1802.] 
paflage as it has been generally underftood. 
But whoever reads through the whole 
chapter will not attribute much to his 
authority, and will be difpofed to allow 
that at leaft that might the Grammarian 
took a nap. 
Walthamflow, 
March 13,1802. 
I am, Sir, 
Yours, &c. 
E. CoGan. 
SE ; 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
S your Mifcellany is the beft chan- 
nel extant, either to conveyor to 
receive ufeful information, I’ requelt you’ 
will {pare mea column for a few inquiries, 
on a fubjectin which many of your readers 
are intereffed. 
In the year 1775, the Corporation of 
Dublin raifed the {um of 70,0001. upon 
life annuities, with benefit of furvivor- 
fhip ; and, having but a flender income, 
I was induced to fubfcribe for a few fhares 
in the fecond clafs, with the hope of in- 
creafing it. For feveral years I received 
at the rate of s!. 10s. od. percent, En- 
glith money—and though it was lefs than 
I had expected, I was not diffatisfied. 
In the fubfequent years, my annuities 
varied according to the following fcale. 
In 1733-6 9 © per cent. 
3787 pore tema 
1788-6 _g 0 
1791 5 se: ¢ 
3792 * se” i 
4793 Shea deaL 
1794.to 1801. 6 ° 
Now, Sir, I fhall pret to be in- 
formed by the Corporation of Dublin, or 
by any of your Correfpendents, on what 
principle it is that my-annuity, with be- 
nefitof furvivor/bip, is to decreafe. Why 
am I to receive 741. per cent. in 1792, and 
§$i.in 1793? Had it remained flationary, 
I ihould have been content—but how it can 
lefen, exceeds my comprehenfion. Surely 
the{pirits of departed fub{cribers do not rife 
again after a certain term, and claim their 
former annuities ?. I have no doubt that 
the committee who manage this: Tontine 
are ‘all honourable men’’—but as there 
is fomething extraordinary in thefe retro- 
grade movements, an explanation will 
ebjige many {ub‘cribers, and particularly. 
Loudon, Your obedient Servant, 
March 11, 1802. 
gs 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
OD eae anecdote relating prin- 
cipally to the Ifland of Cyprus,when 
Gonquered by the Mululmans, in the mid. 
Dublin Tontine—Anecdote of Cyprus. 
2038 
dle of the feventh century, is extracted 
from a very ancient and curious manu- 
{cript, the Tarikh Aafim.e-Cuft; or, the 
Hiftory of the firft Khalifs, by defm, of 
Cufa, a celebrated writer, whole work, 
originally written in Arabic, is fuppofed 
at prefent to exift only in the Perfan 
tranflation, made about the year of the 
Hegira 596 (of the Chriftian era 1199), 
as appears by the preface. Other paflages 
from the fame manufcript fhall, if accept- 
able, be communicated tor infertion in fu- 
ture Numbers of your excellent Magazine. © 
March 8, 1802. I am, Sir, 
Your’s, &c. W. OuUSELEY. 
«¢ Having colleéted a variety of pre- 
cious articles, Moawyeh added to their 
number a young damfel of exquifite beau- 
ty and grace, whom he had brought from 
the ifland of Cyprus, and fent them to Of 
man, the Commander of the Faithful, 
(then at Medina), under the charge of 
Obdet ben Obeidah, with a letter of com> 
pliments, and an account of all the cir- 
cumftances that had befallen. As the 
Khalif had already received the fifth thare 
of Moawych’s plunder from the ifland of 
Cyprus, thefe additional prefents and the 
letter afforded him infinite fatisfaction, 
and he returned thanks to the Almighty. 
And when he looked upon that beautiful 
damfel, and beheld her extraordinary 
charms, he faid unto the meffenger, who 
had brought her, * Is fhe alfo of the fifths, - 
or is fhe a free gift?” The’ meffenger re- 
plied, * In dividing the plunder of Cyprus, 
this fair damfel fell to the private lot of 
Moawyeh, and he fends her as a gift te 
the Commander of the Faithful.’ Thea 
the Khalif enquired of the meflenger, 
whether he had been with the Mufulmans 
at the conqueft of Cyprus; and, as he 
anfwered that he had been prefent; defired 
him to defcribe the fituation of thatifland, — 
its length, and breadth, and other parti- 
culars—-Abdet replied, © The ifland of 
Cyprus is of confglerable extent, and ex- 
tremely fertile; the inhabitants affert, 
that it iseighty parafangs in breadth, and 
as many in length: therein I beheld va- 
rious ftreams of running water, with in- 
numerable groves and gardens, plantations 
of fruit trees, and cultivated fields. So 
numerous and fo beautiful are the elegant 
villas, the lofty palaces, and the other 
ftately edifices of that ifland, that it is 
vain to undertake a defcription of them. 
Befides all thefe, it abounds in quadrupeds 
of different kinds, fuch as mules, horfes, 
camels, cows, fheep, and affes. Yet, in 
the conqueft of this ifland, through the 
r favour 
