252 / Phyfical and Mtfcellaneous 



nient to Learning. As for the Turks, they are generally of 

 fuch turbulent and reftlefs Difpofitions, or elfe engage Them- 

 felves fo deep in Trade and in the Improvement of their For- 

 tunes, that they have no Taft at all for Learning, being won- 

 derfully aftonilhed , as they have often told me , how the 

 Chrijltans can take Delight, or fpend fo much of their Time 

 and Money in fuch empty Amufements as Study and Specu- 

 lation. 

 rhnr Method When the Moorijh and Turkifi Boys (for there is little or 

 of Education. ^^ Education among the Bedoweens) are about fix Years of 

 Age, they are fent to School, where they learn to read, to 

 write and repeat at the fame Time. They make no Ufe of 

 Paper , each Boy having a thin fquare Board to write upon , 

 which being only {lightly daubed over with Whiting, may be 

 wiped off or renewed at Pleafure. After they have made fome 

 Progrefs in the Coran, the principal Book that is taught them, 

 they are initiated, with the like Care, in the feveral Ceremo- 

 nies and Devotions of their Religion ; the Mafter receiving 

 of each Boy for his Trouble and Attendance about a Penny a 

 Week. When a Boy hath laudably acquitted himfelf in any 

 Branch of thefe Inlirudions , he is forthwith decked out in 

 the moil fumptuous Apparel, and being mounted upon a Horfe 

 that is richly caparifoned , is conduced by his School-fellows, 

 with Huzzas, through the Streets; whilft his Friends and Re- 

 lations are already met together to congratulate his Parents, 

 and to load him with Gifts. After they have been employed 

 at School for three or four Years, they are removed to Trades, 

 or enrolled in the Army ; in attending which Occupations , 

 there are very few of Them, except the \^Sanjacktars] Enligns 

 of the Army, and thofe who are employed in colle6ling the 

 Tribute and Cuftoms, but who quickly forget what they learnt 

 in their Childhood. 

 Ferp Books Bcfides thcir Coran and fome enthufiaftick Comments upon 

 /le Coran. It, very few Books are read or enquired after by thofe few 

 Perfons, of riper Years, who have both Time and Leifure for 

 Study and Contemplation. All that Variety of Learning which 

 they formerly either invented themfelves, or adopted into 

 their own Language, may be reduced at prefent to a few 

 Sheets of blundering Geography, or to fome tirefome Memoirs 

 of the Tranfadions of their own Times : for fuch Branches of 



Hiftory 



