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MAY, 1890.]
MISCELLANEA.
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In the Persian spoken language, also as in some contemporary Persian dialects, the verb W IS, besides the customary meaning to have' and its auxiliary use to form verbs out of substantives, has also meanings, which, as far as the author knows, have not got into the literary language. (a) The Aorist of this verb, standing before the present of any verb, gives to the latter a future sense, as if the thing would be quickly accomplished, something like the French aller with the infinitive, - je vais faire. (6) "The past tense of this verb standing before the past tense of another verb gives to the latter the sense of a past action only just accomplished : as in French, - Je viens de parler.
(3) Description of a Persian MS. of the Four Gospels, by N. Marr. In the Library of the Society for the Diffusion of Education among the Georgians at Tiflis, under No. 16, is preserved a copy of the Four Gospels in the Persian language, written in Georgian civil characters. The manuscript is on paper in leathern binding. The text is written in black ink: the headings in red. The scribe is not mentioned by name. The manuscript is without date, but probably belongs to the seventeenth century. The transcription has been carefully made. The writer of the article gives specimens of the translation and adds that the text of this MS. differs remarkably both in vocabulary and construction from the Persian translation published by the English Bible Society, and furnishes material for the study of Persian phonetics. The only other similar work which the writer has seen is a small Georgian. Arabic-Persian glossary, also compiled in the seventeenth century.
(f) Criticism and Bibliography. (1) D. Pestchurov. Supplement to the RussianChinese Dictionary, St. Petersburg, 1888. A valuable work and an excellent supplement to the dictionary of Prof. Vasiliev.
2) N. L. Gondatti. (i.) Traces of heathen customs among the Manses, from the Transactions of the Moscow Anthropological and Ethnological Society. (ii.) Worship of the Bear among the natives of North-Western Siberia. Russian literature is fairly rich in works of this kind, but we must make haste, as many barbarous races are disappearing and others becoming Russified. Shamanism either gives place to Christianity or changes its appearance under its influence. In 1885 M. Gondatti went to North-Western Siberia and turned his attention to the religious belief of the Manses (called among the Russians Ostiaks and Voguls), living on the banks of the
Sosva, the Sigva, and their tributaries. V. Gondatti gives a description of their gode and heroes, their views of a future state, and their burial customs. They have traditions about the creation of the world and the deluge. In the stories about the creation of man, the influence of Christianity can be traced. The worship of the bear among the natives of North-Western Siberia serves as a convincing proof how beliefs are changed into mere formalities, and how diffi. cult it is now to seek out the origin of this or that cultus. He describes the religious festivi. ties in honour of a bear which had been killed. These are accompanied with songs and dances.
(3) A. L. Ivanov. Routes to India: a short Sketch of the Development of Commercial Relations with the Remote East, with the addition of a Map. St. Petersburg, 1889, pp. 32. The title of this work is misleading, because the author does not take us any further than the Amu Daria, and that is still a good way from India. Some things which he describes as an eyewitness are interest. ing; but some of his statements are open to dispute, e.g. that at the close of the Eighteenth Century there were about 30,000 Russian pri soners in Bokhåra Caravans go through Kisil Kuma to Kazalinsk and by this route merchandise from Bokhara is brought to Orenburg in 45 days, whereas to take them from Tashkand to Orenburg 50 is required.
(4) S. Umanets. ' A Sketch of the Development of Religious and Philosophical Thought in Islán. A poor book, chiefly compiled from Dozy. It is best where the author copies him most closely, as he is unacquainted with Arabic, and therefore working at second-hand. The reviewer exposes some of the many mistakes which the work contains, but, as the author is quite young, hopes that he will eventually produce something worthy of notice.
(5) Dr. H. Fleischer. Kleinere Schriften, Gesanmelt, Durchgesehen und Vermehrt. 3 Bde. 18851888. These three volumes contain the smaller essays of this great scholar, who died in 1983. The reviewer pays a tribute to his generosity of character, and speaks of him as an ideal professor. This collection of his smaller works, the selection and revision of which formed the last labour of his life, will be received by all his admirers with pleasure. The indexes are by his pupil Huber, now also deceased, and his son-in-law, Prof. Mühlau of Dorpat.
(6) Porta Linguarum Orientalium inchoavit J. H. Petermann, continuarit Herm. L. Strack. Pars XI. Türkische Grammatit mit Paradigmen, Literatur, Chrestomathie und Glossar von August
