Although, as has been already observed, the greater part of the geographical works transmitted to us by the Arabians are quite divested of the interest of a personal narrative, yet a few volumes of Arabian travels have been preserved, which are worthy objects of curious attention, if it were merely for the strong contrast they exhibit between the Oriental and European modes of thinking and viewing the same object. Among these the travels of the Sheikh Ibn Batuta hold a foremost rank: they embrace all the countries which may be considered as peculiarly belonging to Arabian geography; they adduce some very singular instances of the wide diffusion of the Arabs through the East, and are strongly marked with all the national characteristics. Ibn Batuta may be fairly numbered among the most remarkable travellers of any age or country. The only account of his manifold peregrinations which is known to exist is unfortunately but an extract from an epitome; and by this twofold abridgment it is but just to suppose that the original has lost not a little of its interest. Hasty and superficial notices of the most important places, dry catalogues of names, and the enumeration of the tombs of saints, occupy too large a portion of the volume; but yet these travels are interesting and important, whether considered critically or in a general view.