which have not been collated for your Septuagint; if those only, of which you have given me a list, have been collated. There are altogether about 150, or 200, of different parts of the Septuagint in the Library, whereas the numbers you have given me amount only to 37. Perhaps I have said too much in stating the number so high as 200, but the keeper of the Greek MSS. supposed they might amount to as many. At all events you can easily see yourself the whole number by looking into the Catalogues of the Royal Library, and the Coislinian, &c. which are in the Bodleian. references to the MSS. in the printed catalogues have been preserved. You would certainly find here ample materials for collation, and employment for a long time. I cannot attempt to describe all that I have seen: I can only say, that every thing has exceeded my expectation."

The

Before Mr. Nicoll left Paris, he had an interview with Baron de Sacy; and soon after his

return to Oxford received from the Baron the following letter of acknowledgment for a literary communication, and which was the commencement of a correspondence occasionally renewed between them.

Monsieur,

Paris, 12 Août, 1817.

J'ai l'honneur de vous renvoyer les Notices Manuscrites que vous avez bien voulu me communiquer, et dont vous m'avez permis de prendre copie. Je vous suis infiniment obligé de cette complaisance, et je serois très-aise si vous me procuriez une occasion de faire ici quelque chose qui vous fût agréable. Je vous prie, Monsieur, de faire mes empressés compliments à Monsr. le Profr. Macbride. Agréez aussi personellement l'assurance de la considération trèsdistinguée avec laquelle j'ai l'honneur d'être,

Monsieur,

Votre très humble et très obéissant Serviteur,

LE BARON SILVESTRE DE SACY.

On the 13th of September of this year, Mr. Nicoll published a small Tract, entitled, Notitia Codicis Samaritano-Arabici in Bibli

otheca Bodleiana adservati, Pentateuchum complectentis; in qua virorum cel. D. Durelli, Coll. Hert. Principalis, et H. E. G. Pauli, Ling. Oriental. Profess. Jenensis, errores demonstrantur. His object in this publication, as intimately connected with the work which he had now in hand, is thus described: Quod notitiæ sequentis formam adtinet, vellem scias illam eo consilio literis mandatam fuisse, ut locum haberet in Catalogo Codicum MSS. Orientalium Bibliothecæ Bodleianæ, qui Supplementi ad ejus partem primam a viro cel. Joanne Uri, Hungaro conscriptam, aliquando in lucem emittendi vicem præstaret. In this tract he shews, that the error of the two learned men above mentioned respecting the age of this MS. arose from their misunderstanding the sense of the Arabic words, al-mamlouk alasgar, servus vilissimus, in the Epigraphe affixed to the book of Leviticus. But the most extraordinary mistake is that which is noticed at the close of the tract.

Non pos

sum non Durellii hallucinationem, qui de hoc Codice totus in errore versatur, aliam Post

plane ridiculam hic etiam notare.

1

Epigraphen ultimam verba quædam subjecit scriba, quæ ita interpretatus est Durellius: the writing of Jabkan, which he wrote under ground, retiring there with pleasure for that purpose. Harum ineptiarum in Arabicis nec vola nec vestigium. Verba sunt: scriptum maneat (manet) aliquamdiu post ejus scriptorem, et cum scriptor sub terra sit conditus: 0. Domine! miserere scriptoris, &c.

Mr. Nicoll took Priest's Orders in 1818; and on applying to his brother for a certificate of his age, hè notices the arrival of 2040 MSS. from Venice, (the collection of the Abbate Canonici,) purchased by the University at the expense of £6000. They are," he observes, "extremely valuable, and of various descriptions: I am at present partially engaged with them, and, if I remain here, shall be more so. I expect in a

66

few days to have a native of Persia for my

pupil, who is intended by Government to fill some diplomatic situation there."

The doubt which he expresses concerning his permanent residence in Oxford may be explained by a circumstance which occurred in the course of this year. Sir Wm. Hamilton, who has been already mentioned as one of his early friends at Balliol, having written to him to announce that the place of Librarian to the Faculty of Advocates was vacant, was very desirous that he should offer himself as a candidate for that situation. Though he was encouraged to believe that he had a fair chance of success, he thought proper however, upon mature consideration, to decline the proposal. By a letter which he wrote to his brother on this occasion, he appears confident that he had made a prudent determination, and that he should eventually obtain some appointment, at least as respectable, if not as valuable, in the University of Oxford. "For the present," he says, "I am well contented. I have now begun to give