664 Notice of ths Ajaib-al Mukhlukat [No. 152. 



geniis and devils ; ghouls ; beasts ; birds ; reptiles, and wonderful 

 animals. 



In the chapter on the art of writing, specimens are given of the 

 Hebrew, the Syriac, Kebti or Coptish and Hindi characters. In 

 his description of music, (Al Musiki, l^&A] from the Greek 



fxovGVKY)) the author is a little more poetical and refined than 

 Rousseau, whose well-known definition of this science ; viz. " L'art de 

 combiner des sons d'une maniere agreable a ForeiHe," has been so 

 generally and inconsiderately adopted. Cazvini styles music to be an 

 essence emanating from the soul, exciting its best emotions, and even 

 curing disorders. The rules of its composition he assimilates to those 

 of poetry. He notices also its wonderful power over the base instincts 

 of the fiercest animals. 



Astrology, which the author defines as the science of predicting the 

 destinies of empires, religions, nations, tribes, families and individuals, 

 from the conjunctions of the stars and the aspect of the heavens, can 

 only be practised by a pure and chaste person. 



The two first are known by the great conjunctions that take place 

 once in a millennium. The fate of nations and families by the con- 

 junctions occurring every 240 and 20 years. Events of a year are fore- 

 told by the horoscope of that year ; and of a day, by the conjunction of 

 the planet. A person's nativity is calculated from the aspect of the planets 

 at the time of his birth. 



The astrologers of old, like those of modern times, placed much faith 

 in the times just preceding the rising and culmination of the signs of 

 the Zodiac, or the 12 mansions. A mansion, about to rise, is called the 

 ascendant or house of life, and that just rising, the horoscope, or house 

 of riches. 



Over these houses the seven planets were thought to rule. Charms 

 written at the precise time when a certain planet is rising in one of 

 those mansions, are supposed to have certain powers. For instance, one 

 written when Mars or Saturn, (both unpropitious,) is in the eighth 

 mansion, or that of death, would be supposed to exert a very baneful 

 influence. Whereas the presence of Venus or Jupiter, in the 7th or 

 10th houses, those of marriage and dignities, would be thought produc- 

 tive of nothing but happiness. 



The natives of India, and indeed of all the East, still rule the impor- 

 tant actions of their lives by the stars ; the inauspicious portions of 

 each day are carefully noted in their almanacs, which are as regularly 



