The seven principal copies of the Koran are, two that were published and used at Medina ; a third, at Mecca ; a fourth, at Cilia ; a fifth, at Bassorah ; a sixth, in Syria ; and a seventh, from which the common edi tions are taken. The Mohammedans 1.4111st:hes have translated their sacred volume into the Pe•sic, the Malayan, the Javan, and the Turkish languages ; though, out of respect to the original Arabic, these versions arc generally lute rlineated. The most beautiful MSS. of the Koran to be found in Europe, are, (1.) One preserved in the Museum Kircherianum, at Rome, supposed to have been used by Solvman the Great. (2.) One in the library of Christian of Sweden. (S) One in the im perial library at Vienna ; and, (•.) One with a com mentary, by Abi Saidi Racks, which was found among the spoils of battle, at the defeat of the Turks in 1683, by George, elector of Saxony. There are others also, and several of them in England, of exquisite beauty.
The first edition of the entire work in Arabic, was published by Paganinus of Brescia, at Venice, in 1530 ; but the whole edition was committed to the flames by order of the Pope. It was afterwards printed by Hind: elman, at Hamburgh, in original Arabic, with a Latin version, and a partial confutation, was pub lished at Padua, in 1698, by Father Lewis Maracci, at the instance of Pope Innocent XI. An edition of the Arabic, in folio, with Scholia in the same language, was printed at Petersburgh, by the order of the late Em press of Russia, for the use of her Mohammedan sub jects ; and on account of their prejudice against prin ted books, she had the types so cast as to give the ap pearance of manuscript to the impression. The first
Latin version, by a Christian, was made in 1143, by Robertus Retencusis, an Englishman, with the assis tance of Hermannus Dalmata, at the request of Peter, abbot of Clugny. It was published by Bibliander in 1550. About the end of the 15th century, it was trans lated into the Arragonian tongue, by Joannes Andreas, (a convert from Mohammedism,) at the command of Martin Garcia, bishop of Barcelona, and inquisitor of Arragon. Reineccius published a correct edition of Maracci's translation, with notes, and an introduction, at Leipsic, in 1721. The English translation of Sale was first printed at London, in 1734 ; the German of Boysen, at Halle, in 1773; and the French of Savary, at Paris, in 1782. See Sale's Koran ; 4leoranus ex •ariis collectus turn fontibus tum naludihzts, in Compend. Theat. Orient. p. 20, &c. Prideaux's Life of Mahomet ; White's Sermons at the Bampton Lecture ; Van Milrlert's Ser mons at Boyle's Lecture ; Butter's 11!)1r 1lihlics, torn. ii. p. 103. &c. 180• ; and Reineccii lhsto•at .1Icorani, Leips. 1721. (d)