ference with which some of his works were treated in Paris, and the partiality shown by the Institute to Frenchmen in preference to foreigners of superior merit. The map prefixed exhibits the route of those Greek merchants sent by Titianus of Macedon from Hierapolis on the Euphrates, to Sera or Thina, in Serica, the country of the Sina or Chinese.

But his

We shall next briefly examine a quarto volume, published at Copenhagen in 1817 under the title of "Historia præcipuorum Arabum Regnorum, rerumque ab iis gestarum ante İslamismum," by Professor Janus Lassen RASMUSSEN. It consists of about 150 pages, containing extracts from Arabic MSS. preserved in the Royal Library at Copenhagen, translated and ably illustrated with notes. We were for a moment inclined, from the title of this work, to entertain hopes that its learned editor had discovered some fragment of Ante-Muhammedan history; we mean, some record actually composed before the seventh century of our era. materials are derived from the Tarikh al ommem, or History of various Nations, by Hamzah ben Husein Isfahani; and the account of Arabian wars waged before the introduction of Islám, compiled by Nuveiri from a work of Abu Obeidah, all three Muhammedan authors; we may suppose, however, that they had access to documents ancient and authentic. Much of the extract from Hamzah Isfahani here given by Professor Rasmussen, relates to genealogical successions, and consequently is crowded with proper names; indeed these abound in almost every page, the very first beginning thus: "Quum accidebat ruptura catarractæ, dispergebantur Arabes Jemenenses ex urbe Mareb in Irakam et Syriam. Ita Tanuchitæ, familia quædam Azditica, inter eos erant qui ad Irakam abiere. Malec nempe, filius Fahmi, filii Ghanemi, filii Dausi, filii Adatsani, Azdita, unus e posteris Nadsri, filii Azdi, cum magno et præstanti numero Azditarum, atque Malec, filius Fahmi, filii Tahmallah, filii Asadi, filii Vabaræ, filii Kodhæ, cum magno præstantique numero Kodhaîtarum, e Tehamah in Bahrein veniebant. Malec, filius Fahmi, Azdita, Maleco Kodhaîtæ, subsistamus, inquit, in Bahrein," &c. Should this work disappoint in some respects the antiquary's high expectations excited by its title, we can promise to the lover of minute history, and the general Orientalist, considerable satisfaction from the body of notes with which the learned Professor has illustrated the Arabic text and his own Latin translation.

The next publication to be here noticed is intituled, "Lettres sur la Perse et la Turquie d'Asie;" describing a journey undertaken so long ago as 1807, yet printed in Paris so lately as the beginning of this present year (1819), in two octavo volumes. The author of those letters is Mons. J. M. Tancoigne, who accom

panied the French Embassy under General de Gardane to Persia, in the character of élève interprète. He proceeded from Con→ stantinople on the 10th of September (1807), crossed the Bosporus to Scutari (the ancient Chrysopolis) on the Asiatic side, and thence to Thehran (or Teheran), where the Persian monarch chiefly resides. At this capital the French mission arrived on the 4th of December, having passed through Pentik (formerly Panticapra), Ismith (Nicomedia), Isnik (Nicæa), Angora, Tocat, Niksar (Neo Cesaræa), Erzerum, Utch Kilesia, or the "Three Churches" of the Armenian Christians near Mount Ararat, Baïazid, Khoï, Tauris (as the French persevere in improperly calling Tabriz), Zengan, Sultania, and Kasbinn or Kaswin (more correctly Kazvín). Here the Embassy was detained some days longer than M. Tancoigne appears to have wished. But (Tome I. p. 150) the King, who on important occasions never fails to consult his astrologers, had informed General de Gardane that the fourth day of December would be auspicious for the Embassy, and therefore he fixed on that day for its entrance into his capital: meanwhile the governor of Kaswin exerted himself in feasting and amusing his European guests; he treated them one evening in his palace with illuminations of various-colored paper lanterns and fireworks, and on the next day with a puppet-show. Four days after their arrival at Thehran, the French Ambassador and gentlemen of his mission were admitted to an audience of the King, from whom they had previously received Kheloats, or dresses of honor. When the chaplains of the Embassy were introduced, the King assured them that he had directed his mollahs, or priests, to pray for the prosperity of France; and in return he hoped that they would implore Heaven for blessings on his reign. (p. 168.) Feth Ali Shah, the Persian sovereign, whose throne is of white marble, supported on many small columns, seemed to be from forty to forty-four years of age, handsome, with a majestic appearance; eyes large and black, and thick eye-brows, which did not, however, give to his countenance that expression of ferocity which M. T. expected to find in an Asiatic despot. He celebrates the royal beard, flowing down to the very girdle, and of such beauty, as to have frequently inspired the Persian Muses. (p. 169.) His Majesty is the liberal patron of learned men, and more particularly encourages those who cultivate poetry, in which delightful art he is himself reported to have made considerable progress. (In the Classical Journal No. XIV. the reader will find some specimens of the Persian Monarch's verses.) Letters XV, XVI, and XVII, contain a précis historique of all the dynasties which have ruled over Persia from the earliest ages to the present time. In this compilation we perceive some names of which the spelling might

be corrected, such as Dehbakht, for Dehak or Zohak as sometimes written; Siavek for Siavekhs or Siavesh; Gustap for Gushtasp; and Bairam (p. 194) should be Bahram or Baharam. In the eighteenth letter our author describes the climate, productions, commerce and population of Persia, a country called by its own inhabitants Irán. He then notices the different sects and tribes, Mohammedans, Jews, Armenians, and Parsis, or Guebres (more properly Gabrs). These last-named are the descendants of those ancient Persians, the disciples of Zeratusht or Zoroaster, who still pay a kind of religious veneration to fire; and both from their antiquity and character M. Tancoigne declares them the most interesting race of all the Persians. It is allowed, says he, by the Mohammedans who oppress and persecute them, that those fire-worshippers, chiefly residing in Kirman and in or near the city of Yezd, are the most honest, industrious and estimable subjects of the Persian Government. In this favorable report our French author perfectly agrees with Sir William OUSELEY, whose Travels lately published contain a whole chapter on the subject of those Gabrs or fire-worshippers.

We learn from M. T. that in 1808 the King's sons amounted to forty two-if we can believe an account delivered on good authority their number was increased to above sixty in the year 1816.

Literature and Languages form the subject of letter XXVI (tome II), but here we find an extract from the Gulistan of Sadi— prolix and not very interesting, and already familiar to European readers through the medium of Latin, French, German and English translations, which have been published in different countries: surely our ingenious élève interprète might have selected some manuscript work which would have furnished a fair specimen of Persian composition, and at the same time gratified us by its novelty, and extended our acquaintance with Eastern writers.

From Thehran our author returned (Letter XXV11) to Kazvin on his way towards Europe; he visited Trebisond and Sinope on the Black Sea; this city is now called Sinub by the Turks, and still exhibits the remains of Mithridates's palace, and of an ancient gymnasium. He at length reached Constantinople, (Letter XXXII) and his account of the revolutions and extraordinary transactions that occurred there in 1807 and 1808 is well written, and may be regarded as a curious document. These volumes are ornamented with plates, colored in imitation of original Persian pictures, and illustrating costume, manners, and domestic life.

There are now before us two other French Volumes of travels in the East, published this present year (1819), and a Latin work on several ancient monuments of Media and Persia, which was printed in 1818: VOL. XX. NO. XXXIX. M

Cl. Jl.

of both we propose to give a short account in the next or some -subsequent number of this Journal.

P. D. V.

THE Hermetic or Ansated Cross has for many ages supplied. food for the contemplation of the mystic, and employment for the research of the antiquary. But, it appears to me that, without excepting the "learned visionary" Kircher, very little novelty has been elicited from the subject, since the age of Alexandrian philo'sophy. The celebrated Dr. Clarke is the last person of note who has attempted its illustration. He has pronounced it to be a keyan opinion which, whatever other merit it may possess, has certainly no claim to originality, as it is shared with Denon' and others."

A variety of reasons induce me to object to this hypothesis, though with proper deference for the opinion of a gentleman who has united the tact of taste with the lima labor of graceful composition, and the acumen of judgment which results from correctly disciplined erudition. And I must allow (falebor enim) that there is considerable ingenuity in his application of the text: "the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder." But I believe there is no instance of the crux ansata so placed, though there are repeated examples of such a position, conferred on the flail and the pastoral crook, which are known scriptural emblems of the gathering and separation of judgment. That the allusion to the keys of death and hell in the Revelations are of Mythraic3 or Egyptian original, there can scarcely remain a doubt. But it does not follow that the crux ansata is a key of that description. I am not aware that there are any keys extant among Roman or other antiquities of a similar construction; and certainly those generally seen in the hands of Diana Triformis, are of a form approximating to the modern.

In reality there appears to be as little foundation for this suppo

I Plate 58.

2

Norden, Pocock, &c. 3 The Abbé Martin gives a plate of Mythras the mediator holding two keys like St. Peter: they are of the common kind. See also plate of a statue of Mythras dug up at Rome, exhibited by Montfaucon, Vol. 1. P, 232.

sition, as for another propounded by the Bishop of Clogher, that it is merely a sowing instrument: a supposition which at least has this advantage; that religious mysticism was closely connected with the agricultural pursuits of the Egyptians, and the act of sowing itself, is highly calculated for an emblematical allusion. "Thou fool," says St. Paul," that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die." But I am persuaded that an examination of the instrument will leave little room for either of the above mentioned conclusions. 1 can state one circumstance, which goes in my opinion to refute them entirely; and I believe it has never before been remarked: the Tau in the hands of the lion-headed Sphynges at the British Museum, could neither have performed the operation of planting, nor that of opening a lock. Those figures grasp a ring in their hands, to which a square plate is attached, and on that in slight relief appears the triformed cross.

I

The safest way, perhaps, to arrive at a conclusion is to go back to tradition. It appears that the Egyptians, when called upon to explain it, merely affirmed that the Tau was a divine mystery. One opinion is, that it is the type of a resurrection or a future life; another that it signified unity; but the most general' opinion is, that it preshadowed the mystery of the Christian Atonement: an opinion which seems partly related to the second.

My own opinion is, in some degree, connected with them allthat it was a type of Horus Mediator, the dyadic principle of the Platonists and that it preshadowed some great regenerative blessing traditionally expected from that divinity. There seems, however, little reason to consider it a Lignam with some latter writers, an idea apparently borrowed from Indian research. The figure is pure: and it may be called geometrical; but it is not impossible that it may have been partly suggested by the outward seals of the intellectual and generative faculties on man. Add, that Horus, like Bacchus, was a type of revivification.

4

That an antient tradition, such as I have hinted, did exist, is by no means improbable. I shall not go over the usually beaten track to prove it. There would be more improbability in the

1 Horus Apollo.

2 Clemens Alex.

3 Ruffinus B. 11. Ch. 29. Nicephorus B. 21. Ch. 16. Origen 3 Ch. Isiodorus B 1. Socrates B. 5. Ch. 17.

+ Maurice, &c. or the Phallus, with Jablonski. So Savary thinks it, Vol. 2. p. 40.

5 See Proclus, Plotinus, &c.

6 Bryant, Warburton, Cumberland, Kircher's dipus. The Latin vulgate translates Ezekiel ix, 4. I will mark them on the forehead with the letter Tau, Many figures so distinguished appear among the hieroglyphics.