their attention, until their arrival at Persepolis. This stuperdous pile, known under the various titles of the Throne of Jemshíd, the Chéhl-mináreh, or Hezár Sutún; i. e. the Forty, or the Thousand Columns, was the royal residence of the ancient Persian kings; but, as Sir W. Ouseley revisited it, we shall pass by his observations, in this place, and return with him, for the second time, to Shiraz. Here he procured some Mss., and a variety of scarce coins, fac-similes of which are given at the end of the volume. Many venomous animals were found near the camp, such as the , or tarantula, and, or scorpions: the natives pretend to secure themselves against them by the breath of a celebrated saint. The bulbul, or nightingale, was heard here by day and by night in the Takht-ĭ Cajar garden: this bird abounds in this part of Persia; and many in the Dilgushá garden have been said to expire in their contentions with musicians. Pliny has noticed this tuneful pertinacity in the nightingale. From Shiraz the embassy proceeded to Persepolis. The wall composed of immense hewn stones admirably joined, terminating and supporting the terrace in its projection on the plain, the magnificent marble staircase ascending to the platform by a double flight of steps, the grand gateway, the stupendous hall of columns, and farther on the right, towards the southern extremity, various groups of marble pilasters, window-frames, portals, and other remains of edifices,called to mind the ancient glory of Persia, and the mad ebriety of Alexander on this venerable spot. Behind all these objects (which constitute the Takht) we behold, in this point of view, two recesses excavated in the mountain; these, without hesitation, may be styled the sepulchral monuments of ancient kings. Of all these a clear and accurate description is given in the work itself. Istakhr, which some have identified with Persepolis, is "a neighboring rock or mountain, with a castle and surrounding city, of which the name was extended over many territories, comprehending that which is now called the Plain of Marvdasht." The Tarikh Guzidah records the destruction of the Hezár Sutún of Istakhr by Alexander, with which Mirkhond coincides. He Sir W. Ouseley conceives "the names of Var-jem-gird, Jemgird, or Jem-kand, equally denoting a city, fortress, or mansion, constructed by Jemshid, or the place in which he dwelt," to be those applied to it in the Zend-avesta, and Pahlavi Mss. also indulges in an interesting inquiry, whether Persepolis and the Pasargada of the Greeks be the same place; but, as we merely wish to notice the particular passages in this work, the reader must apply for further information to the volume under examination. Indeed, these Travels are so replete with new and invaluable matter, that we confess ourselves unequal to do them justice by any synopsis of contents which we may present; and they assuredly must rank among the most important books of reference of which we are possessed. They and Burckhardt's deserve a place on the same shelf:-a place, to which no other Eastern travels have hitherto attained. Classical and Oriental studies having a common interest are identified in them: nor can the orientalist acquire from them a higher degree of information than the classical scholar; so evenly have they balanced these two important and historically connected pursuits. We abstain from the vestiges of Alexander, discovered by the writer at Istakhr and other places, reserving ourselves for the appearance of his promised work on the traces of this conqueror in the East, and the voyage of Nearchus; which, when we bear in mind the strange legends of Nizámí, and the contradictory statements of Indian and Persian writers, will be a great desideratum, as proceeding from the pen of one who has visited many of the places commemorated. We must consider Istakhr connected with the most ancient pyréal ceremonies and traditions of the nation: its arrow-headed characters bearing the remains of inscrutable mysticism, and in a high degree analogous, notwithstanding certain specified differences, to those of Egypt and Babylon, prove that the Magians, like all other early hierophants, enveloped their esoteric dogmata in arcana not to be penetrated by the "ignobile vulgus." Whether we shall obtain a clue to them as we have to the Sassanian character, and the yxúpia ygápμara of the Egyptians, time alone can disclose: yet, as they are read like the Sanscrit and the European languages, it is not improbable that they will ultimately be found decorations of the old Nagri alphabet. This, however, is mere hypothesis. Jemshíd is averred to have erected three castles: one, Istakhr, which was the treasury; another, Shekesteh, which was a storehouse for carpets, cushions, beds, and various articles of furniture; the other, Ashknuwán, for armour. These are styled by Firdansi aw, THE THREE DOMES. Jemshid's Takht Firdansia, 66 a palace at the foot of سرا در پایان كوهي is denominated a mountain." Here are several dakhmahs, or vaults, mentionedunder the epithet of s, prisons of the wind, from the legend, that in this edifice Solomon confined the winds and although some historians aver that the stones were brought from the neighboring mountain, we discover in others an account corresponding with that of Stonehenge, that there is no stone of the sort in all Fars, and that no one knows whence they were brought. The book Zend was affirmed to have been deposited in one of these dakhmahs: and the city of Istakhr, from the confusion between Jemshíd and the Jewish monarch, discernible in Eastern authors, is likewise called the capital of Solomon. The castle of Istakhr is represented by one writer as a stateprison, in which Ahmed was confined for ten years: the place is also connected with the history of Rustam. From local observation, and the quotations which he has produced, he places the capital of Pars, or Persepolis, "on the plain of Marvdasht, Istakhr, or Persis, having probably been the residence of Cyrus's paternal ancestors, the Parsagardans, or Perseïdans, during many generations before the birth of that monarch." On the plain of Marvdasht he places the field of battle, in which Cyrus and his Persians obtained the victory over Astyages and the Medes, which, according to Strabo, was followed by the erection of a palace and a city, in commemoration of it: here, probably, "were situate, what classic writers assign to Pasargadæ, the tomb of Cyrus, and that temple in which the Persiau monarchs invested themselves with his robe, during the solemn ceremony of inauguration." The Barixov ogos of Dioβασιλικὸν dorus (L. xvii.) is still discernible in the modern name al ; yet, on this part of the subject, Sir William is not free from doubt. From Persepolis the embassy set out on their route to Ispahán, and passed the Naksh-i Rejeb, having "remains of handsome buildings, pillars, and doorways, executed in the same style as those of the Takht-i Jemshid." From thence they arrived at those monuments of antiquity, which bear the name of all, or the mother of Solomon. Here, as at the Hezár Sutún, were seen the throne of Solomon, and his prison, near which was a single pilaster, bearing a tablet of Persepolitan characters; and a little farther was a cluster of columns and pilasters, dignified with the title of his Diván-Kháneh, or Hall of Audience. The local tradition is, that Bathsheba was here entombed; and the whole structure is ascribed to those spirits who were subservient to Solomon. The Muhhammedans' fable, that her name was D'háïegh, or Sáïegh, (¿l or ¿) "the wife of Uriah, and mother” of this re ضايغ) nowned monarch. At Isphabánek (ii) a mountain was shewn, from whence Darius was said to have seen his troops defeated by Alexander. At Yezd there is also a ruined edifice, called itul, or Alexander's prison. From Isphahánek the embassy shortly arrived at the end of their journey, and settled themselves in the royal palace and gardens, named slisle, at Ispahán. APPENDIX TO VOL. II. Conformably to our plan in the first volume, the reader is directed to No. 2, on glories in pictures; to No. 5, on mummy, where the ills, or human mummy (i. e. for embalming), is noticed; to No. 6, on the lutanist and nightingale, which corresponds with some essays lately sent by Mr. Barker to the Classical Journal; to No. 9, on coins; to No. 12, on Rustam and Hercules; to No. 13, on Alexander and the tomb of Cyrus; to No. 14, on Persepolitan antiquities; and to the Miscellaneous, No. 16. The preceding synopsis is intended merely to give an outline of the two first volumes; the third, being equal to the two preceding in size, is reserved for the next number. On an accurate and critical examination of their contents, we conceive it impossible to give a just summary of them in a review, on account of the multiplicity of subjects which they embrace: they require not only a perusal, but a frequent re-perusal; and independently of the history of the places visited, will always be an inestimable treasure to the learned world, from the many scarce quotations and legendary allusions with which they abound. Whilst we therefore strenuously recommend these Travels to the public, we must express the hope, that the Author will shortly favor us with his promised work on Alexander. In the present state of Oriental literature, when societies are formed for every philosophical and literary purpose, and vast sums expended by other societies, the success of many of whom is at best doubtful, it is a subject of deep regret, that none should exist for the publication of the valuable histories to be found in the Arabic and Persian languages. From such a society general knowlege would derive incalculable benefits; and manuscripts now merely existing in the libraries of individuals scarcely known, and most difficult to be procured, would thereby receive, in process of time, as great circulation as the writings of the classic authors. The expense of printing the Eastern character shows the necessity of the establishment of some such a society, invested with a proportionate fund: through this heavy drawback to Eastern publications, a great part of Abu'lfeda, the whole of Damir, Ibn Khalikan, and other works of indispensable utility, remain still in manuscript.' This important object might be executed by the Asiatic Society in Grafton-street, if a particular fund were established for the purpose :-and we see no reason why we should not have our own literary Propaganda Institution, in these days of cultivation and mental improvement. As, however, no such exists, we cannot feel sufficiently indebted to Sir W. Ouseley, and all who, like him, furnish us with extracts from such unpublished and untranslated Mss., as have a tendency to elucidate ancient history, manners, and customs. OXFORD ENGLISH PRIZE POEM, THE ARCH OF TITUS.2 LIVES there no trophy of the hero's fame, We understand that a gentleman has nearly completed the translation of Mirkhond's Rauzat es-Saffa, yet, we are informed, that the original text will not appear with the translation. Were such a society, as the one now recommended, in existence, we might hope to have this invaluable work in a perfect state, and not to be much longer deprived of the Sháhnámah of Firdansi. 2 For a description and representation of this interesting monument, see Gent. Mag. vol. xcır. i. 489. |