BABYLONIAN LITERATURE. 



the work which now engages our attention. 1 

 Unfortunately, out of the nine parts or books 

 into which " The Book of ISTabathsean Agri- 

 culture" is divided, the Paris manuscript 

 (Ancien Fonds Arabe, No. 913), only contains 

 two, being about one-third of the entire 

 work. By examining the portion thus at 

 his disposal, M. Quatremere ascertained the 

 various features of the work. He saw that 

 "The Book of Nabatha3an Agriculture" was 

 a translation from a Chaldsean author. He 

 fixed, with much hesitation however, the 

 name of the original author as Kuthami. He 

 gathered from the treatise in question much 

 curious information as to the civilization of 

 the Nabathaeans. He shewed that " The Agri- 

 culture" contained much more than its mere 

 title promised, and threw most valuable light 

 on the ancient literature of Babylon. Finally, 

 he promulgated an opinion as to the epoch 

 of the composition of the work, which ap- 



1 ' Memoire sur Ics Nabatecns," inserted in the "Journal 

 Asiatiipu 1 ," IS-'}-). Since reprinted in the " Melanges d'llistoire et 

 de Fliilologie Orientule," edited by M. Barth&emey S;iiut Ililnirc. 



