432 Account of Dr. Hager’s Deieéion of Literary Forgeries.. [Match ty 
forth for the purpof of mveitigation.. But 
he perfiited in refufing to produce the 
epifolary correfpondence, which for many 
years paft he had held with Fez and Moa- 
rocco ; for as. he mace very light of in- 
wenting falfhoods, he averred, that one 
wight four men in difguile and provided 
with fre arms had attacked him at his 
hhoule, and had taken away thoie papers 
tegether with many cthers. “Fo fupport 
this, he appesied to a fmart fit of the 
fever, with which he had been feized in 
ecnfeguence of the fright ; all, however, 
that was learnt frém the examinations fet 
on foot by the cruminal court, which in- 
terrogated every perion then living im his 
boufe, amouated to.no more than that en 
the preceeding day of the alleged rob- 
bery he had himieif fent off a large cheft. 
Tm the execution of the work, his crafti- 
geis,, and his deficiency in thofe branches 
qi knowledge which conftitute the real 
fcholar, were alike apparent.- He, how- 
ever, allowed himfelf full time ; the hf 
printed volume of his publication, which 
commenced about 1782, having appeared 
as late as the year 1792. During this 
interval, he ranfacked all chronicles within 
his reach, and treaiured up every hear-iay 
communicated to him by feverai real pa- 
triots ; who, without 2ny confcious parti- 
cipation in his fraudulent defigns, aGiually 
prometed them. For, by imquirine of 
bim. whether he had-not found references 
fo particular events and circumfances, 
they were infiromental in leading him from 
ene track to another. ‘The joy canfed by 
thefe difcoveries was not limited to Sicily ; 
molt of the foreicn countries manifelicd 
their wterefi im the happy event. The 
Foil judicious of the German reviews de- 
clared, that among all books treating of 
Asabic hiftory, there was none from which 
the politics, the adminifiraticn of the ftate, 
and the nature of the feudal fyflem of the 
Arahs, could be more elearly underficed, 
than from this Codice diplameiico. Extraés 
were made; and Latin, Encilith, and 
French tranflations- begun : the German 
tranfiation by Profcfior Haufleutmer, at 
Sinttgard, proceeded’ to feur volumes, 
equal to two of the ortgimals. Travellers 
extolicd the important diicovery of the 
Code. In Italy, text-boeks of Sicilian 
hifiory and explanations of the ancient 
geography of Sicily, were taken from it. 
‘Phe . charters. and- flate- papers, bans 
dgemed valuable relics of the middle age; 
Were cepied into works of importance. 
Careiul inquirers into the antiquities, the 
arts and iciences of the country, the chro- 
no! , the coins, tae topograph yhy, the 
pet! hiftory, the laws, and the Batiffies 
ef Sicily, as well as the hiftory of mount 
Etna, inférted in their works Vella’s-fic- 
titious relations, blendmg them with ge- 
nuine ones; fo that, in confulting thofe col- 
lections, the reader cannot ebierve too 
much circum{pefion. _— 
Vella fometimes committed the grofiek 
and moit ridiculous faults refpetting hif- 
tory, chronology, the unifomm tener of 
the oriental fiyle, and the language. Thus 
he knew only the ancient compilers .e. g. 
Carufo,. &c. but was i of the 
modern editions of Arabic writers, which 
are net erly fuperior to the former, but 
ean alone be de upon. It is for 
this reafon, that his Emirs and Muleis 
were made to exprefs themfelves in a moft 
extraordinary manner, giving, the names 
ef the towns and perfons of their nation 
not only incorreGly, and even with the 
milpellings and errata of Carufo, but con- 
trary to the precepts of Arabic grammar, 
and in a way detelted by Mahomedans. 
He was a flranger te their Calendar, con- 
founded lunar with folar months, employed 
for their appellation names which are only 
corrupted from the Latin, and made the 
Arabic months begin and terminate equally 
with thofe of the Romans. To cities and 
coins he aicribed later names, which were 
not in ufe but after the lapfe of"! a 
centuries, viz. that. of Stambul. he atfhi- - 
buted to Con@antinople. He had acquired 
his icanty knowledge of Arabic in Malta, 
only by the ear, without ever reading ~ 
beoks written in the pure dialeé&t;. hence 
it is, that the Mufti, whom he introduces, 
cannot correctly fpell his own name; and 
Vella himfelf was incapable of rightly | 
diftinguifhing words which are pronounced 
quickly after one another. In the very 
ttle of the work he the trite 
term of Alizh (God) into Lalgb, becaufe 
Rejul (ambaflador) precedes, which he 
transforms into Ref#3 thus; inftead. of 
Reful Allah, we have Refu alah. After 
this manner, the lady’s maid in * Hom- 
phry Clinker,” may be allowed to join 
and divide fyllables at will; but no fuch 
infance had until then occurred of a 
fcholar doing fo, in a language of which 
he was called public le€turer, and from 
whofe publication German profeffors ex- 
traéted {pecimens of Arabic for the in- 
firuétion of beginners. Vella’s ~Arabie 
was by many declared to be the jargon of 
Niakta, while others ftood up im its de- 
fence. His incredible effrontery betrayed 
him into the Seangelt muttakes. - oom 

