christian name, the name of his family, the name of the village where he was born, the name of the province in which this village lay, and the name of the kingdom which contained this province. In a thing so incredible as this I speak of, Menage gives his own words in his Idumean Colonies. "After this great prophecy, which is wholly owing to me, Homer comes to speak this verse, addressing himself to Ulysses:

Σόν δ' οὕπω τις ἔχει καλὸν γέωασι αλλά έκηγος.*

And in no body,' says Anticlea's shade to her son Ulysses, has yet thy (Loyer) reward, in all respects happily reposed; and what follows, which bears another meaning. In all this long verse you will exactly find,

Πέτρος Λωέριος, Ανδίνκαος, Γάλλος, Υλείη.

That is to say, Peter Loyer, Angevin, Gaullois d'Huillé: there is neither more nor less in it; let who will make the trial. This I offer to defend to all that read me; and why should not I defend what is notoriously my own in Homer? there is no satisfaction in a thing which is not our own, or doubted to be our own. Now Homer attributes this verse to me, and by so doing he makes it mine and not another's; and whatever way we turn this verse in Homer, it will still be mine, and I can claim it for my own. There are three letters, which remain in this whole verse, which perhaps may be said to be superfluous, but they are not so. These are the numeral Greek letters, a, x, x, which denote the time when the name should be revealed which is contained in this verse of Homer, to wit, the year of Christ 1620; and what is less superfluous? Now this is sufficient, as to what concerns myself; which I do not relate for the glory I hope from it;

* *Verse 183 of the Odyssey V.

but rather because I cannot, and ought not to be silent as to what has been revealed to Homer concerning me. This will serve moreover to strengthen my work concerning the originals, migrations, and colonies of people, which had been reserved for me. Homer in vain concealed the origin of many nations, under the cover of fables; since there was to be one, in future ages, who should discover what he had attempted to conceal. I do not boast, for all this, to know more than other men; but who will withstand the grace of God, co-operating in me? This is what Homer discovered, even to the naming the little village where I should receive my birth, that I might not glory in my weakness and meanness, but rather in God, who makes me what I am, and renders me so potent and vigorous, in that he comforts me." Nothing could be left out of this long passage, where every thing shows so learned and singular a madness. Art. LOYER.

VIRGIN.

(Mahometan holy one.)

SOME accounts say that Fatima, daughter of Mahomet, and wife of Ali, is the great saint they worship with so much devotion at Com, but most travellers think otherwise. Herbert, in his Persian Travels, having said that the mosque at Com is magnificent, adds, that "the devotion they have for this place has enriched it with many great presents brought to the sepulchre of Fatima, the wife of Mortis Ali, and daughter of Mahomet, the great prophet of all the Mussulmen, who is buried here. The building of the mosque is round, and made after the Epirotic manner. The tomb of the pretended saint is raised twelve feet from the ground, and is covered with white velvet: you go up to it by steps of solid silver."

Some say, the saint at Com is the daughter of Ali

and Fatima. This appears in Figueroa's narrative; "they informed me," says he, " that at Com there was a famous mosque, dedicated to the memory of a great saint named Leila, grand daughter of Mahomet, and the daughter of Ali and Fatima.”" The Sieur Bespier advances a conjecture which is very probable: "the name of Leila," says he, "is commonly given to the great ladies of Africa, and it is also the title of honour which they give there to the Blessed Virgin, mother of our Lord Jesus, for whom the Mahometans have a great deal of respect and veneration, as well as for her son." He cites Diego de Torres, who assures us, “that they call the Holy Virgin, Leila Mariam, which signifies the Lady Mary; and that all the daughters of the cheriff took the title of Leila, and he names them all four; viz. Leila Mariam, Leila Aya, Leila Fatima, and Leila Lu." After this, Bespier adds, that he is "inclined to think that Leila was not the proper name of the saint mentioned by Figueroa, but only the title of honour preceding it, and that she had another name which Figueroa has omitted, or was not informed of. The inhabitants of Com, who held that maid for a saint, were content with calling her Leila, or The Lady, by way of excellence: much after the same manner as most Christians now call the Virgin Mary Our Lady."

According to Peter della Valle, she is the granddaughter of Ali and Fatima. “There is a fine bridge at Com, and near the bridge a magnificent mosque, in which they told me that a sister of Iman Riza, for whom they have a veneration, and who was one of the most esteemed successors of Mahomet, is buried, whom also they look upon as a saint in their way; so that they have a great respect and veneration for the place of her burial." Iman Riza was the son of Hossein, who was Fatima's son: let us say therefore that the sister of Iman Riza is the granddaughter of Fatima. Tavernier's relation agrees here

"What is most re

with that of Peter della Valle. markable at Com is a great mosque, where are seen the sepulchres of Cha-Sefi and Cha-Abas the second, and that of Sidi-Fatima, the daughter of Iman Hossein, who was the son of Ali, and of Fatima Zurha, Mahomet's daughter."

Others say, she is the daughter of Mousa, the son of Dgafer. This latter opinion is supported by an authentic proof, viz. the titles they give the saint at Com, in the solemn prayers the pilgrims direct to her. These are forms of prayers, and consequently they furnish us with a good proof how little exact travellers are, since some of the most celebrated of them relate so ill the titles of such a saint. It appears, by this formulary of prayers, that Fatima, the daughter of Mahomet, the wife of Ali, and mother of some children, is the saint venerated as a virgin.

M. Chardin has copied the two chief prayers they make the pilgrims repeat at Com. The first begins thus: "Ivisit my lady and mistress Fathmé, the daughter of Mousa, the son of Dgafer, upon whom be salvation and peace for ever." There is one remarkable thing in these prayers, which is, that therein they recommend themselves to the intercession of this saint, and make vows for her. We have seen already that they wish her peace and eternal salvation: here is another part of that formulary: "I wish thee eternal salvation, O Fathmé, daughter of Mousa, virgin, holy, virtuous, just, directress of truth, pious, sanctified, worthy of all our praises, who supremely lovest the faithful, and art supremely beloved by them: Virgin without spot, and free from all impurity. May God take his greatest delight in thee, be always well pleased with thee, and establish thee in paradise, which is thy eternal refuge and abode." But immediately they recommended themselves to her

* Journal du Voïage de Perse, pag. 465.

pray

ers in the following manner "I am come to seek thee, O lady and mistress of my soul, with a view of approaching by this pious act to the most high God, and to his apostle and his children. May the mercy of God be upon him and them for ever. I detest and abhor my sins, the load of which miserably oppresses me, and I do my endeavour to break the yoke of hell. Vouchsafe me thy intercession, O holy Virgin, in that day when the righteous shall be separated from the wicked. Be thou propitious to me, for thou are descended from parents who will suffer none of those that love them to fall into trouble; who refuse nothing to those that pray to them, who divert all kinds of evil from those that cherish them, and whose enemies, on the contrary, can never prosper."

Chardin informs us that the tomb of this Fatima has been three times rebuilt. "Her father," continues he, "carried her to Com on account of the persecution which the califfs of Bagdat raised against his family, and all that held Ali and his descendants for the only lawful successors of Mahomet. She built

several fine houses in this city, and died there. The people believe that God took her up into heaven, and that her tomb has nothing in it, being only a representation." The Romish church then is not the only one that honours the assumption of virgins. We have seen that the immaculate conception, and the virginity of a mother, seem to be two doctrines of the Mahometan religion. The pilgrims are obliged, according to the formulary of prayers, among other things, to say thus: "I wish thee eternal salvation, O virgin most pure, most just, and immaculate, glorious Fatima, daughter of Mahomet the elect, wife of Ali, the well beloved, mother of twelve true vicars of God, of illustrious birth."*-Art. FATIMA.

* Chardin. pag. 464.