Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The True Sources Of Earthly Happiness. An Eastern Tale.
THE TRUE SOURCES OF EARTHLY HAPPINESS . AN EASTERN TALE .
FOR THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE .
WHERJS shall we find , O holy prophet ! that ease which our sages have so long been in search of ? Kings enjoy it not ; for they are oppressed with care , and are , for the most part , the sport of fortune ; the bashas have thoughts confused and perplexed , expecting eVery moment that their life will be required of them by their master- ; and if they escape that fatethey ate still liable to be
, murdered by any factious janisary , or'haughty spahi ; the people they govern they must oppress , that they may be able to gratify the insatiable avarice of the ministers of the divan : yet do we foolishly thirst after these high dignities , thinking they will contribute to make us happy and easy . Vain ambition ! it is not honour that constitutes happiness . Assan was son of an Emir . in Bosnia ; gracefulness and beauty joined
to embellish his person , and his mind was not destitute of sweet accomplishments . The fire of his soulmight be seen in his eyes ; ye ' t was it of a nature rather to please than , dazzle the beholders . Ambition pushed him into the Sultan ' s army ; he greatly distinguished him in several engagements , and merited arid ' enjoyed the favour of Sultan Ibrahim ; he was promoted to the command of a
large body of jaiiisaries , and stationed at Constantinople to be near his master , He vainly imagined honours would make him happy , and that he Was ' now in a fair way to attain the summit of glory . But , behold ! all his" hopes were in a moment blasted ; the janis ' aries rose , murdered his beloved master , and it was with the greatest difficulty he escaped with his life . Assan was undeceived ; honours had now no charms for him ; hewentthereforein search of wealth
. , , , as the source of contentment . lie sold the jewels he had contrived to save from the general wreck of his fortunes , and going to Aleppo , vested his whole stock in merchandise . . Assan carried on for some years a considerable traffic ; lie grew rich apace , and enjoyed every luxury the east could afford ; his haram was filled with the fairest women of Circassia , and his table was crouded with the spices of
Arabia ; his house was magnificent , being built of cedar , and his furhiture was the work of the most celebrated artists . ' Assan thought himself now in a right train ; most things were within his power , and he failed not to enjoy them all ; but Assan unfortunately was too sanguine in his hopes . The evening saw him reposed on a magnificent sofa ; but he was in the morning an outcast , without a place wherein to shelter himself from the inclemency of ' the heat . The
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The True Sources Of Earthly Happiness. An Eastern Tale.
THE TRUE SOURCES OF EARTHLY HAPPINESS . AN EASTERN TALE .
FOR THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE .
WHERJS shall we find , O holy prophet ! that ease which our sages have so long been in search of ? Kings enjoy it not ; for they are oppressed with care , and are , for the most part , the sport of fortune ; the bashas have thoughts confused and perplexed , expecting eVery moment that their life will be required of them by their master- ; and if they escape that fatethey ate still liable to be
, murdered by any factious janisary , or'haughty spahi ; the people they govern they must oppress , that they may be able to gratify the insatiable avarice of the ministers of the divan : yet do we foolishly thirst after these high dignities , thinking they will contribute to make us happy and easy . Vain ambition ! it is not honour that constitutes happiness . Assan was son of an Emir . in Bosnia ; gracefulness and beauty joined
to embellish his person , and his mind was not destitute of sweet accomplishments . The fire of his soulmight be seen in his eyes ; ye ' t was it of a nature rather to please than , dazzle the beholders . Ambition pushed him into the Sultan ' s army ; he greatly distinguished him in several engagements , and merited arid ' enjoyed the favour of Sultan Ibrahim ; he was promoted to the command of a
large body of jaiiisaries , and stationed at Constantinople to be near his master , He vainly imagined honours would make him happy , and that he Was ' now in a fair way to attain the summit of glory . But , behold ! all his" hopes were in a moment blasted ; the janis ' aries rose , murdered his beloved master , and it was with the greatest difficulty he escaped with his life . Assan was undeceived ; honours had now no charms for him ; hewentthereforein search of wealth
. , , , as the source of contentment . lie sold the jewels he had contrived to save from the general wreck of his fortunes , and going to Aleppo , vested his whole stock in merchandise . . Assan carried on for some years a considerable traffic ; lie grew rich apace , and enjoyed every luxury the east could afford ; his haram was filled with the fairest women of Circassia , and his table was crouded with the spices of
Arabia ; his house was magnificent , being built of cedar , and his furhiture was the work of the most celebrated artists . ' Assan thought himself now in a right train ; most things were within his power , and he failed not to enjoy them all ; but Assan unfortunately was too sanguine in his hopes . The evening saw him reposed on a magnificent sofa ; but he was in the morning an outcast , without a place wherein to shelter himself from the inclemency of ' the heat . The