a new social system, which was
to substitute the principle of association for that of dependence as the
foundation of the Commonwealth, under the sanction and superintendence
of the God of Sinai and of Calvary. True it was that the young Syrian
Emir intended, that among the consequences of the impending movement
should be his enthronement on one of the royal seats of Asia. But we
should do him injustice, were we to convey the impression that his
ardent co-operation with Tancred at this moment was impelled merely,
or even principally, by these coarsely selfish considerations. Men
certainly must be governed, whatever the principle of the social system,
and Fakredeen felt born with a predisposition to rule.

But greater even than his desire for empire was his thirst for action.
He was wearied with the glittering cage in which he had been born. He
panted for a wider field and a nobler theatre, interests more vast and
incidents more dazzling and comprehensive; he wished to astonish Europe
instead of Lebanon, and to use his genius in baffling and controlling
the thrones and dominations of the world, instead of managing the simple
Sheikhs and Emirs of his mountains. His castle and fine estates were no
sources of satisfaction to him. On the contrary, he viewed Canobia with
disgust. It entailed duties, and brought no excitement. He was seldom
at home and only for a few passing days: continued residence was
intolerable to his restless spirit. He passed his life in perpetual
movement, scudding about on the fleetest dromedaries, and galloping over
the deserts on steeds of the highest race.

Though proud of his ancient house, and not unequal, when necessary, to
the due representation of his position, unlike the Orientals in general,
he disliked pomp, and shrank from the ceremony which awaited him. His
restless, intriguing, and imaginative spirit revelled in the incognito.
He was perpetually in masquerade; a merchant, a Mamlouk, a soldier of
fortune, a Tartar messenger, sometimes a pilgrim, sometimes a dervish,
always in pursuit of some improbable but ingenious object, or lost in
the mazes of some fantastic plot. He enjoyed moving alone without a
single attendant; and seldom in his mountains, he was perpetually in
Egypt, Bagdad, Cyprus, Smyrna, and the Syrian cities. He sauntered away
a good deal of his time indeed in the ports and towns of the coast,
looking after his creditors; but this was not the annoyance to him which
it would