raised!"-nay, but their knowledge attains to somewhat of the hereafter; nay, but they are in doubt concerning it! nay, but they are blind!

And those who disbelieved said, "What! when we have become dust and our fathers too, shall we indeed be brought forward? We were promised this, we and our fathers before us this is nothing but old folks' tales!"

Say, "Journey on through the land and see how was the end of the sinners! and grieve not for them, and be not straitened at what they plot."

They say, "When shall this treat be if ye do tell the truth?" Say, "It may be that there is pressing close behind you a part of what ye would hasten on!" But verily, thy Lord is full of grace to men, but most of them will not be thankful; and verily, thy Lord knows what their breasts conceal and what they manifest; and there is no secret thing in the heaven or earth, save that it is in the perspicuous book!

Verily, this Qur'an relates to the people of Israel most of that whereon they do dispute; and verily, it is a guidance and a mercy to the believers. Verily, thy Lord decides between them by his judgment, for he is mighty, knowing. Rely thou then upon God: verily, thou art standing upon obvious truth. Verily, thou canst not make the dead hear, and thou canst not make the deaf to hear the call when they turn their back on thee; nor art thou a guide to the blind, out of their error; thou canst only make to hear such as believe in our signs, and such as are resigned.

And when the sentence falls upon them, we will bring forth a beast out of the earth that shall speak to them [and say] that "Men of our signs would not be sure."

And the day when we will gather from every nation a troop who said our signs were lies; and they shall be marshaled until they come, and he will say, "Did ye say my signs were lies, when ye had compassed no knowledge thereof? or what is it that ye were doing?" and the sentence shall fall upon them for what they did wrong, and they shall not have speech.

Did they not see that we have made the night for them to rest in, and the day to see by? Verily, in that are signs to believe who believe.

And the day when the trumpet shall be blown and all who are in the heavens and earth shall be startled, save whom God pleases! and all shall come abjectly to him. And thou shalt

see the mountains which thou dost deem solid, pass away like the passing of the clouds; the work of God who orders all things: verily, he is well aware of what ye do!

He who brings a good deed shall have better than it; and from the alarm of that day they shall be safe: but those who bring an evil deed shall be thrown down upon their faces in the fire. Shall ye be rewarded save for what ye have done?

I am bidden to serve the Lord of this country who has made it sacred, and whose are all things; and I am bidden to be of those who are resigned, and to recite the Qur'an: and he who is guided, he is only guided for himself; and he who errs, say, "I am only one of those who warn!"

And say, "Praise be to God, he will show you his signs, and ye shall recognize them; for thy Lord is not heedless of what ye do!"

CONCERNING ALMSGIVING.

IF ye make your alms to appear, it is well; but if ye conceal them, and give to the poor, this will be better for you, and will atone for your sins; and God is well informed of that which ye do. The direction of them belongeth not unto thee; but God directeth whom He pleaseth. The good that ye shall give in alms shall redound unto yourselves; and ye shall not give unless out of desire of seeing the face of God. And what good things ye shall give in alms, it shall be repaid you. They who distribute alms of their substance night and day, in private and in public, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall no fear come, neither shall they be grieved.

CONCERNING USURY.

THEY who devour usury shall not arise from the dead, but as he ariseth whom Satan hath infected by a touch. This shall happen to them because they say, "Truly selling is but as usury"; and yet God hath permitted selling and forbidden usury. He therefore who, when there cometh unto him an admonition from his Lord, abstaineth from usury for the future, shall have what is past forgiven him; and his affair belongeth unto God. But whoever returneth to usury, they shall be the companions of hell-fire; they shall continue therein forever.

COUNT DE LABORDE.

COUNT JOSEPH LOUIS ALEXANDRE DE LABORDE, a French writer of travels, born in Paris, Sept. 17, 1773; died there, Oct. 24, 1842. He was a soldier, accompanying Napoleon to Spain and Austria, and a politician.

THE DEPARTURE FOR SYRIA.

(LE DÉPART 1809, POUR LA SYRIE.)

[The music of this song, which was composed by Queen Hortense, mother of Napoleon III., became the national air of the French Empire.]

To Syria young Dunois will go,
That gallant, handsome knight,
And prays the Virgin to bestow
Her blessing on the fight.

"O Thou who reign'st in heaven above,"
He prayed, "grant this to me:
The fairest maiden let me love,
The bravest warrior be."

He pledges then his knightly word,
His vow writes on the stone,
And following the count, his lord,
To battle he has gone.

To keep his oath he ever strove,

And sang aloud with glee,

"The fairest maid shall have my love,
And honor mine shall be."

They kneel at Mary's altar both,-
The maid and gallant knight,-
And there with happy hearts their troth
Right solemnly they plight.

It was a sight all souls to move;
And all cried joyously,

"Give honor to the brave, and love

Shali beauty's guerdon be."

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

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