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hospitality. As a further illustration of an oriental feast, Dr. 

 Fryer has added some other particulars, curious and entertaining. 

 " On alighting at the host's, the company are introduced into the 

 guest-chamber, all bestrewed with flowers and sweet herbs, besides 

 perfumed with odoriferous gums, or the aloe's wood alone, or other 

 resinous matters made into candles, and in massy silver fuming 

 pots, very costly and delicate, leaving their slippers where they 

 begin to tread on carpets; they take their seats on susanees, a rich 

 tapestry of needle-work that borders the carpets, behind which are 

 placed huge velvet bolsters. They welcome you by a flood of 

 rose-water, poured on your head and beard ; then they bring in, in 

 neat voiders, china plates of pistachios, walnuts, almonds, grapes, 

 prunellas, dried apricots, and other sweetmeats, amidst whereof 

 they pour out coffee, tea, and hot rose-water; and divert the com- 

 pany with mimics, stage-players, and dancers, between whose in- 

 terludes is mixed the custom, as ancient as Nebuchadnezzar, of 

 certain wise men repeating verses in their praise, or reading monu- 

 ments of antiquity, which continues till victuals are brought in, and 

 the cloth spread on the carpets. Water is first brought and ewers 

 to wash; the courses are ushered in with music, and the servitors 

 are placed so as to furnish every one with plates of the several 

 varieties, which they place before each, and give them long wheaten 

 cakes, both for napkin, trencher, and bread ; also plenty of boiled 

 rice: their most admired dainty is pillaw, wherewith they will fill 

 themselves and receive no hurt, it being so well prepared for the 

 stomach. After they have eaten well, and the cloth is removed, 

 they wash again. The usual drink is sherbet, made of water, juice 

 of lemons, and ambergris; most of them will freely take off their 



