¹ This date given by Sachau in the preamble of his Chronology of Ancient Nations has been questioned by Taqī ud-Dīn al-Hilīlī in his Die Eilcitung Zu al-Bīrūnī Steinbuch, Leipzig 1941, p. VII. He, on the authority of Professor Krenkow says that Sachau's date is not in agreement with al-Bīrīnī's statement who says himself in the introduction to Kitāb al-Saydanah, that he was already eighty years at that time, which contradicts Sachau's dating. See pp. VIII and IX.

² The book is divided into three parts (1) The Preface (Hyderabad ed.). pp. 1-32. (2) First article dealing with precious stones, pp. 32-228 also pp. 1-11 appended at the end of the book. (3) Article dealing with coins and precious stones and their interrelationship, pp. 228-271.

³ Abstract ethical principles cannot however, make a "good person", for ethics are discussed here merely as verbal and intellectual exercise. Professional...