CUSTOMS AND MANNERS. 



405 



of a Copt are broader, and more inclining to plumpness than those 

 of the Arab. These people -are certainly the most intelligent in 

 Egypt, and are better educated than the Arabs. I do not recollect 

 to have seen a Copt absolutely poor. They are the managers, 

 collectors, and clerks of the revenue in Egypt in general ; and though 

 at Alexandria the head of the customs was a Turk, yet the subordinate 

 officers were Copts. Many of them are merchants and brokers. The 

 dress of the men is the long dress of the Turks, but they and all 

 Christian and Jewish inhabitants are not permitted to wear a green 

 or white turban, blue being the colour substituted in general, although 

 the better sort wear a long Cashmire shawl, twisted round the head 

 as a turban. 



I was acquainted with a Coptic merchant at Rosetta, who invited 

 me and another Englishman to the christening of his child. We 

 were induced to go, that we might have some insight into the 

 manners of this people. We were received by the lady of the house 

 on entering with great civility ; she poured a little perfumed rose 

 water into our hands, from a bottle covered with silver fillagree of 

 very fine work, and as we passed into the room she sprinkled us all 

 over with rose water. This I afterwards found to be a common 

 custom in all Coptic and Levantine houses when a person makes a 

 visit of ceremony. The room into which we were introduced was at 

 the top of the house, where there was a table covered with all kinds 

 of sweetmeats and fruits. The mistress of the house and her sister, 

 also a married lady, with her husband and other guests soon made 

 their appearance. The infant was completely swathed. The ce- 

 remony* was performed by the Coptic priest, according to a service 

 which he read from a ritual in manuscript. As soon as the ceremony 

 of the christening was ended, we sat down to partake of the breakfast. 



* The Coptic form of baptism is described by Vansleb and by Pococke ; " they plunge 

 the child three times into water and then confirm it, and give it the sacrament ; that is, the 

 wine, the priest dipping the end of his finger in it and putting it to the child's mouth." — 

 Vol. i. 246. 



