Obfervations &c. ^ 26^ 



Hiftory as are older than their Prophet, are a Medley only of 

 Romance and Confulion. 



Upon my arrival at Algiers^ I made It my Bufmefs to be ac- ^/^«'- h^"- 



r -^ o -' ■' ranee m Ma- 



quainted with fuch Perfons, as had the CharacSier of l>eing'/7S'&c 

 learned and curious ; and though it is very difficult, (as well 

 from their natural Shynefs to Strangers, as from a particular 

 Contempt they have for Chriflians, )to cultivate any real Friend- 

 lliip among them, yet in a little Time, I could find the chief 

 Aitronomer, (who hath the Superintendance and Regulation 

 of the Hours of Prayer ) had not Trigonometry enough to 

 projed a Sun-Dial: that the whole Art of Navigation, as it is 

 pradiifed at Algiers and Tunis, confifted in nothing more, than 

 what is called the pricking of a Chart and diftinguifhing the 

 eight principal Points of the Compafs. Even Chymiftry, for- 

 merly the favourite Science of thefe People, is no farther ap- 

 plied at prefent, than to the diftilling of Rofe-Water. I h^ve 

 rarely converfed with any of Their \Tibeehs o^^-^] Phyficians 

 who were acquainted with Rafis, ^verroes or others of their 

 Compatriots. The Spamjh Edition of Diofcorides is chiefly 

 ftudied ; though the Figures of the Plants and Animals are 

 more confulted than the Defcriptions. The T>ey% Tibeeh (the 

 E-m'im rr^-»^] or Prefident of the Phyficians ) once asked me 

 whether the Chriftiam had fuch an Author as Boo-Kratt ' (fo 

 either out of Ignorance or Affedation they call Hippocrates \) 

 addmg, that He was the firft of the Arabian \Hackeems UJ^] 

 Doctors, and lived a little before Avicenna. 



After this general Account of the State of Learning ^^^^l^/J^%f. 

 Education in this Country, it cannot be expedted, that any ^^^^ "^ - ^"- 

 Branch either of fpeculative or practical Knowledge fliould be 

 ftudied properly as an Art or Science. There are not indeed 

 wanting feveral Perfons who prefcribe in Phyfick, play upon 

 a Variety of Mufical Inftruments, and are concerned in other 

 Adions and Performances which feem at leaft to fuppofe fome 

 Skill in Nature or Mathematicks ; vet all This is learnt mere- 

 ly by Pradice, long Habit and Cuftom, affifted for the moft 

 Part with great Strength of Memory and Quicknefs of Invention. 

 For no Objedion can be made againft the natural Parts and 

 Abilities of thefe People, which are certainly fubtle and inge^ 

 nious : only Time, Application and Encouragement are wanting 

 to cultivate and improve them. 



I i. e. The Father of Kntt, fuppofed to be an Arabian. U U U X TO 



