ast collection ranged in well-polished cases, with the names written
on them.... Among these, the most extraordinary were some stones said to
have fallen from the sky, one of which was near 300 lbs. in weight, and
with regard to the origin of which their philosophers differ. The most
generally received opinion is, that they were thrown from volcanoes in
the moon, thus assuming, first, the existence of volcanoes there;
secondly, their possessing sufficient force to throw such masses to a
distance, according to their own theory, of between 200,000 and 300,000
miles; and this through regions, the nature of which is wholly unknown.
This hypothesis cannot be maintained according to the Ptolemaic system;
indeed, it is in direct contravention to it."

The perverse abandonment by the Feringhis of the time-honoured system of
Ptolemy, in favour of the new-fangled theories of Copernicus, by which
the earth is degraded from its recognised and respectable station in the
centre of the universe, to a subordinate grade in the solar system,
seems to have been a source of great scandal and perplexity to the Khan;
"since," as he remarks, "the former doctrine is supported by their own
Bible, not less than by our Koran." These sentiments are repeated
whenever the subject is referred to; and particularly on the occasion of
a visit to the Observatory at Greenwich, where he was shown all the
telescopes and astronomical apparatus, "though, owing to the state of
the weather, I had not the opportunity of viewing the heavens to satisfy
myself of the correctness of the statements made to me. I was told,
however, that on looking through these instruments at the moon,
mountains, seas, and other signs of a world, are distinctly visible."
After satisfying his curiosity on these points, the Khan proceeded to
inspect the hospital, where he saw the pensioners at dinner in the great
hall; "most of these had lost their limbs, and those who were not maimed
were very old, and nearly all of them had been severely wounded; indeed,
it was a very interesting spectacle, and reflected great credit on the
English nation, which thus provides for the old age of those who have
shed their blood in her defence." To the charitable institutions of the
country, indeed, we find the Khan at all times fully disposed to do
justice; "there is no better feature than this in the national
character, for there is scarcely a disease or deformity in nature for
which there is not some e