HOSPITALITY. The practice of receiving strangers into one's house and giving them suitable entertainment may be traced back to the early origin of human society. It is not, however, con fined to any age or to any country, but has been observed in all parts of the globe wherever circum stances have been such as to render it desirable— thus affording one among many instances of the readiness with which human nature, in its moral as well as in its physical properties, adapts itself to every varying condition. Hospitality is, therefore, not a peculiarly Oriental virtue. It was practised, as it still is. among the least cultivated nations (Diod. Sic. v. 28, 34 ; Cms. Bell. C011. Vi. 23; Tac. Germ. 21). It was not less observed, in the early periods of their history, among the Greeks and Romans. With the Greeks, hospitality (Eevia) was under the immediate protection of religion. Jupiter bore a name (Vveos) signifying that its rights were under his guardianship. In the Odyssey (vi. 206) we are told expressly that all guests and poor people are special objects of care to the gods. There were both in Greece and Italy two kinds of hospitality, the one private, the other public. The first existed between individuals, the second was cultivated by one state towards another. Hence arose a new kind of social relation : between those who had exercised and partaken of the rites of hospitality an intimate friendship ensued—a species of freemasonry, which was called into play wher ever the individuals might afterwards chance to meet, and the right, duties, and advantages of which passed from father to son, and were de servedly held in the highest estimation.
But though not peculiarly Oriental, hospitality has nowhere been more early or more fully prac tised than in the East. It is still honourably observed among the Arabs, especially at the pre sent day. An Arab, on arriving at a village, dis mounts at the house of some one who is kinIwn to him, saying to the master, am your guest.' On this the host receives the traveller, and performs his duties, that is, he sets before his guest his sup per, consisting of bread, milk, and borgul, and, if he is rich and generous, he also takes the neces,aiy care of his horse or beast of burden. Should the traveller be unacquainted with any person, he alights at any house, as it may happen, fastens his horse to the same, and proceeds to smoke his pipe until the master bids him welcome, and offers him his evening meal. In the morning the travel ler pursues his journey, making no other return than God be with you' (good bye) (Niebuhr, Reis. ii. 43i, 462 ; D'Arvieux, 152 ; Burck
hardt, 69 ; Rosenmiiller, Morgoil. vi. 82, 257). The early existence and long continuance of this amiable practice in Oriental countries are owing to the fact of their presenting that condition of things which necessitates and calls forth hospi tality. When population is thinly scattered over a great extent of country, and travelling is compara tively infrequent, inns or places of public accom modation are not found : yet the traveller needs shelter, perhaps succour and support. Pity prompts the dweller in a house or tent to open his door to the tired wayfarer, the rather because its master has had, and is likely again to have, need of similar kindness. The duty has its immediate pleasures and advantages ; for the traveller comes full of nevvs—false, true, wonderful ; and it is by no means onerous, since visits from wayfarers are not very frequent, nor are the needful hospitalities costly. In later periods, when population had greatly increased, the establishment of inns (cara vanserais) diminished, but did by no means abolish die practice (Joseph. Antiq. v. 1. ; Luke x. 34).
Accordingly we find hospitality practised and held in the highest estimation at the earliest periods in which the Bible speaks of human society (Gen.
xviii. 3 ; xix. 2 ; XXiV. 25 ; Exod. 20 ; JUdg.
xix. 16). Express provision for its exercise is made in the Mosaic law (Lev. xix. 33 ; Deut. xiv. 29). in the N. T. also its observance is enjoined, though in the period to which its books refer the nature and extent of hospitality would be changed with the change that society had undergone (I Pet. iv. 9 ; I Tim. iii. 2 ; Tit. i. 8 ; I Tim. v. to ; Rom. xii. 13 ; Heb. xiii. 2). The reason assigned in this last passage, for thereby some have enter tained angels unawares,' is not without a parallel in classical literature ; for the religious feeling which in Greece was connected with the exercise of hospitality was strengthened by the belief that the traveller might be some god in disguise (Horn. Odyss. xvii. 484). The disposition which gene rally prevailed in favour of the practice was en hanced by the fear lest those who neglected its rites should, after the example of impious men, be subjected by the divine wrath to frightful punish mcnts (zElian, A711.111. xi. 19). Even the Jews, in the latter days,' laid very great stress on the obli gation : the rewards of Paradise, their doctors de dared, were his who spontaneously exercised hos pitality (Schottgen, Hor. Heb. i. 220 ; Kypke, Obseiv. Sacr. i. 129).