x]

[Footnote 549: Burton adds here, "in order that other than I may carry
it off."]

[Footnote 550: Min el meloum, lit. "[it is] of the known (i.e. that
which is known)." Burton, "who knoweth an he wot, etc."]

[Footnote 551: Night DLXXIV.]

[Footnote 552: Sic, meaning of course that he had discovered its
properties and availed himself thereof.]

[Footnote 553: Medinetu 's seltaneh, i e. the seat of government or
capital.]

[Footnote 554: Lit. "donned" (lebesa).]

[Footnote 555: Here Galland says, "Il entra dans le lien le plus fameux
et le plus frequente par les personnel de grande distinction, ou l'on
s'assembloit pour boire d'une certaine boisson chance qui luy etoit
connue des son premier voyage. Il n'y e-t pas plust"t pris place qu'on
lay versa de cette boisson dans une tasse et qu'on la luy presenta.
En la prenant, comme il prestoit l'oreille... droite et... gauche, il
entendit qu'on s'entretenoit du palais d'Aladdin." The Chavis MS. says,
"He entered a coffee-house (kehweh, Syrian for kehawi), and there used
to go in thereto all the notables of the city, and he heard a company,
all of them engaged in (ammalin bi, a very vulgar expression) talking of
the Amir Alaeddin's palace, etc." This (or a similar text) is evidently
the original of Galland's translation of this episode and it is
probable, therefore, that the French translator inserted the mention
"of a certain warm drink"(tea), out of that mistaken desire for local
colouring at all costs which has led so many French authors (especially
those of our own immediate day) astray. The circumstance was apparently
evolved (alla tedesca) from his inner consciousness, as, although China
is a favourite location with the authors of the Nights, we find no
single mention of or allusion to tea in the rest of the work.]

[Footnote 556: Lit. "I will make him lose."]

[Footnote 557: Night DLXXV.]

[Footnote 558: Lit. "Instruments of astronomy or astrology" (tenjim);
but tenjim is also used in the sense of geomancy, in which operation,
as before explained, astrology plays an important part, and the context
shows that the word is here intended to bear this meaning. Again, the
implements of a geomancer of the higher order would include certain
astrological instruments, such as an astrolabe, star-table, etc.,
necessary, as I have before explained, for the elucidation of the scheme
obtained by the sand-smiting proper.]

[Footnote 559: He h