Oriental customs: or an illustration of the sacred Scriptures, by an explanatory application of the customs and manners of the Eastern nations, and especially the Jews. Therein alluded to, together with observations on many difficult and obscure texts, collected from the most celebrated travellers, and the most eminent critics / by Samuel Burder.

  • Samuel Burder
Date:
1802
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Oriental customs: or an illustration of the sacred Scriptures, by an explanatory application of the customs and manners of the Eastern nations, and especially the Jews. Therein alluded to, together with observations on many difficult and obscure texts, collected from the most celebrated travellers, and the most eminent critics / by Samuel Burder. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    423/448 (page 395)
    No. 591.—vi. 8. And I looked, and behold a pale horse, and his name that sat on him was death.] It is not unlikely that the figures representing death and the grave might have their names expressed by some motto or inscription, as it was a thing so well known in the medals of these times to write the names Pietas, leli- citas, rirtuSy Me. under the figures designed to represent them. ^0< 592. ix. 19. For their power is in their mouth and their tails.] The power in the mouth and in the tails, as serpents, is plainly an allusion to those serpents which are supposed to have two heads, one at each end of their body, as Pliny describes the amphisboena ; geminum caput amphisboeme, hoc est ad caput, et ad cau- dam+tanquam parum esset imo ore fundi venenum. (Hist. Nat. lib. viii. cap. 23.) A proper representation of a furious and terrible invasion. Lowman in loc. No. 593.—ix. 20. They should not worship devils.'] Mr. Ives, in his travels through Persia, gives the follow- ing curious account of devil-worship. “ These people (the Sanjacks, a nation inhabiting the country about Mosul, the ancient Nineveh) once professed Christianity, then mahometanism, and last of all devilism. They say, it is true, that the devil has at present a quarrel with God, but the time will come, when the pride of his heart being subdued, he will make his submission to the Al- mighty ; and, as the deity cannot be implacable, the devil will receive a full pardon for all his transgressions, and both he, and all those wrho paid him attention during his disgrace, will be admitted into the blessed mansions. This is the foundation of their hope, and this chance for heaven they esteem to be a better one, than that of trusting to their own merits, or the merits of the leader of any other religion whatsoever. The