582 Professor Carlyle on the Dialects of the Arabic Language.. 



and which in fact are so to those who are only acquainted with the verna- 

 cular Arabic. If therefore we make allowance for these three causes : 

 pronunciation, admixture, and synonymes, I apprehend there will be found 

 little real difference amongst tlie dialects of Arabic ; none of which, I will 

 venture to assert (whatever Niebuhr and others may have thought), varies 

 materially from the language of the Koran. As you have led me into this 

 philological discussion, I make no apologies for it." 



The untimely death of the Professor, in the year 1804, at the age of 

 forty-five, when he was engaged in editing the Arabic version of the Bible, 

 with the types newly designed by Mr. Wilkins, and executed under his 

 superintendence, was a severe, thougli, we may hope, not an irreparable 

 loss, to the interests of Asiatic literature in this country. 



I am, Sir, 



Your most obedient Servant, 



(Signed) WM. MARSDEN. 



To the Secretary of the Royal Asiatic Society. 



