MeccawasthepatrimonyofthelineofHashem，yettheAbbassideswerenevertemptedtoresideeitherinthebirthplaceorthecityoftheprophet。Damascuswasdisgracedbythechoice，andpollutedwiththeblood，oftheOmmiades；and，aftersomehesitation，Almansor，thebrotherandsuccessorofSaffah，laidthefoundationsofBagdad，^41theImperialseatofhisposterityduringareignoffivehundredyears。^42ThechosenspotisontheeasternbankoftheTigris，aboutfifteenmilesabovetheruinsofModain:thedoublewallwasofacircularform；andsuchwastherapidincreaseofacapital，nowdwindledtoaprovincialtown，thatthefuneralofapopularsaintmightbeattendedbyeighthundredthousandmenandsixtythousandwomenofBagdadandtheadjacentvillages。Inthiscityofpeace，^43amidsttherichesoftheEast，theAbbassidessoondisdainedtheabstinenceandfrugalityofthefirstcaliphs，andaspiredtoemulatethemagnificenceofthePersiankings。Afterhiswarsandbuildings，Almansorleftbehindhimingoldandsilveraboutthirtymillionssterling:^44andthistreasurewasexhaustedinafewyearsbythevicesorvirtuesofhischildren。HissonMahadi，inasinglepilgrimagetoMecca，expendedsixmillionsofdinarsofgold。Apiousandcharitablemotivemaysanctifythefoundationofcisternsandcaravanseras，whichhedistributedalongameasuredroadofsevenhundredmiles；buthistrainofcamels，ladenwithsnow，couldserveonlytoastonishthenativesofArabia，andtorefreshthefruitsandliquorsoftheroyalbanquet。^45ThecourtierswouldsurelypraisetheliberalityofhisgrandsonAlmamon，whogaveawayfourfifthsoftheincomeofaprovince，asumoftwomillionsfourhundredthousandgolddinars，beforehedrewhisfootfromthestirrup。Atthenuptialsofthesameprince，athousandpearlsofthelargestsizewereshoweredontheheadofthebride，^46andalotteryoflandsandhousesdisplayedthecapriciousbountyoffortune。Thegloriesofthecourtwerebrightened，ratherthanimpaired，inthedeclineoftheempire，andaGreekambassadormightadmire，orpity，themagnificenceofthefeebleMoctader。"Thecaliph'swholearmy，"saysthehistorianAbulfeda，"bothhorseandfoot，wasunderarms，whichtogethermadeabodyofonehundredandsixtythousandmen。Hisstateofficers，thefavoriteslaves，stoodnearhiminsplendidapparel，theirbeltsglitteringwithgoldandgems。Nearthemwereseventhousandeunuchs，fourthousandofthemwhite，theremainderblack。Theportersordoor—keeperswereinnumbersevenhundred。Bargesandboats，withthemostsuperbdecorations，wereseenswimmingupontheTigris。Norwasthepalaceitselflesssplendid，inwhichwerehungupthirty—eightthousandpiecesoftapestry，twelvethousandfivehundredofwhichwereofsilkembroideredwithgold。Thecarpetsonthefloorweretwenty—twothousand。Ahundredlionswerebroughtout，withakeepertoeachlion。^47Amongtheotherspectaclesofrareandstupendousluxurywasatreeofgoldandsilverspreadingintoeighteenlargebranches，onwhich，andonthelesserboughs，satavarietyofbirdsmadeofthesamepreciousmetals，aswellastheleavesofthetree。Whilethemachineryaffectedspontaneousmotions，theseveralbirdswarbledtheirnaturalharmony。Throughthissceneofmagnificence，theGreekambassadorwasledbytheviziertothefootofthecaliph'sthrone。"^48IntheWest，theOmmiadesofSpainsupported，withequalpomp，thetitleofcommanderofthefaithful。ThreemilesfromCordova，inhonorofhisfavoritesultana，thethirdandgreatestoftheAbdalrahmansconstructedthecity，palace，andgardensofZehra。Twenty—fiveyears，andabovethreemillionssterling，wereemployedbythefounder:hisliberaltasteinvitedtheartistsofConstantinople，themostskilfulsculptorsandarchitectsoftheage；andthebuildingsweresustainedoradornedbytwelvehundredcolumnsofSpanishandAfrican，ofGreekandItalianmarble。Thehallofaudiencewasincrustedwithgoldandpearls，andagreatbasininthecentrewassurroundedwiththecuriousandcostlyfiguresofbirdsandquadrupeds。Inaloftypavilionofthegardens，oneofthesebasinsandfountains，sodelightfulinasultryclimate，wasreplenishednotwithwater，butwiththepurestquicksilver。
　　TheseraglioofAbdalrahman，hiswives，concubines，andblackeunuchs，amountedtosixthousandthreehundredpersons:andhewasattendedtothefieldbyaguardoftwelvethousandhorse，whosebeltsandcimeterswerestuddedwithgold。^49
　　[Footnote41:ThegeographerD'Anville，l'EuphrateetleTigre，p。121—123，andtheOrientalistD'Herbelot，Bibliotheque，p。
　　167，168，maysufficefortheknowledgeofBagdad。Ourtravellers，PietrodellaValle，tom。i。p。688—698，
　　Tavernier，tom。i。p。230—238，Thevenot，partii。p。209—
　　212，Otter，tom。i。p。162—168，andNiebuhr，VoyageenArabie，tom。ii。p。239—271，haveseenonlyitsdecay；andtheNubiangeographer，p。204，andthetravellingJew，BenjaminofTuledaItinerarium，p。112—123，aConst。l'Empereur，apudElzevir，1633，aretheonlywritersofmyacquaintance，whohaveknownBagdadunderthereignoftheAbbassides。]
　　[Footnote42:ThefoundationsofBagdadwerelaidA。H。145，A。D。
　　762。Mostasem，thelastoftheAbbassides，wastakenandputtodeathbytheTartars，A。H。656，A。D。1258，the20thofFebruary。]
　　[Footnote43:MedinatalSalem，DaralSalem。Urbspacis，or，asitismoreneatlycompoundedbytheByzantinewriters，Irenopolis。ThereissomedisputeconcerningtheetymologyofBagdad，butthefirstsyllableisallowedtosignifyagardeninthePersiantongue；thegardenofDad，aChristianhermit，whosecellhadbeentheonlyhabitationonthespot。]
　　[Footnote44:Reliquitinaerariosexcentiesmilliesmillestateres。etquateretviciesmilliesmilleaureosaureos。
　　Elmacin，Hist。Saracen。p。126。Ihavereckonedthegoldpiecesateightshillings，andtheproportiontothesilverastwelvetoone。ButIwillneveranswerforthenumbersofErpenius；andtheLatinsarescarcelyabovethesavagesinthelanguageofarithmetic。]
　　[Footnote45:D'Herbelot，p。530。Abulfeda，p。154。NivemMeccamapportavit，remibiautnunquamautrarissimevisam。]
　　[Footnote46:Abulfedap。184，189describesthesplendorandliberalityofAlmamon。MiltonhasalludedtothisOrientalcustom:—
　　OrwherethegorgeousEast，withrichesthand，ShowersonherkingsBarbaricpearlsandgold。
　　IhaveusedthemodernwordlotterytoexpressthewordoftheRomanemperors，whichentitledtosomeprizethepersonwhocaughtthem，astheywerethrownamongthecrowd。]
　　[Footnote47:WhenBellofAntermonyTravels，vol。i。p。99
　　accompaniedtheRussianambassadortotheaudienceoftheunfortunateShahHusseinofPersia，twolionswereintroduced，todenotethepowerofthekingoverthefiercestanimals。]
　　[Footnote48:Abulfeda，p。237。D'Herbelot，p。590。ThisembassywasreceivedatBagdad，A。H。305，A。D。917。InthepassageofAbulfeda，Ihaveused，withsomevariations，theEnglishtranslationofthelearnedandamiableMr。HarrisofSalisbury，PhilologicalEnquiriesp。363，364。]
　　[Footnote49:Cardonne，Histoiredel'Afriqueetdel'Espagne，tom。i。p。330—336。AjustideaofthetasteandarchitectureoftheArabiansofSpainmaybeconceivedfromthedescriptionandplatesoftheAlhambraofGrenada，Swinburne'sTravels，p。
　　171—188。]
　　ChapterLII:MoreConquestsByTheArabs。
　　PartIII。
　　Inaprivatecondition，ourdesiresareperpetuallyrepressedbypovertyandsubordination；butthelivesandlaborsofmillionsaredevotedtotheserviceofadespoticprince，whoselawsareblindlyobeyed，andwhosewishesareinstantlygratified。Ourimaginationisdazzledbythesplendidpicture；
　　andwhatevermaybethecooldictatesofreason，therearefewamonguswhowouldobstinatelyrefuseatrialofthecomfortsandthecaresofroyalty。ItmaythereforebeofsomeusetoborrowtheexperienceofthesameAbdalrahman，whosemagnificencehasperhapsexcitedouradmirationandenvy，andtotranscribeanauthenticmemorialwhichwasfoundintheclosetofthedeceasedcaliph。"Ihavenowreignedabovefiftyyearsinvictoryorpeace；belovedbymysubjects，dreadedbymyenemies，andrespectedbymyallies。Richesandhonors，powerandpleasure，havewaitedonmycall，nordoesanyearthlyblessingappeartohavebeenwantingtomyfelicity。Inthissituation，Ihavediligentlynumberedthedaysofpureandgenuinehappinesswhichhavefallentomylot:theyamounttoFourteen:—Oman!placenotthyconfidenceinthispresentworld!"^50Theluxuryofthecaliphs，souselesstotheirprivatehappiness，relaxedthenerves，andterminatedtheprogress，oftheArabianempire。
　　TemporalandspiritualconquesthadbeenthesoleoccupationofthefirstsuccessorsofMahomet；andaftersupplyingthemselveswiththenecessariesoflife，thewholerevenuewasscrupulouslydevotedtothatsalutarywork。TheAbbassideswereimpoverishedbythemultitudeoftheirwants，andtheircontemptofoeconomy。
　　Insteadofpursuingthegreatobjectofambition，theirleisure，theiraffections，thepowersoftheirmind，weredivertedbypompandpleasure:therewardsofvalorwereembezzledbywomenandeunuchs，andtheroyalcampwasencumberedbytheluxuryofthepalace。Asimilartemperwasdiffusedamongthesubjectsofthecaliph。Theirsternenthusiasmwassoftenedbytimeandprosperity。theysoughtrichesintheoccupationsofindustry，fameinthepursuitsofliterature，andhappinessinthetranquillityofdomesticlife。WarwasnolongerthepassionoftheSaracens；andtheincreaseofpay，therepetitionofdonatives，wereinsufficienttoalluretheposterityofthosevoluntarychampionswhohadcrowdedtothestandardofAbubekerandOmarforthehopesofspoilandofparadise。
　　[Footnote50:Cardonne，tom。i。p。329，330。Thisconfession，thecomplaintsofSolomonofthevanityofthisworld，readPrior'sverbosebuteloquentpoem，andthehappytendaysoftheemperorSeghed，Rambler，No。204，205，willbetriumphantlyquotedbythedetractorsofhumanlife。Theirexpectationsarecommonlyimmoderate，theirestimatesareseldomimpartial。IfI
　　mayspeakofmyself，theonlypersonofwhomIcanspeakwithcertainty，myhappyhourshavefarexceeded，andfarexceed，thescantynumbersofthecaliphofSpain；andIshallnotscrupletoadd，thatmanyofthemareduetothepleasinglaborofthepresentcomposition。]
　　UnderthereignoftheOmmiades，thestudiesoftheMoslemswereconfinedtotheinterpretationoftheKoran，andtheeloquenceandpoetryoftheirnativetongue。Apeoplecontinuallyexposedtothedangersofthefieldmustesteemthehealingpowersofmedicine，orratherofsurgery；butthestarvingphysiciansofArabiamurmuredacomplaintthatexerciseandtemperancedeprivedthemofthegreatestpartoftheirpractice。^51Aftertheircivilanddomesticwars，thesubjectsoftheAbbassides，awakeningfromthismentallethargy，foundleisureandfeltcuriosityfortheacquisitionofprofanescience。ThisspiritwasfirstencouragedbythecaliphAlmansor，who，besideshisknowledgeoftheMahometanlaw，hadappliedhimselfwithsuccesstothestudyofastronomy。ButwhenthesceptredevolvedtoAlmamon，theseventhoftheAbbassides，hecompletedthedesignsofhisgrandfather，andinvitedthemusesfromtheirancientseats。HisambassadorsatConstantinople，hisagentsinArmenia，Syria，andEgypt，collectedthevolumesofGrecianscienceathiscommandtheyweretranslatedbythemostskilfulinterpretersintotheArabiclanguage:hissubjectswereexhortedassiduouslytoperusetheseinstructivewritings；andthesuccessorofMahometassistedwithpleasureandmodestyattheassembliesanddisputationsofthelearned。"Hewasnotignorant，"saysAbulpharagius，"thattheyaretheelectofGod，hisbestandmostusefulservants，whoselivesaredevotedtotheimprovementoftheirrationalfaculties。
　　ThemeanambitionoftheChineseortheTurksmaygloryintheindustryoftheirhandsortheindulgenceoftheirbrutalappetites。Yetthesedexterousartistsmustview，withhopelessemulation，thehexagonsandpyramidsofthecellsofabeehive:
　　^52thesefortitudinousheroesareawedbythesuperiorfiercenessofthelionsandtigers；andintheiramorousenjoymentstheyaremuchinferiortothevigorofthegrossestandmostsordidquadrupeds。Theteachersofwisdomarethetrueluminariesandlegislatorsofaworld，which，withouttheiraid，wouldagainsinkinignoranceandbarbarism。"^53ThezealandcuriosityofAlmamonwereimitatedbysucceedingprincesofthelineofAbbas:theirrivals，theFatimitesofAfricaandtheOmmiadesofSpain，werethepatronsofthelearned，aswellasthecommandersofthefaithful；thesameroyalprerogativewasclaimedbytheirindependentemirsoftheprovinces；andtheiremulationdiffusedthetasteandtherewardsofsciencefromSamarcandandBocharatoFezandCordova。ThevizierofasultanconsecratedasumoftwohundredthousandpiecesofgoldtothefoundationofacollegeatBagdad，whichheendowedwithanannualrevenueoffifteenthousanddinars。Thefruitsofinstructionwerecommunicated，perhapsatdifferenttimes，tosixthousanddisciplesofeverydegree，fromthesonofthenobletothatofthemechanic:asufficientallowancewasprovidedfortheindigentscholars；andthemeritorindustryoftheprofessorswasrepaidwithadequatestipends。IneverycitytheproductionsofArabicliteraturewerecopiedandcollectedbythecuriosityofthestudiousandthevanityoftherich。AprivatedoctorrefusedtheinvitationofthesultanofBochara，becausethecarriageofhisbookswouldhaverequiredfourhundredcamels。
　　TheroyallibraryoftheFatimitesconsistedofonehundredthousandmanuscripts，elegantlytranscribedandsplendidlybound，whichwerelent，withoutjealousyoravarice，tothestudentsofCairo。Yetthiscollectionmustappearmoderate，ifwecanbelievethattheOmmiadesofSpainhadformedalibraryofsixhundredthousandvolumes，forty—fourofwhichwereemployedinthemerecatalogue。Theircapital，Cordova，withtheadjacenttownsofMalaga，Almeria，andMurcia，hadgivenbirthtomorethanthreehundredwriters，andaboveseventypubliclibrarieswereopenedinthecitiesoftheAndalusiankingdom。TheageofArabianlearningcontinuedaboutfivehundredyears，tillthegreateruptionoftheMoguls，andwascoevalwiththedarkestandmostslothfulperiodofEuropeanannals；butsincethesunofsciencehasarisenintheWest，itshouldseemthattheOrientalstudieshavelanguishedanddeclined。^54
　　[Footnote51:TheGulistonp。29relatestheconversationofMahometandaphysician，Epistol。Renaudot。inFabricius，Bibliot。Graec。tom。i。p。814。Theprophethimselfwasskilledintheartofmedicine；andGagnierViedeMahomet，tom。iii。p。
　　394—405hasgivenanextractoftheaphorismswhichareextantunderhisname。]
　　[Footnote52:SeetheircuriousarchitectureinReaumurHist。
　　desInsectes，tom。v。Memoireviii。Thesehexagonsareclosedbyapyramid；theanglesofthethreesidesofasimilarpyramid，suchaswouldaccomplishthegivenendwiththesmallestquantitypossibleofmaterials，weredeterminedbyamathematician，at109
　　degrees26minutesforthelarger，70degrees34minutesforthesmaller。Theactualmeasureis109degrees28minutes，70
　　degrees32minutes。Yetthisperfectharmonyraisestheworkattheexpenseoftheartisthebeesarenotmastersoftranscendentgeometry。]
　　[Footnote53:SaedEbnAhmed，cadhiofToledo，whodiedA。H。
　　462，A。D。069，hasfurnishedAbulpharagiusDynast。p。160withthiscuriouspassage，aswellaswiththetextofPocock'sSpecimenHistoriaeArabum。Anumberofliteraryanecdotesofphilosophers，physicians，&c。，whohaveflourishedundereachcaliph，formtheprincipalmeritoftheDynastiesofAbulpharagius。]
　　[Footnote54:TheseliteraryanecdotesareborrowedfromtheBibliothecaArabico—Hispana，tom。ii。p。38，71，201，202，LeoAfricanus，deArab。MedicisetPhilosophis，inFabric。Bibliot。
　　Graec。tom。xiii。p。259—293，particularlyp。274，andRenaudot，Hist。Patriarch。Alex。p。274，275，536，537，besidesthechronologicalremarksofAbulpharagius。]
　　InthelibrariesoftheArabians，asinthoseofEurope，thefargreaterpartoftheinnumerablevolumeswerepossessedonlyoflocalvalueorimaginarymerit。^55Theshelveswerecrowdedwithoratorsandpoets，whosestylewasadaptedtothetasteandmannersoftheircountrymen；withgeneralandpartialhistories，whicheachrevolvinggenerationsuppliedwithanewharvestofpersonsandevents；withcodesandcommentariesofjurisprudence，whichderivedtheirauthorityfromthelawoftheprophet；withtheinterpretersoftheKoran，andorthodoxtradition；andwiththewholetheologicaltribe，polemics，mystics，scholastics，andmoralists，thefirstorthelastofwriters，accordingtothedifferentestimatesofscepticsorbelievers。Theworksofspeculationorsciencemaybereducedtothefourclassesofphilosophy，mathematics，astronomy，andphysic。ThesagesofGreeceweretranslatedandillustratedintheArabiclanguage，andsometreatises，nowlostintheoriginal，havebeenrecoveredintheversionsoftheEast，^56whichpossessedandstudiedthewritingsofAristotleandPlato，ofEuclidandApollonius，ofPtolemy，Hippocrates，andGalen。^57Amongtheidealsystemswhichhavevariedwiththefashionofthetimes，theArabiansadoptedthephilosophyoftheStagirite，alikeintelligibleoralikeobscureforthereadersofeveryage。PlatowrotefortheAthenians，andhisallegoricalgeniusistoocloselyblendedwiththelanguageandreligionofGreece。Afterthefallofthatreligion，thePeripatetics，emergingfromtheirobscurity，prevailedinthecontroversiesoftheOrientalsects，andtheirfounderwaslongafterwardsrestoredbytheMahometansofSpaintotheLatinschools。^58Thephysics，bothoftheAcademyandtheLycaeum，astheyarebuilt，notonobservation，butonargument，haveretardedtheprogressofrealknowledge。Themetaphysicsofinfinite，orfinite，spirit，havetoooftenbeenenlistedintheserviceofsuperstition。Butthehumanfacultiesarefortifiedbytheartandpracticeofdialectics；thetenpredicamentsofAristotlecollectandmethodizeourideas，^59
　　andhissyllogismisthekeenestweaponofdispute。ItwasdexterouslywieldedintheschoolsoftheSaracens，butasitismoreeffectualforthedetectionoferrorthanfortheinvestigationoftruth，itisnotsurprisingthatnewgenerationsofmastersanddisciplesshouldstillrevolveinthesamecircleoflogicalargument。Themathematicsaredistinguishedbyapeculiarprivilege，that，inthecourseofages，theymayalwaysadvance，andcanneverrecede。Buttheancientgeometry，ifIamnotmisinformed，wasresumedinthesamestatebytheItaliansofthefifteenthcentury；andwhatevermaybetheoriginofthename，thescienceofalgebraisascribedtotheGrecianDiophantusbythemodesttestimonyoftheArabsthemselves。^60