f making
presents of garments is still quite usual amongst the eastern nations;
and to such an excess was it carried with regard to those who, from
their calling or any other circumstance, were in public favour, that,
so late as the ninth century, Bokteri, an illustrious poet of Cufah,
had so many presents made him, that at his death he was found
possessed of a hundred complete suits of clothes, two hundred shirts,
and five hundred turbans.

Horace, speaking of Lucullus (who had pillaged Asia, and first
introduced Asiatic[4] refinements among the Romans), says that, some
persons having waited on him to request the loan of a hundred suits
out of his wardrobe for the Roman stage, he exclaimed--"A hundred
suits! how is it possible for me to furnish such a number? However, I
will look over them and send you what I have."--After some time he
writes a note and tells them he had _five thousand_, to the whole or
part of which they were welcome.

In all the eastern world formerly, and to a great extent now, the
arraying a person in a rich dress is considered a very high
compliment, and it was one of the ancient modes of investing with the
highest degree of subordinate power. Thus was Joseph arrayed by
Pharaoh, and Mordecai by Ahasueras.

We all remember what important effects are produced by splendid robes
in "The Tale of the Wonderful Lamp," and in many other of those
fascinating tales (which are allowed to be rigidly correct in the
delineations of eastern life). They were doubtless esteemed the
richest part of the spoil after a battle, as we find the mother of
Sisera apportioning them as his share, and reiterating her delighted
anticipations of the "raiment of needlework" which should be his: "a
prey of divers colours, of divers colours of needlework, of divers
colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that
take the spoil."

Job has many allusions to raiment as an essential part of "treasures"
in the East; and our Saviour refers to the same when he desires his
hearers not to lay up for themselves "treasures" on earth, where
_moth_ and rust corrupt. St. James even more explicitly: "Go to now,
ye rich men; weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
Your gold and silver is cankered, and your GARMENTS are moth-eaten."

The first notice we have of gold-wire or thread being used in
embroidery is in Exodus, in the directions given for the embroidery of
the priests' garments: from this it ap