VI PREFACE. 



highest rank as one of the deepest thinkers 

 and most painstaking critics of the day. 



The real Sabians, the as-Sabiun of the 

 Koran, were an Aramaic or Syro-Chaldsean 

 race, on the borders of Persia, inhabiting 

 the banks of the Tigris and the Euphrates. 

 These heathen had El-Hasaih as the founder 

 of their religion. He is the 'HA^ao-oJ of 

 Hippolytus, the Elkesai of Theodoretus, and 

 the 'Hxfa/ or 'Hx^a/o^ of Epiphanius, and 

 taught the doctrine of two principles in the 

 Creation, a male and a female, active and 

 passive power, mind and matter. Mani was 

 brought up in this creed, but, drawing 

 nearer to the doctrines of Zoroaster or 

 Parsee-ism, preached a second duality, Good 

 and Evil, and thus became the founder of 

 Maniekseism, which still lingers amongst the 

 YesideS; and is so graphically portrayed by 

 Mr. Layard. The Sabians derive their name 



