SIXTH DAY. Sociability. This seems to be pretty nearly the import of the original term, which occurs only in this place. Since, as we conceive, the parties sat in the palanquin opposite to each other, the bride could hardly be said to be leaning on her beloved, nor joining herself to her beloved, as some have proposed to render it ; nevertheless, that a kind of free intercourse after marriage is meant here, which would not have been so proper before marriage, admits of no doubt ; and we think the chit-chat of sociability may answer the meaning of the word. The fol lowing conversation is probably a continuation of, or at least is of the nature of, that intended by the term sociability.
(2) I urged thee; that is to say. I would not let thee indulge thy bashfulness, but brought thee forward to the marriage ceremony, and over came thy maiden dilatoriness, "That would be wood, and not unsought be won." (3) Thy mother delivered thee. The word sig nifies to deliver over, as a pledge is delivered over, to the person who receives it, or to be brought forward, or brought out for that purpose. The reader may discover, under the uncouth idiom of our translators, this very idea : "There thy mother brought thee forth ;" that is, as a pledge is brought forth to be delivered to a person who stands out of the house to receive it (see Deut. xxiv:io, II). That this is sufficiently unhappily expressed, we suppose no judicious reader will hesitate to admit. But what shall we say to the Romish rendering of this passage: "There thy mother was corrupted ; there she was deflowered that bare thee I"—and then—such mysteries! in reference to Eve, the general mother, etc.
(4) As a signet on thy arms. (See SEALS.) (5) Our sister, or cousin, or friend, etc. The word sister is not always used—strictly—in the Hebrew in reference to consanguinity. The youth of this party is denoted by the phrase—her breast is not grown to its proper mature size. In Egypt this part of the person was extremely remarkable; Juvenal describes the breasts of an Egyptian woman as being larger than the child she suckled.
(6) Kiosks are pavilions, or little closets pro jecting from a wall for the purpose of overlooking the surrounding country, like our summer houses, etc. In the East they are also the indispensable places of repose, and of that voluptuous, tranquil gratification to which the inhabitants are urged by the heats of the climate.
(7) As one who offered peace; literally, as one finding peace; but perhaps the sentiment is: "I appeared to him as inviting as the most delightful kiosk; a kiosk in which he might be so delighted that he would go no farther in search of enjoy ment." That peace often means prosperity is well known ; indeed, all good is, in the Hebrew lan guage, as it were, combined and concentrated in the term peace.
(8) Baal-Ham-aun. We take this to be alto gether an Egyptian term ; Ham Ann is "progenitor Ham ;' Baal is 'lord"—"The lord Ham our pro genitor." This agrees perfectly with Egyptian principles. In fact, no other nation so long main tained, or had so just authority to maintain, its relation to Ham, who was commemorated in this country during many ages. This name of a place, decidedly Egyptian, confirms the general notion that the bride was daughter to Pharaoh.
(9) Inspectors. This is the office which had been held by the bride when in her own country; but here it is expressed in the plural, implying, probably, an inferiority from that of the princess, though to the same purposes, etc.
lo) The tenant; literally, the man; that is, as we understand it, the chief man, the first tenant, the occupier ; the same here as we have taken "the man" for the commander, in No. 4. THIRD DAY, that is, the chief, or head man, as we speak ; not each man distributively, but the man emphat ically; for if there were many tenants, did each bring a thousand silverlings, so as to make, say, ten thousand? then why not state the larger num ber? or did all which the tenants brought make up one thousand? then why not use the plural form men? Moreover, since two hundred, which is one-fifth of a thousand, was due to the inspec tors, it reminds us that this is the very propor tion established in Egypt by Joseph (Gen. xlvii: 24). This is convincing evidence that this prin cess was from Egypt, and proves that, for -pur poses of protection, etc., this due was constantly gathered by the reigning prince. We suppose she hints at her father's government under this allusion to these inspectors, and is still Egyptian enough to insist on the propriety of paying the regular tribute to his sovereignty, as governor in chief. An extract from Mr. Swinburne's ac count of a similar estate among the Spanish Arabs may explain the nature of these fruiteries and their profits: "I cannot give you a more distinct idea of this people than by translating a passage in an Arabic manuscript in the library of the Escurial, entitled, 'Tire History of Grenada, by Abi Abdalah ben Alkalhibi Aboaneni,' written in the year of the I legira 778, A. D., 1373; dahomet Lago being then, for the second time, king of Gren ada. It begins by a description of the city and its environs, nearly in the following terms: 'The city of Grenada is surrounded with the most spacious gardens, where the trees are set so thick as to resemble hedges, yet not so as to obstruct the view of the beautiful towers of the Alhambra, glitter like so many bright stars over the green forests. The plain, stretching far and wide, produces such quantities of grain and vege tables that no revenues hut those of the first fam ilies in the kingdom are equal to their annual produce. Each garden is calculated to bring in a net income of five hundred pieces of gold (aurci), out of which it pays thirty minx to the king. Beyond these gardens lie fields of various culture, at all seasons of the year clad in the richest verdure, and loaded with some valuable vegetable production or other; by this method a perpetual succession of crops is secured and a great annual rent is produced, which is said to amount to twenty thousand aurei. Adjoining you may see lire sumptuous farms belonging to the royal demesnes, wonderfully agreeoble to tire be holder from the large quantity of plantations of trees and the variety of plants. The vineyards in the neighborhood bring fourteen thousand aurei. Immense arc tire hoards of all species of dried fruits, such as figs, raisins, plums, etc. They have also the secret of preserving grapes sound and juicy from one season to another." (Comp. Firm DAY, No. 20.) "N. B. I was not able to obtain any satisfactory account of these Grenada aurci, gold coins." (Scvinburne's Travels in Spain, Letter xxii, p.