of its varieties. Basilides was anxious in his own day to establish the five years' probationary silence of Pythagoras; though, indeed, the gnostics have not been peculiar in affecting secrecy and mystery, at least until their extravagancies were ripe for publicity. It was the same with the Albigenses, who, however, were a slip of the parent stock, and later still, with the first Jansenists, whose wellknown motto was, "occulte propter metum Judæorum." But the apotheosis of Hakem could not be complete before his death; for it was hard to persuade men that another living and moving man, with whom they were in daily intercourse, was a mere phantasm, as they declared Hakem to be; a farther point of similarity between them, and we believe, all varieties of Gnostics, who believed that the Redeemer never was born, and never suffered in the flesh; but that he was a mere manifestation of the Deity to corporeal eyes, having no real or substantial existence. The appearance of Hakem, in the year 375, of the Hegyra and his enthronization in 386, were, as Hampsa taught, after the death of Hakem, mere visions for the purpose of giving men some idea of the Creator. Regarding God himself, it was held that He could not be described by attributesyou were forbidden to compare Him with anything earthly, and it was equally unlawful to speak of Him in the negative. The spirits immediately next in rank to God were five, Mind, Soul, Word, Precursor, and Follower. The five were parts of a whole, just as in the taper the wax, wick, flame, and stand, constitute the entire. The flame, Hampsa added, is at first of a bluish red, soon seen, and soon disappearing-symbolical of Hampsa himself, who, though he assigned to Hakem the first place in his system, seems to have reserved the most important one for his own especial gratification. Accordingly, it is from the incarnation of "Mind," in Hampsa, rather than from any of the events in the life of Hakem that the Druse epoch dates. He is styled the first cause of causes, the unique teacher who instructs the whole world,-who exalts and humbles all the other ranks of spirits,-the hand of time, the one possessor of argument,-nay, the title of Allah itself is not withheld from him.

This body of doctrine with a moral code not altogether so absurd, is committed to the charge of certain ministers called Akals, the precise nature of whose functions, or anything beyond their great influence over the people, it is not

easy to determine. Most probably the isolation of the Druses in religion, as well as their mountain fastnesses, contributed to secure their independence for so many centuries, as the same causes secured that of their neighbours, the Maronites, for a period almost equally long: and both these nations, though so different in religious profession, and both so warlike, lived in wonderfully good intelligence, and often brotherhood in arms, until Europe and Asia conspired to embroil them, and gave rise to scenes of blood and desolation such as even Palestine has rarely witnessed.

The Maronites, whose name and origin as a religious body appears involved in almost as great obscurity as that of the Druses, ought to command a relative interest at least, in any historian of the latter, or even in any one writing a book about them. We of course feel no ordinary interest in one of the few oriental churches of our own communion. We could gladly discuss the rival theories regarding their early errors and the time of their final reunion with the Roman Church, were they our peculiar concern at this moment; but this much is certain, that whatever may have been their errors at a remote period, their union with the Church at the present day is so complete and intimate, that learned Maronites, with pardonable zeal for the good name of their ancestors, have ingeniously laboured to prove that there was no real difference of opinion between Rome and the Maronites in matters of doctrine. And it struck us as something very strange, that Mr. Chasseaud was so destitute of even the ordinary inquisitiveness of Englishmen, as not to discover in his visit to the convent of Daer al Shafi that it is the residence of a Patriarch of Antioch, who has seventeen suffragans in the Lebanon, who takes the name of Peter, is in communion with Rome, and governs a Church so interestingly primitive in ritual, discipline, and observances, though perhaps a Protestant might not be willing to allow it primitive belief.

We extract a rather pleasing description of the preliminaries to a Druse marriage.

"When these preliminaries have been arranged, then three days before the time fixed for the celebration of the wedding, the young man assembles together all the youths of the village, and picking out of these the finest and handsomest looking men, makes them

arm themselves cap-à-pie, and himself a perfect armoury of warlike weapons, heading them, he proceeds in a regular procession to the house of the father of his future bride, who, on his side having duly received intimation of the fact, arms himself and his household also, and stands at the threshold of the door to receive him, demanding in words similar to Scott's celebrated song

'Oh come ye in peace here or come ye in war,

Or to dance at our bridal young Lord Lochnivar ?'

Here, in presence of the assembled villagers, and after loud discussion, the final articles of the marriage are settled and agreed to; the bride's father who possesses some portion of that love of gain inherent amongst Eastern nations, usually adds a few piastres or a sheep or two to what was originally contemplated in the valua tion of the bride.

"But the young man who is impatient to obtain the final consent, and who, moreover, remembers that nunkey pays for me,' that his father will bear the cost of expenses, usually agrees to the compact; it is then agreed as a secondary matter of consideration what dowry is to be settled by the young man upon the bride herself; but this is merely a fictitious arrangement, for such a thing as pin-money is unknown amongst Druse married ladies.

"This point adjusted, the young man solemnly declares, and promises to the family to protect and love his future wife; then the betrothed girl, veiled from head to foot and accompanied by her nearest female relations, is brought to the door, and her lover asks her in a distinct voice, that all-important question which settles the destinies of so many poor mortals upon earth. As a matter of course the girl replies in the affirmative, but at the same time she presents him in token of her future obedience with a dagger carefully drawn up in a woollen scarf of her own manufacture, and which she has many days, nay, years, previously knitted, inch by inch, as she pictured up in her childish imagination the realisation of this happy hour when the bold lover should come to ask her for this token. It is to be hoped that the husband may never have occasion to unrip the threads which conceal this sharpedged tool from sight, for among the Druses it is supposed that he will only resort to it in order to protect his wife from some murderous assault, or to satiate the hateful passion of jealousy.

*

"At last the auspicious morning for the celebration of the marriage arrives. Stout preparations are early on foot at the house of the bridegroom; women are busy washing up and scrubbing the floor, and arranging mats, cushions, etc., against the reception of the expected guests, and those guests are supposed to consist of all and every one who may choose to present themselves to partake of the hospitality or join in the revelry, it being always understood that these people do make their appearance in their

best holiday attire, and this seems to have been a custom prevalent ever since the days of our Saviour, all over the Holy Land and Syria. As in the parable the guest who presented himself at the wedding feast without a wedding garment was instantly cast out and expelled, so at the present day it would be looked upon and resented as an insult if any labourer made his appearance without donning his best holiday attire.

"Then, again, in apt illustration of another parable, it is still the duty of the Lord of the feast to assign to those who honour him with their presence, a position in his house, or a seat in his divan, according to their respective claims to consideration. Thus in the outer courts are invariably to be encountered the poorer classes of inhabitants, all served with equal liberality and profusion, but none permitted to enter into the precincts of the house itself, unless it be on servile errands; while in the interior, those admissible to distinction are ranged with particular care and precision along the room, the most honourable guests being seated at the top, and near the master of the house himself, and those of least pretension nearest to the door of entry."-Pp. 148–153.

The following description of the order of Akals is not a little flattering to those "holy persons," as Mr. Chasseaud appears to consider them. We believe there must be a certain amount of truth in it, and we hope for their sakes the truth is the predominating element.

"The class of Akals is not necessarily restricted to the male population; women are often admitted, provided they are of a certain age, and are prepared to submit themselves to the same system of self-denial which characterises the men. The following is the course of proceeding which is adopted when a person is desirous of joining the order. A necessary preliminary is, the person who is a candidate for the honour of admission into the sacred corps, should intimate his intention to an Akal, upon which a meeting is held. This is a very solemn affair, and the ordeal one of the strictest imaginable. An enquiry takes place into the general character and conduct of the aspirant-his whole life is passed in review, his habits criticised, and everything that is known respecting him fully discussed.

"Supposing him not to be guilty of any crime, and to be well recommended, the next step is that he should be made acquainted with the requisitions of the Druse religion, which are then set before him, and he is informed that in order to be worthy of becoming an Akal, he must forth with abandon every vice, and relinquish all the idle habits he may hitherto have indulged in. He must not smoke nor drink wine nor spirits; neither must he take snuff; he must be content to wear the plainest apparel (this was perhaps aimed at the fairer portion of Akal society), and in short, laying aside every thought of splendour and luxury, must only consider how he can

best show in his demeanour and life, a firm devotion to the simple habits and sacred principles of the order of which he now desires to become an adopted member.

"But this is not enough: the capability to lead a holy life is not always equal to the desire. A temporary excitement of religious tendencies, a more than ordinary warmth of imagination, a sudden calamity may for a time awaken the stings of conscience, and affect the tenderest sensibilities of the heart, but the good impressions too often yield before the force of temptation, and the dormant energies which have been roused for the moment, sink back into their wonted lethargy, or a zeal untempered by knowledge proves that we have undertaken a burthen too heavy to bear, and that we had better not have put our hand to the plough if we cannot forbear to look back.

"The wise Akals, therefore, are not satisfied with the test of promises, they require a little proof, and to this end they allow the candidate for admission into their ranks a certain fixed period, varying in duration according to the man's previous life, before the lapse of which he is expected to have made up his mind fully as to his capability of conforming faithfully for the rest of his life to the tenets of so strict and severe a profession. During this period of probation, all his actions and pursuits are closely watched, and scrupulously noted; and should he at the end of this allotted term still evince a desire to become an Akal, he is then admitted into the Kaloue, and suffered to attend some of their religious meetings and listen to an exposition of their creed and doctrines. Twelve months are now devoted to his religious education, at the end of which he is considered sufficiently tried and instructed to assume the title of Akal. Then the ceremony of donning the white turban takes place, for by this white turban the Akals are recognised, and he is thereupon admitted into all the mysteries of the faith, and becomes one of the initiated brethren.

"Although almost all of what are commonly called the pleasures of life are denied to these holy men, yet celibacy is not enjoined upon the sect. An Akal may marry if he pleases, but it is not often that he does so, especially among the Druses. The Akals of that tribe are, generally speaking, anxious to detach themselves as much as possible from the ordinary pursuits of mankind, they lead a life of the strictest devotion, passed in prayer and profound contemplation of the mysteries of religion, and are held in the highest respect and esteem for their amiable manners and virtuous lives by the whole of the people.

"They exercise, too, a very considerable influence in temporal matters, for nobody would think of entering upon any plan, or conducting an affair without consulting the Akals; nothing of importance could be attempted, even by a Sheik, without their advice and approval; and altogether they exercise a general controul and supervision over the manners and morals of the Druse people,