be set on Fire, to make good half the Damage they bring on their Neighbours; and that all Slaves who by Negligence endangered an House by Fire, (tho' it should be extinguished) shall be branded on both Cheeks with a red hot Iron, and their Noses cut off as a Mark of perpetual Infamy.
It is certain, my Lord, many of these Laws seem too severe; but indeed, that is no more than what is necessary in Turky, both from the Nature of the People, and also because such numbers of them are now no ways restrain'd by the Injunctions of their Prophet, (which they consider no longer as the Commands of God, but the meer Inventions of Men,) and must therefore be the more severely watch'd over by the Hand of Justice, and the most sanguinary Laws. A Reflection which while I am making, I can't but turn my Eye and Thoughts, with Grief and Shame on the Christian World, where I fear the same Necessity will call too soon for the same Severity; while we behold so many Miscreants, slighting the Restraints of our holy Religion, and deriding the Faith and Principles, that us'd to Influence the Piety of their less corrupted Ancestors.
But
