390 The Chevalier Grapere’s Account of the great Historical Work 
one at Shella was so far defective, that the whole of the sixth book of the 
Prolegomena was entirely wanting, as well as part of the history of the 
Arabs and Persians. Upon my earnest entreaty, and promise of a liberal 
reward, the Sharif pledged himself to procure mea correct transcript of the 
former, and for this purpose he left Tangier for Fez at the end of 1821. 
Had I then remained only a few months longer in the empire of Morocco, 
the great object of my wishes and endeavours would have been attained. 
But alas! ‘‘ Man proposes and God disposes”: my violent and tyrannical 
ejection from Tangier annihilated, as well in this respect as in many 
others, my legitimate and fondest expectations: ...% AN oad ells oe). 
“Be not sorrowful, for that which God has ordained must come to pass.” 
Removed to Tripoli, a poorer but more civilized part of Barbary than 
Morocco, I did not cease to continue my pursuits; and I so far succeeded 
as, by means of a very clever and accurate copyist, to obtain a transcript of 
the other parts of the work from the only complete copy extant at Tripoli, 
which was in the hands of the then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, 
my learned and excellent friend the Sharif Sip1 Hassuna D’Gu’ais; 
who, among the Musulmans of the present age, and more especially among 
the African followers of Mohammed, deserves to be noticed as a prodigy 
of learning, knowledge, and civility; since in this most amiable person 
are combined, the politeness of the courtier with the rare talents of the 
statesman, and with elaborate improvement of the mind, the gracefulness 
of aman of fashion. He was brought up a profound Arabic scholar, and 
having spent several years of his youth in England and France, he thereby 
laid a most excellent foundation for learning and skill in several European 
languages, in politics, and in polite literature. 
But to return to my subject; who could fancy himself happier than I 
was, after so many years’ exertions, to be finally possessed of the whole of 
this invaluable treasure. But what is happiness on this side the grave! 
A new misfortune hurried me away from Tripoli in 1828, almost as 
suddenly as from Tangier, and turning my joy into sorrow, confirmed 
the old saying, that “‘ Every thing upon earth is transitory and perish- 
able.” Amongst a quantity of books and manuscripts which, during 
the passage from Tripoli to Leghorn, on board a Sardinian vessel, were 
soaked with salt water, and consequently destroyed, were my second and 
third volumes of Inn Kuarptn’s historical work. My only consola- 
