p. 280.—_One genial star that rises nightly over their heads._—“The inhabitants of this country (Zinge) are never afflicted with sadness or melancholy; on this subject the Sheikh _Abu-Al-Kheir-Azhari_ has the following distich:— “‘Who is the man without care or sorrow, (tell) that I may rub my hand to him. “‘(Behold) the Zingians, without care or sorrow, frolicksome with tipsiness and mirth.’ “The philosophers have discovered that the cause of this cheerfulness proceeds from the influence of the star Soheil or Canopus, which rises over them every night.”—_Extract from a Geographical Persian Manuscript called Heft Aklim, or the Seven Climates, translated by W. Ouseley, Esq._ Footnote 305: p. 281.—_Lizards._—“The lizard Stellio. The Arabs call it Hardun. The Turks kill it, for they imagine that by declining the head it mimics them when they say their prayers.”—_Hasselquist._ Footnote 306: p. 281.—_Royal Gardens._—For these particulars respecting Hussun Abdaul, I am indebted to the very interesting Introduction of Mr. Elphinstone’s work upon Caubul. Footnote 307: p. 281.—_It was too delicious._—“As you enter at that Bazar, without the gate of Damascus, you see the Green Mosque, so called because it hath a steeple faced with green glazed bricks, which render it very resplendent; it is covered at top with a pavilion of the same stuff. The Turks say this mosque was made in that place, because Mahomet being come so far, would not enter the town, saying it was too delicious.”—_Thevenot._ This reminds one of the following pretty passage in Isaac Walton:—“When I sat last on this primrose bank, and looked down these meadows, I thought of them as Charles the Emperor did of the city of Florence, ‘that they were too pleasant to be looked on, but only on holidays.’” Footnote 308: p. 281.—_The Sultana Nourmahal, the Light of the Haram._—Nourmahal signifies Light of the Haram. She was afterwards called Nourjehan, or the Light of the World. Footnote 309: p. 282.—_The small shining fishes of which she was so fond._—See note, p. 367. Footnote 310: p. 282.—_Haroun-al-Raschid and his fair mistress Marida._—“Haroun al Raschid, cinquième Khalife des Abassides, s’étant un jour brouillé avec une de ses maîtresses nommée Maridah, qu’il aimoit cependant jusqu’à l’excès, et cette mésintelligence ayant déjà duré quelque tems commença à s’ennuyer. Giafar Barmaki, son favori, qui s’en apperçut, commanda à Abbas ben Ahnaf, excellent poëte de ce tems-là, de composer quelques vers sur le sujet de cette brouillerie. Ce poëte exécuta l’ordre de Giafar, qiu fit chanter ces vers par Moussali en présence du Khalife, et ce Prince fut tellement touché de la tendresse des vers du poëte et de la douceur de la voix du musicien, qu’il alla aussitôt trouver Maridah, et fit sa paix avec elle.”—_D’Herbelot._ Footnote 311: p. 285.—_With its roses the brightest that earth ever gave._