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ed lovers who lived before the time of Mahomet."-Note on the Oriental Tales.

Page 9.

Of the fair-haired Zal, and his mistress, Rodahver. Their amour is recounted in the Shah-Namêh of Ferdousi; and there is much beauty in the passage which describes the slaves of Rodahver, sitting on the bank of the river and throwing flowers into the stream, in order to draw the attention of the young Hero who is encamped on the opposite side.-v. Champion's Translation.

Page 10.

The combat of Rustam with the terible white Dæmon. Rustam is the Hercules of the Persians. For the particulars of his victory over the Sepeed Deeve, or White Demon, v. Oriental Collections, vol. ii. p. 45.-Near the city of Shirauz is an immense quadrangular monument, in commemoration of this combat, called The Kelaat-i-Deev Sepeed, or Castle of the White Giant, which Father Angelo, in his Gazophylacium Persicum, p. 127, declares to have been the most memorable monument of antiquity which he had seen in Persia.-v. Ouseley's Persian Miscellanies.

Page 10.

Their golden anklets.

"The women of the Idol, or dancing girls of the Pagoda, have little golden bells fastened to their feet, the soft, harmonious tinkling of which vibrates in unison with the exquisite melody of their voices."-Maurice's Indian Antiquities.

"The Arabian courtesans, like the Indian women, have little golden bells fastened round their legs, neck and

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elbows, to the sound of which they dance before the King. The Arabian princesses wear golden rings on their fingers, to which little bells are suspended, as well as in the flowing tresses of their hair, that their superior rank may be known, and they themselves receive in passing the homage due to them."-v. Calmet's Dictionary, art. Bells.

Page 10.

That delicious opium, &c.

"Abou-Tige, ville de la Thebaïde, ou il croit beaucoup de pavot noir, dont se fait le meilleur opium.”—D'Herbelot.

Page 11.

That idol of women, Crishna.

"He and the three Rámas are described as youths of perfect beauty; and the Princesses of Hindustan were all passionately in love with Crishna, who continues to this hour the darling God of the Indian women."-Sir W. Jones, on the Gods of Greece, Italy, and India,

Page 11.

The shawl-goat of Tibet.

See Turner's Embassy for a description of this animal, "the most beautiful among the whole tribe of goats." The material for the shawls (which is carried to Cashmere) is found next the skin.

Page 12.

The veiled Prophet of Khorassan.

For the real history of this Impostor, whose original name was Hakem ben Haschem, and who was called Mocanna from the veil of silver gauze (or, as others say, golden) which he always wore, v. D'Herbelot.

Page 13.

Flowrets and fruits blush over every stream.

"The fruits of Meru are finer than those of any other place; and one cannot see in any other city such palaces, with groves, and streams, and gardens."-Ebn Haukal's Geography.

Page 14.

For far less luminous, &c.

"Ses disciples assuroient qu'il se couvroit le visage, pour ne pas éblouir ceux qui l'approchoit par l'éclat de son visage comme Moyse."-D' Herbelot.

Page 14.

In hatred to the Caliph's hue of night.

"Il faut remarquer ici touchant les habits blancs des disciples de Hakem, que la couleur des habits, des cöeffures et des étendarts des Khalifes Abassides etant la noire, ce chef de Rebelles ne pouvoit pas choisir une, qui lui fût plas opposée."-D' Herbelot.

Page 14,

Javelins of the light Khathaian reed.

"Our dark javelins, exquisitely wrought of Khathaian reeds, slender and delicate."-Poem of Amru.

Page 14.

Filled with the stems that bloom on Iran's rivers. The Persians call this plant Gaz. The celebrated shaft of Isfendiar, one of their ancient heroes, was made of it.— "Nothing can be more beautiful than the appearance of this plant in flower during the rains on the banks of rivers, where it is usually interwoven with a lovely twining ascle

pias."-Sir W. Jones, Botanical Observations on Select Indian Plants.

Page 15.

Like a chenar-tree grove.

The oriental plane. "The chenar is a delightful tree; its bole is of a fine white and smooth bark; and its foilage, which grows in a tuft at the summit, is of a bright green." -Morier's Travels.

Page 16.

With turban'd heads of every hue and race,
Bowing before that veil'd and awful face,

Like tulip-beds

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"The name of tulip is said to be of Turkish extraction, and given to the flower on account of its resembling a turban."-Beckmann's History of Inventions.

Page 16.

With belt of broider'd crape,

And fur-bound bonnet of Bucharian shape. "The inhabitants of Bucharia wear a round cloth bon. net, shaped much after the Polish fashion, having a large fur border. They tie their kaftans about the middle with a girdle of a kind of silk crape, several times round the body."-Account of Independent Tartary, in Pinkerton's Collection.

Page 18.

Wav'd, like the wings of the white birds, that fan The flying Throne of star-taught Soliman. This wonderful Throne was called the Star of the Genii. For a full description of it, see the Fragment, translated by Captain Franklin, from a Persian MS. entitled "the History of Jerusalem:"-Oriental Collections, vol. i. p.

235. When Solomon travelled, the eastern writers say, "he had a carpet of green silk on which his throne was placed, being of a prodigious length and breadth, and sufficient for all his forces to stand upon, the men placing themselves on his right hand and the spirits on his left; and that when all were in order, the wind, at his command, took up the carpet, and transported it, with all that were upon it, wherever he pleased: the army of birds at the same time flying over their heads, and forming a kind of canopy to shade them from the sun."-Sale's Koran, vol. ii. p. 214, note.

Page 19.

and thence descending flow'd

Through many a Prophet's breast.

This is according to D'Herbelot's account of the doctrines of Mokanna, "Sa doctrine étoit que Dieu avoit pris une forme et figure humaine depuis qu'il eut commandé aux Anges d'adorer Adam, le premier des hommes. Qu'aprés la mort d'Adam, Dieu étoit apparu sous la figure de plusieurs Prophetes, et autres grands hommes qu'il avoit choisis, jusqu'à ce qu'il prît celle d'Abu Moslem, Prince de Khorassan, lequel professoit l'erreur de la Tenassukhiah ou Metempschy chose; et qu'après la mort de ee Prince, la Divinité étoit passée, et descendue en sa personne."

Page 33.

Such Gods as he,

Whom India serves, the monkey Deity.

"Apes are in many parts of India highly venerated, out of respect to the God Hannaman, a deity partaking of the form of that race."-Pennant's Hindoostan.

See a curious account in Stephen's Persia of a solemn

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