In the introduction to my Sumerian and Babylonian Psalms was derived, from early rubrics attached to Sumerian songs, the principle that the Sumerians classified their psalms and liturgical services chiefly by the names of the instruments employed in accompaniments. The Babylonians and the Assyrians adopted the Sumerian chants for their own sacred music, and throughout the history of Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian temple music each psalm and liturgy was usually said to the accompaniment of a single instrument. The early Sumerian psalms usually have the title eršemma or melody to the flute. But the drum, balag, Syriac pelaggā, and the kettledrum, liles, Babylonian lilissu, were freely employed in sacred music. The harp was also employed in early Sumer, as we know from a monument of Lagash, but the Sumerian and Babylonian name of the harp is unknown. The Sumerians classified their chants by the names of these instruments.

I. Manyō. Of the four thousand one hundred short poems in the Manyōshū, about two hundred have been translated, by Florenz, Aston, Dickins, and others. Many more deserve translation, particularly the dialect-songs, which have been avoided by previous translators. A few of these (noted as such when they occur), and some fifty other songs not hitherto translated, will be found below, with text and rendering.

ʻAzīz koka, “the beloved foster-brother” of the Emperor Akbar, is, I think, the most interesting character among the Agra courtiers of the sixteenth century, nnd the enduring, David and Jonathan like, friendship between him and Akbar is the most touching thing in the ponderous volumes of Abul Fazl's history. Not that 'Azīz was the best man among Akbar's servants, or that he was superior to his age. He was violent and full of faults, and there is little doubt the Hindu Rajah Todar Mal and the Muhammedan historian Nizāmu-d-dī Aḥmad were better men. But 'Azīz is more interesting and likeable, and we know more about him, and feel towards him as we do to the crabbed Badayūnī. Both men were honest and fearless, and had an outspokenness which is very refreshing after the pedantry and tortuousness of Abul Fazl. The author of the Masiru-l-Umara accuses 'Azīz of treachery (nifāq), because he wrote plainly to a friend and comrade of Akbar's faults, but he also admits, that 'Azīz had not a particle of timeservingness in his nature: “Aṣia zamāna-sāz nabūd.” He was the only man who had the courage to stand up against Akbar's sciolism and crude heresies, and he acted upon his convictions, for he relinquished his office and his emoluments and went off to Mecca rather than continue to serve an infidel king.

In the following text an attempt has been made to represent as accurately as possible the speech of Mr. H. Perera, a form of speech which we believe to be fairly typical of that of the educated Sinhalese of Colombo. The form of speech here recorded is that used in familiar conversation and will be found to differ greatly from the literary or semi-literary language of the ordinary textbook

I wish to correct the following errors in the last two quarterly issues of JRAS.:—

October, 1920, pp. 535–63.

The interesting account of Mr. Ivanow about the manuscripts preserved at the shrine of Imām Rizā (Riḍā) at Meshhed contains many entries from which it is far from clear what works are meant, but the following corrections may elucidate some obscure places:—

p. 543. No. 286 is the well-known work of Murtaḍā lithographed in Ṭeherān, and in a more accessible edition, Cairo, 1325 A.H. (four volumes).

p. 549. No. 13. Insān al-'Uyūn is correct; it is a well-known biography of the prophet, and the remainder should read

Noe. 38–9. . No doubt the Constantinople print 1286 a.h. (in four volumes). No. 41. No doubt the work of Qazwīnī.

p. 550. Nos. 47–8. . Probably the Cairo edition of 1283 a.h.

p. 551. No. 71. . The history of Maḥmūd of Ghazna.

p. 554. No. 10. .

p. 555. No. 80. .

p. 556. No. 125. .

There are many other titles of books which by careful scrutiny could be identified, but the whole library appears to be very disappointing when compared with the libraries in Constantinople.

January, 1921, pp. 121 ff.

p. 121, 6a, read

p. 122, 33b, read

105a, read

p. 123, 224b, read

p. 123, 224b, read

p. 124, 226a, read

In several cases the vowels have been placed a trifle sideways from the consonants, but this should be no impediment to students.