1842.] General Meeting of the Asiatic Society of Paris. 425 



this reason, the author commences with a very long chapter on the reli- 

 gion of the Mahabadians, which is a mere web of incoherent fables. 

 He then thoroughly enters into his subject, treating on the religions of 

 the Persians, Indians, Jews, Christians and Musulmans, on the Illumi- 

 nati, the Sons, and some other sects. This work cannot be used with- 

 out a certain mistrust ; it contains, however, on those obscure sects an 

 infinite mass of details, which will serve to complete the history of 

 religions. Sir W. Jones, I think, first mentioned this work. Gladwin 

 published in the " New Asiatic Miscellany," its first chapter, together with 

 an English translation. Leyden in the 9th volume of the Asiatic Resear- 

 ches, translated the chapter on the Illuminati, and the text of the whole 

 work was published at Calcutta in 1809. The Committee of Transla- 

 tions charged Mr. Shea with the translation of it ; but as he died with- 

 out having made a considerable progress in the work, Mr. Troyer has 

 engaged to complete and to publish it. 



The English Society for the publication of Oriental. Texts, advertises 

 three Persian works, of which it prepares editions ; viz. Khamschi Ni- 

 zami, that is, the collection of five poems, half epic, half romantic, by 

 Nizami, of which as yet only one, the Secander Nameh, is printed ; the 

 second is the Youssef and Zuleikha by Furdusi, which Mr. Morley has 

 undertaken to publish. It is Furdusi' s last work, written during his 

 flight. It was considered as lost, but was found again a few years 

 since by Mr. Macan. The third, a part of the great work of Ras- 

 chid-eddin.. is the History of India. You know, that Raschid-eddin de- 

 posited copies of his work in a certain number of libraries, and Mr. 

 Morley was fortunate enough to discover one of these authentic copies. 

 He intends to publish that part of it which treats on the History of 

 India, as it is one of those which are not met with in the manuscripts 

 of Raschid-eddin in the libraries of the continent. 



We have here the best oppportunity of mentioning a remarkable work, 

 which is indebted for the new and important facts it contains to the 

 Persian historians, consulted by the author ; we allude to the History of 

 the Golden Horde by M. Hammer de Purgstall. 19 It is well known, that 

 the Golden Horde has reigned in Russia for more than two centuries, 

 exercising the greatest influence on the formation and fate of the Rus- 



19. Geschichte der Goldenen Horde in Kiptschak dar istder Mongolen in Russland, 

 von Hammer Purgstall. Pesth, 1840, in 8vo. 



