 tions agreed, is that of adoration, inviolably obferved in A- 

 byffinia to this day, as often as you enter the fovereign's 

 prefence. This is not only kneeling*, but an abfolute pro- 

 ftration. You firfl fall upon your knees, then upon the 

 palms of your hands, then incline your head and body till 

 your forehead touch the earth ; and, in cafe you have an 

 anfwer to expect, you lie in that poflure till the king, or 

 fomebody from him, defires you to rife. This, too, was the 

 cuftora of Perfia ; Arrian f fays this was firft inftituted by 

 Cyrus, and this was precifely the pofture in which they a- 

 dored God, mentioned in the book of Exodus. 



Though the refufal of this ceremony would, in Abyffinia 

 and Perfia, be looked upon as rebellion or infult, yet it feems 

 in both nations to have met with a mitigation with regard 

 to ftrangers, who have refufed it without giving any of- 

 fence. I remember a Mahometan being twice fent by the 

 prince of Mecca into Abyffinia during my ftay there, who, 

 neither time, would go farther than to put his hands acrofs 

 upon his breaft, with no very great inclination of his head ; 

 and this I faw was not thought fo extraordinary as to give 

 offence, as it was all he did to his own fovereign and mailer. 



We read, indeed, of a very remarkable inftance of the 

 difpenfmg with that ceremony being indirectly, yet plain- 



4 l Y> 



* Lucretius, lib. v. Ovid. Metam. lib. i. Lucian, in Navig. 

 f Arrian, lib. iv. cap. it. Exod. chap. 4. Matth. chap. 2. 



