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protested that he could not give his consent that any Christian should be Spectator of such delusions. So that as soon as he saw that these Mountebanks had of a dry stick, in less than half-an-hour, made a Tree four or five foot high, that bare leaves and flowers as in the Spring-time: he went about to break it, protesting that he would not give the Communion to any person that should stay any longer to see those things.Tavernier, Travels made English, by J.P., ii. 36; [ed. Ball, i. 67, seq.].Our own experience does not go beyond Dr. Fryers, and the hugger-mugger performance that he disparages. But many others have testified to more remarkable skill. We once heard a traveller of note relate with much spirit such an exhibition as witnessed in the Deccan. The narrator, then a young officer, determined with a comrade, at all hazards of fair play or foul, to solve the mystery. In the middle of the trick one suddenly seized the conjuror, whilst the other uncovered and snatched at the mango-plant. But lo! it came from the earth with a root, and the mystery was darker than ever! We tell the tale as it was told. It would seem that the trick was not unknown in European conjuring of the 16th or 17th centuries, e.g. 1657. trium horarum spatio arbusculam veram spitamae longitudine e mensâ facere enasci, ut et alias arbores frondiferas et fructiferas.Magia Universalis, of P. Gaspar Schottus e Soc. Jes., Herbipoli, 1657, i. 32. MANGOSTEEN, s. From Malay manggusta (Crawfurd), or manggistan (Favre), in Javanese Manggis.
[Mr. Skeat writes: The modern standard Malay form used in the W. coast of the Peninsula is manggis,
as in Javanese, the forms manggusta and manggistan never being heard there. The Siamese form
maangkhut given in MFarlands Siamese Grammar is probably from the Malay manggusta. It was very
interesting to me to find that some distinct trace of this word was still preserved in the name of this fruit
at Patani-Kelantan on the E. coast, where it was called bawah seta (or setar), i.e. the setar fruit, as
well as occasionally mestar or mesetar, clearly a corruption of some such old form as manggistar.]
This delicious fruit is known throughout the Archipelago, and in Siam, by modifications of the same name; the
delicious fruit of the Garcinia Mangostana (Nat. Ord. Guttiferae). It is strictly a tropical fruit, and, in
fact, near the coast does not bear fruit further north than lat. 14°. It is a native of the Malay Peninsula
and the adjoining islands. 1563.R. They have bragged much to me of a fruit which they call mangostans; let
us hear what you have to say of these. |
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