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MEHEMET ALI'S REVENUE.

CHAPTER XIII.

Further Conversation with Mr. Firkins.- Inhabitants, Revenue, and Education of Egypt. The Army and Military Conscriptions. Influence and Power of Mehemet Ali. — Revolting Expedients of Mothers to exempt their Sons from Service in the Army. Their Cruel Practices rendered unavailing. — One-eyed Regiment. - Pernicious Effects of Climate upon the Eye. Caution to Strangers.- Franks mistaken for Conjurers and Physicians. - Eminence and Skill of the Ancient Physicians of Egypt.- Fatal Experiments punished by Death.Ancient Quacks.

THE Pacha," continued Mr. Firkins, "has established manufactories and schools in various parts of the country, at a vast expense; and it is said that there are at least twenty thousand Egyptian children regularly attending school. His revenue, compared with the population of the country, may appear, at first sight, rather large. It is said to come fully up to £6,000,000 ;* while the number of in

Wilkinson's Egyptians, First Series, ii. 87:-"With respect to the public revenues of Egypt, Diodorus Siculus states them to have been, in his time, equal to six thousand talents, or about one million two thousand pounds."

Ibid. i. 225 :-" And under Ptolemy Auletes, the father of Cleopatra, the revenue amounted to twelve thousand five hundred talents, or between three and four millions sterling."

EDUCATION IN EGYPT.

173

habitants in Egypt will fall somewhat under two millions."

66

That, of course," said I, "includes the amount of revenue derived from Syria and Candia."

Why, as to that matter," said Mr. Firkins, " both Syria and Candia, thus far, have been a dead weight upon the Pacha's hands, and have cost him a prodigious sum of money. He is obliged to keep up a large army, under existing circumstances; and this revenue, though it may seem to be enormous for the size of the country, is scarcely enough to defray the expenses of the government. Besides, this can hardly be considered as raised by a tax upon the inhabitants of Egypt, since most of the soil and a greater proportion of every other species of property in Egypt are not only under the control of the Pacha, but actually belong to him."

"So that," said I," these six millions of pounds sterling may be considered nothing more or less than the nett proceeds of the sale of all the surplus products of Egypt, over and above what is required for the subsistence of the population of the country."

"Exactly," rejoined Mr. Firkins; "just as it is in England among the great lords and rich nobles in that country. Mehemet Ali, perhaps, is a little more extensively engaged in business than they are, and conducts it on rather more liberal principles. For instance, he has no odious corn-laws; no minister tax; and he has introduced a system, to some extent, of public education. He has sent some of the Arabs abroad and educated them at his own expense, and

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INHABITANTS OF EGYPT.

others he is instructing at home. These circumstances, together with the advantages of climate and cheap bread, give the poor people of Egypt a wonderful advantage, in point of personal comfort, over the wretched peasantry that drag out a miserable existence, in want and wo, in many parts of England, Scotland, and Ireland. There the climate is so severe that the poor creatures must not only have bread to eat, which often costs them more than all they can earn, with the greatest care, prudence, and industry, but they must have clothes of some kind; and houses to live in that will keep out the storm. The peasantry of Great Britain must also have fuel to warm their houses, or they will freeze to death in winter. But here in Egypt, the real wants of the poor people are fewer, and satisfied much more easily. The delicious water of the Nile, more healthful than London porter, is free to all; and the article of bread, the great thing with the poor in all countries, is about five hundred per cent. cheaper in Egypt than in England. As regards houses, the inhabitants of the upper country have very little need of any at all; and give them a little butter or some kind of oil* to grease

Wilkinson's Egyptians, vol. iii. 379:-"The custom of anointing the body is usual in hot climates, and contributes greatly to comfort. Even the Greeks, Romans, and others, whose limbs were mostly covered with clothes, and protected from the dryness of the air, found the advantage of its use; and those whose skins were much exposed, in consequence of their scanty clothing, as the Ethiopians and other inhabitants of Africa, felt the necessity of softening and cooling the skin by the application of oils or ointments; and we find the custom most prevalent among the blacks who wear the least covering to their bodies. The highest ambition of the Ethiopians is to obtain a sufficient quantity of grease, whatever kind it may be, to cover their