on Hammer: and gone on with Jami and Nizami. But my
great Performance all lies in the last five weeks since I have been alone
here; when I wrote to Napoleon Newton to ask him to lend me his MS. of
Attar's Mantic uttair; and, with the help of Garcin de Tassy {311} have
nearly made out about two-thirds of it. For it has greatly interested
me, though I confess it is always an old Story. The Germans make a Fuss
about the Sufi Doctrine; but, as far as I understand, it is not very
abstruse Pantheism, and always the same. One becomes as wearied of the
_man-i_ and _du-i_ in their Philosophy as of the _bulbul_, etc., in their
Songs. Attar's Doctrine seems to me only Jami and Jelaleddin (of whom I
have poked out a little from the MS. you bought for me), but his Mantic
has, like Salaman, the advantage of having a Story to hang all upon; and
some of his illustrative Stories are very agreeable: better than any of
the others I have seen. He has not so much Fancy or Imagination as Jami,
nor I dare say, so much depth as Jelaleddin; but his touch is lighter. I
mean to make a Poetic Abstract of the Mantic, I think: neither De Tassy
nor Von Hammer {312} gives these Stories which are by far the best part,
though there are so many childish and silly ones. Shah Mahmud figures in
the best. I am very pleased at having got on so well with this MS.
though I doubt at more cost of Eyesight than it is worth. I have
exchanged several Letters with Mr. Newton, though by various mischances
we have not yet met; he has however introduced me to Mr. Dowson of the
Asiatic, with whom, or with a certain Seyd Abdullah recommended by Allen,
I mean (I think) to read a little. No need of this had you remained
behind! Oh! how I should like to read the Mantic with you! It is very
easy in the main. But I believe I shall never see you again; I really do
believe that. And my Paper is gradually overcome as I write this: and I
must say Good Bye. Good Bye, my dear dear Friends! I dare not meddle
with Mr. and Mrs. Charlesworth. {313} Thackeray coming in overset me,
with one thing and another. Farewell. Write to me; direct--whither? For
till I see better how we get on I dare fix on no place to live or die in.
Direct to me at Crabbe's, Bredfield, till you hear further.

24 PORTLAND TERRACE, REGENT'S PARK.
Saturday _January_ 23 [? 24] 1857.

MY DEAR E. B. C.,

I must write you a second Letter (which will reach you, I suppose, by the
same Post as that w