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 BDALLATIF, or, a celebrated physician and traveller, and one of the most voluminous writers of the East, was born at Bagdad, in the 557th year of the Hegira, being the 1161st of the Christian era. Of the life of this learned person, there has fortunately been preserved a memoir, written by himself, together with some additions by a contemporary biographer, named Osaiba. The whole of this curious piece has been lately translated into French, and published with a work of Abdallatif's, of which we shall afterwards give some account. Long before the period of his birth, the splendid empire of the Caliphs had fallen from its meridian greatness; but their capital still continued to enjoy those advantages for education, which it had originally derived from their liberal patronage of learning and science. Abdallatif was carefully instructed in every branch of knowledge then taught in this renowned city; and the biographical piece just alluded to, is not a little interesting, from the glimpses it affords of the kind of studies which engaged the attention of the more aspiring of the Mussulman youth.

After learning to read, the rules of grammar appear to have been studied with a degree of care and earnestness, which has not perhaps been equalled in any other country. With the study of grammar, was joined that of the Koran, and the traditionary doctrines, and the whole of the sacred book was carefully committed to memory. This faculty seems, indeed, to have been severely taxed; for it was also thought necessary to be able to repeat several treatises on grammar and jurisprudence, besides some of the choicer collections of Arabian poetry. In these arduous exercises, Abdallatif says, that he was for a considerable time accustomed to pass the greater part of the night.

Having attained to great proficiency in the usual studies, he afterwards applied to the natural philosophy of that day, and to medicine; and with the view of still farther improving himself by converse with the learned of other places, he set out, when in his twenty-eighth year, to Mosul in Mesopotamia. Having resided about a year in this city, he next proceeded to Damascus, then a place of great resort to the learned of the surrounding countries. Abdallatif found here many of the most eminent men of that age, part of whom were busied in the chimerical pursuits of the Hermetic art, and part in philological and speculative inquiries. He seems always to have entertained great contempt for the sort of chemistry then in vogue, but he entered with eagerness into speculative discussions; and he at this time composed a treatise upon the Divine essence and attributes, in consequence of some discussions with Alkendi, a philosopher of eminence, who was not, however, thought to be quite orthodox in his faith.

The active curiosity of Abdallatif was next directed to Egypt; and he accordingly proceeded to Acre, where its sultan, the great Saladin, was at the time encamped, in order to solicit his permission to visit that country. This monarch was a liberal protector of the learned, and fond of their conversation; but having been lately defeated by the Crusaders under Richard Cœur de Lion, he was too much occupied with the cares consequent upon this disaster, to admit Abdallatif to the expected honour of a personal interview. He was, however, received in a courteous manner by the Vizier Al Fadhel, 1em