[FN#312] The first school for Arabic literature was opened by Ibn Abbas, who lectured to multitudes in a valley near Meccah; this rude beginning was followed by public teaching in the great Mosque of Damascus.  For the rise of the “Madrasah,” Academy or College’ see Introduct. to Ibn Khallikan pp. xxvii-xxxii.

[FN#313] When Ibn Abbad the Sahib (Wazir) was invited to visit one of the Samanides, he refused, one reason being that he would require 400 camels to carry only his books.

[FN#314] This “Salmagondis” by Francois Beroalde de Verville was afterwards worked by Tabarin , the pseudo-Bruscambille d’Aubigne and Sorel.

[FN#315] I prefer this derivation to Strutt’s adopted by the popular, “mumm is said to be derived from the Danish word mumme, or momme in Dutch (Germ. = larva), and signifies disguise in a mask, hence a mummer.”  In the Promptorium Parvulorum we have “Mummynge, mussacio, vel mussatus”:  it was a pantomime in dumb show, e.g.  “I mumme in a mummynge;” “Let us go mumme (mummer) to nyghte in women’s apparayle.”  “Mask” and “Mascarade,” for persona, larva or vizard, also derive, I have noticed, from an Arabic word—­Maskharah.

[FN#316] The Pre-Adamite doctrine has been preached with but scant success in Christendom.  Peyrere, a French Calvinist, published (A.D. 1655) his “Praadamitae, sive exercitatio supra versibus 12, 13, 14, cap. v.  Epist.  Paul. ad Romanos,” contending that Adam was called the first man because with him the law began.  It brewed a storm of wrath and the author was fortunate to escape with only imprisonment.

[FN#317] According to Socrates the verdict was followed by a free fight of the Bishop-voters over the word “consubstantiality.”

[FN#318] Servetus burnt (in A.D. 1553 for publishing his Arian tractate) by Calvin, whom half-educated Roman Catholics in England firmly believe to have been a pederast.  This arose I suppose, from his meddling with Rabelais who, in return for the good joke Rabie laesus, presented a better anagram, “Jan (a pimp or cuckold) Cul” (Calvinus).

[FN#319] There is no more immoral work than the “Old Testament.”  Its deity is an ancient Hebrew of the worst type, who condones, permits or commands every sin in the Decalogue to a Jewish patriarch, qua patriarch.  He orders Abraham to murder his son and allows Jacob to swindle his brother; Moses to slaughter an Egyptian and the Jews to plunder and spoil a whole people, after inflicting upon them a series of plagues which would be the height of atrocity if the tale were true.  The nations of Canaan are then extirpated.  Ehud, for treacherously disembowelling King Eglon, is made judge over Israel.  Jael is blessed above women (Joshua v. 24) for vilely murdering a sleeping guest; the horrid deeds of Judith and Esther are made examples to mankind; and David, after an adultery and a homicide which deserved ignominious death, is suffered to massacre a host of his enemies,