[246] Nothing is more 'antipathetic'to Easterns than lean hips and flat hindercheeks in women and they are right in insisting upon the characteristic difference of the male and female figure. Our modern sculptors and painters，whose study of the nude is usually most perfunctory，have often scandalised me by the lank and greyhoundlike fining off of the frame，which thus becomes rather simian than human.
[247] The small fine foot is a favourite with Easterns as well as Westerns. Ovid （A.A.） is not ashamed 'ad teneros Oscula （not basia or suavia） ferre pedes.'Ariosto ends the august person in Il breve，asciutto，e ritondetto piece，（The shortsized，cleancut，roundlymoulded foot）.
And all the world over it is a sign of 'blood，'i.e. the fine nervous temperament.
[248] i.e. 'full moons'： the French have corrupted it to 'Badoure'；we to 'Badoura.'winch is worse.
[249] As has been said a single drop of urine renders the clothes ceremoniously impure，hence a Stone or a handful of earth must be used after the manner of the torchecul. Scrupulous Moslems，when squatting to make water，will prod the ground before them with the point o f stick or umbrella，so as to loosen it and prevent the spraying of the urine.
[250] It is not generally known to Christians that Satan has a wife called Awwa （'Hawwa'being the Moslem Eve） and，as Adam had three sons，the Tempter has nine，viz.Zu 'lbaysun who rules in bazars. Wassin who prevails in times of trouble. Awan who counsels kings；Haffan patron of winebibbers；Marrah of musicians and dancers；Masbut of newsspreaders （and newspapers ？）；Dulhan who frequents places of worship and interferes with devotion. Dasim，lord of mansions and dinner tables，who prevents the Faithful saying 'Bismillah'and 'Inshallah，'as commanded in the Koran （xviii. 23），and Lakis，lord of Fire worshippers （Herklots，chap. xxix. sect. 4）.
[251] Strong perfumes，such as musk （which we Europeans dislike and suspect），are always insisted upon in Eastern poetry，and Mohammed's predilection for them is well known. Moreover the young and the beautiful are held （justly enough） to exhale a natural fragrance which is compared with that of the blessed in Paradise. Hence in the Mu'allakah of Imr alKeys：
Breathes the scent of musk when they rise to rove，As the Zephyr's breath with the flavour o'clove.
It is made evident by dogs and other finenosed animals that every human being has his，or her，peculiar scent which varies according to age and health. Hence animals often detect the approach of death.
[252] Arab. 'Kahla.'This has been explained. Mohammed is said to have been born with 'Kohl'd eyes.'
[253] Hawa al'uzri，before noticed （Night cxiv.）.
[254] These lines，with the Nazir （eye or steward），the Hajib （Groom of the Chambers or Chamberlain） and Joseph，are also repeated from Night cxiv. For the Nazir see AlHariri （Nos. xiii.and xxii.）
[255] The usual allusion to the Hur （Houris） from 'Hangar，'the white and black of the eye shining in contrast. The Persian Magi also placed in their Heaven （Bihisht or Minu） 'Huran，'or blackeyed nymphs，under the charge of the angel Zamiyad.
[256] In the first hemistich，'bishitt 'it wady'（by the wadybank）： in the second，'wa shatta 'l wady'（'and my slayer'
i.e. wady act. part. of wady，killing'hath paced away'）.
[257] The double entendre is from the proper names Budur and Su'ad （Beatrice） also meaning 'auspicious （or blessed） full moons.'
[258] Arab. 'Hazir'（also Ahl alhazer，townsmen） and Badi，a Badawi，also called 'Ahl alWabar，'people of the camel's hair （tent） and A'arab （Nomadic） as opposed to Arab （Arab settled or not）. They still boast with Ibn Abbas，cousin of Mohammed，that they have kerchiefs （not turbands） for crowns，tents for houses，loops for walls，swords for scarves and poems for registers or written laws.
[259] This is a peculiarity of the Jinn tribe when wearing hideous forms. It is also found in the Hindu Rakshasa.
[260] Which，by the by，are small and beautifully shaped. The animal is very handy with them，as I learnt by experience when trying to 'Rareyfy'one at Bayrut.
[261] She being daughter of AlDimiryat，King of the Jinns.
Mr. W. F. Kirby has made him the subject of a pretty poem.
[262] These lines have occurred in Night xxii. I give Torrens's version （p. 223） by way of variety.
[263] Arab. 'Kamat Alfiyyah，'like an Alif，the first of the Arabic alphabet，the Heb. Aleph. The Arabs，I have said，took the flag or water leaf form and departed very far from the Egyptian original （we know from Plutarch that the hieroglyphic abecedarium began with 'a'），which was chosen by other imitators，namely the bull's head，and which in the cursive form，especially the Phoenician，became a yoke. In numerals 'Alif'denotes one or one thousand. It inherits the traditional honours of Alpha （as opposed to Omega） and in books，letters and writings generally it is placed as a monogram over the 'Bismillah，'an additional testimony to the Unity. （See vol.i.p.1.） In mediaeval Christianity this place of honour was occupied by the cross： none save the wildest countries have preserved it，but our vocabulary still retains Criss' （Christ）cross Row，for hornbook，on account of the old alphabet and nine digits disposed in the form of a Latin cross. Hence Tickell （'The Hornbook'）：
Mortals ne'er shall know More than contained of old the Chris'cross Row.
[264] The young man must have been a demon of chastity.
[265] Arab. 'Kirat'from i.e. bean，the seed of the Abrus precatorius，in weight=two to three （English） grains；and in length=one fingerbreadth here；24 being the total. The Moslem system is evidently borrowed from the Roman 'as'and 'uncia.'
[266] Names of women.
[267] Arab. 'Amsa'（lit. he passed the evening） like 'asbaha'
