<JF THE UNIVEUSE. THE ARABIANS. 219 



the peculiar disposition of this race of men, natural know- 

 ledge was spread over a large portion of the earth's surface, 

 and the circle of ideas enlarged by simultaneous efforts pro- 

 ceeding from many quarters. 



The knowledge possessed by a more anciently cultivated 

 people, the Indians, was also drawn into the same circle : 

 several important works, probably those known under the 

 semifabulous names of Tscharaka and Susruta, ( 341 ) were 

 translated from Sanscrit into Arabic. Avicenna, a man of 

 comprehensive mind, and who has often been compared to 

 Albertus Magnus, affords in his Materia Medica a very 

 striking instance of this influence of Indian literature, in 

 showing himself acquainted, as the learned Boyle remarks, 

 with the Deodara (Cedrus deodvara) ( 342 ) of the snowy 

 Himalayan Alps, which, in the llth century, had assuredly 

 never been visited by any Arabian traveller : he calls it by 

 its true Sanscrit name, and speaks of it as a lofty species of 

 juniper, from which oil of turpentine was obtained. The 

 sons of Averroes lived at the court of the Emperor 

 Prederic II., the great prince of the house of Hohenstauffen, 

 who was indebted for part of his knowledge of natural his- 

 tory to communication with learned Arabs and Spanish 

 Jews. ( 343 ) The Caliph Abderrahman established a botanical 

 garden at Cordova, ( 344 ) and sent travellers into Syria and 

 other parts of Asia to collect rare plants. He planted, near 

 the palace of Eissafah, the first date tree, which he cele- 

 brates in strains full of tender regrets and longings for his 

 native home, Damascus. 



But the most important influence exerted by the Ara- 

 bians on the general knowledge of nature, was in the pro- 

 gress of ciiemistry; with their labours commenced a new 



VOL. II. Q 



