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have written as-Sail ala 'z-Zail, which work is a continuation, by the kåtib Imâd ad-dîn, of as-Samâni's supplement to the History of Baghdad. See Fluegel's Hajji Khalifa, No. 2179.

(5) The author gives Ibn Obaid Allah the title of rais, or chief, because he was nakib of the sharifs.

(6) This verse is rather enigmatical, but as the poet has just hinted that his mistress resembled a willow or a reed by the thinness of her waist; he most probably means here that her waist was too thin to be clasped; in short, an evanescent quantity.

IBN SHAS.

Abû Muhammad Abd Allah Ibn Najm Ibn Shâs Ibn Nizâr Ibn Ashâir Ibn Abd Allah Ibn Muhammad Ibn Shâs al-Judàmi as-Saadi, surnamed al-Jalal (4), was an able jurisconsult of the sect of Mâlik, in the principles of which he was profoundly versed: I met a great number of his former pupils at Cairo, and they all spoke of his merit in the highest terms. He composed on the system of doctrine founded by the imâm Mâlik a valuable work, displaying great originality and entitled al-Jawahir ath-Thamina fi Mazhab Aalimi 'l-Madina (precious jems, being a treatise on the doctrines taught by the learned man of Medina): it is drawn up on the plan of Abu Hamid al-Ghazzâli's Wajiz, and furnishes many proofs of the vast abilities possessed by its author; the Malikites of Cairo study it with great assiduity on account of its excellence and the rich store of information which they find in it. Ibn Shâs was a professor in the college near the Great Mosque of Cairo, but when the fortress of Dimyât (Damietta) was taken by the misguided 363 enemy (the crusaders), he proceeded thither with the design of fighting in the cause of God, and he died there in the month of the latter Jumâda, or in that of Rajab, A. H. 616 (Aug.-Sept. A. D. 1219).-We have already explained the meaning of the words Judâmi and Saadi (see vol. I. page 148).

الحلال The autograph has (1)

ABD ALLAH IBN AL-MOTAZZ.

Abû 'l-Abbas Abd Allah Ibn al-Motazz Ibn al-Mutawakkil Ibn al-Motasim Ibn Harûn ar-Rashid Ibn al-Mahdi Ibn al-Mansûr Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Abd Allah Ibn al-Abbas Ibn Abd al-Muttalib al-Hashimi (a descendant from Hashim Ibn Abd Manaf) acquired his knowledge of literature under the tuition of Abu 'l-Abbas al-Mubarrad, Abû 'l-Abbàs Thaalab, and other eminent masters. He was not only well acquainted with the pure Arabic language, but equally skilled in the arts of eloquence and poetry. In his verses he displayed a natural talent and superior abilities; they were clear in their meaning and easy in their style. These qualities, joined to a fertile genius and a mind prompt in conceiving original ideas of great beauty, inclined him to cultivate the society of learned scholars and literary men, and as such he was himself counted, till the fatal event which befel him in the khalifate of al-Muktadir. Having then entered into a conspiracy with the principal civil and military officers of the empire, they deposed al-Muktadir on Sunday the 20th, or by another account the 23rd, of the first Rabi, A. H. 296 (December, A. D. 908); after which they proclaimed Abd Allah khalif, under the title of al-Murtada billa (him in whom God is pleased), or, as it is mentioned in other statements, al-Munsif billah (the dispenser of justice in God's name), or al-Ghâlib billah (the victor with God's assistance), or ar-Radi billah (the pleasing by God's favour). He remained in authority during one day and one night, when his supporters were attacked and dispersed by the partisans of al-Muktadir, who had united in considerable force; the deposed khalif was restored to the throne, and Ibn al-Motazz fled for concealment to the house of a person named Abû Abd Allah al-Husain Ibn Abd Allah Ibn al-Husain, but who was more generally known by the name of Ibn al-Jassàs at-Tàjir al-Jauhari (the merchant jeweller, son of the gypsum seller). He was there discovered by al-Muktadir and handed over to the eunuch Mûnis (1), the lord treasurer, by whom he was put to death. His body was then delivered up to his family, enveloped in a cloak. Some persons have mentioned that he died a natural death, but this is not true; for he was certainly strangled by Mûnis on Thursday the 2nd of the latter Rabî, A. H. 296 (December, A. D. 908). He was interred in a ruined building opposite his own house. His birth took place

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on the 22nd of Shaaban, A. H. 247 (October, A. D. 864), or according to Sinân Ibn Thâbit (2), in the year 246. The fall of Ibn al-Motazz is an event of which the history is well known; a full narration of it would lead us too far, but the main points of it are what we have just mentioned (3). Ibn al-Jassàs was then arrested by al-Muktadir's orders, and fined to the amount of two millons of dinars, but some time after, seven hundred thousand of them were restored to him. He was an inconsiderate and simple man. His death occurred on Sunday the 13th of Shawwal, A. H 315 (December, A. D. 927).—Ibn alMotazz composed the following works: Kitâb az-Zahr wa 'r-Ridd (flowers and gardens); Kitâb al-Badi (treatise on the beauties of style); the Mukâtibat al-Ikhwân (poetical correspondence between the Brethren); the Jawârih wa 's-Said (a treatise on falcons and game); on Plagiarisms; Poems by royal authors; the Kitâb al-Adâb (on politeness and social duties); the Halyu 'l-Akhbâr ( historical jewels); the Tabakât as-Shuard (a classified biography of the poets); the Jami (a comprehensive treatise on vocal music), and a collection of rajaz verses in dispraise of early drinking. One of his sayings was: "Eloquence is the just expression of ideas in few "words (4).” He observed also that if he was asked what was the finest passage of poetry which he knew of, he would say that it was the following, by

al-Abbâs Ibn al-Ahnaf :

The public have cast suspicions on us (5) and spoken of our conduct in various manBut some were mistaken and suspected a wrong person (to be my beloved), and others were right in their conjectures, but knew it not.

ners.

Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Bassâm, a poet whose life shall be given in this work, lamented the death of Ibn al-Motazz in these terms:

How eloquent were thy words, thou whom destruction has placed among the dead. It was thou to whom belonged the pre-eminence of learning, of polished manners, and of worth. Never did an if or an unless diminish the value (of the favours conferred by thee); the only conjunction which ever occurred to thee was thy conjunction with sudden death (6).

As a specimen of the charming verses composed by Ibn al-Motazz, and of his novel comparisons, we may quote the following:

May an abundant shower water the shady groves of al-Matira and the convent of Abdûn. How often, at the dawn of day before the lark took wing, I was awoke to take my morning-draught of wine by the voices of convent-monks at their prayers. Clothed

in black robes, they chaunted matins; around their waists were belts, and on their heads, crowns of hair (7). The light of the new moon had nearly betrayed us, when she appeared, thin as a paring of the nail. I shall not say what passed; question me not, but think the best.

Here is another pretty piece not to be found in his collected poetical works, but which all those who first transmitted his poems by oral tradition agree in considering as his :

A nymph arrayed in a short tunic hastened towards the carousers, bearing a cornelian (red wine) in a white pearl (a porcelain cup). The bright moon in the heavens seemed like a coin of gold thrown on a carpet of azure velvet. How often did this maiden cheer me with her society, in nights untroubled by the dread of jealous spies. Another too was there with a slender waist, and tongue-tied by the effects of wine; she could only converse by nods and signs. I pushed her with my hand and said: "Awake, thou "who art the joy of our friendly and convivial band." And she answered with a voice enfeebled by inebriation, and interrupted like that of one who stammers: "I understand thy words, but the juice of the purple (fruit) has overcome me. Leave me till morn"ing that I may recover, and then, master, treat thy slave as thou wilt (8)."

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By the same on boiled wine (9),—a piece which proves that its author was a Hanefite:

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My friends! the purple liquor is now fit for drinking; for it I have renounced my piety, and (grave divines have said) “It is praiseworthy to renounce former habits." Give here the wine in its robe of glass, like a ruby set round with brilliants; the water forms on its surface bubbles of silver rising in circlets which break and form again. It has the quality of preserving me from the flames of hell (10), and that is a great merit; deny it who can!

Ibn al-Motazz was of a deep tawny complexion and long-faced, with a beard dyed black. I read in a compilation of anecdotes that he used to say: "There 565 "were four poets whose works bore a character opposite to that of their au"thors: the poems of Abû 'l-Atâhiya were noted for their spirit of piety, yet "he himself was an atheist; those of Abû Nuwàs were on an infamous subject, yet he was more passionate for females than a baboon; Abû Hukaima "the katib's poetry was considered as a proof of his impotence, yet he was "really more salacious than a goat; and the verses of Muhammad Ibn Hâzim "were in praise of contentment, yet he was greedier than a dog." But I was told an anecdote of Ibn Hâzim which proves the contrary of what Ibn al-Motazz said respecting him, and shows that his character accorded with his writings : He was living, it seems, in the neighbourhood of Said Ibn Humaid at-Tûsi, the

kâtib, and made a satire on him in consequence of some affair that passed between them: Said, on learning the contents of this poem, overlooked the affront, though sufficiently powerful to punish the author of it. Some time after, Ibn Hazim was reduced to poverty and removed from that neighbourhood; this came to the ears of Said, who immediately sent to him a present of ten thousand dirhims, some trunks of clothes, a horse with his harness, a male and a female slave, accompanied with a letter worded in these terms: "A man of "instruction can be led by a whim of his imagination to describe a subject "under a false aspect, and his talent may induce him to depict it in other co"lours than its own; of such a nature must certainly be that satire which, it

is reported, you have composed on me. I have now just heard of the state "to which you are reduced and of the poverty from which you suffer; a misfortune which is by no means a disgrace to one who, like you, is gifted with "a noble spirit and a lofty soul. Let us be now partners in what we both possess and share equally what we have. So I here offer you something which, though small, may serve as an opening to greater favours which are to follow." However, Ibn Hazim sent the whole back with these lines:

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You have treated me as al-Muhallab treated al-Farazdak when he overwhelmed him with his unbounded generosity. You sent riches (11) to tempt me, but you shall not effect your project; I swear by the Lord of that which is double and that which is single! (12 I will never accept the favours of a man whom I have covered with everlasting ignominy.

This is a proof that Ibn Hàzim was really contented with his lot, and that he could support poverty with patience and resignation (13).- Abû Othman Said Ibn Humaid was a kâtib, a poet, and a writer of epistles; gifted with a sweet style and possessing superior abilities in his profession. He was also a skilful plagiarist; so much so, that a wit said: "If Said's prose and verse were ordered "to return to their real authors, he would be left without a line of his own." He claimed to be descended from the kings of Persia, and composed a work called the Taswiya (equalization), in which he vindicated the Persians from the depreciation in which they were held by the Arabs. His epistles form also a volume, and his poetical works another of small size.-Matira is a village near Sarra-manraa.-The Abdûn, after whom the convent is so called, was brother to the vizir Said Ibn Makhlad (14): he frequently visited that establishment, to pass some

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