Though the external appearance of the Afgheuns be uncouth than that of the Indian, they posses* estimable qualities to which he is estranger. A certain measure of reliance can be placed upon their state. meats of foot ; not that they can compare with Env peens in veracity, or will scruple diesiontlation, when any great interest is to be promoted; but they are far from that profound.and habitual falsehood, which chmeacterines the natives of Persia and Walton. They manifest also an active spirit of curiosity, to which subjects of despotism are altogether swan. gets. Disphtys of. European art and machinery, which by Indians wave noticed evidently front mere politeness, without any real interest, excited in the Afgehanns the highest gratification, and an anxious wish to examine the processes by which they were performed. There exists also mom purity of manilas than is observed in other Asiatic conatries. Polygamy, indeed, and the purchase of wives, pre vails here, as over all the East. They are well treated, however, and often acquire an aseesdency in the family, from which the severity of Mebane. tan institutions seems elsewhere to arolude diem. in she country districts, where the system of aegis aloe moot. be carried to such &rigorous extent as in Moos, the passion of love maw aka to belch in all its ardour. Many of their popular poems re• late to amorous adventures, and detail incidents not dissimilar to those which form the subject of similar compositions in Europe. It is said to be net un common for a young man to set out for India, or some other foreign country, with a view of earning the purchase money of the female of whom he has become enamoured. This price being usually con, siderable, the procuring of an Afghaun wife is at tended with difficulty, and area strive often at the age of forty, before they are able to collect a suns *efficient. This has led to a very peculiar mode of penal infliction. The fine imposed, on conviction of any crime, is levied in young women, to be given as wives to the injured. person or his friends. Mur der is twelve young women ; severe mutilation, ; and so on, diminishing for smaller offences.
Hospitality is a virtue for which the 'ratios is mi. nently distinguished. Not only a stranger, but the bitterest enemy, beneath the roof of an Afghean, in perfect security. Usage has even established, that any individual, who enters his house, and placer himself in the posture of a supplicant, shall receive the boon which he thus craves. Yet, with this eves romantic courtesy and humanity, are combined mi gnon universally the habits of plunder grad robbery. The extent of these practices varies among different tribes; and in those placed =tier the immediate eye of the Sovereign they are much restrained ; but scarcely any tribes are wholly exempted. Insteaces have occurred in which an Afghanis has received a stranger with all the rights of hospitality, and after wank, meeting him in the open country, has robbed him. The name person, it is supposed, who 'squid plunder a cloak from a traveller who had one, would give a cloak to one who had none. From these cir cumstances, it is omuceived, that no European,. c;arry. leg property along with him, could, with any degree of safety, travel through Alghaunistaun. Nothing except absolute poverty could Afford him any chasm of security.
The Afghaun nobles reside almost entirely at court. They maintain a considerable state; but do. not move with that crowded and noisy attendance which forms the delight of the Indian great man. In their comparatively small retinue, order and silence are strictly observed ; so that they are . alighted, awl ,sites entered, before their approach is announced.
Even those whose fortunes are most ample, do am display the magnificence usual among the Persian nobility. In an entertainment, to which the British mission were invited, the dishes, consisting of all kinds of roasted, boiled, and baked meats, were dyed . of varionscolours, and profusely ornamented with gold and silver leaf. The English were surprised, how ever,. to see the servants jointing the meet with a • and laying it on the plates with their de. The amusements consisted in dancing' girls, and displays of fire works, neither of which be Aug very excellent in its kind, the pleasure afforded was extremely moderate. The nobles employed in offices at court are the meet corrupted fort of the - nation,, and, with a few exceptions, are guilty of every species of meanness.
Among. Afghtiuns of all descriptions, the favourite amusement is hunting. They practise it against all descriptions of game, and in every possible variety of mode. Sometimes large parties assemble, and, forming a crescent, sweep the ,country, so as to . in close all the game to be found within the compass of a certain district. They do not excel much in shooting or hawking ; but have a singular mode of chasing partridges. A number of horsemen, one after another, pursue the bird, and never allow it to rest a moment, till, being quite exhausted, it is easily beat down with a stick. Within doors, quail and cock-fighting afford favourite enjoyments ; nor is any exercise which calls forth bodily strength and dex terity omitted. The Afghauns are also a social peo ple; they give frequent dinner parties, and delight an serious as well as gay conversation. The inhabi tants of the towns find great enjoyment in excursions to the gardens in the vicinity, which command usually magnificent prospects.
Education, to a certain extent, is very general among the Afghauns. Moollahs, performing the office of schoolmasters, are established not only in towns, but even in every village. Unfortunately, the grand object is to enable their pupils to read the Koran in -Arabic, often without understanding it ; and not a fourth part of the lower orders can read their own language. The more advanced studies are the Per sian classics, Arabic, grammar, logic, law, and theology. The two great seminaries of learning are Peshawer and Bukhara, the former of which has somewhat the preeminence, Although the superiority of the Per sians in literature is acknowledged, yet their repu tation of heresy deters all faithful Soonnees from re pairing to their colleges. - The Afghaun princes, in general, have been eminent encouragers of learning. Ahmed Shauh held weekly assemblies at his palace, often prolonged to a late hour, and in which various topics of theology, law, and literature, were discus sed. He and most of his successors have practised poetical composition, though their fame does not rest upon that basis. The most celebrated of the Afghaun poets in Rehmaun ; in whose pieces, how ever, so far as they were explained to Mr Elphin stone, he was not able to discover any merit; but he is willing to believe that this may have arisen from the defective nature of the few specimens which he obtained. More true poetical fire glows in the verses of Khooshhaul, a Khaun or Chieftain, *hose valour maintained the independence of his tribe against the power of Aurungzebe. His odes seem well calculated to inspire his followers with the love of independence, and with a passion for war and glory. The poetical taste of the nation is also indicated by the reading of poetry being established as a regular profession, which is followed in the towns by a considerable number of individuals.