Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1860 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAP. X. EXTRACTS EROM PUBLISHED ANSAIREE DOCUMENTS. In this chapter I shall give translations of the most important of the published documents concerning the Ansairee religion; and first of the Ansairee catechism, as the most complete and interesting. This was sent, with a French version, to the King of Prussia, by M. Catafago, dragoman of the Prussian Consul-General at Beyrout.* As I have had no opportunity of seeing the original MS., my translation is made from copious extracts published in the Journal of the German Oriental Society.f These are in the German language, and made by Dr. Wolff from a copy of the catechism lent to him by M. Catafago during his stay at Beyrout. I have added some notes where I have thought them desirable. It will be seen, on comparing this catechism with the sketch I have given of my MS., the "Manual of Sheikhs," that the arrangement and contents are in the main the same. Even single expressions are nearly identical, and would probably be found to be exactly so could the two Arabic texts be compared. The catechism has the air of being genuine, and, in any case, most certainly contains the Ansairee doctrines and formularies found in their various books. The title only, the "Book of Instruction in the Ansairee Religion," seems open to suspicion. Perhaps it does not belong to the MS. as it once stood. Dr. Wolff proceeds as follows: -- * Jahresbericht der Deutschen Morgenland Gesell. 1845-6, p. 130. f Vol. iii. p. 302. The book is in thirty-eight leaves, large octavo, and is called the Book of Instruction in the Ansairee Eeligion. The introduction contains an invocation of the eternal God, and a thanksgiving " for the communication of his divine secret, and the truth of the holy religion;" which consists in the...
