The Introduction begins with an account of the Egyptian calendar, followed by rules to find the rising, &c. of the planets:-Chap. I. treats of the knowledge of the signs (of the Zodiac), and the brilliant stars, and of the influential particles dependent on them. The sun, he says, is Sultan of the Universe, as the heart is of the body; and the moon is the Sultán's especial deputy; and 'Aṭárid (Mercury) his secretary, &c. Jefr wa jámi 'li-Hazret 'Ali. Jefr and Jámí' are the names of two skins on which 'Alí arranged the letters of the alphabet in a certain order, by means of which he and his successors were enabled to predict the fate both of body and soul.-Von Hammer's Encyklopaedische Uebersicht, S. 618. There is nothing respecting which the Muslemáns are less agreed than this celebrated "Book of Fate." "Djafer Jami of Aly, or Mystical Tables of the Khalif Aly; which are said to contain the future destiny of the Mohammedans; a MS. which must have cost an almost incredible degree of labour. It contains upwards of 800 pages, each of which is divided into 784 compartments, minutely written. El Shimáríkh fí’ilmi-t-tárikh.—A Tract on Eras and Epochs, by El Imám, el Háfizu-l himám, Jelálu-d-dín, 'Abdu-r-rahmán, Al Suyútí. 8vo. Transcribed by Mohammed ibnu-sh-Sheïkh Mohammed, ibnu-l háj 'Alí, el Attár, 29 Dhí-l Ka'dah, A.H. 1124 A.D. 1712. D'Herbelot (Soiouthi), III. 334. This tract is not mentioned by him. See Kherídatu-l 'ajáyib.—The geographical work of Ibnu-l Wardí. Folio. N.B. This copy once belonged to J. L. Burckhardt. It is a compendium much used in the East; and copies of it are to be found in almost all large libraries in Europe. It has been published in part, if not entirely, with a Latin translation, in Sweden; and there is a complete summary of its contents by M. De Guignes, in the "Notices et Extraits des Manuscrits de la Bibliotheque du Roi," II. 19, 60. Al Túsí Terjumeti Aklidis. This MS. of Nasíru-d-dín's Arabic version of Euclid agrees exactly with the edition printed at Scútari (Uskudár) in 1802; with the exception of the solution of the fifteenth proposition of the Twelfth Book, added by way of Appendix to that book. This copy appears to have been very carefully transcribed; and the figures have been corrected, or drawn over again, in several places. Euclid's Elements, in Arabic, with diagrams, very neatly written, and in good condition. Uşúlu-l Hindisch wa-l hisáb li Aklídis Nasíru-l-dín Túsí's translation of Euclid. Transcription finished on the 15th of 20th Zú l-hijjah, A.H. 1199=A.D. 1785. Very clear and neat Ta'lik hand. Mukhtaru-l hukum wa-muhásinu-l Kulum.-The Wise Maxims of the Ancient Sages, by the 'Allámaťu-l aṣr el jámi 'beïn el ma’kúlwa-l mankúl, El Sheikh Jelálu-d-dín, el Soyúțí. Transcribed A.H. 618 A.D. 1221. as he died A.H. 911. 8vo. or small folio. N.B. This author is not the celebrated Suyútí; The date of this MS. is indistinctly written. The author begins by saying that he has extracted his maxims from books containing the moral aphorisms of Grecian sages, and the discourses of the wise in ancient times (p. 3). The first whose sayings are quoted (p. 5) is Sheït (Seth), called by the Greeks Úrání (Uranus?). Пáshiyyah'a-la sherhhi-l hidaye. Al Lárí's Marginal Notes or Glosses on the Commentary on the Hidayetu-l hikmet, or Guide to Wisdom. See the fly-leaf. This book contains: i. Пáshiyyah'ala sherḥi-l hidáyeti-l-hikmet, i. e. Marginal States, by way of Commentary on the Guide to Wisdom. A Treatise on Metaphysics, by Mohhammed Muşlahu 'd-dín, al Lárí, transcribed A.H. 1144 A.D. 1756. = This Hidayah is probably that of Athíru 'd-dín al Mofazzal ibn 'Omar al Abharí. (See 2nd tract, p. 2.) ii. Sherḥi Hidayah.—A Commentary on Ibn 'Omar's Hidayah, or Guide to the Knowledge of the Accidents and Causes of Things. Nuska ibn tebl. —A Treatise on Physics, by Casmir; with a Commentary by Lari. Dastúru-l'amel, i. e. "A Manual of Business," by a Hindú; as appears from the invocation to Rám, at the beginning. It is entitled the Badáyi'u-l funún; and is divided into four chapters on different parts of arithmetic; beginning with the Hindú Periods, Padmas, Sank'has, Kalpas, &c. Its author was Gókal Dás of Dihlí. Written in an indifferent Nasta'lik hand. Ma'denu-l-hisáb (Mine of Calculation).-A Treatise on Arithmetic, by Bím Sing'h. This book was wetted by the binder, and thereby made almost illegible in some places. Muntakhabu-l kholáṣet.—An abridgment of the Kholáṣet-u-l-hisáb, by Sheikh Baháu-d-dín Mohammed Hoseïn; being a Compendium of Baháu-d-dín's "Essence of Arithmetic;" by Lutfu-llah, the geometer, son of Ustád (Master) Ahmed of Láhór, the architect. Ilmi Hisáb; Fársí. A.H. 1177. Risáleh der'ilmi hisábi Hindi. An essay on the Indian Arithmetic, written by a Hindú, in the Persian language. Transcribed and finished on Thursday, the 25th of Șefer, A.H. 1177=Aug. A.D. 1762. Written in a clear hand. Al Túsí Terjumeți-l Majistí. The name and titles of the transcriber are given in a Persian note by one of the possessors of the book (whose name is expunged), in the fly-leaf at the beginning. An astronomical treatise, Kitábi Majesti Khwajah Nasirul din al Tusi Nasiru-l-din Tusi. Arabic translation of the Almagest, in a very neat Niskhí hand. N.B.-This, though perhaps an abstract of Nasíru-d-din's work, is only a short compendium, very different from the Almajistí, which is a large work. There are on one of the fly-leaves some Persian verses, with the name of Maúla Mohammed Sa'id, the transcriber, and the date of Safar, A.H. 1067=A.D. 1657; but the date at the end is 1075=1666. Risáleh Fársí Mulá’Alí Kúshjí.—A celebrated treatise in the Persian language, on the Mathema- This copy once belonged to Miyán Sháh of Lakhnau. Tenbíhátu-l Munejjemín. "Astronomers' Memoranda" (from Sir Gore Ouseley's Collection), transcribed in the Niskhí character, in Shevvál, A.H. 1177= April 1764; and compiled by Mohammed Kásim, Munejjim Muzaffer (head astronomer) of Abú-l Muzaffer, Sháh 'Abbás al Hoseïní, al Șefeví, al Músaví (i. e. Sháh 'Abbás the Great) in A.H. 1031=A.D. 1622. Its complete title (see p. 3) is Dirayeți tenbíháti-l' Munejjemín; i. e. “The Science of the Memoranda of Astronomers.” It consists of an Introduction, six Chapters, and a Conclusion. Noz-hatu-l Kulüb. “The Delight of Hearts;" a miscellaneous work by Hamdu-llah al Mustaúfi; transcribed in Sefer 1192 March, A.D. 1778. = At the end there is a long extract on the peculiar properties of man. In the first page is the impression of Mr. Price's signet, "William Price, 1225"= A.D. 1810. This copy was brought from Persia by the self-taught Orientalist, William Price, who accompanied Sir Gore and Sir William Ouseley to the court of Tihirán. This book is divided into three parts:-1. The Fátiḥah, or Exordium. 2. The body of the work, in Three Discourses; and 3. The Conclusion (Khátimah). The first part contains an Introduction and Preface (Mukaddamah and Díbájeh). The second part consists of three Discourses: 1. On the Creation of Minerals, 2. On Man. 3. On Geography (principally of Persia). The first part consists of an Introduction on astronomy, and a Preface on the inhabited quarter of the earth, and the longitudes and latitudes of places upon it. The Conclusion, occupying only seventeen pages, gives an account of the wonders of the different regions of the world. Ḥamdu-llah, el Mustaúfí, was also author of a celebrated history, entitled, Tarikh Gozídeh (The Select History). He flourished in the first half of the fourteenth century, in the time of our Edward II. and III. Risaleh fi-l Jaghráfíyá. A System of Mathematical Geography, in Turkish, by Peter son of Baron, the Armenian Head Terjumán (Dragoman) of the Sicilians (i. e. the Neapolitan Embassy to the Porte): finished on the 22nd of Zí-l-hijjah, 1145=1733, 25th of May. Translated from the French of Monsieur Róbb (Robert de Vaugondy?), Privy Geographer to the French King (see p. 3), by Peter son of Baron, Head Dragoman of the Sicilians. In a very neat but unusual Dívání hand, with three engraved plates. At p. 13 there are plates giving the points of the compass according to the Turkish and Eastern seamen; the latter from the rising and setting of certain stars. The Colophon is as follows: Tummet Terjumeţu házá-r-risáleți fí yedi-l'abdi-l za'ífi-l muḥtáj ilz hidayeti Rebbihi-l ķadíri Bedrósa Veldi Báróni-l-Erminíyi fí-l yevmi-l sání ve-l'ashrína min Żí-l-Hijjati sherífați li-seneti khamsi ve erba'ína ve mïați ve elfi Vaka'a-hu fí beldeti Kostanțaníyeti: ṣánahá Ta'ala 'ani-l-áfát ve-l beliyeti. "The translation of this treatise was completed by the hand of the feeble servant, who needeth the guidance of his powerful Lord, Peter, son of the Armenian, Bárón, on the 22nd day of Zi-1 Hijjah the honourable, in the year 1145. It was done in the city of Constantinople; which may the Almighty preserve from disasters and injury!" Lílávati of Bháskara. Sanskrit. A Sanskrit work on Arithmetic: part of the Lílávati of B'háscara Áchárya, with a Commentary. It wants a few leaves at the end. In a good Dévanágarí character. See description annexed by the late Dr. Rosen, which has been reversed. An English translation of it was published by Dr. Taylor, at Bombay, in 1816, with this title: 66 Lilawati, or a Treatise on Arithmetic and Algebra, by Bhascara Acharya." 4to. And another by Mr. Colebrooke at London, in 1817, with the following title: "Algebra, with Arithmetic and Mensuration, translated from the Sanscrit of Brahmégupta and B'háscara." 4to. With such ready access and reference to acknowledged authority in science -such well-mounted powerful instruments-and such general convenience, the combination may truly be designated "Astronomy made easy." 5. THE MUSEUM. In the original arrangement of the mansion, the north side of the first-floor consisted of a long room called the Gallery, which was hung with pictures and Gobelin tapestry, of which last some still appears in the passage leading into the muniment-room; but, when so large a number of people as the French King's retinue amounted to were to be accommodated, this room was subdivided into a variety of small apartments, the partitions of which were standing when I first visited the house. Dr. Lee, however, restored the original arrangements, with the slight deviation of retaining a chamber of twenty-three feet long, by eighteen broad, at each end of the gallery, leaving the intermediate ample space which forms the present museum; and is sixty-six feet long, twenty-three broad, and thirteen and a half high, abundantly lighted by three projecting Elizabethan windows. The ante-room at the east end is enriched with an extensive collection of geographical and historical atlases, charts, maps, and plans, and numerous drawings, as well as engravings by the first artists of Italy, England, and France. The corresponding room at the other end of the museum is reserved for manuscripts, medals, and coins; and is not only the depository of Arabian, Coptic, Hebrew, and Sanscrit treasures, but contains also numerous family documents, some original manuscripts of the printed works of Dr. Lee's personal friends, and other literary curiosities. The museum is appropriated to a miscellaneous collection of articles culled from the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms; as well as antiquarian relics, and works of industrial art. Many of these were presents, and many have been purchased; but a large portion has accrued from Dr. Lee's assiduity when Travelling Bachelor for the University of Cambridge, nor has his acquisitiveness as a collector lain dormant since. The principal specimens are classified in sixteen large cases covered with glass, besides several smaller |