The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-12 00:00:00

WPM

~~l~a~

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCIIESTER, Aug. 11.—There has been a large
business in yarns of all descriptions at a rise of fully
4d. per lb. on the rates of last Tuesdsy. The buy-
ing has been very general, but the greater propor-
tion for India, China, and the Mediterranean. The
home trade have been buyers, but have not operated
nearly to the extent they would have done in eon-

'sequence of the high prices required. The yarn
' market closes very strong, with o decided upward
tendency. In cloths there is also a demand, which
is only checked by the higher prices required by
manu,acturcrs. Our report of Friday stated the
improvement which, having commenced last Tues-
day, had led to some heavy purchases, and Messrs.
Pender and Co., in their semi-monthly circular (via
Marseilles) of the Bth, confirm that report, stating
that the business of the week " has included a wider
extent of buying in cloths than has been the case
for a considerable time past." The demand con-
tinues quite as brisk to-day, perhaps ; but business
has been brought within narrower limits, in conse-
quence of manufacturers, like spinners, trying to
force up prices, so as to cover the increased
price of cotton, which remains at nearly the con-
siderable advance which it attained the week
before last. At the prices of last week for cloth,
sellers report that they could still do a good busi-
ness, but that the advance has checked, though it
has not suspended, operations. The chief business
doing is for India in the lighter makes of shirt-
tugs, madapollams, long•cloths, and jacconets, but
there is also some inquiry for the home trade, and
for various smaller foreign markets. The im-
provement has caused a more cheerful feeling in the
market generally, It appears that the prospects of
increased employment have for the present received.
a check, as shown by Mr. Farnall's report to the
Central Committee yesterday, and in fact this was
to be expected. The consumption of cotton has
already reached, probably, the limit which the
supply is likely to afford for soma time to come, and
this alone would stop more mills resuming work for
the p

(resent. There is another indication of the

imit being reached also in the fact that the demand

for cotton goods goods probably already exceeds half
what it did before the cotton famine, so that in
reality fully as much or more money is turned over
i❑ the trade as in 1860—a limit which the best in-
formed commercial men have all along expressed
an opinion was not likely to be much exceeded.
Messrs. John Slagg and Co. report of the cloth-
market :—" The better feeling in the market re-
ported on Tuesday last continues, and we have a
steady demand for nearly all descriptions of goods,
and the full prices of last week are readily obtained.
yesterday and to-day sellers are generally asking
an advance, but this only serves to stop busine;:a."

LEEDS, Aug. 11_—There has been a satisfactory
market in the cbth halls to-day, as was evidenced
by the attendance of buyers, End the spirit with
which they made purchases. Considering the
amount of really seasonable goods on offer in the
halls, a more than ordinary qtmitity for a Tuesday's
market changed hands at the full current rates.
Diagonals, meltons, witneys, and tweeds are the
main kinds of fabrics in request, and in them are
found considerable variety, as well in pattern as in
quality and make. Considerable orders for fine
white meltons have been given out, and of such,
to be afterwards dyed and finished according to
taste and demand, the market is rather bare. Not
only is there a good business doing in the home
trade, but large shipments are making by some of
the German houses, and fair ones are still making
for Canada and America.

NOTTINGHAM, Aug. 11.—At this exchange-hall
to-day there was an average attendance of dealers
in lace yarns, but only few buyers were present,
and a limited share of business was done at late
prices. There was rather more doing in hosiery
yarn, and full rates were obtained. No material
change in the value of silk. For brown nets the
demand was fiat, buyers having already purchased
stocks for the Leipsic fair to be held in September.
ROCIIDALE, 10th.—Both at market and in the
warehouses an excellent spirit exisits. Buyers have
been somewhat numerous, and the number of actual
transactions proportionately large. There has been
perhaps less doing :n the finer qualities of goods,
bat medium sorts, and also such as can be bought at
low prices, met with a rather brisk sale. There is
a good spirit also with regard to fancy goods. From
such a demand as has been witnessed to-day manu-
facturers may expect more business, as at the pre-
sent moment they have nothing like stocks sufficient
to replenish the market. The Yorkshire goods
branch has been as animated as the other, and the
supply being smaller than usual it rather tended to
dearness. Sales of wool are not very easily effected,
though there is an average business, considering
the prevalent dearness.

The History of the Arabian Nights Enter-

tainments.

Antoine Galland has the merit of introducing a portion
of this work to the European world. Like most Oriental
scholars, he was induced to investigate the tressures of
the East by a pure love of the subject. When young he
underwent much privation, and was very nearly compelled
to earn the means of existence by some petty trade. lie
managed, however, to surmount all difficulties, and died in
Paris in 1715, having filled the office of Professor of
Arabic for several years.
The manuscript which he used still exists in the Impe-
rial Library at Patis. It consists of three small quarto
volumes (a fourth having been lost.) We may here mention
that Galland added several tales which he procured
from other sources. Among these are " Aladdin, or the
Wonderful Lamp," "Ali Baba, or the Forty Thieves," and
several others. These are excellent stories, but form no
part of the genuine "Arabian Nights." The manner in
which Galland's translation was written is open to sflious
he very much injured its otjections, for in striving to make everything' in the book
agree with European taste,
origi-
nal character. This defect is of course still more apparent
in the English translation, which possesses no particular
merit, and was probably executed to order for the book-
sellers.

From time to time various portions of the original were
obutraoipneed, until buttd
goodhe wfoorrtkunweasthryeew ary
imperfectly known in
E
complete manuscript
copy into the hands of the celebrated Orientalist, Joseph
t
von Hammer. For several years he had inquired in vain,
and at the very moment when his wishes were accom-
plished, his literary ardour saved him from the most im-
minent peril. One or two intimate friends pressed him to
join in an excursion on the water. After considerable hesi-
tation, his zeal for Eastern learning prevailed, and he re-
fused to delay the perusal of the cherished manuscript. Ail
those who went perished within sight of the shore, and he
was thus saved by his enthusiasm from an almost certain
death.

Von Hammer translated the portion of the manuscript
which Galland did not possess, into the French language.
This translation was, however, unfortunately lost before
arrangements for its publication could be made. A Ger-
man version by Professor Zinserling had fortunately been
already completed, and was published in three volumes in
1823-4. From this a French translation was made by M.
Trebutien. Both these works have now become scarce,
and csn with difficulty be procured in this country.
The first edition of the original text was published at
Breslau, the capital of Silesia, under the superintendence of
Professor Habicht, and after his death, of Professor Fleis-
cher. The text does not agree with that of the manuscript
of Von Hammer, and is said to be full of vulgarisms. The
manuscript was procured for Professor Habicht by a learned
native of Tunis. It is printed in 12 small volumes, and may
be considered a handsome book. The first volume was pub-
lished in 1824, the last in 1843. The concluding riortion of
the Breslau edition differs materially from the editions of
Cairo and Calcutta. For those who are curious in these
mat tore, it may be as well to state that the last 118 Nights of
the Breslau edition may be found in a German translation
of the " Arabian Nights," published at Breslau, in five
volumes (1840), under the care of Professor Habicht and
others.

About the same time, that is to say, about 1839, two other
manuscript copies were printed, one at Cairo, the other at
Calcutta. The Calcutta edition was edited by W. H. Mac-
naghten, Esq., Bengal Civil Service, better known as Sir
Wen. Macnaghten, who was murdered in Affghanistan some
years afterwards. Both the Cairo and Calcutta editions
agree in the main with the manuscript of Von Hammer,
and with each other. The Cairo text contains more poetry,
and is supposed on the whole to be the best.
We must next take notice of the translation of the "Ara-
bian Nights" published by Charles Knight, in three vols.,
royal Bvo. (1839-41). This translation Was executed by ]fir.
Lane, who is acknowledged to be one of the best Arad.;
scholars in Europe, and is the only faithful representation
of the original. Several objections which were made by
critics to Mr. Lane's plan proved rather their own ignorance
of the subject than any fault in the author. Numerous wood
engravings, by Harvey, embellishthe text. Some time since
a second edition was published, which is very inferior to the
first in beauty.—Social Science Review.