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however, that many of these works are erroneously ascribed to him; and many others he merely compiled. If we could rely upon Casiri's authority, Jalál-Addín-Al-Síútí was indeed a most prolific author, who might be entitled a Muhammadan Bede.* Grammar, rhetoric, dogmatical and practical theology, history, criticism, and medicine, including anatomy, comprise some of the subjects upon which he wrote. His medical works are doubtless of no great value: they probably include the maxims of the school of Salernum (who in fact borrowed their theory and practice from the Arabians). But it would be interesting to examine, whether his knowledge of anatomy enabled him to avoid in any degree the errors of his age. His criticism and system of logic were probably modelled after the rules of the schoolmen, and consisted of mere quibbling evasions, substitutions of expressions for ideas, and subtle argumentations, in which men then persuaded

* He composed a comment upon the Ajrúmía. This fact would imply that he was not the first expounder of the principles of Arabic grammar; for the Ajrúmía is a kind of corpus grammaticorum, an elegant and concise digest of the many subtle rules and canons upon the subject. It would be strange for an author to expound himself.

themselves that they solved a knotty point by a neat definition or an apt word. His theological writings are probably more valuable, as proceeding from a very skilful compiler of many of the ancient traditions and customs of the Terah-ite branch of the grand Semitic races, and as illustrating the history of the most important of all the heretical impostures that have ever prevailed in the world. But his historical compositions must possess high value. Upon the Mizhar, the accurate Edward Pococke passes what Casiri calls his "locuples commendatio," and from this professes to have derived great part of the matter of his Notes to the Specimen Historiæ Arabum.' Our author wrote also a history of Egypt, entitled The Beautiful History,' and a Critical History of Traditions.' Perhaps his 'History of Jerusalem' (which we have assumed to be that, of which the Translation is before us) may have been compiled from his General History, and the lastnamed History of Traditions.'

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We may well imagine that these works possess much interest. Eastern history sometimes perplexes the mind, which experiences difficulty in following the rapid vicissitudes it presents:

yet there is something extremely winning and delightful in those lively records of brilliant exploits and ever-varying changes,-dynasties planted and uprooted, vast conquests and fastfollowing ruin, battle, bravery, grandeur, pride, caprice, fanaticism, degradation, and misery. Much of the curious annals of the various Muhammadan dynasties founded in different regions of the world, remains yet to be presented to the public, and it is surprising that it should so remain. On Oriental poetry a variation of opinion will prevail. Scarcely understood, injudiciously translated, the poetical productions of the East have met with admirers, who have hastily challenged for them a reputation which was indignantly denied as undue: thus claiming more than they deserved, the Eastern poets were awarded a rank below their true merits. But Oriental history may justly claim the suffrages of all. The Eastern historians are not always chargeable with turgid and exaggerated diction : they will often be found to relate the remarkable facts they record with considerable simplicity and clearness they are annalists, who, relating facts sincerely and correctly, reserve their rhetorical

flourishes to adorn their own reflections and digressions. Saladin's secretary, Omad, indulges in some far-fetched redundancies, expressed in difficult idiom; yet in narrating events he is as plain as Makrizi. From these historians we could expect no philosophical disquisitions. In countries where no public discussion is permitted, where deliberations are carried on and resolutions taken in the midst of secrecy and intrigue, it is impossible to obtain much insight into the hidden springs which effectuated great results, an insight often pretended by European writers without much foundation. It is in the wonderful and important exploits, and revolutions, and reigns, recorded by the Eastern historians, that their charm and their usefulness consists; and it is on this account that they well deserve our careful perusal and study.

In grammatical science Jalál-Addín was eminently versed, and is reported by Casiri to have been the first promulgator of that system of Arabic grammar now generally adopted. If it were possible to believe this, he must have possessed a most superior degree of ingenuity and acumen, as well as a consummate knowledge of all the

subtleties and metaphysical niceties of general grammar. The assertion is, however, hardly credible to its full extent. Grammarians certainly flourished long before our author, and the Jewish writers had long before applied in explanation of the Hebrew principles of grammar borrowed from the kindred Arabic. Elias Levita was contemporary with Jalál-Addín; but Hebrew grammar had been treated of long before that author. Jalál-Addín may possibly have simplified and arranged a concise system of grammatical instruction.

Among Muhammadans, however, the fame of our author is chiefly founded upon his work on the Korán it seems to be a sort of running comment and paraphrase, wherein the ceaseless incoherencies are connected, the difficulties explained away, and the contradictions reconciled by the convenient but strange postulatum of abrogation, whereby some verses are said to be abrogated, or annulled by others,-sometimes immediately following, sometimes preceding, it being not always sure, which is the abrogated, and which the obligatory passage; strange traditions are interspersed, and acute arguments

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