*

deed, the Empress of all story-tellers! How often have I, in the nights of my boyhood, fallen asleep with thy incomparable productions under my pillow, in order that I might watch the first twinklings of the dawn of day to commence the perusal of another story! Thy BARBER is, indeed, the cream of all barbers,-CAMARALZAMAN is, indeed, the moon of the age,-BEDEREDDIN HASSAN + is, truly, the excellent full-moon of religion,—whilst SINBAD the Sailor is of all navigators the most amusing. If I could but obtain a moiety of thy fertility of invention, my "Noctes Orientales" might, indeed, stand some small chance of attaining immortality.

From what has been said, therefore, most learned Wilfred, you will understand that I have been always a great adept in acquiring languages. So much so, indeed, that my old teacher, Abdallah, the son of Abulfaid, (remember for good,) used wittily to remark, that I had surely got my head

• Ar.

+ Ar.

-ED.

moon of the age or of the world.-ED.

قمر الزمان

.the full moon of religion beautiful بدرالدین حسن

broken with a brick from the Tower of Babel. I am of opinion, however, that this wit of his was rather far-fetched; for Abdallah was originally from that part of the world where the Tower of Babel is situated, and he was always fond of talking about it. He was a native of the city of Beer, in the province of Diarbekr or Algezirah, which is fertilized by the waters of El-pharat ;* and being fired with the pride of youth, and stimulated by a thirst after knowledge, he resolved to improve his mind by travelling into foreign countries.

As I may, without vanity, say, that I was his favourite Talmidt during the whole time of my attending him at the Midrass ‡ of Alexandria, he used to take an opportunity of frequently relating to me some of the adventures that happened to him in his journey; and, in particular, the following, which I noted as having been somewhat singular :

*The river Euphrates is called Pharat or Phrath, in Hebrew and Arabic, which means fertile; and the Greeks, by prefixing Eu (Ev) to this, have formed the name Euphrates. Comp. in the Hebrew text of Gen. ii. 14., the two last words.-ED.

The Story of Abdallah, the Son of Abulfaid.Abdallah, the son of Abulfaid, was very desirous of visiting the once imperial city of Bagdad, where, according as we are told by the Mussulman historians, great glory and magnificence in former times surrounded the person of the renowned Khalif Haroun Al Rashid, the sublime successor of the Prophet of God, (on whom be the blessing and peace of God,) * the Emperor of the faithful, the Rose of delight, the Steward of Paradise, the Cherisher of merit, whose countenance shone like the vision of Al Borak,† whose wings were perpetually dropping with the dews of liberality, and extended for shelter to all the children of distress!

After having been for some time in this city,long enough to catch the disease of Bagdad,‡ and

صلي الله عليه وسلم In Arabic the following phrase •

(abbreviated thus lo,) signifying literally the blessing of God

upon him and peace, is often added to the name of Mahomet.ED.

† Al Borak, which in Arabic () means the lightning, is the name that is given to the animal upon which Mahomet is said to have ascended to Paradise, in his famous night journey.— ED.

For a particular account of this disease, a sort of tumour on

:

get tired of the place,—he thought of paying a visit to the spot where BABYLON THE GREAT, the city of Nebuchadnezzar and of Nimrod, once stood.

But I must here use the privilege of all Oriental story-tellers, and break off in the middle. I remain,

Most learned Wilfred,

Your faithful friend,

ISHMAEL NOBILIUS OLEANDER.

Alexandria, 21st of the month Nisan,

in the year 5584.*

the face, vide" The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan," vol. ii.-ED.

* i. e. 16th April, 1824.--Ep.

No III.

STORY OF ABDALLAH, THE SON OF ABULFAID.

Abdallah's Journey to Babylon-The Tower of Babel —Soliloquy―Vision of Hermes Trismegistus, and his Address to Abdallah.

ABDALLAH, the son of Abulfaid, proceeded on his journey, most learned Wilfred, from Bagdad to Babylon, where he was anxious to examine the venerable remains of antiquity that might be discovered about the place.

I might here, in the inflated language of the Mussulmans, which they are accustomed at all times to make use of even on the most trifling occasions, give you a glowing description of the scenery through which our traveller passed in his way to Babylon; and which he himself, a Syrian and a Mussulman, described with all their characteristic love of poetic imagery. Thus I might tell you

C