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Philosophy: Joseph

But Joseph could not empty the storehouses of Egypt to satisfy the cravings of all lands, nor sell away the bread of Egypt at any price when money became less precious than bread.

Such was the state of things when an Arabian princess in Yemen wrote, or when in her name were written, to be inscribed on her sepulchre, some impressive lines. Ebn Hesham relates that a flood of rain had laid bare a sepulchre in Yemen, in which lay a woman having on her neck seven collars of pearls, and on her hands and feet bracelets and armlets, and ankle-rings seven on each, and on every finger a ring on which was set a jewel of great price, and at her head a coffer filled with treasure, and a tablet with an inscription, thus translated by Mr. Forster:-- "In thy name, O God, the God of Himyar, 1, Tajah, the daughter of Dzu Shefar, sent my servant to Joseph, And he delaying to return to me, I sent my handmaid With a measure of silver, to bring me back a measure of flour; And not being able to procure it, I sent her with a measure of gold, And not being able to procure it, I commanded them to the ground; And finding no profit in them I am shut up here. Whosoever may hear of it, let him commiserate me; And should any woman adorn herself with an ornament From my ornaments, may she die with no other than my death."

Inexorable with the Arabian princess, severe with his own brethren, proof against the blandishments of Potiphar's wife, yet susceptible of every pure and generous affection, Joseph, the saviour of Egypt, was ever consistent with himself.

It is curious that we find in Forbes' India a coincidence to this singular circumstance. Speaking of Cambaya, he says: "The finest mausoleum was erected to the memory of a Mogul of great rank, who, during a famine which almost depopulated that part of the country, offered a measure of pearls for an equal quantity of grain; but not being able to procure food at any price, he died of hunger, and this history is related on his monument." In Martene and Durand's ecclesiastical collections, there is a terrible story of setting jewels, gold, and silver before a captive caliph, in mockery, and letting him die of hunger.

When Morales and Pizarro, in 1515, were at one of the South Sea Islands, named by Nunez, Isla-Rica, the cacique, wishing to ingratiate them, brought as a peace-offering a basket filled with pearls of great beauty. Among these were two of extraordinary size and value. The cacique considered himself repaid by a present of hatchets, beads, and bells, and on the Spaniards smiling at his joy, he observed, "These things I can turn to useful purposes, but of what value are those pearls to me?" Rare philosophy unknown to modern times. The worthlessness of the most precious stones in a place where the comforts of life are not to be purchased, is shown in Washington Irving's "Conquest of Florida by Fernando de Soto." "In the course of their weary march throughout this desolate tract, a foot-soldier calling to a horseman who was his friend, drew forth from his wallet a linen bag, in which were six pounds of pearls, probably filched from one of the Indian sepulchres. These he offered as a gift to his comrade, being heartily tired of carrying them on his back. The horseman refused to accept so thoughtless an offer, 'Keep them yourself,' he said, 'you have most need of them. The Governor intends shortly to send messengers to Havanna, where you can forward these presents, and have them sold, and obtain three or four horses with the proceeds; so that you will then have no further need to travel on foot.' Juan Terron was piqued at having his offer refused, 'Well,' said he, 'if you will not have them, I swear I will not carry them, and they shall remain here.' So saying, he untied the bag, and whirling it round, as if he were sowing seed, scattered the pearls in all directions among the thickets and herbage. Then putting up the bag in his wallet, as if it were more valuable than the pearls, he marched on, leaving his comrades and other bystanders astonished at his folly. The soldiers made a hasty search for the scattered pearls, and recovered thirty of them. When they beheld their great size and beauty, none of them being bored or discoloured, they lamented that so many had been lost, for the whole would have been sold in Spain for more than six thousand ducats. This egregious folly gave rise to a common proverb in the army, that 'There are no pearls for Juan Terron.'" This may be called literally pearls going a-begging. Vaughan, in his "Olor Iscanus" (1651), observes:-- "Alas, who was it that first found Gold hid of purpose underground; That sought out pearls, and div'd to find Such precious perils for mankind." Abderhaman II., who ruled Mohammedan Spain in the ninth century, had a mistress of surpassing beauty, round whose neck, in one of his passionate moments, he threw a diamond chain of immense value. Some of his prudent counsellors represented to him that he had been too 1avish in his bounty--that the chain should have been placed in the treasury against a time of need. "The brilliancy of the necklace," replied the enamoured king, "has dazzled you; you are just like the rest of men--you place an immense value on things which, in reality, have no value at all. What are these diamonds when compared with the elegance and beauty of a lovely woman?"

In the same spirit of reasoning, we have the opinion of Mrs. Elizabeth Montagu, a lady of the last century: "Surely, of all vanities, that of jewels is the most ridiculous; they do not even tend to the order of dress, beauty, and cleanliness; for a woman is not a jot the handsomer or cleaner for them." Thomas Walker, the "Original," observes, "that Nature is the true guide in our application of ornament. She delights in it, but ever in subserviency to use. With the refined few, simplicity is the feature of greatest merit in ornament. The trifling, the vulgar-minded, and the ignorant prize only what is costly and striking--something showy in contrast, and difficult to be obtained. Nothing can more severely or more truly satirize this taste than the fancy of the negro chief in the interior of Africa, who received an Englishman's visit of ceremony in a drummer's jacket and a judge's wig. I always think of this personage when I see a lady loaded with jewels; and if I had a wife, and she had such encumbrances, from the anxiety of which I saw no other chance of her being relieved, I should heartily rejoice in one of those mysterious disappearances which have been so frequent of late, and which, it may be, have sometimes originated in a feeling on the part of husbands similar to mine." An Ionian woman of distinction, after displaying her jewels, her bracelets, and many expensive articles of dress, to the wife of Phocion, remarked the plainness of her attire, and asked to see her jewels. "My only ornament," replied the Grecian matron, "is Phocion, who has been for twenty years general of the Athenians."