Chapter I: Front Matter

THE
NATURAL HISTORY
OF
ALEPPO,
AND
PARTS ADJACENT.

CONTAINING

A DESCRIPTION of the CITY, and the Principal
NATURAL PRODUCTIONS in its Neighbourhood;

TOGETHER WITH

An Account of the CLIMATE, INHABITANTS, and DISEASES;
particularly of the PLAGUE, with the Methods used by the
EUROPEANS for their Preservation.

By ALEX. RUSSELL, M. D.

LONDON,
Printed for A. MILLAR, in the Strand.
MDCCLVI.

TO

ALEXANDER DRUMMOND Esq; CONSUL,

THE GENTLEMEN OF THE BRITISH
FACTORY AT ALEPPO,

AND

THOSE NOW IN ENGLAND WHO HAVE
FORMERLY RESIDED AT THAT PLACE,

THE FOLLOWING SHEETS ARE,
WITH THE DEEPEST SENSE OF
GRATITUDE AND ESTEEM,

INSCRIBED

BY

THE AUTHOR.

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The Author’s intention, when he first began to digest his materials, was only to exhibit an account of the epidemic diseases at _Aleppo_, particularly of the plague, which raged three years in that city during his residence therein. A long and extensive practice among all ranks and degrees of people, had furnished him with the means of being perfectly well acquainted with the customs and manners of the inhabitants. The neighbourhood of this place, its site, and natural productions, he found had not been so fully described, but that there still was room left for improvement. Instead, therefore, of confining himself singly to so much of the general history of the place as might be sufficient for the purpose of his profession, he has entered into the subject more at large, and has endeavoured to present the reader with a succinct, but at the same time an exact account of such things relative thereto as seemed most to merit attention. It must however be remembered that his observations are confined to one city, and its environs only. Other places, and those too at no great distance, may have other customs; and to this it may be ascribed, that different writers on the head of the customs of eastern nations present us with very different accounts.

When it is considered that the Author resided many years abroad, and conversed daily in other languages more than in his own, which he had but little leisure to cultivate, the defects in his stile, it is hoped, will be forgiven.

In the plates he has not only endeavoured to give an idea of the various dresses of the people, but a view of their furniture, habitations, and amusements.

The birds and fishes here delineated are such as, to the best of the Author’s knowledge, have not before been properly represented, and those of the plants are chiefly of the same kind. So many of the _Arabic_ names of these as were collected, would have been given, had it been possible to have expressed them justly in _English_ characters, or easy to have had them correctly printed in _Arabic_; in which language, it must be observed, all the names of places, _&c._ in this work are given, unless mentioned to be otherwise.

The different subjects in the first part were intended to have been pointed out, by varying the running-title according to the subject; but, by mistake, this was omitted till too late.

The method used by the _Europeans_ for their preservation during the rage of a pestilence was chiefly intended for the use of the Author’s friends in _Aleppo_, to whom it was presented on his leaving that country. To those in _Europe_ he sincerely wishes that it may never otherwise be useful than to satisfy their curiosity.

How far the Author’s abilities have been equal to the task he has undertaken, the public will judge; and he intreats their candour. That he has had fair opportunities of observing, that he has given a faithful narrative of facts, and that he has used no false colouring in his representation, he presumes to appeal to his cotemporaries and acquaintance, who, in visiting these places again in his description, may perhaps call to mind many agreeable hours they have spent even in these scenes, so far distant from their native country.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY of ALEPPO, AND THE PARTS ADJACENT.