1855.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 169 



believe he has formally given it up. It would be a great under- 

 taking to bring out this work. Dr. Wetzstein tells me that there 

 is a copy here at Damascus which the proprietor has offered for sale 

 for Es. 200 (or a fraction less) and I have two copies of it in India. 

 This would enable us to found a tolerably good text. Dr. Wetz- 

 stein offers to collate and correct the text if paid for his labour. 

 The work itself is so well known that I need not enter into 

 a long description of it. The author of the text which we have 

 now, (there existed an older text by Mawcily) flourished in 

 the fourth century : the work consists of the songs which enlivened 

 the parties of the Khalifs and their courts, but it contains also the 

 biographies of the poets, and celebrated singers, and an infinite 

 number of historical anecdotes which, in fact, form the main portion 

 of the work and give us a very great insight into the social and 

 domestic life of the Arabs. The book would fill about 20 num- 

 bers 8vo. of the Bibliotheca. Should the Society decide on publishing 

 it, you must authorize me to purchase the MSS. for I do not wish to 

 buy it for myself, having already two." 



PROCEEDINGS 



ASIATIC SOCIETY OF BENGAL, 



For February, 1855. 

 At a meeting of the Society held on the 3rd instant. 

 Sir James Colvile, Kt. President in the Chair. 

 The Proceedings of the December and January meetings were 

 read and, after certain modifications, confirmed. 

 Presentations were received — 



1. From Prof. Oldham, Geological specimens from the Sivok 

 Nadi, in the Darjiling district. 



2. From Babu Radanath Sikdar, two copies of the Mashik Pa- 

 trika, No. 5. 



