The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-18 00:00:00

EVENING, APRIL 18,, 1854.

FOLIC.,

,ENCE._

GUILDHALL.—CharIes Mille,. was charged with
burglariously entering the premises of Messrs. Emery,
the drapers, at the corner of Holborn-hill and Farring-
don-street, and stealing therefrom a piece of Cobourg
cloth of the wholesale value of 28s.
Police-constable 292 said, that about
up 'clocktFwaorrio
ugdu
u.
gouotinogf No. 44, and pull
syter se teetr, d
he
ey
saw m o rtnhi
en g,
prisoner a s h e wase
the door to after him. Witness followed him, and he
then ran up Skinner-street, where he was stopped-:}7
policeman 247, The house No. 44 was an empty _house,
and the prisoner, when he came out of it, had neither
boots nor shoes on his feet. Witness took him to the
police-station, and returned to watch the premises.
Inspector Teague said, when the prisoner was brought
to the staion he noticed his hands were black, as if he
had been clambering over the roof of some house or
other building ; and on receiving the charge be went
with Sergeant Oram and the two officers, 292 and 247,
to inspect the premises in Farringdon-street, when three
large bags (evidently intended to carry the property
away in) were found near the window on the first floor,
leading to the leads over Messrs. Emery's shop adjoin-
ing. Witness went on the leads, and found the padlock
that secured the skylight had been forced from its posi-
tion, the staple and screw having been drawn by means
of a spike gimlet. He also found some congreves, some
of which were partially consumed, strewn about the
floor, and a knotted rope suspended from the skylight
in the shop to answer the purpose of a ladder. A pair
of boots was also found on the premises, which witness
gave the prisoner, telling him he had brought him his
boots, upon which the prisoner put them on his feet
without making any remark.
Sergeant Oram said on receiving information of the
prisoner's apprehension on a charge of burglary, he
wen to the back of the empty house facing Plumtree-
court, and after climbing over the walls he got on the
leads of the adjoining premises, belonging to Messrs.
Emery. The window of the back room on the first
floor was open, and in the room he found a spike gim-
let, which had been used in forcing the padleek, a
jemmy, a dark lantern, a pair of boots, and a piece of
Cobourg cloth. He also found a knotted rope sus-
pended in the shop from the skylight, by which access
had been gained to that part of the premises, and a
ladder was placed near the skylight to afford egress.
A shopman to Messrs. Emery identified the Cobourg
cloth as his employers' property, and stated that the
premises were closed on Saturday night at half-past 9
or 10 o'clock. Several of the young men, as well as
Mr. Emery, slept on the premises. The Cobourg cloth
produced was left on the counter in the shop on Satur
day night.
The prisoner was remanded.

LAMBETH.—Mrs. Catherine Saville, a respectably
dressed, middle aged female, was charged with de-
stroying George Edward Saville, her infant son, by
drowning.
Ellen Doyle, a servant to the prisoner and her
husband, said, on Saturday morning last a little before
9 o'clock, I saw my mistress (the prisoner) carry the
baby up stairs in her shawl, and soon after she came
down stairs and went out, Immediately after I thought
I heard the baby cry, and went up stairs, but on try-
ing my mistress's bed-room, I found it was locked and
the key gone. I ran down stairs again, and found a
key which opened the bed-room, On unlocking the door
and going into the room, I saw the poor child lying on
the floor with its face in a basin of dirty water. I
screamed out as loud as I could, and some persons came
to my assistance, but the baby was quite dead.
Eliza Pursell, residing at No. 7, Leonard's-square,
Finsbury, deposed that on Saturday morning she was
at the house of Mr. Saville, and on hearing the last
witness scream, she ran up stairs, and found the child,
who had been just removed from the position iu which
it had been found, with its head in a basin of cold water,
quite dead.
Sergeant Jelan Holdeway, 4 P, said that from infor-
mation he received he went to the house of Mr. Saville
on Saturday forenoon, and took the prisoner into cus-
tody. He told her that he took her for killing her
child, and she made no reply, nor did she betray the
slightest regret or emotion when he told, her so.
Mr. Clifford, the relieving officer of Camberwell
parish, informed the magistrate that from inquiries he had
made on the subject, it appeared that the prisoner, after
taking the child up stairs, and no doubt placing it in
the position in which it was found, set out from her
home, and proceeded to the place of business of her
husband near Finsbury-square, and on seeing him at
once stated to him the particulars df what she had done.
The husband hoped, though his wife had for some days
exhibited symptoms of aberration of mind, that she was
not guilty of the act, but at once hurried home, when
he unfortunately found that her story was true.
Mr. Elliott said that he should have to remand the
prisoner. After giving the usual caution, the magistrate
asked the prisoner if she wished to say anything in reply
to the charge against her ?
The prisoner, with a smile 6n her countenance, re-
plied—l wish to speak nothing but the truth. I knew
that the child had been very much neglected, and I
thought it had better die and go to Heaven at once. I
was very comfortable, and had everything I wanted.
She was then removed from the bar, and the magis•
trate gave directions that she should be at once taken
to Horsenionger-lane gaol, to prevent the excitement
that it was thought would have been occasioned by her
being placed with the other prisoners in the cells of the
court, and Serjeant Holdeway was desired to mention
the nature of the charge against the prisoner and her un-
fortunate malady to the prison authorities, so that she
might be carefully looked after and have the attandance
of Mr. Harris, the medical gentleman in charge of the
prisoners there.

THAMES.—A 'in 11`Carthy, an elderly Irishwoman,
of No. 5, Glasshouse-yard, Rosemary-lane, was charged
with stealing 31. 13s. 6d., a hat, handkerchief, and other
property, from the person of Lewis Morris, joiner, of
72, Great College-street, Camden-town.
The prosecutor, whose manner created great merri-
ment in a crowded court, said he was passing over
Tower-hill late on Saturday night, when he fell down
and took a nap on the stones. (Laughter.)
Mr. Yardley—lt was very cold, was it not ?
Witness—Well, I did not feel it so, because I had
something warm within me. (Laughter.) Well, sir, I
had a bit of a dream, and while I was dreaming I thought
that some one was pulling at the guard chain of my
watoh. I woke up in a fright, and lo and behold there
were two women had hold of me, and stripping me. My
kat and handkerchief was gone, my coat was half off,
all the money I had, 3/. 13s. 6d. was taken out of my
waistcoat pocket, and my watch guard was cut.
Mr. Yardley—You did not lose your watch, I hope,
Mr. Morris ?

Witness—No, sir ; but there were no thanks to the
ladies. My waistcoat was rent to pieces, and my fob
was cut. I grasped and held them both, and sung out,
" Murder !—police !" as loud as I could ; and when a
police constable came up, I said, "Take these women in
charge for robbing me." He said, •` No, I will not." I
said, " You shall, for they have robbed me." " Will
you swear it ? " says he, " To be sure I will," said I ; "is
not my waistcoat rent open ?" but he would not take
them in charge.—l told him I should turn them over to
another officer, and he took one woman and let the other
go. It was the most complicated affair I ever knew.
Mr. Yardley—So it appears ; did you find your
money ?
Witness—No. I want to know what became of my
hat, sir ?

Mr. Yardley—That is a, question I can't answer.
Most likely the person who took the money took your
hat. You lost 1/. 13s. 6d.
Witness (staring)-11. 13s. 6d. ! Whyit was 3/. 13s. 6d.
They did not leave me enough for a pot of beer. (Loud
laughter.)

Mr.
Yardley—Only 1/. 13.3. 6d. is entered on the
pohee-sheet.

Witness—lt is a mistake in the entry. At the sta-
tion-house I saw strange things, and the inspector made
use of very obscene language, quite derogatory to human

nature,
Mr. Yardley—Well, what did he say ?
Witness—He said, "So help me God, you know a
great deal too much, old fellow."
Mr. Yardley— I very much doubt the correctness of
the inspector's observation, but do not see any obscenity
in it. Now go on.
Witness—There ends my catechism. (More laughter.)
Police-constable Bailey, No. 107 H, said that he
heard the prosecutor calling out " Police," and on going u
up to the spot he found him without his hat struggling I fi
with the prisoner, whom he charged with ro4ery. b,
There was no other woman near him.
Morris—How can you stand there and tell such a lie ?
I had hold of both. '
Bailey—I only saw one.
Mr. Yardley—And you only found ls. 6d. upon the
prisoner. Discharge her.

DISFRANCHISING SOME 1117:1DREDS OP •AT OTEns.-01:1 Saturday the " five bills" of the Attorney-General to
disfranchise certain voters in Canterbury, Cambridge,
Kingston-upon-Hull, Malden, and Barnstaple were
printed. The names of the voters set forth in the bills,
and it is declared that they were proved to have been
guilty of bribery before the late commissions. There-
fore it is declared that they shall " for aver be disabled
to vote in any election of any member or members" for
the particular boroughs named by the bill.
THE GREEK INSURRECTION.---It is currently reported
in respectable circles in Manchester that the Greek mer-
cantile houses there, and in London and Liverpool, have
subscribed largely to promote the insurrection in Tur-
key. The Manchester fund alone is said to have reached
10,0001.
OFFER oF A POLISH LEGION TO THE BRITISH Go-
' VENNMENT.—A. proposal has been made on the part of
the Poles to form a Polish Legien, which being supplied
with munitions of war shall fight side by side with the
English and French troops against the common enemy.
An address to that effect was sent to the Right Hon.
'sAprreipllyl.---
the Earl of Aberdeen, First Lord of the Treasury, for
on behalf
1
lealpnall)
fraoonv:ll
yourself
the()oui iis
Polish
followingeio n ,is
i) tohwen
inobleng.st
ree
earl's
• Ime desired by my Lord Aberdeen to acknow-
" Sir,--
] le,e the receipt of the letter you addressed to him on the
Francewhich, against Russia, you express a hope,
3rd lust., in adverting to the declaration of war by
,your countrymen residin,,,, at
that •sh'eelLfr l‘af;jdestyN'vshiGehOvbereninlngensltippwliiella allow
ar
the common enemy; and I am
shall: fight side by side with the English
youPor t ts , al)
formotith ' a
and French troops against
to acquaint you
that your letter has been refeir_redfodr
the
the
consideration of State for lar an
the Secretary of
Colonies.—l have
the honour to be, sir, your obedient
servant,
-- _.

"CLINTON G. I).twEINS.
" Major Stawiargkiy 43, Grigg-street, Southsea,
Portsmouth."

an
vari

SYRO-E!

'OCIET Y.

The last ordinary meeting of the Syro-Egyptian So-
ciety was held on Tuesday evening, the 11th inst., at
their rooms, Mortimer-street, Cavendish-square ; Mr.
Thomas Wright, F.S.A., in the chair.
After the reading and authentication of the minutes of
the preceding meeting, the Rev. Dr. Hewlett and Mr.
Keen were declared elected members of the society.
The following communications were made to the meet-
ing :

--1.--The exhibition ea coin, with soine-Veik- small yet
beautifully executed objects in terra cotta= from the city
of Tadrnor, in the neighbourhood of the city of Palmyra.
These were almost square in form, having upon each two
recumbent figures, and were evidently th production of
a considerably advanced state of art, on account of their
smallness, as well as of the beauty of execution of the
figures upon them. A magnified drawing of these was
exhibited, which showed that in their general-character
they were Palmyrene. The figures represented were
those of a male and female gracefully reclining upon a
Roman couch, their head-dress, however, not being
Roman; but partaking rather of an Oriental style.
2. A paper was read, "On the Intellectual Character
and Habits of the Arabians, as, for the most part, dis-
played in the MAkamdt of Al Hariri, of Basra," by Dr.
W. Camps, treasurer of the society. Dr. Camps, com-
menced his paper by-stating that, on the occasion of the
establishment of the Chronological Institute of London,
he read the first of a series of papers on the Chronology
of Medical Literature, from the earliest periods of the
history of medicine, and, in consequence of historical
and literary researches for that purpose, he was led to
observe, in some degree, to what extent the literature as
well as the science and art of medicine were indebted to
the Arabian school—an obligation not unfrequently ad-
' mitted and acknowledged in classical medical literature
of more modern times. At about this time, too, by a
most fortunate accidental coincidence, there fell into his
hands Mr. (now, he believed, Professor) Preston's trans-
, lation from the original Arabic, with annotations, of the
Makzirnat of Al Hariri, of Basra, and he was thus in-
duced to look the more closely into this work, in order
to glean what information it might afford as -to the in-
tellectual habits and tastes of this people at a given
period in their history ; and in this Jae had by no
means been, disappointed, for it contains a great
deal of ethnological information, as bearing upon the
moral, social, and intellectual faculties and habits
of one of the most ancient and, in many respects, a very
remarkable ra eof the great human family. Consider-
ing this peoprfti Aevariety of a more comprehensive
ethnological class'or -group commonly designated by the
term Caucasian, they at once present themselves to our
notice attended by much that is highly interesting in
connection with the early history of mankind. Cognate
with the Hebrews, by descent from the Jewish Patriarch
Abraham, and so from his son Ishmael, the child of an
Egyptian woman servant, they are not even on that
account, devoid of interest as to their origin and early
history. In the opinion of many—in which the author
of the present paper concurs—the writer of one of the
oldest poetical works extant was rather Arabian than
Jewish--a volume which, regarded merely as a literary
composition, presents us with, most unquestionably, one
of the very finest and most beautiful specimens of con-
templative poetry that the world has ever seen, or pro-
bably ever will— namely, that ancient work known to
us by the familiar term, the "Book of Job." Amongst
the different people composing the Syro-Arabian race,
few, if any, are better known to us than the Jews and
their congeners, the Arabians ; and tenaciously as
the former (the Jews) have preserved unto this day
their national characteristics, the latter (the Arabians)
have not less markedly and tenaciously preserved
their national peculiarities. Physically, they are des-
cribed by writers and travellers amongst them to be to-
day what they are said ever to have been • and whether
observed in their own proper country, Zrabia, and in
adjacent geographical limit, or in Africa, this people
are the faithful representatives of the Semitic races. The
Arabians, properly so called, and modifications always
excepted, are, with but few exceptions, rather thin than
robust ; the superior class amongst them, as the sheikhs
and their families, have a most marked resemblance of
figure, the skin indeed varying in colour ; the face is
usually long and thin, the forehead rising in beautiful
but not large expansion towards the summit of the head ;
the nose is for the most part regular and aquiline in
shape, the mouth and chin striking and expressive, thus
imparting a roundish rather than an angular appearance
to the face; the eyes are commonly dark, almost black
and sparkling, and deeply seated under the eye-brows.
Their limbs are supple, and not very muscular, and'
rather small than otherwise, whilst the hands frequently,
even of the males, have a delicacy of size and form which
is almost feminine. In their social relations, too, they
have preserved the same manners and customs, towards
each other, and towards strangers, as they are said to
have exercised in the remotest period of their history.
About 600 years after the birth of Jesus Christ, a new re-
ligion, followed subsequently by anew era in literature and
the arts, had its origin in Arabia. The inhabitants of
this country under their leader, both a prophet and a
warrior, Mahomet, and his immediate successors, issued
forth, sword in hand, from the deserts of Arabia, and
rapidly subjugated to the Koran, by their sword, several
great and powerful provinces in Asia and in Africa, as
well as a great part, if not the whole, of one European
province, that of Spain. The study of their venerated
book, the Korai, consisting for the most part of the
wild raphsodies of Mahomet and the profession of arms,
were the only pursuits then in repute, or even tolerated
amongst-his earliest followers. Under the first succes-
sors of Mahomet, that noble and stupendous monument
of ancient literature, the library collected at Alexandria,
in Egypt, the most magnificent assemblage of books that
the civilised world could at that time boast of, was con-
sumed by conflagration to ashes. In this devastation,
according to some authorities, four, according to others
eleven, hundred thousand volumes were destroyed, six
hundred volumes only, as it is said, being rescued from
the flaming havoc. When, however the religious fana-
ticism of the followers of Mahomet had somewhat abated,
after they had become enriched by commerce, and their
military ardour was satiated with conquest, their ignorant
ferocity gradually subsided, and subsequently literature
and the arts were cultivated amongst them, and with
great industry. The medical profession in particular was
rewarded and encouraged with rank and liberal endow-
ments, in many instances superior to every other nation
where the healing art had hitherto been exercised ; and
they, i.e., the Mahometans, early endowed several me-
dical schools in Persia, in Africa, and in Spain. It be-
came a custom with the Mahometans, wherever they
built a temple for religious worship, to append to it a
school, and an hospital for the cure and relief of the sick.
Historians assert that one of the Caliphs, in the year
820, sent to the Greek Emperor at Constantinople, to
request copies of his best books, which he ordered to
be translated into Arabic by some of the Jews or Greek
Christians. The works of Galen had been first trans-
lated into the Syriac language, but the translation is
said to have been very wretchedlyPexecuted, and adul-
terated, so to speak, with the vain fables and astrologi-
cal notions of the Arabians. Aristotle, too, is said to
have been studied with an incredible ardour by the fol-
lowers of Mahomet. Magic, what is termed judicial
astrology, and the interpretation of dreams were
also in high repute, and by these the Mahometans regu-
lated their most important undertakings. The Arabians,
there is little doubt, combined with their own celestial
observations those made by the Assyrians, the Babylo-
nians, the Egyptians, and the Greeks, in astronomical
science, such as it was. Algebra, too, a species of
science connected with mental or psychological
operations, is, as its name implies, of Arabian
origin, and is a description of universal arithmetic,
by means of which intricate mathematical problems are
resolved, and arithmetical operations greatly facilitated.
Rhayes, A.D. 900, and Avicenna a little later, were me •
dical authors and physicians ; the-former being by birth
a native of Persia, practising at Bagdad, and presiding
over an hospital in that city of the Caliphs. Besides
these, the author mentioned, as belonging to the same
category, Haly Abbas, Aveuzour, Avenhoes, Albueasis,
and Abi Ashin, with others, he has furnished us with a
catalogue of three hundred medical writers amongst the
Mahometans. The Arabians were at no period of their
history a people altogether sunk in savage barbarism.
The-position and the climate of their country might be
expected to conduce to some considerable advance in
their social institutions. A climate exciting, further, a
naturally lively imagination, might be supposed to be
favourable to a kind of poetry peculiar to their country,
and:as has been remarked, if copiousness and abundance
of imagery, wild and extravagant productions of an
over-excited imagination, intense activity of sensa-
ions, combined with a rare talent for concealing the
red principles- or maxims of truth and of morality
meath the most agreeable veil, as in beautiful figures
ad metaphors, constitute at once the essence and the
harm of poetry, then we say, to no place could we
Lools with more tolerable certainty of finding this art—
that. of poetry—more generally and more successfully
cultivated than in Arabia. The dispersion of the savans
of the school of Edessa, and the expulsion of the Pla.-
tonib sect of Athens, by order of Justinian, contributed
greatly to extend the study of the sciences and of lite-
rature amongst the Arabians ; and after the conquest of
Egypt, by the Caliph Omar, they (the Arabians) soon
learnt to perceive the advantages that accrue to a
people from an application to, and an application of the
sciences, arts, and literature. The academy of Bagdad,
founded most probably by the Caliph Almansor, ulti-
mately acquired a high reputation as a place of learn-
ing; so much so as to be held in higher estimation than
almost any other similar institution within the Maho-
metan domain. Fabricius informs us that, from all
countries of the world, so great was the influx of pro-
fessors and of pupils into the city of Bagdad, that at one
tone it was computed there were assembled in that city
not fewer than six thousand savans. The successor of
the ,Caliph Almansor, the more distinguished Caliph
Haremaal-Raschid, extended to a greater degree than
his predecessor his love for science, as well as the pro-
tection the former had bestowed upon learned institu-
tions. He drew around him intelligent Christians from
Syria and the neighbouring countries, some of whom
'mployed themselves in translating the Greek authors ;
'se Caliph richly rewarded for their literary labours,
el !authorised them to instruct his subjects in the
1;)113 departments of science and art, and especially in
La! of medicine. He is described by Abulfeda, Abul-
Lraga, and subsequently by Benjamin of Tudela, as
hesys surrounding himself by some one or more learned
aers as not disdaining even to take part in their literary
nr.l!scientific discussions, and as adding- or combining
ais advice and opinions on many points with those of
the 'nost learned of those that surrounded him. The
mess distinguished of the Caliphs, for his promotion of
liteature, science, and the arts, was, however, Alma-
mod], a successor of Haroun-al-Raschid, who has almost
inuslortalised his name by his devotedness to learning.
Hekarried his-zeal for learning so far as to- give just
offence to the true Mussulman believers, who contended
that he had most justly exposed himself to Divine wrath
for having so far favoured philosophy, and by this means

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY

to have diminished in proportion the sacred authority of
the Koran. At Tunis, Fez, and Morocco, and especially
in Spain. literature, science, and art flourished in a
greater or in less degree, as in the establishments of
learning at Cordova, Seville, and Toledo. At this time,
that is, about the eighth century, the various Mahometan
provinces of the East were amongst the chief asylums of
literature and the sciences, History informs us of more
than one Emir of Irak devoted to learning, and one of
these, Saif-Ed-Dhala, established at Koufa and at Bas-
sore schools of learning of considerable celebrity. An-
-other was established at Kurdistan, and Ferusabad, and
which enjoyed a public library, containing as many as
7,000 volumes. Later, there was established, in the
city of Damascus, a most renowned school, particularly
of medicine, at which the Caliph Malek-adel was accus-
tomed to be present, attending upon the classes, with
his book under his arm. In the very depth of the East,
at Bokhara, there was a school and a library under the
rule of the Saracens. Philosophy was too evidently op-
posed to Islamism to be tolerated, even at first, by the
immediate successors of Mahomet, and, for a long time
after him, the studies that occupied the Pagan philoso-
phers (as they were termed) were regarded amongst the
most impious of crimes of which the genuine true Mus-
sulinan could be guilty. When, at length, Islamism and
the empire of Mahomet were sufficiently and firmly esta-
blished by fire and by sword, the Arabians obtained per-
mission to study philosophy after their fashion, The
Arabian dialecticians are said to have formed their mode
after the model of the modern philosophers of the Alex-
andrian school. Astrology and alchemy agreed most
completely with the national tastes and habits of the
nation, although Islamism forbad the practice of magic
and the arts of divination. Mr. Preston, in his transla-
tion of some of the A.l4l(zirnt of Al Hariri, says, in the
introduction to his book, that the meaning of the word
MAlettmAt, as used by Hairi, is thus explained by one of
his commentators It primarily signifies a place
where one stands upright; and hence, the place where
one is at any time. Next, it is used metonytnically to
denote 'the persons assembled in anyplace,' and, finally,
by another transition, the discourses delivered or con-
versations held in any such assembly.' This metapho-
rical use of the word Mdkiiintie has, however, been re-
seeiateeLeo discourses and conversations like those nar-
rated bx,..tlariri and his predecessor, Al Hamadani,
which, are composed in a highly-finished and ornamental
style, and solely for the purpose of exhibiting specimens
of various kinds of eloquence, and exemplifying rules of
grammar, rhetoric, and poetry. Basra is situated on
the river Tigris, and is comparatively a modern place ;
a note in Professor Preston's book informs us that it was
founded by command of the Caliph Omar, in order to
interrupt the communication of the Persians, with whom
he was then at war, with India, down the united streams
of the Tigris and Euphrates. The river Ailah, which
falls into the Tigris close to it, waters its gardens, and
st efnusgl bttpyhh aae
ttr
Damascus,
tas
ci isup sArh,arabaet
rsec:
fot d
sohnraee
rdi
otostanhe epea
rnoopdtf the
t.
tion, and for the great n
beingfnolua
waskr e rseet amhtr ehtahery In
them so
al ebsspl oeao rff
adr Shiraz,di ul
umber of its mosques. There
was a celebrated market-place there, called Mechad,
where poems and other compositions used to be
recited aloud; a practice which gave rise to so
much literary emulation, that the city became one of
the most famous for learning in the East. Basra had
a famous school of grammar, which rivalled that of Koufa;
and therefore Arabian grammarians are divided into the
two schools of the Koufiyans and the Basriyans. The
MitkAmat of Al Hariri have been spoken of as the most
classical series of compositions in Arabic literature, and,
as such, a masterpiece of elegance and refinement. In
the preface to his translation of Mitled,mtit, Me. Preston
says, "Nor are these appellations unmerited. In elabo-
rate execution and ornateness of style the WaleimAt are
perhaps unrivalled ; they have always been regarded in
the East as models of accuracy ; and the design with
which they were written was purely literary, namely,
to display the vast resources of the Arabic language, to
embody in a series of rhythmical and metrical anecdotes
all the refinements of grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history,
and tradition that the author's extensive learning could
supply. To this design the subject-matter of the work
is entirely subordinate, the character and incidents being
selected, not for their intrinsic interest or value, but
merely as forming a suitable occasion anti groundwork
for the exhibition of recondite learning and rhetorical
skill. At the same time it must be allowed that Al Ha-
rini has adopted a peculiarly appropriate method of exem-
plifying the branches of literature most cultivated and
esteemed by his Arabian contemporaries. The work is
no idle rhapsody, intended, like the Thousand and One
Nights, to amuse the loiterers of the café or the seraglio,
but the elaborate result of the literary system of a period
in which not only the sciences but the useful arts of life
were sacrificed by the ingenious and studious of a great
nation, to a profound grammatical and rhetorical research
into the structure and resources of their own most copious
language." This literary system, Mr. Preston remarks,
originated in the extreme importance attached by Mo-
hammedans to the study of the Koran, which is uni-
versally regarded by them as of divine origin, and ver-
bally inspired. The style of the Koran is so elliptical,
and the dialect in which it is written,' though allowed to
be the purest and the best, so totally different from the
language of ordinary life, that it was found necessary,
in order to effect even an approximate solution of its
difficulties, to institute a close comparative study of the
contemporary and preceding productions of Arabic poets,
and to establish systems of grammar, rhetoric, and logic,
which might be brought to bear upon the revered text.
These sciences, therefore, being the offspring of
religious enthusiasm, acquired so much value in the
estimation of Mohammedans under the Caliphate, as
to cause almost every other literary pursuit to be
considered superfluous, if not culpable ; and thus the
study of them became general, and the attainment of
them the chief standard of excellence. They formed
the topics of discussion in all literary and religious as-
semblies ; and those who outshone their competitors in
masterly familiarity with them, combined with copious
command of language, became the object of public ad-
miration, and of the munificence of the rich and power-
ful. Hence it resulted that the eloquent were prone to
depend exclusively on their rhetorical powers for main-
tenance or aggrandisement. They became, as it were,
the knight-errants of literature, wandering from city to
city to contest the palm of genius and erudition with
any rivals whom they might chance to meet with, and
thus attracting the notice and favour of the great. The
MAkiimat combine the primary excellence of being a
grand collection of specimens of the literature most ad-
mired during a long and important period of Mahozne-
tanism, and the secondary one of containing a correct
and interesting delineation of the character of some of
its most eminent professors. Of the esteem in which the
MAkAnnitt of Al Hariri have always been held by learned
Moslemin, no better proof can be alleged than the
numerous commentaries (second only in number to those
upon the Koran) written upon it by natives of the re-
motest east and west, both Arabian and Persian. Those
in Arabia which are most approved are two—the one by
a native of Xeres, in Andalusia, the other by a native of
Khouaresen, the north-eastern province of Persia. Much as
every line of the MalcAmAt has been discussed, the consent
of the Arabs themselves has decided that scarcely one
word or phrase admits of improvement or alteration. An
eminent writer has asserted that they ought never to be
transcribed but in letters of gold on a tissue of silk. In
one of the Mdleg.miits, that of Barknid, one of the charac-
ters in it is described as invoking the Divine aid, with an
expression of resignation, "I am in God's hands, and
shall return to Him ' —an expression of resignation to
the Divine will used by the Arabs on the death of any
relative, or on meeting with any serious failure or dis-
appointment—an expression of resignation closely cor-
responding with the submissive exclamation of Job on
his sustaining heavy and irreparable losses. Mr. Pres-
ton remarks, in one of his notes, that the Arabs as a
nation, partake of that singular resignation for which
their countryman Job was remarkable. He says that
the Bedouin Arabs hold no intercourse with foreigners,
even for the purposes of trade, and that, therefore, they
contract no corruption of dialect. Their vast vocabulary
owes its formation to the great number and wide disper-
sion of their tribes, and its preservation to the numerous
poems which form their literature, and which were trans-
memory motimmeest ry f
they
r opmr
dgee(rii et rhaetmi osn e
ltvo ge
s en
highlye ra n t oon. From
r poetryo
and rhetoric. Pocock, Crichton, as well as Mr. Pres-
ton, remark that the only studies on which they pride
themselves are the philology of their own language,
and the investigation of the laws of its construc-
tion, together with the composition of poetry and pro e.
The narrow limits of their sphere of literature and
observation seem to have concentrated the attention of
those among them who were endowed with genius in a
most intense study of the resources of their own lan
guage, insomuch that they were led even to overrate its
importance, and to account excellence in its grammar
and rhetoric the first of all mental attainments. This
feeling was fostered and confirmed by the appearance of
the Koran, written in the highest and purest style, and
by its metaphorical and very elliptical phraseology re-
quiring close study and illustration from other sources
on the part of those who fully understand it. From
that time many eminent grammarians among the Arabs
of the large towns were wont to sojourn among the
Bedouins, in order to acquire purity of style, and to
establish from their usages the best rules and autho-
rities in grammar. Thus, the learned under the
Caliphate, revering the Bedouins as the parents of their
race, and the repositories of their copious and admired
language, naturally imbibed their peculiar tastes and
habits of thought, till they acquired that almost extra-
vagant estimation for verbal variety and rhetorical
copiousness which led them to regard the MitkAmAt
of Al Hariri as an incomparable monument of intellec-
tual culture. Numerous quotations from several of the
Mak:limit, as rendered by Mr. Preston, were read to
the meeting by Dr. Camps in the course of his paper, as
illustrative of the peculiar mental and social habits and
practices of the Arabians.
An animated discussion followed, in which Mr. Ains-
worth, Mr. Sharpe, Dr. Turnbull, Mr. Wright, Dr.
Holt Yates, and the author of the paper took part, after
which the meeting adjourned until the month of May.

DEPARTURES FOR AUSTRALIA.— The departures from
the port of London for the Australian colonies during
the past week show an increase. They have comprised
altogether 11 vessels—five to Sydney, with an aggregate
burden of 4,189 tons; four to Port Philip, with an
aggregate burden of 1,920 tons ; one to Launceston, of
356 tons, and one to Hobart Town, of 199 tons. Their
total capacity was 6,669 tons. The rates of freight
exhibit firmness, with a tendency in some particular
cases to improve.

COST OF. THE WAR.—Various calculations are afloat
as to our present war expenditure ; that which would
seem -to be not very wide 9f the mark fixes it at be-
tween 30,0001. and 40,0001. per diem. ' The drain of
specie, in payment of our forces, will soon become pal-
Table, which will be-materially increased if the Turkish
Government is unable to find the large body of troops
which will occupy the Ottoman territory in supplies.--
Sunday Times.

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

After the reading of the minutes of last meeting, it
was observed that, the statements in: the paper on
Ruthven's propeller had been misunderstood ; as it bad
been assumed, that the paper stated the useful effect
realised, as 64 per cent. of the whole power of the
engine at the pistons ; whereas it was really stated to
be 50 per cent., and that the useful effect was 64 per
cent. of the power delivered to the wheel-shaft; which
*cad- materially affect the deductions then made.
Tleateane most important element in the calculation
was lost sight of, namely, the duplicate pressure of re-
action due to the efflux of water through the side of a
vessel at rest ; the whole unbalanced hydraulic pressure
being twice the hydrostatic pressure due to the height of
the column of water. It was contended, that this du-
plicate pressure must exist to some extent, so long as
the effluent velocity of the water exceeded the re-
ceding velocity of the vessel ; and that it diminished
in some ratio with the receding speed of the vessel,
and vanished only, when the vessel had acquired the
effluent velocity of the water,—when the simple pressure
due to the head of water remained. Therefore, that
some allowance must be made for this duplicate pressure,
and that assuming it to decrease uniformly with the
difference of speeds, the power would be thus estimated
when the speed of the vessel was 62 per cent. of that
of the effluent water, leaving 38 per cent. of excess :-
1 x 100 =lOO per cent., when the speed of the vessel
was equal to that of the effluent water ;
1.38 x 62=85.56 per cent., when the speed of the
vessel was 62 per cent. of that of the effluent water ;
Leaving 14.44 per cent. of loss, by excess of speed, as
originally deduced in the paper.
The subject was investigated in three different ways,
each giving the same result.
It was stated, that in 1848 Mr. Purkis, being engaged
in the construction of a fan-blower, thought the same
principle might be adapted to the propulsion of a boat,
and tried it in a model, about 4 feet longand 8 inches
wide, with a small steam engine and two fans, each 2
inches in diameter; with this he attained a speed of 3
to 4 miles per hour. He then built another boat 25 feet
long, and 4 feet wide, fitted with an engine, with two
cylinders 4 inches diameter and 4a inches stroke, driving
two fans 12 inches diameter of the same form as the
fans of Appold's pump ; the water issuing from two
orifices, each of 25 square inches. With this apparatus,
the boat could only hold her way against a tide of about 3
miles an hour. On the substitution of two fans of 7 in.
diameter and the reduction of the propelling orifices
to 7.75 square each, the boat attained an estimated
speed of nearly 8 miles an hour. It was admitted that
these experiments were imperfect, but they tended to
corroborate the statements of the performances of Ruth-
ven's propeller.
The arrangement of Purkis' boat differed from, Ruth-
ven's, chiefly in there being three holes on each side of
the vessel , one to propel her ahead, one astern, and one
midship to supply the pump—each being supplied with
a valve to close the orifices not in action, and to act in-
stead of the curved nozzles of the "Enterprise," which
were supposed to be objectional in absorbing power.
The first paper read was "On the Prevention of
Smoke in Engine and other Furnaces," by Mr. James
Simpson, Jun.
The annoyance, of smoke incidental to the increase of
habitations and to the extension of manufactures, in all
cities and large towns, had been noticed reprehensively
even as early as the_ time of Charles the Second, in
whose reign it was proposed to legislate on the subject,
and in 1697 Dr. Pepin devised a scheme for forcigg air
down a pipe immediately above the incandescent fuel, to
induce more perfect combustion.
The attention of parliamentary committees was de-
voted to the subject in the sessions of 1819 and 20, and
again in 1843, when a very complete history of the sub-
ject was given in the report, with a clear recapitulation
of the scientific evidence, recommending a freer admis-
sion of air to the furnaces as the " great if not the only
principle, fen- preventing smoke." In 1845, two other
committees reported " that opaque smoke issuing from
steam-engine c'nimnies might be so abated, as no longer
to be a public nuisance , and in 1853, the " Smoke
Nuisance Abatenieut Act" was passed, and was ordered
to come into force in August, 1854. This act rendered
it compulsory on owners of engines arid furnaces to pro-
vide means for preventing the emission of opaque smoke,
and it applied, also, to steam.vessels navigating the
Thames above London-bridge.
An enumeration was then given, of the local acts into
which clauses had been introduced for abating the
nuisance of smoke; whence it appeared that there had
been an anxious desire to find means of attaining so de-
sirable an end, and the double furnace fired alternately,
now so extensively used at Manchester, was alluded to.
The chemistry of combustion was then examined, in
order to show, that to imperfect combustion alone must
be attributed the annoyance, as well as 'the serious pecu-
niary loss, no .v experienced, in the emission of opaque
smoke from furnaces generally. It was shown, that a
good furnace should prevent the formation of smoke, by
burning all the carbon of the gas evolved ; or in other
words, by combining at a certain temperature, each atom
of carbon in the gas, with two atoms of oxygen before it
left the furnace ; which combination was the best for
giving out heat, and for evaporating fluids with the least
expenditure of fuel. . .
The various mythode of introducing atmospheric air to
the furnaces, and of diffusing it among the gases, were
then examined, showing that the admission should be
through numerous apertures, so arranged as to permit
accurate regulation, as a greater quantity was required
after the period of adding fresh fuel, than when the fire
was burning brightly and freely.
The various mechanical means and apparatus proposed
for this object were reviewed, and it appeared that in
many of them the combustion was to a certain extent im-
perfect, and the machines were liable to derangement ;
that the alleged saving of fuel depended chiefly on the
manner of stoking, and that it might be attained by a
judicious modification of the grate of any well set boiler,
and by a greater amount of attention on the part of the
fireman, without any mechanical appliances.
The regulation of the air supply by machinery bad
been found to fail, in many instances, on account of the
variation in the qualities of the fuel, and it was con-
tended that it was more advisable to entrust it to the
discretion of the fireman, than to rely upon self-acting
apparatus, which might, however, be advantageously
used for indicating the state of the furnace.
The employment of anthracite and'Welsh steam coal
was advoted, not only on account of the absence of
opaque smoke, during their combustion, but also on the
ground of the economy arising from their great evapora-
tive power.
The second paper was "On the Management of Fur-
naces, and the Prevention of Smoke," by Mr. C. Wye
Williams Assoc. rnst. C.E.
The object of this communication was to endeavour to
remove the mystery which had hitherto obscured, what
was asserted to be one of the simplest, and best under-
stood processes of nature, namely, the combustion of the
gaseous products of cpal. A short analysis of the chemical
details connected with the subject was given, to show
that the existence of flame did not imply the combustion
of gas. That it was but the preliminary State of high
temperature of the numerous atoms of the carbon of the
gas, which was caused by the intense heat, produced by,
the combustion of the other constituent--the hydrogen.'
In effecting the combustion of the gas generated from
the coal in a furnace, the first process was merely mecha-
nical, and consisted in bringing the atoms of the gas and
those of the air into the most intimate st de of mixture;
such mixture being the "sine qua non" of subsequent
chemical union. The mode or means by which this
chemical admixture could be effected, in the most rapid,
and intimate manner, involved all that art or human in-
genuity could do, towards producing perfect combustion,
As to the mode of effecting this mixture, or of bring-
ing together the atoms of air and gas, reference was
made to the Argand gas burner, as supplying a good
illustration ; the only difference being, that in the Argand
burner, the gas was projected among the air in numerous
small jets, or films ; whereas, in the furnace, the process
was reversed, the air being brought to the gas in a simi-
lar manner, by means of numerous orifices.
In both cases the effect was identical, and might be
compared to the rose of a watering pot, or of an artifi-
cial " jet d'eau ;"—namely, the producing, on the in-
stant, the largest area of surface for mutual and atomic
contact. Models and drawings were exhibited, show-
ing, the facility and simplicity with which both in-
land and marine furnaces, hundreds of small orifices
were introduced, so as to effect the most intimate
mingling of the air, with the gaseous products of com-
bustion.
It was stated, as the result of considerable experience,
that it was a matter of perfect indifference, in what part
of a furnace, or flue, the air was introduced, provided,
this all-important condition was attended to, and satis-
fied, namely, the effecting the mixture of the air and the
gas, before the temperature of the latter was reduced
below that of accension, or kindlieg. This, according
to Sir Humphrey Davy, should not be under 800 deg.,
Faht., as ignition could not take place at a lower tem-
perature—that fact being the principle of safety in the
miner's lamp.
Previously to the introduction of the tubular in place
of the flue system in Marine boilers, it had been supposed
that the introductions of the air, on the Argerd principle,
by a perforated plateibehind the bridge, satisfied all that
nature required in producing perfect combustion. The
tubular form of boiler, however, rendered a different
arrangement absolutely necessary. This was occa-
sioned by the run, or distance between the bridge and
the fillies, being so very short, and, consequently, the
passing along that distance being so limited in time
that the mixing and combustion could not be ade-
quately effected. This, after numerous trials and
ex-
pedients, led to placing the orifices of admission in the
front, or at the 'dor-way end of the furnace. The sys-
tem adopted by boiler makers, of contracting the door-
ways of marine boilers, much impeded a successful
application of the Argand principle. The enlarging the
door-way opening, as shown in the models, however,
afforded sufficient space for the required number of 2 or
i-inch orifices) By this arrangement, the length of the
furnace from the door to the bridge was thus, as it'were,
added to the length of the run. By this mode of con-
struction, the Argand principle had been applied with
great success to marine boilers.
The next point considered was, as to the quantity, or
gross volume of air required, and the area or aperture
necessary for its introduction. On this head it was
stated, that a great practical error had been frequently
committed, as it had been stated, that it would suffice,
if the aperture should be equal to lA square inch for
each square foot of fire surface in the furnace, in the case
of single furnaces ; and of but half a square inch, or
'5
-inch for each square foot of grate-bar surface in the
case of double furnaced boilers.
These proportions were now asserted to be wholly in-
sufficient, and in fact Were not sufficient to allow of one-
fourth the quantity of air to pass, In practice, it had
been ascertained that for bituminous coal, from 4 to 6
squ'are inches were required for each square foot of fur-
nace ; and for anthracite from 2to 4 square inches, ACi