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UPPER AND LOWER SEATS.

The arrangement of the table and of the seats around it was in the form of three sides of a square, the fourth being left open for the attendants to bring the dishes in, as represented in the accompanying woodcut. Three persons generally sat on each couch, and as the one who sat at the head of the couch seemed to have his next neighbour below him, this was called the lower place, or as our version has it "the lower room." So

FORM OF EASTERN TABLE.

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again, the three couches were described as upper, middle, and lower, just as the seats were; and the 'highest room," which the Pharisees were so eager to obtain, was the upper seat on the upper couch, and not, as might be supposed, a separate apartment. Our Lord reprobates their self-seeking vanity in Luke xiv. 711:-" And He put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when He marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room, lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art

bidden go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher; then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

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The mode of eating has been already referred to: a large dish was placed in the centre of the table, containing the meat or other substantial part of the meal, and the broth or gravy was served up in a separate bowl, as described in Gideon's entertainment :—“ The flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot" (Judg. vi. 19). Each guest had his own separate portion of bread, and by the assistance of this he consumed the other viands, catching up the pieces of meat between the layers of bread, or dipping the bread into the gravy and forming it into such a sop" as our blessed Lord gave to Judas (John xiii. 26). To present a morsel after the manner described was esteemed an act of special courtesy. The custom of dipping the hand into the common dish is alluded to by our Lord in Matt. xxvi. 23:-"He that dippeth his hand with Me in the dish, the same shall betray Me."

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The method of eating still followed in Egypt illustrates the above remarks:- "Each person bares his right arm to the elbow, or tucks up the hanging end of his sleeve. Before he begins to eat, he says, "In the name of God." This is generally said in a low but audible voice, and by the master of the house first; and is both a grace and an invitation to partake of the meal. The master of the house first begins to eat, and the guests follow his example. Neither knives nor forks are used, but the thumb and two fingers of the right hand serve instead; but spoons are served for soup or rice, and both hands may be used in particular cases. When there are several dishes upon the tray, each person takes of any that he likes, or of every one in succession; when only one dish is placed on the

tray at a time, each takes from it a few mouthfuls, and it is quickly removed to make room for another. To pick out a delicate morsel and hand it to a friend is esteemed polite. This manner of eating with the fingers is more delicate than may be imagined by

those who have not witnessed it. Each person breaks off a small piece of bread, dips it in the dish, and then conveys it to his mouth, together with a small portion of the meat, or other contents of the dish; or he merely sops his morsel of bread in the dish. The piece of bread is generally doubled together, so as to enclose the morsel of meat, &c., and only the thumb and the

first and second fingers are commonly used."-LANE'S Modern Egyptians, i. 192—194.

The modern Syrians have a custom of giving a sop, similar to that we have above noticed:-"There are set on the table in the evening, two or three messes of stewed meat, vegetables, and sour milk. To me the privilege of a knife, and spoon, and plate was granted; but the rest all helped themselves immediately from the dish-in which it was no uncommon thing to see more than five Arab fingers at one time. Their bread, which is extremely thin, tearing and folding up like a sheet of paper, is used for the purpose of rolling together a large mouthful, or sopping up the fluid and vegetables. When the master of the house found in the dish any dainty morsel, he took it out with his fingers and applied it to my mouth. This was true Syrian courtesy and hospitality; and had I been sufficiently well bred, my mouth would have opened to receive it. On my pointing to the plate, however, he had the goodness to deposit the choice morsel there. I would not have noticed so trivial a circumstance, if it did not exactly illustrate what the Evangelists record of the Last Supper."-JOWETT's Christian Researches, p. 284.

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On occasions of public entertainments, as at marriages, birthdays, and the like, all the proceedings were regulated with great pomp and ceremonial. preliminary invitation was sent to the guests, and when the time for the feast arrived a second messenger was sent thus Esther first invites Haman to a banquet on the morrow, and then we read that on the morrow came the king's chamberlains and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet" (Esth. v. 8; vi. 14): and so again in the parable of the king's son, the king "sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding" (Matt. xxii. 3; compare Luke xiv. 16, 17).

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Sometimes the invitation was of a very general character, and included all who might choose to come in. Such a one is described in Prov. ix. 2-5:

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INVITATION TO FEAST.

(Wisdom) hath killed her beasts: she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. She hath sent forth her maidens; she crieth upon the highest places of the city. Whoso is simple let him turn in hither; as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled." A similar custom was witnessed by a traveller in Egypt. A number of women went about inviting people to a banquet, in a curious, and, without doubt, very ancient manner. They were about ten or twelve, covered with black veils, as is customary in that country. Four eunuchs walked before them; after them, and beside them, were Moors with walking-staves. As they went along, they all joined in making a noise, the sound of which was so peculiar that no idea could be given of it to those who had never heard it. It was shrill, but had a particular quavering, which had been learnt by long practice. This custom seems to be alluded to by Solomon, when he says, of Wisdom, " She hath sent forth her maidens, she crieth upon the highest places of the city." HASSELQUIST; see HARMER's Observations, vol. ii. pp. 15, 16.

On their arrival, each guest took his proper place according to his rank, subject, however, to the authority of the master of the house, who removed any person from a place to which he was not entitled, as described in the passage already quoted from Luke xiv. In illustration of these customs we quote the following remarks of Mr. Morier, who when he was in Persia was invited to an entertainment by one of the chief men of the state. He writes:-"On the day appointed, as is usual in Persia, a messenger came to us about five o'clock in the evening to bid us to the feast. I might make use of scriptural language to commence my narration: "A certain man made a great supper, and bade many and sent his servant at suppertime to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all