Here ends the work to which I gave the title of Wafayât al-Aiyân wa Anbâ Abnâ ez-Zamân, (Book of the Deaths of eminent men and history of the sons of the epoch); praise be to God for his bounty! It was terminated on the 22nd of the latter Jumada, 672 (3rd Jan. A. D. 1274) in Cairo the well-guarded.-The humble servant, who stands in need of the mercy of God and who is named Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Abi Bakr Ibn Khallikân, he who is the author of the present work, says: I began to compose this book at the epoch mentioned in the preface, and (I drew it up) in the form which is there indicated, though my hours were passed in judging lawsuits, in Cairo, and pronouncing sentences in conformity with the divine law. When I came to the article on Yahya Ibn Khalid Ibn Barmek (page 113 of this volume), I was obliged to set out for Syria in the train of his high Lordship and imperial Majesty, the support of the world and of the faith, the sultan of Islamism and of the Moslims, al-Malik az-Zahir Abû 'l-Fath Baibars, the colleague of the Commander of the faithful; may God perpetuate his sovereignty and consolidate, by the duration of his reign, the foundations and the pillars of the empire! Our departure from Cairo took place on Sunday, the 7th of Shauwâl, 659 (4th Sept. 1261) and, on Monday, the 7th of Zû 'l-Kaada, the same year (3rd October), we arrived at Damascus. That prince then appointed me to act as chief kadi over all the provinces of Syria. My nomination took place on Thursday, the 8th of Zù 'l-Hijja (3rd november) of the same year. Being therefore overwhelmed with business and surrounded by obstacles which hindered

:

the completion of this work, I abstained from continuing and, having left it in the state to which I had brought it, I concluded it by requesting that my numerous occupations might serve me as an excuse for not completing it. I said also that if God granted me time and helped me in my undertaking, I should commence another work containing every requisite information on this branch of science. At length took place my departure from Syria and my return to Egypt, after residing in Damascus the well-guarded during ten whole years, neither a day more nor a day less I entered into Damascus on the date just mentioned and I left it on the morning of Thursday, the 8th of Zû 'l-Kaada, 669 (18th June, 1271). On my arrival in Cairo, I met with a number of works which I was desirous of seeing and which, before that, I had not time enough to consult. So, having, at last, more leisure than the surgeon-barber of Sâbât, after being more occupied than the woman with the two bags (1), I perused those books and extracted from them what I required. Having then undertaken to finish the present work, I terminated it in the form which it now bears; but my intention is still to begin the work which I promised to draw up, in case that God allow me and that he come to my assistance by smoothing the way to its accomplishment. If any well-informed person remark, in examining this book, that it contains faults, he should not hasten to blame me, for I always aimed at being exact, as far as I could judge; and, besides, God has allowed no book to be faultless except his noble Koran. This production of mine is the fruit of efforts made by one whose information is very limited, but who has done all in his power (to render it correct). Moreover, no man is obliged to accomplish what exceeds his force, and « far above the << possessors of science is the Being who is all-knowing (Coran; sur. XII

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verse 76)." As the preface of this book contains my excuses and exposes my motives for engaging in such an undertaking, I need not repeat these considerations here. May the Almighty God spread over our faults the veil of his indulgence, so ample in its shade, and may he not trouble the pure source of the favours which he has allowed us to enjoy! In him do we place our trust, for he is the excellent guardian (Coran; sur. ш, III, verse 167).

(1) The explanation of these two expressions will be found in Freytag's translation of the Proverbs of alMaiddni, vol, II, p. 227 and vol. I, p. 687.

END OF THE FOURTH AND LAST VOLUME.

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS

Page 59, line 14. For Adwai read Adwân.

P. 118, line 28. In some copies the Arabic word is inverted.

P. 131, line 24. For merchand read merchant.

P. 142, line 10.

Insert the article a before prayer.

P. 144, line 10. Suppress the word Irak.

P. 161, line 18. For Ocba read Okba.

P. 171, line 11. For Mutarraf read Mutarrif.

P. 191, lines 19 and 27. For wooman read woman.

P. 278, line 7. For mispellet read mispelled.

P. 313, line 28. The words A. H. 262 should have been included within the parentheses.

P. 336, line 15. Read Bismillah here and in the note (6), page 350.

P. 387, line 2. For Ridchi read Ridshi.

P. 454, line 20. After the words "God knows best!" insert the reference to note (14).

P. 592, line penult. For Laith read al-Laith.