Alas! for the reverence paid to the long beards of Syria. The possessors of such in this country would be set down as Jews; they are considered inconvenient, unsightly, and not reckoned as contributing to cleanliness.
I knew a Frank in Syria, a hakeem, whose flowing beard was the admiration of all beholders; his patients used to seize it and make him swear by it, that he would do his best to cure them; and as for the damsels, happy was she that could make him vow fidelity to her, on the strength of his beard. Well, your Excellency, I met this hakeem in the streets of London. I knew him not; but he recognised me and spoke to me. The cruel razor had been at work, and his face was as smooth and beardless as the newborn babe. I asked him what had caused him to commit such an act of insanity, and he told me that, when he first landed, the children in the streets hooted, pelted him, and cried out "Halloo Moshes!" and so, for quietness" sake, he was obliged to submit his beautiful beard to the hands of a ruthless barber. In England no one wears beards. Bishops are beardless; Cadis are beardless; lawyers, hakeems, even the solicitors-wonderful indeed! but what is still more wonderful and absurd is, that these great men wear long curly wigs, which vastly resemble the sheepskins worn by our buffoons and tale-tellers.
"Young ladies in this country are devotedly attached to handsome uniforms; and fine uniforms are devotedly attached to handsome fortunes as well as faces. Sometimes young officers elope with heiresses worth millions of money, whereas the officer, perhaps, has nothing but a gay uniform and a good-looking face and figure to shew: but in all cases, young ladies are very fond of red and blue coats; and an officer in the guards is irresistible. Even the beadle, that is, the _Indilaft_, is an object of admiration to the lower cla.s.ses, as he struts about in his gold-laced c.o.c.ked-hat and uniform.
"It may of a truth be said of the English, that they strive with each other in their efforts to oblige a stranger, and heap civilities and attentions upon him. With them it is a matter of earnest regret that any foreign friend should find cause of complaint against any of their countrymen. One great advantage that we Syrians possess, is the very fact of coming from the Holy Land. Say to an Englishman, of whatever grade, "I am a Syrian," and he will immediately know how to appreciate your worth, and the excellence of your country; he will talk to you of Hebron and many other towns with unabating pleasure; and the reason is, that, from his infancy upwards, with him Syria has been a familiar household word; as a lisping infant, he has read at his mother"s knee of King Solomon and the cedars of Lebanon. At school, his prize-essays have been about Jerusalem; and if, mayhap, he is a poor man, unable to write or read, still, from the pulpit, he has long been accustomed to hear of the great patriarch, the prophets, and the kings, of Israel, the temple of Solomon, and other marvellous facts so intimately linked with his creed; the scene of all which was Syria and the Holy Land. Though most true that it is not an easy matter to cultivate the acquaintance of an Englishman, still, when you do once become acquainted with him, and are well known to him, then you are his friend in the true acceptance of that term, and you continue his friend for life, whether you remain in England or go abroad (I have found this by experience). Moreover he takes a pride in introducing you to his own circle of acquaintances, and endeavours, in concert with them, to promote your best interests and welfare; he abides by you as your friend during your absence, and if anything should reach his ears derogatory to your character, his best energies are brought into play; he sifts the matter thoroughly, hushes the voice of calumny, or exposes the infamy of the calumniator; and if perchance you are guilty in his opinion of any breach of etiquette or a misdemeanour, he weighs the matter maturely in his own mind, and is as ready to correct and reprimand, as he is to overlook the offence, and set it down to the score of your being a stranger, and necessarily uninitiated in the strict etiquette of the land.
"The English do a good action solely from a wish to do good, and from no other earthly inducement. I am now speaking of Englishmen as individuals, for, when acting in numbers, I must confess I do not hold so high an opinion of them. This is proved by the many companies continually advertised and puffed up before the public, but which are nothing more or less than a hoax to catch the unwary, invented by unprincipled men, of which I myself have more than once been the dupe."
CHAPTER XIV.
LIFE, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS OF SYRIA.
An addition to the family of a Syrian man is always an event looked forward to with the greatest anxiety, more especially in cases of a first child. The mother secretly prays and hopes that it may be a son; so does the father, but he seldom alludes to the subject. When the propitious event takes place, no hakeem, except of late in extreme cases, since the introduction of European medical men, is ever called in. Such a thing would be considered highly indecorous and improper. Dyahs (midwives) {233} are plentiful in Syria, and these females are ready at a moment"s notice. If the result be a son, then the whole household is overjoyed, and the husband is besieged by friends and acquaintances, all anxious to outvie with each other in wishing him joy, and in hoping that the newly-born son may live to prove his comfort and support in old age. If, however, a daughter be born to the family, it is looked upon rather in the light of a misfortune than otherwise. The husband looks as if he were quite ashamed of himself, the subject is seldom if ever broached, and if any of his intimate friends allude to the matter, they do it with the view of consoling the father. The usual form of expression in such cases is, "She that has brought a daughter will bear a son," "Inshallah!
if it be the will of G.o.d." Soon after birth the child is wrapped in swaddling clothes, and is at once nourished by its own mother. Wet nurses are almost unknown, and are only employed in cases of death or great debility. The care of attending upon the mother devolves upon the female relatives; but the women in my country are usually so strong and robust that little attention is required. No m.u.f.fling of knockers-no strewing of straw in the streets-no doctor anxiously expected-no dosing of both parent and child. Amongst the peasants and lower cla.s.ses in particular, the women are so hardy that it is by no means an uncommon event for a mother, four or five hours after her accouchement, to be seen propped up with cushions, busily engaged in mending or making baby-linen.
On the fourth day after her confinement, the _Kanum_ or lady is expected to receive the visits of her acquaintances and friends, both male and female; and for this occasion a brand new coverlet usually handsomely worked in silk, has been prepared. Propped up by pillows and covered with _farooa_, she receives lying-in state visits. Her visitors do not remain long, but during the whole of the time they are complimenting her on the fortunate event; and the new-born is paraded round, and gazed at, and admired; but no one dares to praise him without commencing with "Mashallah!" "G.o.d be praised for it!" This custom of visiting the mother proves clearly that the usages which existed in the time of our blessed Saviour, when the wise men from the East came to look upon the newborn babe, and brought with them offerings, continues up to the present day, each friend or acquaintance bringing or sending his or her offerings.
The first thing to be done after the birth of the child is to fix upon a name. This name, if it be the firstborn son, is usually the name of the child"s paternal grandfather, or else, if the birth takes place on the anniversary of any great saint"s day, it is called after him; as for instance, Paul, or John, or Peter, and that saint becomes his patron through life; this necessary preliminary being arranged, the child is baptised within a week of its birth for fear it should sicken or die.
The priests usually come to the house, sometimes the child is taken to the church. The G.o.dfathers and G.o.dmothers, two of each, and all the relatives a.s.semble, a large basin of water (made tepid in cold weather), is placed upon a table and duly consecrated by the priests; the mother undresses the infant, and hands it naked, as it was born, to the hands of the officiating priest, and this minister, repeating prayers over it, in which he is a.s.sisted by others, immerses the whole body of the infant into the water three successive times in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Consecrated oil is then used, and the mark of the cross made with it on the forehead and chest of the infant.
This also is done three times, the sponsors standing by and answering for the child. It is then wiped dry and carefully swaddled up again, and in a few minutes the ceremony terminates with the priest"s blessing.
The rest of the day is usually devoted to pleasure, and the parents now feel more at their ease, as the child has been admitted within the pale of the Church, and in case of any untoward event, would be ent.i.tled to Christian burial. The father, if this be a first son, drops the name by which he was formerly known; thus, supposing the name to have been Yusuf or Michali, and his friends used to call him Sowajar Michali (the father of Joseph), now that his son has been christened by the name of Yacob, for instance, they call him Aboo Yacob, or the father of Yacob-a proud t.i.tle for a Syrian; for not to have children is looked upon as the greatest misfortune and disgrace that can happen to a married couple; whereas, however poor the family, a mult.i.tude of children (especially if they be males) is considered a blessing. The greatest pride of an old man in Syria is to sit at the doorway of his house, or at the city gate, of an evening, pipe in hand, surrounded by his sons and grandsons. From the day of the Psalmist David down to the present day, it may truly be said in Syria, Blessed are they that have their quiver full of them. "Lo children and the fruit of the womb are an heritage and gift that cometh of the Lord. Like as the arrows in the hand of the giant: even so are the young children. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate"
(Psalm cxxvii. 4, 5, 6).
Although from the first the infant is tenderly cared for, still, it must, however healthy, have occasionally some slight ailment, and then great consternation prevails in the household. The devices to heal it are many. In every Christian family a remnant of the holy palm-leaves, distributed on Palm Sunday, are very carefully preserved to serve on such occasions; these are now mixed with olive-leaves, salt, and aloes, and the whole is then thrown into a small brazier of charcoal, and the smoke thereof const.i.tutes an incense supposed to expel the evil eye. {236} Sometimes, strange to say, the ashes of this composition bear strict resemblance to a human eye. This is taken and crushed on the floor with the child"s slipper, and the mother expresses a wish that the eyes of the envious which have brought the illness on the child, may be destroyed in like manner. After this, if the child is not better, the family priest is in this interval sent to, and offers up prayers for its welfare. Oil of almonds is usually applied externally, and rubbed in warm, generally with very beneficial results. There is also a peculiar kind of soft, fine earth in Syria, which is much sought after by mothers; this, when collected, is brought and warmed near the fire; it is then placed in the cradle, and, being covered with a fine counterpane, the infant, wrapped in its swaddling clothes, is laid on this, the warm earth retaining dryness and heat for many hours. Many of the poorer people lay their infants on the earth itself, and then cover them over warmly. In all cases it appears to have a beneficial effect on children, who seldom or ever catch cold. If you wish to incur the displeasure and dislike of a young mother in Syria, there are two certain methods of gaining this end; the first is to step across any baby-linen that may be lying about the ground; the second is to rock the cradle when the child is not in it; both these are considered very unfavourable to the child, and some mothers carry these ridiculous superst.i.tions to such an extent, that they dislike any notice being taken of their children, even though the praise be accompanied with the indispensable "mashallahs"; but if there is one thing more than another that young mothers have a superst.i.tious horror of, it is the visits or enquiries of a barren woman; she, it is supposed, must entertain a jealousy of those more fortunate than herself, and her praises be insincere and terrible.
To such an extent do these ridiculous superst.i.tions prevail, that if, by any misfortune, a child should happen to die, even though it be a year after any remarks may have been applied to it by a childless woman, these have been, nevertheless, treasured up, and the evil is laid at her door.
Children are usually weaned in their fourteenth or fifteenth month, and then they are for a short time nourished princ.i.p.ally on cow"s or goat"s milk; but by the time a child is eighteen months old, it has learned to eat all manner of dishes, and they are so pampered and indulged in this respect, that from the minute they awake, till they fall asleep again, their stomachs have hardly any respite. Fruit, bread, cheese, meat; anything and everything is set before them from the very false notion that, the more they eat, the faster and the stronger they will grow.
This notion prevails throughout Syria, and it is imagined that strength cannot be gained except by hearty eating. So that when a man is very ill, and a doctor is sent for, his friends are all clamorous and anxious to tell him how many hours has elapsed since he last partook of food, and beg of him to insist on the patient"s eating something forthwith, or to give him some medicine that will give him an appet.i.te. It is quite beyond their comprehension to understand that in some instances food would be very injurious in its effects. A man or a child has only to say, "_Ena-juaan_," or "I am hungry," and it would be considered a heinous sin not to gratify this craving instantly. All this, however, is pardonable when the real motives, those of sincere love and pity for the sufferer, are considered, mistaken though they may be; but time and education can alone remedy this evil. So soon as the boy is able, unaided, to run about and talk, he is then taken in hand by his father; his dress is always of the best obtainable materials, and if his father be a merchant or shopkeeper, he accompanies him to his office, and there, seated cross-legged, begins to ape the actions and conversation of his father. He is early instructed in lessons of sedateness and self-respect, and if not cheerfully willing to obey and listen, a few taps of the rod soon bring him to his senses. For the Syrian father acts upon the proverb, which says, "If you wish the tree to grow up straight and be fruitful you must prune its branches when young." Slight castigations are generally inflicted by them in the absence of the mother, for otherwise they would be of no effect. Some mothers are very attached to their first-born so that they would willingly sacrifice their own lives rather than that their darling should suffer ever so slight an affront. Whipping a child in a mother"s presence would invariably lead to high words and ill feeling, and the result would be, that the child, whipped by one parent and petted by the other, would naturally imagine itself very ill used-hate the father and love the mother. The good effects of the punishment would be lost, and the child only grow more wary and naughty. To avoid these family broils, the father early accustoms his son to accompany him to his place of business; bearing the key in the same manner as it was done in the days of the prophets, upon his shoulder. Is. xxii. 22. There, unseen by the mother"s eye, the child soon learns implicit obedience to his father"s will, and as this obedience is at first always rewarded by some small present of fruit or so forth, the boy grows in love as well as in obedience. It is surprising what sage little fellows, of only five years old, one meets perched up cross-legged in the shops of their fathers; they are so well versed in the every-day business of the profession, that the father can repose every confidence in them, and leave them for hours together to deal with customers, weigh out, bargain, and effect sales. A child naturally takes a pride in thus early finding itself useful and important, and there are few children in the world that are more precocious than those of my native country. A child brought up in this way would think it highly indecorous to romp and play about during business hours. In the evening, however, he is permitted to repair to the fields with his companions; the onus of business has been laid aside, and the perfect child shows itself once more in the merry game or joyous laugh of the sportive crew.
By the time a child is six years old, he seldom, if ever, requires chastis.e.m.e.nt; indeed, he thinks to be scolded is a perfect disgrace, and is consequently ever on the guard not to incur his father"s displeasure.
The father who now thinks it is time that his son should be instructed to read and write, works upon the feelings of the boy so as to excite in him a great desire for learning. He usually commences by telling him that he is quite ashamed of having such an ignorant son whereas his neighbours"
children are all well instructed, and know the whole of the Psalms by heart, for the acquirement of these invariably forms the commencement of Syrian education; the child protests that he only lacks opportunity, and the next day his schooling begins.
The etiquette of Syrian manners is early instilled into the mind of the Syrian boy; he is taught, on first rising in the morning, after prayers and the necessary ablutions, to wish the "_Saboh il Kahir_" ("good morning,") to every individual of the household, commencing with the father and finishing with the lowest menial in the establishment. After this, the son sees that his father is supplied with the necessary coffee, a slice of toast, and his _narghili_, and then next to his father he ranks himself, excepting when strangers are present. On the arrival of a guest, he is taught to go forth and welcome him as far as the threshold of the entrance-door, and this he does meekly, taking and kissing the hand of the visitor if a man of advanced age, at the same time overwhelming him with such flattering compliments, as, for instance, "The day at this moment has become bright." "My thoughts have always been concentrated on you, O light of my eyes!" The boy then follows the guest to the _mistaba_, where his father is ready to receive him, and having busied himself ordering necessary refreshments, he returns to the divan, and seating himself at some distance from the others, listens in respectful silence to their conversation, or pulling out the bra.s.s inkhorn from his side (Ezek. ix.), which contains likewise his stock of pens (and is an inseparable companion, being always thrust into the girdle and carried about with him from morning till night), he possesses himself of some stray piece of paper, may be the back of a letter, and improves the moments as they fly by furthering his knowledge in arithmetic.
When a priest calls at the house, then the son is all attention; none but himself is permitted to serve him; he replenishes the pipe-bowls, fetches the fire, hands him the coffee and other refreshments, and each time retires from the presence of the rev. father with fresh blessings heaped upon his head. The son is early taught to listen, but never to speak unless first spoken to, to be deferential to all old people, kind to the poor, and especially to the blind, sympathising with servants, whose faults he must correct with mildness and leniency, and above all, to abhor and hold in utter detestation all strong drinks and drunkards. You may travel from one end of Syria to the other, and mingle with every grade of every creed, and I may safely state, that drunkards are rarely met with. None but those who have travelled in Europe, or have mixed with European society, are addicted to this vice.
The son is taught to adhere strictly to all laws of cleanliness. There are few people that are more rigid in the observance of them than the Syrian. On first rising, and on going to bed, before and after every meal, before and after every little promenade, hands and face are washed with soap and water and a few leaves of the lemon-tree; the mouth is also rinsed out, sometimes with simple water, sometimes with rose or orange-flower water, according to the opulence or poverty of the man.
Tooth and hair-brushes are unknown among the Syrians. On entering a house, he is taught to leave his shoes before intruding into the visitors" hall, and with light yellow slippers on, treads over the carpet; he advances to all the elders who happen to be present, kissing their hands and placing them on his head to intimate his respect and obedience. On entering a church in some parts of the country, he leaves his shoes outside. {242} This practice dates from the period of Moses and the burning bush, when the Lord addressed Moses, saying, "Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground" (Exod. iii. 5). Likewise he also lifts the turban off his head for a while, and then replaces it. During the reading of the Gospel and Belief all the males remain uncovered.
So soon as a boy"s education is completed, and this simply consists in his being able to read and write Arabic, with a slight knowledge of arithmetic, then the father anxiously looks out for some opening which may enable his son thus early to acquire a knowledge of the world, and of the necessity of fighting one"s own battles, so as to be independent of the support of others; but though the son may earn a sufficiency to maintain himself without drawing on his father"s revenue, he still remains an inmate of the parental roof; indeed, in many instances he never quits it, and it is not uncommon to see the son a man of mature years himself, with his own children fast growing up to manhood, paying the most implicit obedience and respect to his father"s commands and wishes, just with the same deference that a child six years old would obey an austere father; indeed such is the universal reverence with which parents are treated, that (though these instances are rare) fathers have been known to chastise their sons when they had attained the mature age of thirty-five or forty; and the son, though father of a family himself, and though smarting from shame and indignation at such an exposure before the eyes of his own wife and children, has meekly borne the correction and kissed the hand that chastised him. "Honour thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long in the land," is a commandment acted up to the letter in Syria, and any son transgressing this law, would meet with small sympathy from his countrymen, would be shunned by all, and be an object of indignation and scorn to all Orientals of whatever creed.
Even that ferocious tyrant, Djessar Pasha, who never hesitated to sacrifice human life, whose wives and concubines were all ma.s.sacred by his own hands to satiate his furious jealousy and rage against one unhappy girl, who had been discovered carrying on a flirtation with an officer of his court; even he, villain though he was, respected this law and enforced others to respect it. A story is told of a young Christian, who, being newly married, took possession of the whole of his father"s house, leaving the poor old man, who was a widower and a cripple, barely sufficient rags to cover his nakedness, or food to satisfy his hunger.
The Pasha, hearing of this atrocious conduct, sent for the miscreant, and when he was brought trembling into his presence, exclaimed, "Hast thou no fear of G.o.d? In an hour"s time let me hear that your father, dog that you are, is in the possession of every comfort and luxury; or, by my beard, your head shall answer for this crime."
When the son is about twelve years of age, his parents begin to look about them to choose out from amongst the neighbours a suitable wife for their first-born. This is an arduous undertaking, and the son is often consulted as to whether he has any particular choice amongst his playmates and companions. Sometimes he has, sometimes he leaves all to the good judgment of his mother, always, however, stipulating, that the girl must be young, pretty, and good-tempered. Old women who go from house to house with trinkets and other articles to sell are sometimes commissioned by the mothers to look out for such eligible objects. If they know any party likely to suit, they acquaint the mother. They next find out when the maiden attends the bath, and inform their employer, who goes there at the same time, and if, upon seeing the girl, she thinks her likely to suit her son, she contrives to make her acquaintance. The old woman also, on her part, mentions the youth to the maiden and her family with the greatest possible praise, and the affair may be considered accomplished. The choice having thus fallen upon some one or other, and the preliminaries arranged, the dower to be paid for her settled, handkerchiefs bought, rings ordered, and a choice party of intimate friends invited, who, accompanied by the priest, repair to the house of the intended bride"s father. Sometimes the girl is brought into the room closely veiled, the young lad being present also-vows, and rings, and presents, are exchanged-the priest p.r.o.nounces his blessing-the pair are betrothed, and from that day till the wedding takes place, become utter strangers to each other. They may have been bosom companions only the day before, romping with each other from early childhood, but the moment that the betrothal had taken place, there is an inseparable barrier to their meeting or conversing again till the church shall have p.r.o.nounced them man and wife. This generally lasts six months, but sometimes mere children are engaged, and then they have to wait till both have arrived at years of maturity before they can get married. It seldom, if ever, happens, excepting, of course, in cases of death, that these betrothals are put aside or broken, the church considering the vows then pledged as binding on either side as the marriage vow itself.
In order to give my readers some idea of an Oriental courtship, I will quote the account which my friend, the well known a.s.saad Kajah gives of his own:-"I went to my friend H. Khooja Hahib Giammal, a liberal and enlightened gentleman. He allowed his beautiful eldest daughter to hand me the sherbet, and the moment I saw her, as we say in our Eastern language, "a thousand of my vertebrae got broken," and she took my heart with her when she left the room. I knew I was a favourite with her father, and I returned home resolved not to delay making my proposals.
"I told my father the state of my heart, and requested him to take a diamond ring and a fine white handkerchief, the emblem of betrothment, to the father of the damsel, and entreat him to allow me the joy of being betrothed to his daughter Martha. With a view to shew that I acted on the impulse of my own heart, and not merely by the guidance of my parents, I followed the example of our Patriarch "Isaac" in the case of his beloved "Rebekah" (Genesis xxiv. 22). I therefore sent to my own beloved "a golden ear-ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold." Thus, the ancient custom of upwards of three thousand years old is retained by the people; and a Syrian does not inquire what a purse his bride is to have, but whether his Rebekah is such a one as was brought up like Nahor"s Milcah; their popular proverb is this: "_Khud ala.s.seil walanah alha.s.sir_," "Take the one of good root (i.e., of good parents), though she may be on a mat"
(that is, though her parents may have no more furniture in their dwelling than a mat).
"My beloved father, in his kind way, took my message, and with a beating heart I waited for the answer. In about an hour he returned, and said, smiling, "a.s.saad, all thy affairs seem to go smoothly.""
I am continually asked by my fair friends the number of wives I have left in Syria; my reply is, that I am not married, though I fervently hope some bright day to crown my earthly bliss with an English wife; the ladies seemed quite incredulous on my informing them, that only one is permitted by our law. The Mahommedan religion, it is true, admits of four lawful wives, besides concubines; but I can confidently a.s.sert, that the majority even of Mussulmans have but one wife. Possibly, in default of issue, another may be taken-this, however, is the _exception_, not the _rule_; and though polygamy has existed to a greater or less extent in the East since the days of the Psalmist David, and his son, the wise King Solomon, still where it is mostly practised now-a-days is amongst the wild Arab tribes, south of Gaza and the Nosairiyeh. Of these latter I have known an instance of a man marrying two wives on the same day, both young maidens, from different villages. But amongst the Turks the practice is anything but prevalent; in proof of which I may quote as instances, the late Grand Vizier Aali Pasha, the former one, Reschid Pasha, and Cabuli Effendi, the present talented Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and most of the leading Turkish gentlemen who have resided in Christian countries, have but one wife. As a proof of this I will relate an amusing story current in the East:-
A certain Mahomedan had two wives, one of these occupied the lower, the other the upper, chamber of the house in which he lived. To prevent as much as possible all appearance of undue preference, he made it his rule to visit them alternately. The communication between the upper story and the ground floor was by a short ladder. One evening as he proceeded to mount this precarious staircase, in order to visit his beloved above, his down stairs wife immediately vociferated, that his memory had failed him, and that, in the due course of things, he had to remain with her. This the husband denied, and continued to mount the steps of the ladder. In despair, and still protesting loudly her right, the lady flew to the ladder, and the moment his head emerged into the floor of the upper chamber, seized her husband by the legs and arrested his further progress. The lady up-stairs, however, who had now got an inkling of the contest, and fearful on her part of being outwitted, rushed to the top of the ladder, and while the lady beneath was partly succeeding in pulling the unfortunate man down by the legs, suddenly seized him by that tuft of hair which is left on the head of every true believer, pulled as vigorously as her rival though in an opposite direction. While they tugged at their victim alternately, and doubt seemed to hang over victory, and it even appeared possible that the contested property might be rent in sunder between them, accompanied with all those noisy vociferations with which the fair s.e.x are accustomed to conduct their combats, especially in the East, a thief introduced himself into the house, and was an unperceived spectator of the scene.
Some time afterwards, the thief was apprehended and carried before the Cadi, to whom he related the circ.u.mstance of which he had been witness.
"Well," said the magistrate, "your punishment shall be either to lose your head, or like the man you have robbed, immediately possess yourself of two wives-you shall have the option." "After what I have seen,"
replied the criminal, "I have no hesitation; better to lose my head and go at once to Paradise than live to be torn in half between two jealous wives."
Although it is most true, that in Europe polygamy is disallowed, I need not say how often the marriage vow is broken, and how many are the delinquents. Often old men even have mistresses in addition to their own lawful wife. Much of this corruption evidently arises from the iniquitous practice of _mariage de convenance_, so often speculated in by most match-making mothers, in the two greatest capitals of Europe. Men and women, who have not a single idea in common, and no sympathy with each other, are inveigled into marriages because the one has wealth and the other t.i.tles, or what is worse, beauty is bartered for gold. I am quite at a loss to account for the utter want of feeling in those parents who can ruthlessly sacrifice the happiness and peace of mind of their own child, by marrying a girl, perhaps of sixteen, to a half-idiotic or toothless man, in infirmity or age, thus ill calculating either for the happiness or protection of inexperienced youth. (_I know of such instances_). It is not in nature that such a couple should be happy; for a young man cannot be fascinated by the charms of a haggish old woman, neither is it possible, where such disparities exist, for a young girl to nourish one spark of that warm affection which should ever exist between man and wife.
Now, in Syria, such marriages never occur. A man takes a wife for a _helpmate_ not for a puppet-for a companion in health-a consolation in sickness, to help him in enjoying the bounteous gifts of nature, or to soothe when the cloud of affliction rests over his pathway. This was why marriage was const.i.tuted, and this is why people get married in the East.
It is true that an Oriental wife cannot paint, or play the piano or harp, but she can sing in her own quiet way, and that sweetly, too-never sweeter than when she is hushing her first-born to slumber; and she can dance on any very festive occasion, not the giddy flaunting waltz or polka, but a quiet measured tread, graceful and becoming without being indecorous. It may be that a man does sometimes marry a girl possessed of a wealthy dower; but these instances are rare, and when they do occur, the dower is, for the most part, invested in jewels or in lands. If in the latter, the husband enjoys a life-interest in them-he is indeed lord and master of the property, and can make any improvements he sees fit: the former generally decorate the wife"s turban on festive occasions; but in case of misfortune, then these are pledged or sold off one by one to meet the emergency. I trust many of my fair readers will, after perusing this, feel convinced of the binding and solemn nature of the marriage tie amongst Christians in Syria. Far be it from me by these observations, to throw any slur upon the married life of the people of Western Europe; I merely wish to show to those who imagine that polygamy is universal in the East, that the same thing, but in a different form, is as prevalent in their own country. The English, indeed, are, upon the whole, freer from this vice than most other civilised nations, and their domestic felicity far exceeds that of any other people.
But to return to the immediate subject. The son, as soon as he is married, is fairly embarked in life, and if his father be a widower, then the whole of the household arrangements devolve upon the young wife. The son is generally master of the house, and the old man retires from business and the bustle of life, pa.s.sing the rest of his days as a guest or sort of pensioner in his own house, and seldom meddling with its domestic economy. Should the mother, however, still survive, she devotes her time to instructing her daughter-in-law in domestic matters, and also accompanies her when she goes out.
There is one thing very praiseworthy amongst the Syrians, and a trait in our character which many civilised nations would do well to take for an example. I allude to untiring love and charity between not only members of one household, but all relations or connexions, however distantly connected. One seldom or ever hears of a father and his children being on bad terms, or of quarrels and broils between sisters and brothers. Of course they are not exempt from angry pa.s.sions; high words may rise between them, and even ill feeling rancour in their hearts, but they never allow "the sun to set on their wrath;" and if only for appearance"
sake, they make it up again speedily, and converse and chat as freely as ever. In this respect they act up to a wise, if not elegant, French proverb-"_Le linge sale doit etre lave en famille_." No strangers are permitted to rejoice at their discords, or mock at their infirmities.
Then, again, so long as one member of a family is well off, he will never suffer his poor relations to feel want. If he can find them employment, well and good; if not, they have the shelter of his own house, and food from his own table; and in return, all he expects is, that they will lend a hand at being useful. Every want is supplied them: and if even clothes be necessary, these are provided. When two or more relations of a poor man are well to do, they join together to a.s.sist him; and this in a great measure accounts for the scarcity of street-beggars in most parts of Syria. A Syrian would consider it a disgrace to his name, that any member of his family should be suffered to want whilst he had a crumb to spare, and it would be looked upon as a heinous sin in a religious point of view. In England, perhaps, it would not be fashionable to have a poor relation out at elbows, tarnishing the splendidly furnished drawing-room of a wealthy relative; or it would not be convenient to curtail the luxury and voluptuous display of every-day wealth, to contribute a pittance for the maintenance of a starving nephew or a crippled brother.
This may not be fashionable, but it would be Christian-like; and rest a.s.sured, O slave of the world, so full of all "the pomps and vanities of this wicked world," that when He comes, who gave even His life for your salvation, then the poor uneducated Syrian-the man who has received little-will have a far lighter account to balance with the Great Author of eternal life, than you who have possessed and have withheld.
Public prost.i.tution was a thing entirely unknown in Syria until intercourse with Europeans introduced it first into the sea-ports; from thence it gradually spread inland. Formerly the most severe punishments were inflicted for this crime, and where the authorities failed to interfere, the relatives took the law into their own hands, and very summarily disposed of an offender against their honour. Even now-a-days, such poor creatures are rare; and if by chance one meets with one, she is invariably under the protection of some European-of itself a sufficient guarantee from punishment. I remember a most shocking instance of the punishment inflicted upon a woman of this cla.s.s some eighteen years ago, at Beyrout. Her family were neighbours of mine. She was several times warned to be on her guard, but totally disregarded these warnings, till at length, some of the men connected with her family, entered (with the father"s knowledge and consent) the house of her paramour at night, and after hewing her to pieces, threw her remains into a well attached to a house belonging to my uncle, the Rev. Kouri Georgius Risk Allah.
The girls in Syria are princ.i.p.ally educated in housewifery, such as baking, washing, cooking, etc. Starching and ironing are as yet unknown, except to a few aspiring geniuses at Beyrout, who, from this knowledge, derive no small emolument. The girls are also instructed in the management of all household affairs, the care of poultry, and even of making cream-cheese, bread, pastry and _leban_, and also in household superst.i.tions. Amongst these last, they are taught-
Never to rock a cradle when it is empty, because evil spirits are very fond, so say old crones in Syria, of being rocked.
Never to sweep the house after sunset, as this is only practised when there has been a death in the family and after the body has been carried out.
Never to look into a mirror after sunset, for an _afreet_ is sure to be peeping over their shoulder, and he may shew himself to them in such a very unpleasant manner as might frighten them to death instanter. Only think of this, ye opera-going and ball-frequenting young ladies! What a hard case it would be if you were forbidden to look into a mirror after candles have been rung for.
Never to cut their finger or toe-nails near a basin of water; for if the nail should chance to fall into the water, they have nothing left to them but to make their will and go to bed, for, according to the logic of all old women, die they must.
And last and not least-Never to interrupt or harm the black snake of the house-_Hye il sauda_. In almost every house in Syria there is a peculiar black serpent, large but very harmless, which takes up its abode in the cellar of the house, and will never afterwards quit its nook or corner till killed, or till the house falls, or the snake dies. No Syrian would ever intentionally kill these snakes, for, besides keeping mice and rats away, they are held in such deep veneration, that endless are the absurd superst.i.tions and tales told about them, all of which I myself once firmly believed in. Amongst other things, it is said, that if you destroy one of these snakes, the mate will be sure to seek for and obtain vengeance. They pretend, further, that these snakes are doatingly fond of milk, and that the smell of it will immediately attract them. It is commonly believed, that a young mother may be sure, if she is not on the watch, that the black snake will come in the night and feed off her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, till it has drained them so dry that there is nothing left for the infant; and again, with regard to the child, should the snake be disappointed in getting its supply of milk from the fountain-head, that it will then resort to the artifice of inserting its tail into the infant"s mouth, and so tickling its throat as to cause it to be sick, and thus supply itself with food. But the most ludicrous story told is about the conscientiousness of one of these snakes, a story which is firmly believed by most Orientals. It runs thus: "In Syria, it is the custom of every family to lay up a year"s provisions of all the necessaries of life, in store-rooms attached to the house; these provisions consist of melted b.u.t.ter in jars for cooking rice, wheat, burghal, etc. Now, as the story goes, one of these black snakes once deposited her eggs in one of these store-rooms, a hole in the corner of which led to a serpent"s nest.
The young ones had been hatched, and were all a.s.sembled together gambolling about, when some of the children, happening to surprise these young snakes at their frolics, seeing that they were very small, whipped them up in their handkerchiefs, and ran off with them to the other end of the house. Now think what might have been the serious results of this frolic. Mother snake coming home could not find her young ones, and made a pretty to do about it. At last she discovered that the children had stolen them, and in her rage and vexation determined to be revenged on the whole family. Accordingly, with the a.s.sistance of her tail, she removed the cover of the b.u.t.ter-jar, and inserting her fangs into the b.u.t.ter, succeeded in poisoning the whole ma.s.s. Bye and bye, home came the lady of the house from the bath, and no sooner did she see what the children had been about, than, with many screams and exclamations, she insisted on the young snakes being carried back again. No sooner said than done; and now mother snake began to regret deeply what she had done.
How to remedy the evil was the question-speak she could not, nor had she any other method of warning the family not to use the b.u.t.ter. Well, now what do you think she did? She called the male snake to her a.s.sistance, and these two, coiling themselves round the thin jar, squeezed with all their might and main, till the jar broke into a hundred pieces, the melted b.u.t.ter ran out on the ground, and was lost, and the family were saved from being poisoned."
This is one amongst the many fabulous tales about the black household snake of Syria; but such like superst.i.tions need not startle educated people in England, when they remember the endless fables that pa.s.s current in their own land about many animals, plants, and things-even to coffins darting out of fires, winding-sheets in candles, and lover-like apparitions in tea-cups.
It must not be supposed that the higher cla.s.ses of Syrians are not scrupulous with regard to the laws of etiquette; on the contrary, they strictly enforce them. If Kowagar Bustros and his family called to see Kowagar Saba and his family on this Tuesday, Kowagar Saba will return the visit next Tuesday. If Kowagar Domian invite Kowagar Michali and family to dinner, Kowagar Michali and family give a return party to Kowagar Domian. But the grand day for receiving visits in every house is the _Eed_, or festival of the master of the house, which is annually celebrated on that saint"s day whose name he has taken, and whose patronage he acknowledges. Thus all those of the name of Michali remain at home on St. Michael"s day, and all their acquaintances call to see them, and to wish them health, luck, and prosperity; some bring fruits, some sweetmeats, and few come empty-handed. If this usage is productive of no very beneficial effects, it at least serves to promote a kindly feeling betwixt neighbours and friends; and this, after all, is a grand point to observe if one wishes to be comfortable and happy in this world.
When a Syrian dies, after a few hours the hired mourners are sent for, according to a custom which has apparently prevailed from the most remote antiquity, as we find it referred to in Amos v. 16. The cries raised by these women are peculiarly mournful and affecting when they are first heard announcing to the immediate neighbourhood that one of their number has departed, or reaching the ear of the pa.s.sing stranger with their intelligence of death and sorrow. Wax-tapers are then sent round to his friends as a notice that they are invited to the funeral, which always takes place within twenty-four hours after death. When they are a.s.sembled in the church, the tapers are lit, the corpse is placed in the centre, and the service is read; then the candles are extinguished, the body is carried to the grave by his friends, is buried, and "his place knows him no more" (Job vii. 910).