160 



Notices of Boohs. [no. S } new series, 



Extract of a letter from the Baroness de Trenck de Tonder to M. Reinaud giv- 

 ing an account of her father's death. Dated Vienna 13th December 1856. 



* * * " In the midst of his sufferings my father continued to busy himself 

 with the studies which he had pursued during his long life. The day before his 

 death when scarcely able to speak, he explained to me with much difficulty that ha 

 wished me to send to the Imperial Library for an Arabic work which he heard had 

 just been published. Alas ! he never cast eye upon it. He was constantly asking 

 for books to read or calling for his secretary to write to his dictation. On the very 

 last morning of his life, I was obliged in order to keep him quiet, to bring him paper 

 and ink and to place a pen between his fingers with which he traced a few illegible 

 words. 



" During the last fortnight, the oppression under which he labored prevented 

 his lying in bed. All that time he passed in an easy chair before his writing table 

 in the middle of his Library. Such a place was little suited for the attentions 

 which his state required. But we dared not change it. We saw too well that he 

 wished to die surrounded by his books like a warrior on the field of battle. 



" On the morning of the 20th November he received the holy sacraments. 

 During the 23rd he was more restless and disturbed than usual. He continued how- 

 ever to write with his pencil on his handkerchief and on his linen ; at length he 

 be»an to doze. We listened with thankfulness to his quiet and regular breath- 

 ing. Twice or thrice he clapped his hands, a mode of calling his servants he 

 had acquired from his travels in tbe East. On drawing near however we found 

 him still in the same tranquil sleep. About a quarter past six a deep sigh drew 

 our attention to him ; another followed ; it was the last! 



" I must add a few words relative to the state in which my poor father has left 

 the works in which he was engaged The seventh Volume of the History of Ara- 

 bic Literature is quite finished, and will be shortly despatched to the individuals 

 and to the Scientific Societies which have received the preceding Volumes. The 

 reflection that he had completed this Volume was a source of great comfort to 

 my father and he has left me full instructions for its distribution. He has ex- 

 pressed a hope in his will that the Imperial Academy will complete what is con- 

 sidered indispensable to the work, at least as far as regards the tables. M. Pfitz- 

 maier is engaged in the revision of the second Volume of the Persian chronicle of 

 Wassaf. I feel sure that the respect due to the memory of the Translator and 

 Editor will prevent any delay in completing this publication which, you are 

 aware, is carried on under the auspices of the Imperial Academy. 



I shall not astonish you, Sir, who know the indefatigable application and the 

 immense labors of my father when I tell you that his repositories contain nume- 

 rous writings in his own hand of which, unfortunately, the characters are for the 

 most part, almost illegible. I need not say that I feel it to be a sacred duty to 

 have these MSS. arranged by a skilful person, to whom, I trust, my practice in 

 deciphering my father's writing, will prove of some use." 



M. Reinaud adds in a note that M. de Hammer long ago completed a Transla- 

 tion in French of the Arabian tale of Antar. Some years since, the elder M. Pou- 



