Vedic schools is a valuable mine of information, and Dr. Simon has gained a claim to the gratitude of Sanskrit scholars by rendering it generally accessible.

J. JOLLY.

Eighth International Congress of Drientalists

Which will be held at Stockholm and at Christiania from the 2nd to the 13th September 1889.

Patron: H.M. the King of Sweden and Norway Oscar II.

General Secretary.-Count Carlo Landberg, Ph.D. Committee for Sweden.-M. E. Tegnér, Ph.D., Professor of Semitic Languages at the University of Lund, one of the 18 members of the Swedish Academy; M. R. Almkvist, Ph.D., Professor of Comparative Philology at the University of Upsala; M. Fr. Fehr, Ph.D., Pastor Primarius of Storkyrkan; The Count Carlo Landberg.

Committee for Norway.-M. E. Blix, Ph.D., formerly Minister of Public Instruction in Norway, Professor at the University of Christiania; M. J. Lieblein, Professor of Egyptology at the University of Christiania; M. S. Bugge, Ph.D., Professor of IndoEuropean Philology at the University of Christiania; M. C. P. Caspari, D.D. & Ph.D., Professor of Theology at the University of Christiania; M. A. Seippel, Ph.D., Professor of Semitic Languages at the University of Christiania.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS.

I. The Congress will be composed of five sections, the first of which will be divided into two distinct sub-sections:

Sections.-1st, Semitic and Islâm: a. Languages and literatures of Islâm; b. Semitic languages, other than Arabic; text and cuneiform inscriptions. 2nd, Aryan languages. 3rd, African languages, including Egyptology. 4th, Section of Central Asia and the Extreme East. 5th, Section of Malayan and Polynesian languages.

II. The official languages employed at the general meetings will be English, French, German, Italian, Latin and Eastern languages. At the sectional meetings the president will decide if languages other than the above mentioned can be admitted.

III. Beside the opening and closing general meetings, a general meeting of the various sections presided over by His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway will be held at Stockholm. Papers to be read at this meeting must not extend over twenty minutes.

IV. At Christiania the Congress will be opened and closed in the name of His Majesty by the Minister of Public Instruction.

V. Each section shall elect from among its members a President, two Vice-Presidents and two Secretaries. Should the section contain less than 15 members one Vice-President may be elected, appointing in every case the two Secretaries so as to faciliate the publication of the daily bulletin of the Congress. It is advisable to appoint the Secretaries without distinction of nationality so that the report may be drawn up as speedily as possible.

VI. Each section shall fix for itself the order of the day.

VII. The Secretaries are earnestly requested to forward to the General-Secretary a précis of the papers after each meeting, as well as the order of the day of the following section. The members of the Congress are also requested to forward to the Secretaries of

their sections a résumé of the intended communications. The résumés of the papers to be read at the three general meetings are to be forwarded to the General-Secretary.

VIII. The Proceedings of the Congress will be published at the expense of the Congress, but will contain only such papers as are presented during the Congress, and have a scientific value.

IX. To facilitate the despatch of these Proceedings, members are requested to write their addresses in the register opened at the Secretary's office.

X. On arriving at Stockholm, members are requested to inscribe their names, nationality, and Stockholm address, so that the list of members present may be distributed before the opening meeting.

XI. His Majesty has consented to accept the presentation of such works as may be left for that purpose at the President's office. These will be acknowledged in time by His Majesty's private Secretary. Members are advised to inscribe on a register ad hoc name, address and works presented to His Majesty.

The General-Secretary would be much obliged by being informed in time of the titles of the works to be presented, so that a printed list may be issued previous to the opening meeting.

PROGRAMM FOR STOCKHOLM.

The Congress will meet at the Palace of the Swedish Nobility, Riddarhuset, situated in the Riddarhustorget, at the back of the statue of Gustavus Vasa. The opening and closing sittings, as well as the general meeting, will be held in the large Concert-Hall of the Royal Academy of Music. Places will be reserved for delegates.

Sunday, Sept. 1st.-At 7 p.m.: Friendly réunion in the state rooms of the Grand Hotel with refreshments. Monday, Sept. 2nd.—At 11 a.m. Opening session. The delegates of foreign powers will be presented to His Majesty and to the Royal Princes. Opening speech delivered by His Majesty the King. Words of Welcome by the President of the Congress. Report read on the two prizes founded by the King, and presentation of these prizes to the successful competitors. Communications made by the foreign delegates. The subjects of such communications should, before being admitted, be communicated to the General-Secretary on the previous day. The members will then betake themselves to the rooms in the Riddarhuset assigned to the various sections, and will proceed to elect their officers. Official dress. Professors and members of Universities are requested to appear in their robes or gowns.

Sittings.-3.5 p.m.: Semitic section la. and Aryan section 2; 7 p.m.: Reception at HASSELBACKEN ; From 6 p.m. to 73 p.m. river steamers starting from the piers near the Grand Hotel will convey members across; and from 10 p.m. till midnight they will be taken back to the town by the same boats.

Tuesday, Sept. 3.-9 a.m.-12: Aryan section 2; Semitic section 1b.; African section 3; Section for Central Asia and Extreme East 4; 2 p.m.-4 p.m. : Semitic section la.; 9 p.m.: A soirée given by COUNT and COUNTESS LANDBERG to the foreign members of the Congress will take place in the assembly rooms of the Grand Hotel.

Wednesday, Sept. 4.-9 a.m.-12: Semitic section 16. Aryan section 2. African section 3. Polynesian section 4. 4 p.m. Excursion by special train to Gamla-Upsala, where the members of the Congress will be received by the students of the University, and where, near the graves of Odin, Thor, and Freya,

the mead of the Gods will be served, according to a custom still in use in this locality so rich in memories. The members will here be presented, in the name of the King, with a suitable memorial of the Congress. All the military bands from Stockholm will be in attendance. From there by the same train to Upsala, where a fête will take place, at which the celebrated choir of students will be present. 11 p.m.: Return to Stockholm by special train.

Thursday, Sept. 5.-9 a.m.-12 p.m.: Aryan section 2. Semitic section la. Section of Central Asia and Extreme East 4. 2 p.m.-4 p.m.: Semitic section 16. African section 3. Excursion through the town. 7 p.m.: Gala representation at the Royal Opera. Evening dress.

Friday, Sept. 6th.-11 a.m.: General meeting of all the sections under the presidency of H. M. the King in the Concert-Hall of the Royal Academy of Music. 7 p.m. Reception at the palace of Drottningholm. Special steamers starting from the pier at Riddarholmen will convey members to the palace. The delegates of foreign powers will embark on the Royal yacht. Official or evening dress. 11 p.m.: Return to Stockholm.

Saturday Sept. 7th.-11 a.m.: Meeting of the Presidents of sections, of the Committee of organization and of delegates. 1 p.m.: Closing of the Congress in the Concert-Hall of the Academy of Music with address delivered by His Majesty. Official or evening dress. 5 p.m.: Banquet given by the Committee of organization to the foreign members of the Congress in the large dining room of the Grand Hotel. p.m. Departure by special train for Christiania. Sleeping accommodation will be provided.

11

Luggage may be registered gratis after 9 p.m. in the halls of the Grand Hotel and Hotel Rydberg. It will be delivered at Christiania without further trouble on the part of the members.

PROGRAMM FOR CHRISTIANIA.

Sunday, Sept. 8th.-8 a.m.: Arrival at Charlottenberg. Breakfast at the station. Tickets will be given admitting members free of expense. 12: Arrival at Christiania. No business. The members will meet at the Secretary's office young scholars, who have undertaken the task of showing the town to those members, who may wish to visit it. 8 p.m.: Réunion in the halls of the Frimurerlogen.

Monday, Sept. 9th.-10 a.m.: Opening session in the large hall of the University. Presentation of works. Official or evening dress. 2-4 p.m.: Meetings of the various sections. 4 p.m.: Excursion to Bygdö. After visiting the palace of Oscarshall and the ancient Norwegian structures collected by His Majesty, a reception in the royal palace of Bygdö will be held, and the members received by M. Holst, chamberlain to H. M. the King of Norway, in the name of his Sovereign. Special steamers will convey the members.

Tuesday, Sept. 10th.-9-11 a.m.: Sittings of the various sections. 12 p.m. Excursion by special train to the falls of Hönefos. 4 p.m. Dinner at Hönefos. 6 p.m.: Return by special train. Arrival at Christiania at 11 p.m. The train will stop at Drammen, where tea will be served by the ladies of

the town.

Wednesday, Sept. 11th.-10 a.m.-12: Sittings of the various sections. 2 p.m.: Closing Meeting of the Congress in the Hall of the University. 5 p.m.: Banquet given to the foreign members of the Congress in the large hall of the Frimurerlogen. 10 p.m. Departure by special train for Götheborg. Luggage may be registered at the Victoria and

Skandinavia Hotels. It will be delivered at the station at Götheborg.

Thursday, Sept. 12th.—9 a.m. : Arrival at Wennersborg. The ladies of the town will serve coffee. 10 a.m. Departure in special steamers for Götheborg, passing through the locks of the canal and river of Götha. 2 p.m.: Arrival at Götheborg. 8 p.m: Farewell reception. The following morning members may proceed either by train to Malmö, or by steamer to Copenhagen.

OBSERVATIONS REFERRING TO THE

JOURNEY.

1. Members of the Congress will have a right to a reduction of 50 per cent. on the price of tickets on all railways in the United Kingdoms.

2. Thursday and Friday, 30th and 31st August, evening, a special train will leave Malmö for Stockholm, at an hour to be fixed at a later date. The directors of the railway will provide sufficient carriages to enable each member to make himself comfortable for the night. Sleeping cars will also be provided. The ticket of membership shown at the ticket office will suffice to procure an ordinary railway ticket.

3. All members of the Congress are earnestly requested to wear in the buttonhole the small rosette in the national colours of Sweden and Norway, which will be handed to them at Stockholm, Sweden and Norway being at this period overrun by travellers.

SOJOURN IN STOCKHOLM.

The Grand Hotel being one of the largest and best conducted hotels in Europe, members are advised to patronize it, as they can all find suitable accommodation. Price of rooms, service and lights included: 2nd floor, looking on the port: 5 crowns (Swedish currency); back or other rooms: 3.50 crowns. 3rd floor, looking on the port: 4 crowns; other rooms, 3 crowns. 4th floor, looking on the port: 3 crowns. Lift. Special table d'hôte for members from 12 -2 p.m. 3 crowns, wine not included. Thursday, September 5, the table d'hôte will cost 4 crowns, wine not included; admission till 5 p.m. Restaurant à la carte at any hour. The gala performance in the theatre will begin on this day at 7 p.m.

The Hotel Rydberg, situated in the principal square of the town, and belonging to the same proprietor, is also recommended. Price of rooms, service and lights included 1st floor, looking on the square: 5 crowns (Swedish); back rooms: 3.50. 2nd floor, looking on the square: 6 crowns; back-rooms: 3. 3rd floor: 2.50-5. 4th floor, looking on the square: 4 crowns; other rooms: 3.50. Lift. Table d'hôte du déjeuner for members, wine not included: 3 crowns. will be no table d'hôte for the dinner Thursday, September 5.

There

The Secretary's office of the Congress at Stockholm will be in the Palace of the Nobility, Riddarhuset, to the left in the entrance-hall. Under-Secretaries will be found there, who will furnish all necessary directions, and ready to do the honours of the town to such members as may desire their services.

Ladies will not be admitted to the closing dinner given to the members on Saturday, September 7th, nor to that given at Christiania, Wednesday, September 10th; but they may take part in all the other fêtes.

To retain rooms both in Stockholm and Christiania, apply to the "Secrétariat du VIIIième Congrès international des Orientalistes, Stockholm," but not previous to July 15th, naming floor, position, number of rooms and beds required. By return of post a card naming No. and price of rooms in both towns will be sent. Previous to that date, all communications may

be addressed to Count Landberg, whose address till July 15th is Stuttgart.

So that arrangements made may not be upset at the last moment, members are requested to give due notice whether they intend taking part in the Congress at Christiania. Those members who only decide to do so at Stockholm, have only themselves to blame if everything does not correspond to their wishes. The Committee of Organization expresses the hope that all the members of the Congress will also meet together in Christiania, a hospitable town, on which nature has lavished its richest treasures.

SOJOURN IN CHRISTIANIA.

Before leaving Stockholm, members must apply to the Secretary's office for a card bearing all directions necessary to enable them to find without difficulty their lodgings on arrival at Christiania. The Hotels Victoria and Skandinavia are particularly recommended. Prices are more moderate than at Stockholm, both for rooms and table d'hôte du déjeuner. HOW AND WHERE TO OBTAIN CARDS OF MEMBERS.

To secure membership, foreigners will pay a fee of twenty francs-16 shillings=8 rupees. Requests to be enrolled in the list of members should be addressed either to Count Landberg, Stuttgart, or to one of the following gentlemen: France and Colonies: M. E. Leroux, libraire-éditeur, 28, Rue Bonaparte, Paris. England: T. W. Rhys Davids, Esq., Secretary of the Royal Asiatic Society, 22, Albemarle Street, Piccadilly, London. Italy: Cav. Professore Schiaparelli, 22, Via della Lungara, Roma. Syria and Palestine: M. Jules Loytved, Vice-Consul for Sweden and Norway, Beyrouth. East Indies: Professor P. Peterson, Bombay University. Turkey (in Europe): Legation of Sweden and Norway, Constantinople. Belgium, Holland and Dutch Colonies: M. J. E. Brill, Leyden, Spain and Portugal; M. Fr, Codera, University, Madrid. Egypt: M. Vollers, Director of the Khedivial Library, Cairo.

Subscribers are requested to send their fees and full address to one of the above-mentioned gentlemen. They are also requested to state at the same time whether they intend to appear in person at the Congress. Cards of membership will be forwarded by return of post, and will serve as receipt for payment of fees.

Any person who may intend to bring forward a motion during the meeting of the Congress, or who has any communications to make, or wishes for special information, is requested to make such intention known to the General-Secretary previous to August 1.

For Swedes the subscription will be 30 crowns; they may, however, take part in the Congress at Christiania by only paying the amount of a railway ticket with 50 per cent. deduction.

Scandinavians are requested to communicate with some member of the Committee of Organization.

The daily bulletins will furnish all directions which may be necessary.

The Committee of Organization will strain every nerve to render the sojourn in Sweden and Norway pleasant to the savants who may join the Congress. The patriarchal hospitality of the two countries, the innate cordiality of their inhabitants, who have at all times done honour to science, will be the best guarantee of a sincere welcome,-to say nothing of the unique opportunity offered to the members of visiting the most beautiful parts of our countries.

The Committee of Organization has moreover the high honour of working under the patronage of H.M. Oscar II., who has not only shown a special interest

in the objects of the Congress, but has accorded them at all times his valuable aid.

The Committee of Organization would be glad if Orientalists from all parts of the globe would seize this opportunity to do homage by their presence to the august monarch of the North, who, himself a savant, considers it a glory and a duty to be a protector of the science which teaches us to decipher the most ancient annals of mankind.

THE COMMITTEE OF ORGANIZATION,

Stockholm and Christiania, January, 1889.

New Books.

Mekka von Dr. C. Snouck Hurgronje. Herausgegeben von “het Koninklijk Instituut voor de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde van Nederlandsch-Indië te's-Graven

hage." Vol. I. Die Stadt und ihre Herren (xxiii and 228 pages 8vo. with two plates). The Hague, M. Nijhoff, 1888.-Vol. II. Aus dem heutigen Leben (xviii and 397 pages) ib. 1889.-Album of pictures (40 plates fol.).

Well prepared as an Arabic scholar, and also accustomed to speak the vernacular, the Dutch savant Dr. Snouck Hurgronje went to Jeddah, the port of Mecca, in the year 1884 with the intention of studying the nature and action of Islám by personal observation in the holy city which has remained untouched by European influences. He stayed at Jeddah for five

months to familiarise himself still better with the language and customs of the country, and to form connections, and then went to Mecca, where he resided for nearly six months among the Muslim theologians as one of themselves. He had planned to join in the great festival of the pilgrims at Mecca and then to visit Medina. But through the intrigue of the French ViceConsul at Jeddah he was ordered out of the city. He had, however, made such good use of his sojourn there that he brought away with him a far more accurate acquaintance with that city than any of his predecessors had done who visited Mecca only during the pilgrimage season when everything is in an abnormal condition. Mecca, a city of about 60,000 inhabitants, in an absolutely barren locality, and without industry worth mentioning, derives its livelihood solely from the pilgrims. From the time of their gradual appearance till the end of the festival when, after viewing the sacred places and visiting Medina, they return to their several homes, every Meccan tries to derive the utmost gain from those visitors (who number about a hundred thousand, and are most of them in easy circumstances) as guides, letters of lodgings or animals for riding, agents and general advisers, solicited or unsolicited. During that season the inhabitants are agitated by a feverish thirst after gain; it is their harvesting season. But as soon as the pilgrims are gone the natives resume their quiet, normal life of enjoyment and study, they then show their better qualities. It was, therefore, fortunate that Dr. Snouck resided at Mecca during the period of rest.

Dr. Snouck having previously brought out some of

the results of his journey,* now presents us in the comprehensive work before us with the main outcome of his studies and observations. The first volume contains topographical matter, and then gives the political history of Mecca from Muhammed down to the present day. For this he had the advantage of using valuable manuscript chronicles, copies of which he had procured at Mecca. He was also enabled by his intimate acquaintance with the locality and the people to utilize the well-known histories of Mecca to a greater extent than it would otherwise have been possible.

That history has for many centuries been closely connected with that of the exceedingly numerous descendants of Hasan, the son of 'Ali and of Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammed. No family of rank in Europe can, as to ancient lineage, even distantly compare with the Hasanides and Husainides of W. Arabia, who since the seventh century A.D. have been acknowledged by all Arabs to be of high nobility. The proudest Beduin chief humbly kisses the hand of the poorest of those descendants of the Prophet. A Sherif (Hasanide) gives as a rule his daughter in marriage to none but a Sherif. But in no sense does this noble race of the Prophet's children form a priestly caste or any particularly pious community. They are genuine, unbridled Arabs, not rarely downright robbers. Indeed, that sanctity, so strongly inculcated by the Muhammedan religion, of Mecca and its territory, where it is not even lawful to hunt, has, since the Hasanides have gained the ascendency, unceasingly and often for years in succession, on account of their family feuds, been profaned through bloodshed. A Grand Sherif of Mecca was never for a moment safe from being attacked or even driven out by a brother, cousin, or distant relative. These doings, however, were checked, though at times also countenanced, through the influence of the Muhammedan Power whose temporary supremacy was acknowledged in Mecca and therefore invested with the highest authority in the eyes of all the faithful. In most cases that Power was the ruler of Egypt, for hungry Mecca has principally to rely on that country for donations of grain. Dr. Snouck portrays to us the changeful tableaux of frictions between the Egyptian, in later times the Osmanli, highest functionaries and the Grand Sherifs. The latter could not be completely set aside since it was through the Sherifs only that an influence could be exerted on the Beduins with whom the Turks of Cairo and Constantinople did not understand how to deal direct. The want of consistency in the administration, the influence of intriguers of every kind, and the consequent frequent change of Governors often allowed the Sherifs a free hand, even in open rebellion. There is a certain romantic charm attaching to these people

* We draw special attention to the Dutch treatise "Een Rector der Mekkaansche Universiteit " (in "Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde van Ned. Indië," vol. xxxvi.), to his collection of Mecca proverbs and phrases (in German, ib. vol. xxxv. also published separately at the Hague in 1886), to which are added valuable philological and explanatory notes; and to the account he gave of his journey at a meeting of the Berlin Geographical Society on March 5, 1887.

who have uninterrupted feuds against one another and yet possess a strong feeling of reciprocal interest, which e.g. would prevent them from totally annihilating a defeated enemy. It is fortunate, however, that the influence of the foreign governors has gradually gone on increasing, especially since the opening of the Suez Canal and the laying of a telegraphic cable connecting Mecca with Stamboul. According to Meccan standard, Turkish rule upon the whole means, after all, progress, though that rule is not always represented by such capable and energetic men as Osman Nuri Pascha, who was Governor during Dr. Snouck's residence, but was unfortunately soon recalled.

But while the first volume gives us many a deep insight into the daily life of the holy city, we find a great deal more of this in the second. They are indeed but sketches; still you would rarely meet with such a comprehensive and life-like view of a strange civilization as you do in this volume. With Lane's power of observation which does not lose sight of the minutest detail, Dr. Snouck combines the large views of the historian. He shows us how the population of Mecca, a strange motley of people from all Muhammedan countries, is constantly renewed and yet constantly forms a unit of truly Arabic or rather Meccan character. The people make their living by the sanctuary; they worship the Prophet and the saints in a manner which he himself would have stigmatized as idolatry; they constantly have God and his legate upon their lips-without any hypocrisy, to be sure, for no one is tainted with free-thinking,-but mostly also without any deeper religious feeling. Holding fast to the belief that God is all-merciful, they live and let live, and consciously also commit many a sin. It was just the same 1200 years ago, for Mecca never really was an abode of gloomy asceticism. Dr. Snouck does not gloss over any dark part, but takes equal care to show the bright sides in bold relief. We see then that those people with their medieval ways of thinking have after all a far greater resemblance to ourselves than we might suppose. Dr. Snouck introduces us into the most recondite mysteries of the house; and we are taught more plainly than ever that the prime evil of Muslim matrimony does not lie in polygamy, but in the ease with which the marriage tie can be cut asunder. In forming a matrimonial alliance the contracting parties have no intention of binding themselves for life or even of blending their mutual interests. Generally speaking, concubinage (sanctioned both by law and custom) with a slave woman, especially an Abyssinian, is of a far closer nature and more akin to our idea of marriage. Such a woman has no property of her own, but her dependence on the man is different to that of a free woman. When she has had a child she may no longer be sold, and on the owner's death she is free. The children of a slave mother, be she or they jet black, are by right and custom on an even footing with those of free mothers. Though apparently standing outside the law, the wife also in Mecca often reigns supreme in the house, she torments and plunders her husband. As Dr. Snouck corrects the current ideas concerning

We

the harem, so he does especially those on slavery. Prompted by his own experience and that of other unbiassed Europeans, he pronounces emphatically, nay acrimoniously, against the anti-slavery policy. highly recommend his exposition to all those, who in the crusade against the slave trade in which at this moment not only England and Germany, but also-of course from pure philanthropy!-the Roman Church are engaged, have preserved their independence of judgment.

The chapter which treats of literary studies pursued at Mecca at the present day is highly instructive. In the spacious halls surrounding the Kaaba (the sanctuary which has had its origin in heathen times), partly also in private buildings, lectures are delivered by a large number of savants to students of various ages and from different countries, from Marocco to Celebes and Kashghar, in all branches of scholastic theology in the widest sense. The author himself attended as a student the lectures of the Rector, the hoary Ahmed Dahlan, on Baidhawi's commentary on the Koran. These lectures do not indeed contain anything materially new, their main object is merely to prevent the substance of old literary knowledge from falling into disuse. We have here a complete reproduction of medieval times. The description of the present subjects of instruction and method of teaching, interwoven as it is with lucid delineations of the character and personal habits of some of the most prominent lecturers, is preceded by an excellent historical review of the development of the science of Islam, from which we again learn that from its very commencement it had a strong tendency to ossification in it. This tendency has also exerted its influence upon mysticism, which, however, still possesses much vitality, though not in literary matters. We wish further to draw the reader's attention to Dr. Snouck's exposition of the highly artificial recitation of the Koran, which is something altogether apart from the understanding of it. We are astounded to learn that the sacred volume is now only used for ritual purposes, that it is of no consequence to understand its meaning, and that it is actually not understood by all those who have not studied exegesis expressly.

Although the pilgrims for several months entirely put their stamp upon Mecca, in many respects those visitors are of by far greater importance who have come to reside there for years or for good. Dr. Snouck as a Dutchman took of course special interest in the thousands of Muslim colonists from the Dutch East Indies, who after the principal island are simply called "Jāvā."* Able to converse in Malay and Javanese as well as in Arabic, Dr. Snouck kept up a familiar intercourse with those "Java," and he describes their various classes, from the scholar who belongs to Mecca's most illustrious men down to the ignorant pilgrim who quits the place in the same stupidity that he

A special branch of "Jāvā is formed by the descendants of Malays who had been taken to the Cape Colony years ago. These Cape people (ahl-kaf), it is supposed, have been strongly blended with Dutch blood, and speak the Dutch of the present Boers. Several also of these Moslims, whose vernacular is Teutonic, visit Mecca annually as pilgrims.

brought with him. He points out-and this part of the whole work is of the most practical importancehow paramount is the influence of this Jāvā Colony, and more especially of their learned men, upon their coreligionists at home, and how thus pan-islamic sentiment and hatred of the rule of the infidel are powerfully fostered. This fact can scarcely be agreeable to a nation of about four millions, more than two-thirds of whose thirty millions of subjects are Muslims, while among the rest Islam is spreading more and more. As, however, those people, by their national and geographical insulation, are far apart from one another, and as some of them are devoid of energy, we are confident that the Dutch, cool and circumspect as they are, will know how to meet any dangers arising from that cause. Also England has found by "the Great Mutiny" what a danger her immense number of Muslim subjects are. But any one who in blind confidence still imagines that the Indian Muhammedans have by this time found out what they owe to England, can learn from Dr. Snouck by the way that their hatred of England has become more intense since. Let him consider, too, that Russia, a power not near so repellant to the Moslims as are the more cultured European nations, has advanced close to the gates of India !

The Album contains partly views of Mecca, partly portraits of natives of Mecca and Jeddah and of pilgrims of all classes; all but two from photographs taken by Dr. Snouck himself or by an Arab whom he had instructed in that art. There are, besides, coloured pictures of all sorts of articles peculiar to Mecca. Among the portraits the various kinds of "Jāvā” are most numerous. There are not many purely Arab types, for even in the Sherifs and Sayids (Husainides) you can frequently trace the blood of the black mothers. While we admire the stately military figure of the abovenamed Osman Pascha, the grand Sherif looks downright disfigured by his gold-lace gala uniform.

What we have said about this remarkable book does not claim to give more than a brief outline of its rich contents. May it also in England find attentive readers! TH. NÖLDEKE.

Strassburg, March 13, 1889.

A Group of Eastern Romances and Stories from the Persian, Tamil, and Urdu. With Introduction, Notes, and Appendix. By W. A. Clouston. Privately printed, 1889. (xl and 586 pages.)

Mr. Clouston, who has with indefatigable industry and a rare grasp of the folklore literature in all its ramifications, been wont to administer to the wants of lovers of Eastern fictions in prose and poetry, presents to us now, as a sequel to such popular romances as the Book of Sindibad and the Bakhtiyar-nameh, a group of less-known "Eastern Romances and Stories" in a ponderous volume of 629 pages. The History of Nassar, the History of Farrukhruz, and a number of shorter stories, are from the Persian collection entitled Mahbub ul Kulúb, the English translation of which, by Mr. E. Rehatsek, of Bombay, is now very scarce. The story of the King and his four Ministers was