hW^ 3339 D ^=g .: i1 : _ ' 1 '] ! 3 ^^- i 3 ^f "1 _ i 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