A History of Arabian Music to the XIIIth Century by Henry George Farmer

Review by: G. S.
Isis, Vol. 13, No. 2 (Feb., 1930), pp. 375-376
Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of The History of Science Society
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 REVIEWS 375

of such an immense monumentimplied alreadya high degree of technical

development and social organization.
Of IMHOTEP'S medical skill we know nothing, but if he was really
the living hero who became legendary and immortal and was thought
worthy of representingthe very god of medicine, we must assume that
he had obtained some measure of medical fame during his life-time.
Whether the vizier IMHOTEP was the human model of the demigod
or not, we do not know with any certainty. We can only say that SETHE'S
theory, popularizedby HuRRY,is very plausible. At any rate IMHOTEP
was the prototypeof ASKLEPIOS,even as THOTH, of HERMES. This illus-
trates very fittingly the Egyptian origin of Greek medicine.
Every disciple of IMHOTEP ought to read this book. He will find the
chapters on incubation (49-56, IO5-Iii) and on the medical library
of the Asklepieionat Memphis(I12-II9) of specialinterest,also the section
devoted to Egyptian medicine (145-I68). I shall not insist upon this,
as I propose to speak at greater length of this fascinating subject when
J. H. BREASTED's
edition of the EDWIN SMITHPapyrus finally appears
(Isis, 5, 447-49).
The illustrationsare good but it is a pity that their origin is not more
clearly indicated, also the size, material, and dynasty of the originals.
It is a pleasure to see the hieroglyphs of ALLAN H. GARDINER's fount
(Isis, I2, 395). The book is beautifully got up, yet remarkablycheap,
a pleasant contrast with the fantastic prices which German publishers
are now exacting. The Oxford Press deserves every encouragement
for this liberality. GEORGESARTON.

Henry George Farmer. - A history of Arabian music to the XIIIth

century. xv -Jr 264 p., 3 pl. London, LUZAC,1929 (I5 sh.).
The readers of Isis have been able to follow the author's studies on
Arabian music since I926 when his excellent paper entitled ((Clues
for the Arabian influence on European musical theory)) (1925) was
fully reviewed (Isis, 8, 508-Ii). Many other papers of his, most of
them published in the Yournalof the Royal Asiatic Society, have since
been brought to their attention (see vol. 8, 794; vol. 9, I89, 500, 559;
vol. II, 419, 5I5).
The present volume does not deal with the theory of music which
is reserved for a companion volume. The author's purpose has been
rather to outline the cultural backgroundof the development of Muslim
.music, to describe the musical life of each period and speak of the main
musicians. The treatment is chronological, but only in a very rough
manner. This is our first cause of quarrel with the author.
For example,we readon p. 201: ((The twelfth century opens brilliantly

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376 ISIS, XIII, 2

withIBN BAJJA in al-Andalus, and he is followed by MUHIAMMADIBN

AL-HADDAD, IBN SAB'IN, and MUIjAMMAD IBN AijMAD AL-RAQUTi.)
The reader is thus led to believe that AL-RAQYTIlived in the twelfth
century or not long afterwards. As a matter of fact he was still living
in 1273. Further on, speaking of the same RAQU'TI, the author remarks
((He was a thirteenth century savant of Murcia, distinguished for his
abilities in music, mathematics and medicine. Then the Christians
took Murcia (thirteenth century)..... )). Mark the vagueness of these
statements. To be sure we do not know the events of his life as well
as we would wish, but there is far more to be said than the author did.
And why say that the Christianstook Murcia in the thirteenth century?
Would we say that NAPOLEONwas finallybeatenin the nineteenthcentury?
The province of Murcia was conquered upon the Muslims in 1243.
The book is literally full of such laxities. The author has taken con-
siderable pains to transliterate proper names exactly, and I have not
found him in error in that respect. However, it would be better to
vocalize RIQUfTI than RAQUfTi, this nisba being derived from the name
of the Valle de Ricote, in the province of Murcia, where MUIjAMMAD
IBN AHMADwas probably born.
Aside from that chronologicallooseness which is very irritating,there
are other weaknesses which suggest that the author did not digest his
abundant material long enough. There are too many colorless or
meaningless statements which would be allowed in a bibliographic
introductionto the subject, but are out of placein a history. For example,
what is the point of speaking of the biographicalcollections of IBN AL-
QIFTI and IBN ABI'USAIBI'Ain the history itself ? Strangely enough
the book ends rather abruptly (desinit in piscem) with the mention
of their works. The different pagination of the first section dealing
with ancient Arabia suggests that it was added at the eleventh hour
when the rest of the book was already printed.
It is a pity that the author did not keep his book on the stocks a few
years longer; he would have been able to give us then a real history.
But imperfect as it is, it will be very useful. The three plates adorning
it are very interesting. The first, representing a zitherlike instrument
called shahrud, is taken from a twelfth century Ms. of the Kitab al-
muslql of AL-F2RABI. The second and third represent the musical
notations of AL-KINDI and of SAFI-AL-DiN ABD AL-MU'MIN. These
notations were derived in all probability from Greek models.
G. S.

Max Meisel. - A bibliographyof Americannaturalhistory. Thepioneer

century,1769-I865.. The role played by the scientific societies;

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