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THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD
ENDOWMENT FUND
THE
F A K E E R:
A
TALE.
LONDON:
Printed for R, and J. Dodsley, in Pall-maB.
M.DCCLVI.
PRE
C ; ^ f
F A
C E.
IT ought to be acknowledged, that the Plan of the follow-
ing Lines is borrowed from M. Voltaire, who evidently
took his Hint from a Paffage in Fere le Comte's Hiftory
of China, w^hich it is thought neceffary to prefix, in order to
(lipport and illuftrate the Fa£ls on which the Tale is founded.
It is to be wifhed, that there was a general Reformation of
the abdird Praftice of ipelling the Eqfleni Words after the
Manner of the French^ which muft lead the mere Eng!i/Jj
Reader who fpeaks his Vowels (o very different from the
French^ extremely wide of the Pronunciation of the Na-
tives.
The Orientals moft commonly throw the Accent on the lafl
Syllable : We differ not only from them, but from mofl: Eu-
ropean Nations in removing the Accent back.
A 2
For
959114
[ Iv ]
For the above-mentioned Reafbns, I have fpelt the Word
Fakeer In fuch manner as to lead the Pronunciation, and dire£l
the laying of the Accent on the laft fyilable. Had I fpelt it
Faquir y as Voltaire has done, the Accent would have been laid
by many Readers on the firil, as it is commonly done with
equal impropriety, in Vizir ^ Nadir ^ and Nabob. I have feeii
the lame Words fpelt Chiagia and Kia^ Chiaoiix and Zaus;
and could by many more Inftances lliew the Inconveniences of
Spelling after the Fretichy but Ihali take a more proper Occa-
fion, being ienfible that this fhort Tale is already too much
loaded with a Length of Preface.
A N
EXTRACT
FROM
Le COMTE'S Memoirs and Remarks, &c.
Oaavo, 1737. Page 335.
' I 1 HE * Bonzes get a great Deal of Money by doing
I Adls of Penance publickly, Avhich the People efleem
* Bonze is the general Name for a Prieft. The proper Term for the poor
begging Dervife is Fakeer; which both in the Turkifh and Indian Language,
iignifies poor. Thofe of this Sedl who retire to defert Places, and pradtifp
the utmofl Aufterity of Fafting and Meditation, are called Jauguis ; that is,
united with God. They feem for Hours together abforbed in Extacy, feeing,
as they fancy, the Divinity in the Appearance of a clear and vivid Light at
the End of their Nole, which they endeavour to effeft by fixing both their
Eyes equally to that Point, with inflexible Conftancy.
^ them
[ v]
them mightily for. I have ieen them dragging after them a
long Chain of Iron as thick as one's Arm, about thirty Feet
long, faftened to their Neck, Waift or Legs. Thus it is,
fay they, at every Door as they pafs, that we expiate your
Faults, lure this deferves fome fiiiall Alms. Others in publick
Places knock their Pates with all their Force with large Bricks,
till they are almoft covered with Blood. They have feveral
other * penitential Anions j but what I was moll Hirpriled at,
was this :
One Day I met a Bonze in a Sort of Sedan, ver)^ dole fhut,
the Infide of which was like an Harrow full of Nails very
thick, with their Points fticking out towards the Man in the
Chair, fo that he could not bend either one Way or t' other
without wounding himlelf Two Fellows were hired to carry
him from Houfe to Houle, where he begged the People to
have CompalTion on him.
He told them he was fhut up in that Chair for the Good of
their Souls, and was reiblved never to go out from thence, till
they had bought all the Nails (of which there were above two
thoufand) at the Rate of Six-pence a-piece. if you buy any
of them, fays he, you will do an A^lion of heroick Mrtue,
and your Alms are not beftowed on the Bonzes, to whom you
may take other Opportunities of beftowing your Charity, but to
* Some keep a Fire always burning on their Heads : Others tie their Heels
to a Tree, and leaning downwards, are continuallv fupplying a Fire with
Wood, that the Flame may rife to their Breafts,
the
[ vi ]
the God FO, in \N'hole Honour we are going to build a Temple.
I told him, that he ^vas very unhappy to torment himfelf thus in
this World for no Good, and did coun{el him therefore to come
out of his Prifon, to go to the Temple of the true God, to be
inftru£led in heavenly Truths, and lubmit to Penance lefs fe-
vere, but more falutary. He was fo far from being in a Paf-
fion with me, that he anlwered me calmly and courteoufly, that
he was much obliged to me for my good Advice, and would
be more obliged to me ftill, if I would buy a dozen of his
Nails, which would certainly make me have a good Journey.
Here hold your Hand, fays he, turning on one Side, take
theie ; upon the Faith of a Bonze, they are the very beft in
all my Sedan, for they prick me the moft, yet you ftiall have
them at the fame Rate at which I fell the others.
THE
THE
F A K E E R:
ALE.
AFakeer (a Religious well known in the Eaft
Not much like a Parfbn, ftill lefs like a Prieft)
With no Canting, no fly Jeluitical Arts,
Field-preaching, Hypocrify, Learning or Parts ;
c; By a happy Refinement in Mortification,
Grew the Oracle, Saint, and the Pope of his Nation.
But what did he do this Efi:eem to acquire ?
Did he torture his Head or his Boibm with Fire ?
Was
Was his Neck in a portable Pillory cas'd ?
I o Did he faften a Chain to his hez of his Waift ?
No. His Holinefs role to this iovereign pitch
By the Merit of running long Nails in his Breech.
A wealthy young Indian, approaching the Shrine,
Thus in Banter accofts the prophetic Divine :
1 5 This Tribute accept for your Int'refl with FO,
[know ;
Whom with Torture you ferve, and whofe Will you muft
To your Suppliant difclofe his immortal Decree ;
Tell me which of the Heav'ns is allotted for me.
F A K EE R.
Let me firfl: know your Merits.
Indian.
I drive to be juft :
20 To be true to my Friend ^ to my Wife, to my Truft :
In
(p)
In Religion I duly obferve ev'ry Form :
With an Heart to my Count'ry devoted and warm :
I give to the Poor, and I lend to the Rich
F A K E E R.
But how many Nails do you run in your Breech ?
Indian.
25 With fubmifTion I fpeak to your Rev'rence's Tall;
But mine has no Tafte for a ten-penny Nail.
F A K E E R.
Well ! I'll pray to our Prophet and get you prefer'd ;
Though no farther expe£l than to Heaven the third.
With me in the thirtieth your Seat to obtain,
^o You muft qualify duly with Hunger and Pain.
Indian.
With you in the thirtieth ! You Impudent Rogue !
Can fuch Wretches as you give to Madnefs a V'ogue !
B Though
( 1° )
Thougli die Priefthood of FO on the Vulgar impoie,
By fquinting' whole Years at the end of their Nole,
35 Though with cruel Devices of Mortification
They adore a vain Idol of modern Creation,
Does the God of the Heav'ns (uch a Service diredl i*
Can his Mercy approve a felf-punifhing Se<Sl ?
Will his Wifdom be worlhip'd with Chains and with Nails ?
40 Or e'er look for his Rites in your Noies and Tails ?
Come along to my Houie and thefe Penances leave,
Give your Belly a Feaft, and your Breech a Reprieve.
This Reas'ning unhing'd each Fanatical Notion ;
And flagger'd our Saint, in his Chair of Promotion.
4 c; At length with Relu6lance he role from his Seat :
And refigning his Nails and his Fame for Retreat ;
Two Weeks his new Life he admir'd and enjoy 'd :
The third he with Plenty and Quiet was cloy'd.
To
( '■ )
To live undiftinguilli'd to him was the Pain,
50 An Exiftence unnotic'd he could not fuftain.
In Retirement he figh'd for the Fame-giving Chair :
For the Crowd to admire him, to rcv'rence and flare :
No Endearments of Pleafure and Eafe coiiid prevail ;
He the Saintfhip refum'd, and new larded his Tail.
55 Our Fake'^.r reprefents all die Vot'ries of Fame;
Their Ideas, their Means, and their End is the fame :
The Sportfman, the Buck -, all the Heroes of Vice,
With their Gallantry, Leudnefs, the Botde and Dice ,
The Poets, theCriticks, the Metaphyficians,
60 The Courtier, the Patriot, all Politicians ;
The Statefinan begirt with th' importunate Ring,
(I had almoft compleated my Lift with the King)
All labour alike to illuftrate my Tale ;
All tortur'd by Choice with th' invifible Nail.
FINIS.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY
Los Angeles
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