ARABIA; 



ANCIENT AND MODERN, 



CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTORY VIEW OF ARABIAN HISTORY. 



Arabia — Peculiarities in its History and Manners — Interesting 

 Aspect of the Country — Its Connexion with^ many Scenes and 

 Events in Holy Writ — Distinguished as the Birthplace of Mo- 

 hammed — Rapid and extensive Conquests of the Saracens — 

 Instability and Downfall of their Empire — Their singular 

 Passion for Learning — Munificent Endowment of Schools — 

 Causes why their History has been little studied in Europe — 

 Ignorance of their Language and Literature— Religious Pre- 

 judices against their Character — Efforts of Scholars and Lit- 

 •erary Associations to illustrate Arabian Histor}" — Valuable 

 Discoveries of recent Travellers — Unexplored Tracts in the 

 Central Deserts — Prospects of further Discoveries — Increased 

 Facilities for Modem Reseetrch — Reflections on the Preceding 

 Survey. 



To those who deUght to studj-- man in his pastoral 

 simphcity, to moralize on the destiny of nations or 

 the rise and fall of empires, the history of Arabia 

 cannot fail to be attractive. From time immemorial 

 it has been celebrated for its precious productions, 

 and distinguished as the home of liberty and inde- 

 pendence ; the only land in aU antiquity that never 

 bowed to the yoke of a foreign conqueror. It con- 

 tinues to be inhabited at this day by a race coeval 



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