[FN#362] These disembodied “voices” speaking either naturally or through instruments are a recognized phenomenon of the so-called “Spiritualism,” See p. 115 of “Supra-mundane Facts,” &c., edited by T.J.  Nichols, M.D., &c., London, Pitman, 1865.  I venture to remark that the medical treatment by Mesmerism, Braidism and hypnotics, which was violently denounced and derided in 1850, is in 1887 becoming a part of the regular professional practice and forms another item in the long list of the Fallacies of the Faculty and the Myopism of the “Scientist.”

[FN#363] I may also note that the “Hatif,” or invisible Speaker, which must be subjective more often than objective, is a common-place of Moslem thaumaturgy.

[FN#364] It may have been borrowed from Ulysses and the Sirens.

[FN#365] Two heroes of the Shahnameh and both the types of reckless daring.  The monomachy or duel between these braves lasted through two days.

[FN#366] The “Bagh” or royal tiger, is still found in the jungles of Mazenderan and other regions of Northern Persia.

[FN#367] In addressing the Shah every Persian begins with the formula “Kurban-at basham” = may I become thy Corban or sacrifice.  For this word (Kurban) see vol. viii. 16.

[FN#368] The King in Persia always speaks of himself in the third person and swears by his own blood and head, soul, life and death.  The form of oath is ancient:  Joseph, the first (but not the last) Jew-financier of Egypt, emphasises his speech “by the life of Pharaoh.” (Gen. xiii. 15, 16.)

[FN#369] Another title of the Shah, making him quasi-divine, at any rate the nearest to the Almighty, like the Czar and the Emperor of China.  Hence the subjects bow to him with the body at right angles as David did to Saul (I Sam. xxiv, 8) or fall upon the face like Joshua (v. 14).

[FN#370] A most improbable and absurd detail:  its sole excuse is the popular superstition of “blood speaking to blood.”  The youths being of the royal race felt that they could take unwarrantable liberties.

[FN#371] This is still a Persian custom because all the subjects, women as well as men, are virtually the King’s slaves.

[FN#372] i.e.  King of kings, the {Greek}.

[FN#373] Majlis garm karna, i.e. to give some life to the company.

[FN#374] In Arabic “’Ilm al-Mukashafah” = the science by which Eastern adepts discover man’s secret thoughts.  Of late years it has appeared in England but with the same quackery and imposture which have ruined “Spiritualism” as the Faith of the Future.

[FN#375] Nor are those which do occur all in the same order:  The first in the Turkish book “Of ’Ebu-’l-Kasim of Basra, of the ’Emir of Basra, and of ’Ebu-’l-Faskh of Wasit,” is probably similar to the first of Petis, “History of Aboulcasem of Basra.”  The second “Of Fadzlu- ’llah of Mawsil (Moser), of ’Ebu-’l-Hasan, and of Mahyar of Wasit,” is evidently the seventh