was open on all sides; and he had nothing to fear from either jealousy or superstition. To the inquiry to which he devoted himself, to the examination of the precious ruins of Egypt, he brought a mind already well stored with whatever the ancients had taught or remarked, and which the Arábians had already made their own; for he seems unacquainted with the Greek language.

The History of Abdollatiph is styled a Compendium; and, in fact, it is abridged from a larger work, and compacted with peculiar conciseness. Pococke, the son of the traveler, had, under the father's auspices, translated almost the whole into Latin. Hunt, who received this translation from Pococke's surviving son, declares that it was finished, and adds his testimony-no common one-of the excellence of the execution. Pococke had in reality begun the printing of his translation, but changed his resolution of publishing it, when he had reached the fourth chapter *. The remainder is therefore the work of Dr. White, in the historical and narrative parts translated somewhat more freely; in the rest more literally: yet in no instance does he profess himself to be the 'fidus interpres,' who renders word for word, but the writer of a work, as he remarks, • strenuæ cujusdam inertia, et diligentiæ obscura;'-a character perhaps pointedly adapted to Mr. Taylor's late version.

Some years since, Dr. White printed the Arabic text in an octavo form, without any translation or notes. He seems to have suppressed the edition in this country, but permitted its publication at Tubingen; and a preface was prefixed by Paulus, the professor of Oriental languages at Iena. A German translation was published at Halle by M. Wahl; and a specimen of this, with a less elegant and accurate translation found among the papers of Pococke-perhaps a first sketch-is added in the appendix. This specimen is a continuation of the fourth chapter, where the translation, which has been published, concludes.

The preface of Paulus to the octavo edition of the Arabic original is prefixed, as containing some account of the manu script from which it was printed it is followed by the life of Abdollatiph himself.

The life of the author needs not detain us, except to remark, that he acquired all the learning which Bagdat could furnish, and attained a considerable knowledge of grammar, rhetoric, dialectics, history, poetry, and medicine. He did not neglect the studies essential to a good mussulman; and was mean proficient in the Mahometan law and a knowledge of

no

* Pococke translated only six pages as they stand in the present edition; and the fourth chapter of the first book contains sixty-two pages. Pococke's work concludes at p. 99.

the Koran. He began his travels at the age of twenty-eight; went to Mosul, Damascus, and Jerusalem. From the latter city he turned towards Acre to visit Saladin, the rival and opponent of our first Richard. Saladin had however experienced a signal defeat at Acre, a town which has lately witnessed a second triumph of the Christian arms-we can scarcely say, opposed to Christians. He could not be introduced to the sultan; but he was kindly entertained by Bohaddin, the kidilisker, whose life he afterwards wrote by command of Saladin. Notwithstanding some temptations thrown in his way, he resolved to visit Egypt, which was indeed the object of his attention to the sultan at Acre; and received from some of his generals the warmest recommendations to the principal officers in that country, who assisted him in all his inquiries.

When Saladin had concluded a truce with the Franks, Abdollatiph returned to Damascus, where he was liberally entertained by Saladin; and, after his death, he returned to Egypt with his sons. His various travels after this period it is not necessary to detail: he died at Bagdat forty-five years after he had first left it, consequently at the age of seventy-three. His writings were numerous; but the work before us alone remains. His biographer Osaida mentions more than one hundred and fifty tracts in medicine and natural history. The present treatise, as we have said, is an abridgement of his larger work; and there is reason to believe that in this he has only inserted what he observed himself.

The work itself consists of two tracts. The first contains miscellaneous information respecting Egypt; viz. the general properties of the country, its plants, animals, shipping, antiquities, curious buildings, viands, and cookery. The second an account of the Nile, the causes of its increase, and the laws by which it is regulated; together with a dreadful history of a famine occasioned by its failure.

To give an analysis of a work where the information is so closely compacted, is a very difficult task; and to select every fact, either of curiosity or importance, would be equally operose. We trust the period is not far distant when we may receive an English version from the luminous and comprehensive pen of the author. But as another paroxysm of languor may intervene-and the last was not a short one,-as additional rank and new honours, which he truly deserves, may open other views, we shall give some copious specimens of the work in its present state; and, to gratify readers of every class, some of these shall be in English.

The first chapter contains a general description of Egypt, and of its climate. The following passage-which we insert equally as a specimen of Dr. Pococke's elegant concinnity, and of

the author's comprehensive terseness-gives some new ideas of the climate of this singular country.

Ex his etiam est, quod Eurus ab iis cohibeatur monte orientali, Al Mokattem dicto; ille siquidem occludit ab iis ventum hunc benignum, et vix ad ipsos libere aspirat, verum obliquo tantum flatu. Atque hinc elegerunt prisci Ægyptii sedem regni Menufa ponere, aut in ejusmodi loco, qui a monte hoc orientali, occidentem versus, longe abesset. Græci etiam Alexandriam elegerunt, et loco Fostate devitarunt, ob vicinitatem ejus ad Al Mokattem: siquidem mons magis illud obtegit, quod ad radicem suam est, quam quod longius distat. Deinde, quia sol ortum suum ipsis differt, raro in eorum aëre maturescunt fructus, et diu eos cohibet nox. Ideoque reperies ea Ægypti loca quæ Euro patent, melioris esse sortis quam alia. Et ob multam humiditatem ejus, cito ipsi obvenit putredo, et multiplicantur in ea mures, qui e luto nascuntur, multique sunt in Cusa scorpiones, et plerumque ictu interimunt, et culices fœtidi, et muscæ, et pulices, quæ diu permanent.

Ex his etiam est, quod Auster, cum ipsis hyeme, et vere, et postea afflet, valde frigidus sit; eumque Al Marisi appellant ob transitum ejus per terram Al Maris, quæ est e regionibus Nigritarum. Et causa frigiditatis ejus est, quod transeat per lacus et stagna. Argumentum autem veritatis hujus rei est, quod ubi per dies aliquot continuos duraverit, redeat ad calorem suum naturalem, et aërem calefaciat, siccitatemque in eo efficiat.' P. II.

Of the plants of Egypt we have short, but generally satisfactory, accounts. Of our author's talents in descriptions of natural history, we shall give a specimen in that of the balsamtree; and shall endeavour to render it in English. The greater number of the plants and animals mentioned are illustrated in the notes by the addition of the Linnæan names.

The balm, or balsam, another plant peculiar to Egypt, is at this day only to be found in a place near Ain Shems, which is inclosed and carefully preserved, and takes in the space of about seven acres. This shrub grows to the height of a cubit, or more. It has two coats of bark; the upper red and thin, the under thick and green; which, when chewed, produces a kind of oiliness and aromatie flavour in the mouth. Its leaves are like those of rue. The oil extracted from this plant is procured at the rising of the dog-star, by making an incision in the bark, after the leaves have been shaken off. The incision is made with a sharp stone; and some skill is required in performing the operation, that the upper rind may be cut, and the under one slit, yet so that the fissure do not penetrate to the wood; for, if the wood be pierced, no distillation will follow. After some person has made the incision in the manner described, it is left till the sap begins to run and descend down the trunk, when it is stroked with a finger into a horn, which being filled, the contents are poured into glass bottles. This process is continued till the sap has ceased to flow. Whenever there

is a more than ordinary moisture in the air, the sap distils more freely, and in greater abundance; but in a dry season it is scarce. The quantity produced in the year 596 (which was a dry year) amounted to twenty rotals.

• The bottles, thus filled, are buried till the violence of the summer heat be past; when they are taken up, and exposed to the sun; in which state the sap is daily watched. An oil is then found to float on the liquid and earthy dregs; which being taken off, the remainder is again exposed to the sun: and thus the process is continued of exposing the sap to the sun, and extracting the oil from the surface, till the latter is wholly exhausted.

The person who superintends this business, sublimes and prepares the oil (no one besides being suffered to behold the preparation), and then transfers it to the royal repository,

The quantity of oil thus purified from the sap amounts nearly to a tenth part of the whole. A person, well informed of these particulars, acquainted me that the entire produce of oil amounted to twenty rotals, I know that Galen says, "the best oil of balsam is that which is found in Palestine; for that which Egypt produces is weaker." But we are at present acquainted with no such plant in Palestine.' P. 23.

The third chapter relates to the animals of Egypt; and the author begins with the account of the Egyptian method of hatching eggs by artificial heat. The description is, however, somewhat different from the common one. We shall add the introduction.

The hatching chickens by the warmth of dung is a part of this subject for in Egypt we scarcely see them hatched by the incubation of a hen. Perhaps they are unacquainted with this method; but since the former is a peculiar profession, a lucrative trade, and an object of commerce, there are many places in each district assigned for the purpose. Each spot is styled the manufactory of chickens. This manufactory is a large area, where from ten to twenty cells are constructed, of which we shall again speak. In each of these there are about 2000 eggs, and it is styled the house of incubation.'

. 61.

A particular account of the whole process follows. The asses are very large and active, so as to excel even the horses in speed; and are nearly equal in height to the mules. The latter are, however, in great request; but those produced from the horse and ass are not so large as those whose dam is a mare-mater enim est quæ dat materiam.-The description of the crocodile we shall transcribe,

• Ex his etiam sunt crocodili: crocodili autem in Nilo multi sunt, præsertim in superiore Thebaide, et in Gennadel; illi siquidem in aquis degunt, et inter saxa Gennadel vermium ritu abundant; suntque tam magni quam parvi; magnitudine autem, ultra viginti çubitos longi evadunt. Reperitur in superficie corporis ejus, juxta ventrem, glan

dula ad instar ovi, ex humore sanguineo composita, quæ est veluti vesicula moschi, et forma et præstantia; et narravit mihi fide dignus, quandoque ex iis esse, quæ summum moschi gradum exæquent, neque ipsi omnino cedant. Parit etiam ova crocodilus, ovis gallinaceis similia; et vidi in libro quodam Aristoteli attributo, verba quæ ita sonant. Crocodili, inquit, jecur excitat Venerem, renes vero, et adeps eorum ad hoc magis efficaces sunt; pellem ipsius ferrum non penetrat, et a vertebris colli ejus ad caudam usque est os unum; ideoque si in dorsum resupinetur, nequit resurgere. Parit etiam, inquit, ova longa, veluti anserina, quæ in arena occultat; et cum prodit, est instar lacertorum, hardhun dictorum, corpore et forma; tum augescit, donec fiat decem cubitorum et amplius; parit etiam sexaginta ova, natura enim ejus sexagenis gaudet; habetque sexaginta dentes et sexaginta nervos; et cum coit, sexagies semen emittit, vivitque etiam sexaginta annos.' P. 73.

The skink our author supposes to be the terrestrial offspring of the crocodile; but in this he is evidently misinformed, as well as respecting its cardiac and Aphrodisiac virtues. The hippopotamus was once found in the rivers of Egypt, but the race is there extinct; and we believe this animal rarely occurs where the human form is numerous. Had not our author described it so carefully, and possest so many opportunities of correct information-without the slightest temptation to mislead, and beyond all suspicion of being deceived--we should have doubted the existence of this animal in Egypt at any time. His brief description is admirably impressive,

Ex his etiam est hippopotamus: hic autem reperitur in inferioribus terræ tractibus, præsertim in fluvio Damiata. Estque animal mole magnum, aspectu terribile, robore præstans; naves assequitur casque submergit, et siquas earum invadat, pereunt: est autem bu balis quam equo similior, nisi quod non sint ipsi cornua. Inest voci ejus raucedo, similis hinnitui equino, aut muli potius; estque magno capite, amplis faucibus, acutis dentibus, lato pectore, ventre tumido, curtis cruribus, insultu ferox, impetu fortis, terribilis forma, fraudulentia metuendus. Narravit autem mihi qui eos sæpius venatus est, dissecuitque, et membra eorum tam interna quam externa exploravit; esse eum porcum magnum, et partes ejus tam internas, quam externas, ne minimum quidem a porço forma differre, solummodo magnitudine dimensionis.' P. 77.

The torpedo is described with equal spirit and forcible ele gance; but in one or two circumstances our author seems to have been misinformed,

Abdollatiph next speaks of the pyramids; and remarks that there was formerly a much greater number, of a smaller size; and that several of the latter were destroyed to build the citadel Al Moskat at Cairo, and to support the two fountains called Joseph's Well; for, in reality, this single well merits the double name, since, at a certain depth, there is a platform, whence it