quotations even in Hebrew from the Talmud and the Bible, he made a very pretty compliment to our host, introduced as adroitly as from the lips of a professed courtier, but evidently spoken on the moment.  It was something in this way.  Hekekyan and Buckle were in an argument, and Buckle said, “Ah, you mistake a necessary condition for the cause.”  “What is cause but necessary condition?” asked Hekekyan.  “Very different:  two men can’t fight a duel without meeting, but every two men who meet don’t fight a duel.”  “But they couldn’t fight a duel without meeting,” persisted Hekekyan.  “Yes,” rejoined Buckle; “but the meeting isn’t the cause of the duel.  Why, there could not be a dinner-party, unless the company met; but our meeting here to-day isn’t the cause of the dinner:  the cause of the dinner is the kindness of our host.”  “Or rather, of the landlord,” said N.  “Oh, no! of the American government,” said C.  “Ah,” said Buckle, “those things are not the cause:  the cause of our good dinner, I maintain, is only the charming hospitality of the consul-general.”  Is not this metaphysics made easy, and prettily employed?

[Footnote A:  It is fair to say that an examination of the chapter on the causes of the French Revolution, in several editions of Alison’s History, including the first, gives this story no support.]

After dinner we had tea and coffee; the ladies, in Egypt, could scarcely do less than allow tobacco, and Mr. Buckle particularly enjoyed some choice cigars which T. was able to offer him.  The party did not break up until nearly midnight, when all the guests retired together.

February 11th.  To my pleasure, the train from Alexandria yesterday afternoon brought Mr. B., of New York, and his very agreeable family, with whom I crossed the Atlantic in the Persia last October.  They went at first to another hotel, but to-day they have determined to come to that at which we are staying.  I called upon them on their arrival, and asked the gentlemen to join us at dinner, and afterwards in going, in company with Mr. Buckle, whom Mr. Thayer had previously invited, to attend a fantasia, or exhibition of singing and dancing, by Arab professionals, at the house of Mr. Savallan, a wealthy French banker, who has lived a long time in the Levant and has in some degree adopted Oriental customs.  He has lately sold to the Viceroy a tooth-brush, comb, and hair-brush, for the handsome price of fourteen thousand dollars.  They were doubtless richly set with jewels; but the profit on these transactions is immense.  Mr. B. accepted the invitation for dinner, and Mr. W. joined us afterwards.