HH. P. 638. If the boltewere. sufficiently nut regrets, and 'sufficiently fine, se as to produce a great degree of &Abandon on, of friction, between. the parts, thisjoint. might be wade almostMb strong as the entireheam,, since. these, is nothing prevent the co-operation of each side with. the etheathreusAt• out its extent : but much of the strength, won141.be lost if the bolts became looav, even. in ew ineoasitlert able degree.
11. P. 642. The ðos has reasoisedi upencthe direction of straps, as if it were univessatial tteoemarlf to economise their immediate strength, only, without regard to the effect. prodused al the tightness of the joint: but it may happen that the principal purpose of the strap will be answered ky its. pressing the raf ter bogy upon the beach sad thiseffect may be pro dttwbbyeremiaiikevistiearinnertbe basimatal pp, lastaittle.diseitustioa,of tbototrsegtik tithe steep: a deviation- which has' aka the edsantaseil allowing the simpto easbraee,tbewhalt of *elm, :without , weakening it by- Mein, a bola throe& it We must not however endanger the crippling of she end of the beats, and the *MA rePriesoNst et-fig. -38. may be, allowed to be 0001)0Wilat a ease& SK. P. 642.. It does not .taluodesiable that.tbe,endsof the:ratios sh be supported idth out any pressure en the ends of the beams, since these ends- would bear a. small weight without auy danger of bending, and would thus lessen the Fes sure on the king post.
CA$1RI (Macasex.), a very learned Orientalist, of the sect of Syrian Christians called Maronites, was bora at Tripoli in. Syria in the year 1710. As the sect of' Maronites were subject to the Pope, Car siri carne to study at Rome, and entered into holy in 1734. in the following year he proceeded to Syria to assist at a Synod of the Maronites. He setup* to Route in 1788, and for ten years there aAer taught the brethren of hia convent, to read Arabic,. Syriac, and Chaldaic, giving lectures also in Philosophy and Theology.. In 1748. he passed into Spain, upon the invitation of R*vugoh Confesaor to Rerdinend VI., and sires by his means employed, in the Royal Library at Madrid. In 1749 be was sunned a member of the Rgyal..skastenw irilistery ; is 1756, he was appointed Interpreter. of Easter* Languages to the King; and aeon thereafter joint Librarian of the Escurial, with a royal pension. of 200 piastres, besides the ordioarx emolaraents of the office. In, 1761 be became, principal Librarian, a situation which he appears to have held till his death in 1791. ( Uninerseldo.) The cutly work which entitleti Casirre AMC,. SQ. bp recordedossiong the benefactors of Literaturs bie ceiehrated cat9lagu; •ef tis4 Acethic, preaerred Library. of b was esepar, This rare sand curious work, entil red Bigietief.* 4robko-Higstwi, Esoriakastis, , was pelali4,w). sp two voluomss folio, at Madrid, the, ftrst xt*Pae in 176Q, and the .second ten year* thereafter.- DIF Gibbon expresses himself," beppy.ie powessieg* copy thusend usteresting, woils," which constitutes, indeed, one of the most valuable contri butions that modern Europe has yet. furnished • wards the illustration of Eastern. literature. By means of it, the literary treasures of the Escurial Library, the richest perhaps in Europe in the works of Arabic writers, are in- manner shared with the learned of other countries thus affording an eu• ple,.which it. were to be wished, e11, other countries
possessing similar treasures wo,,tld imitate, The it diciotts manner in which it is compiled readers it sort, of digest of the attainments of the Sareree in science and literature during the most flourishing eras of their Empire.. Its. contests, as Mr l3arington observes, " may indeed, under some of its heads, principally regard .Spain ; but they will, however, be found adequately to represent the general standard . of learning, in. its full extent and at Cordova Or. Fez,. at. Cake or at Dagslag (Lif• rorN Hisiary et ate *Ole Ages,. 652.) The mauescripts described amount to shove eag . teen hundred, and are cAssed ie the followtne order : Graminttr, Rhetorie, reeky, Missellanief, Lexicone, Philosopky,, Poliaics, vine,. Na.tt4rd HiStcorP. . Get/W.44, . and. Iii§tarY. 110 tITP .1* Index.. ocean the. vit.* Ole mtl Al systent.cor..044:ogv4g, 04 RP Fr F aignt pf aqkwt atogim be Ter/ 44 . sgitglitik • ... hut. kt 1,4§ kow4.411 11e8 to egqit akx, such TAP i etefom bo Oa; tupelap th.S.% • llod,e1Westi VOAlait , wAllOrs that. Wt. QcliirkOsi Ibc cum. tri qf Inquisition, should place so many classes that of'Vheoingy, in'thefraystemrgerrerally holds' the first place. The 'each "Manuscript 'is given in'the Artibic, 8 lath transla tion, land its 'age arid' author, when thase'ree are pointed 'but this •is not all ;'the 'title and' description of the work is frequently followed With ' extracts, also in Arabic and Latin, by ofthe tnodt 'curious or peculiar are 'brought 'before 'the 'reader ; 'thereby supplying the want of the nriginal,as well who could read itif ticcesSible,• as to those who could not' read it though tit hand. The learned author has also col lected various 'interesting and 'authentic df •Sitracenic 'Biography, 'and corrects some pre valent. errors' regurding the lives writers. We have notice d an 'error of this 'kind, in 'our ac count, • derived from'Casiri, -of the celebrated Ara bian 'Philosopher ALizaasa, given in the 'first vo lume of this Supplement.
'In the'preface 'which is of considerable length, Casiri gives a general-view of 'his labours, and com the assistance which he received from the Government and from the Learned. Rich as the in Arabic Manuscripts, its present stores are small, compared to what they once were ; for Casiri 'mentions that, by a fire which 'happened 'in 1670, more than three thousand 'of. these interesting piecerwere 'Consumed. They who have not access to 'this-valuable ' work, 'which is indeed but rarely to be met 'find of its contents, with some • critical comments, First to Harris's Philological Inquiries, and in the 'Sc-' cord Appendix Baringtoia's Literary History of the Middle Ages. latter writer closes his re. view by stating it as 'his opinion, that 'the Arabian literature, 'though it greatly outshone ours during the same period, has experienced upon 'Whole too' much prodirlity of praise. This may perhaps be but this writer has as 'abler likewise, have, 'to furnish a sound and thorough esti mate- of the 'attainments and services to which the Arabians are fairly entitled 'to lay claim in regard to the culture and advancement of learning. The erudition of 'Gibbon, vast and varied as 'it was, did not -nearly embrace all that was necessary to a 'full appreciation of • this portion of literary his tory. His general view may be just, his criticisms penetrating and comprehensive ; but he was ignorant or the language, and of some branches of science, without a proficiency in which, such an estimate could not be drawn up with any pretensions either to cri tical or accuracy. He who attempts, with requisite endowments, to supply that great de sideratum—a literary history of the Saracens during the flourishing periods of their literature, will find the work of Casiri an invaluable assistant in such an undertaking.