age, while with us they are
confined to the universities.

At certain times in the year, disputants are set against each other, as
we pit dogs and game cocks. High bets are made in favor of one or the
other, and a premium is given to the winner.

Beside these disputants, who are called Masbakki, or boxers, various
quadrupeds, wild as well as tame, are trained to fight as on our globe.

In this town a gymnasium is established, in which the liberal arts are
taught with much success.

[Illustration]

My landlord carried me, on a high festival day, to this academy. On this
occasion a Madic, or teacher in philosophy, was elected. The candidate
made a very prosy speech on some philosophical question, after which,
without farther ceremony, he was entered, by the administrators, on
the list of the public teachers.

On our way home from the academy, we met a criminal, led by three
watchmen. By sentence of the kaki, he had been bled, and was now on his
way to the city hospital. I inquired concerning his crime, and was
answered, that he had publicly lectured on the being and qualities of
God--a subject entirely forbidden in this country. Disputants on these
matters are regarded as insane, and are always sent to the mad-house,
where they are doctored, until they recover their sound reason. I
exclaimed: Heaven and Earth! how would such laws operate on our globe,
where thousands of priests quarrel every day about the divine
attributes, the nature of spirits, and other secrets of the same
character? Truly, here they would all be sent straight-way to the
mad-house. These, among many other singular customs, I observed during
my college life. Finally, the time came when, furnished with appropriate
testimonies from the teachers, I was ordered to court. Here is my
certificate. How angry and confused, was I, when I read it:--

"In accordance with your royal order, we hereby send the
animal, which sometime since came down to us from the
firmament; which animal calls itself man. We have, with
sedulous care and patient industry, taught this singular
creature in our school, and after a very severe examination,
pronounce it to be very quick in its perceptions and very
docile in its manners. Nevertheless, from its obtuse and
miserable judgment--which we believe arises from its too
hasty inferences--its ridiculous scepticism on
unquestionable points, and its no less ridiculous credulity