OF HUMAN LIFE. 233 



time in the turkifh language, the dervife began to dif- 

 courfe in Latin, Spanifh, and Italian. But on perceiv- 

 ing that his gueft fpoke none of thefe languages with 

 fluency, he alked him from what country of Europe 

 he came? Paul Lucas faid, he was a Frenchman. 

 Immediately on hearing this, the dervife began to talk 

 French quite eafily and currently,, and entered into a 

 long converfation with the traveller. He faid, he had 

 never been in France, but teftified a great longing to 

 vifit that country. The converfation then turned on 

 general topics. The dervife made fome very pertinent 

 remarks on fome oriental manufcripts which Paul Lucas 

 had purchafed, and explained to him the medicinal 

 virtues of various plants. At length the difcourfe turn- 

 ed on alchymy, and the means of prolonging human 

 life. The dervife told him, that he, with fix of his 

 friends, was in pofTeffion of a great fecret. They tra- 

 velled conftantly, as he faid, about the world, for be- 

 coming more perfect. Every twentieth year they met 

 at fome ftated place. He that arrived there firH:, 

 waited for the reft, and at their parting, they appoint- 

 ed the rendezvous for the fucceeding twentieth year. 

 This time BrufTe was the place fixed on; four were al- 

 ready come, and were waiting for the other three. 

 This converfation was continued in the following man- 

 ner * : 



Paul Luca?. Moll people hold alchymy for a chimeri- 

 cal fcience, and the philofopher's fione for a nonentity. 



i 



* T have indeed reduced the narrative of Paul Lucas into the form 

 of a dialogue, but have not added one word to it. On the contra- 

 ry, I have omitted feveral matters of no confequence. 



Dervife. 



1 



