Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah — Volume 2Burton, Richard Francis, Sir
Islamic
Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah — Volume 2
Burton, Richard Francis, Sir
Arabian Peninsula -- Description and travel
that of Provençal, Spanish, and Italian, whereas Lane declares the
dialects to resemble each other more than those of some different
counties in England. Herbin (Grammar) draws a broad line between
ancient and modern Arabic; but Hochst (Nachrichten von Marokos und Fez)
asserts that the difference is not so great as is imagined. Perhaps the
soundest opinion is that proposed by Clodius, in his Arabic Grammar:
dialectus Arabum vulgaris tantum differt ab erudita, quantum Isocrates
dictio ab hodierna lingua Græca. But it must be remembered that the Arabs
divide their spoken and even written language into two orders, the Kalam
Wati, or vulgar tongue, sometimes employed in epistolary correspondence,
and the Nahwi, or grammatical and classical language. Every man of
education uses the former, and can use the latter. And the Koran is no
more a model of Arabic (as it is often assumed to be) than Paradise Lost
is of English. Inimitable, no man imitates them.
[FN#15] Safi UllahAdam.
[FN#16] The legend that Abraham was the Son of Fire might have arisen
from his birthplace, Ur of the Chaldees. This Ur (whence the Latin uro)
becomes in Persian Hir; in Arabic Irr or Arr. It explains the origin of
Orotalt better than by means of Allahu Taala. This word, variously spelt
Ourotalt, Orotalt, and Orotal (the latter would be the masculine form
in Arabic), is Urrat-ilat, or the goddess of fire, most probably the
Sun (Al-Shams) which the Semites make a feminine. Forbiggen translates
it Sonnen-gott, an error of gender, as the final consonant proves. The
other deity of pagan Arabia, Alilat, is clearly Al-Lat. May not the
Phoenicians have supplied the word Irr, which still survives in Erin and
in Ireland? even so they gave to the world the name of Britain,
Brettainke, Barrat et Tanuki ([Arabic lettering]), the land of tin. And
I should more readily believe that Eeran is the land of fire, than
accept its derivation from Eer (vir) a man.
[FN#17] Captain C. F. Head, author of Eastern and Egyptian Scenery, was,
as late as A.D. 1829, pelted by the Badawin, because he passed the
Eastern gate of Jeddah in a Frankish dress.
[FN#18] The best way would be to rush, if possible, into a house; and
the owner would then, for his own interest, as well as honour, defend a
stranger till assistance could be procured.
[FN#19] Future pilgrims must also remember that the season is gradually
receding towards the heart of the hot weather. For the next fifteen
years, therefore, an additional risk will attend the traveller.
[FN#20] Pliny is certainly right about this useful quadruped and its
congeners, the zebra and the wild ass, in describing it as animal
frigoris maxime impatiens. It degenerates in cold regions, unless, as in
Afghanistan and Barbary, there be a long, hot, and dry summer. Aden,
Cutch, and Baghdad have fine breeds, whereas those of India and
South-Eastern Africa are poor and weak. The best and the highest-priced
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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