y costly style, the stucco of the walls being
remarkably smooth and beautiful, and as hard as marble; but these
tombs are exceptions to the general rule; for, as I have before
observed, the greater part are but rude buildings. There are many
other curiosities, which to describe minutely would fill a volume.

LETTER XX.

_Practice of Physic--Astrology--Poetry--Entertainment given by the
Author to the Moors--Their Astonishment at the Effects of
Electricity_.

Mequinez.

I shall now speak of their principal or rather only studies, which
are, physic, astrology, and poetry. First then of physic, to give you
an accurate idea of the extent of their knowledge in which, it will be
sufficient to describe their practice of it; and I am sure you, my
dear D----, and every other friend to humanity, will agree with me,
that it would have been better for their countrymen if they had never
attempted it at all, as unassisted nature would do more, for those
afflicted with disease, than such bunglers.

The general practice adopted by the Moorish physicians, or _Tweebs_,
is, bleeding _ad deliquium_ in all fevers; administering excessive
doses of drastic medicines, plenty of emulsions, and a watery
diet. They order vinegar in cases of quinsies and ardent fevers, and
garlic in those of a putrid, malignant, and pestilential kind. They
prescribe alum in cases of hemorrhage and dysentery; hot spices and
long abstinences in chronic diseases; recent ox-gall to kill worms and
cure dropsies; castor and myrrh in all hysteric affections; asses milk
in slow fevers and consumptions; oranges, honey, eggs, mint, and
myrrh, in cases of typhus; poppy-juice in convulsive disorders and
fluxes of the bowels; pitch or tar water and pennyroyal in common
fevers; rose-leaves in cases of diabetes; and sulphur in all cutaneous
disorders. This is the whole of the Moorish _materia medica_. In
simple diseases, where little medical ability is necessary, and the
good habit of body of these people in general contributes to their
success, they may effect a cure; but in desperate cases, where nothing
but the skill of the physician can relieve oppressed nature, it is not
astonishing that they should fail. These men are in some measure
astrologers: most probably, being gifted with a greater degree of
cunning than their neighbours, they have discovered the weak side of
their countrymen, together with their own insufficiency, to cover
which they pretend to a knowledge