rew, and the Greek
idioms, and transfused through successive versions into the modern
languages of Europe. In their present form, the peculiar character, the
manners and religion of the Hindoos, are completely obliterated; and the
intrinsic merit of the fables of Pilpay is far inferior to the concise
elegance of Phaedrus, and the native graces of La Fontaine. Fifteen
moral and political sentences are illustrated in a series of apologues:
but the composition is intricate, the narrative prolix, and the precept
obvious and barren. Yet the Brachman may assume the merit of inventing
a pleasing fiction, which adorns the nakedness of truth, and alleviates,
perhaps, to a royal ear, the harshness of instruction. With a similar
design, to admonish kings that they are strong only in the strength of
their subjects, the same Indians invented the game of chess, which was
likewise introduced into Persia under the reign of Nushirvan. [56]

[Footnote 46: A thousand years before his birth, the judges of Persia
had given a solemn opinion, (Herodot. l. iii. c. 31, p. 210, edit.
Wesseling.) Nor had this constitutional maxim been neglected as a
useless and barren theory.]

[Footnote 47: On the literary state of Persia, the Greek versions,
philosophers, sophists, the learning or ignorance of Chosroes, Agathias
(l. ii. c. 66--71) displays much information and strong prejudices.]

[Footnote 48: Asseman. Bibliot. Orient. tom. iv. p. DCCXLV. vi. vii.]

[Footnote 49: The Shah Nameh, or Book of Kings, is perhaps the original
record of history which was translated into Greek by the interpreter
Sergius, (Agathias, l. v. p. 141,) preserved after the Mahometan
conquest, and versified in the year 994, by the national poet Ferdoussi.
See D'Anquetil (Mem. de l'Academie, tom. xxxi. p. 379) and Sir William
Jones, (Hist. of Nadir Shah, p. 161.)]

[Footnote 50: In the fifth century, the name of Restom, or Rostam, a
hero who equalled the strength of twelve elephants, was familiar to the
Armenians, (Moses Chorenensis, Hist. Armen. l. ii. c. 7, p. 96, edit.
Whiston.) In the beginning of the seventh, the Persian Romance of Rostam
and Isfendiar was applauded at Mecca, (Sale's Koran, c. xxxi. p. 335.)
Yet this exposition of ludicrum novae historiae is not given by Maracci,
(Refutat. Alcoran. p. 544--548.)]

[Footnote 51: Procop. (Goth. l. iv. c. 10.) Kobad had a favorite Greek
physician, Stephen of Edessa, (Persic. l. ii. c. 26.) The practice was
ancient; and