An Arab's view of XIX century Malta

Abstract

Faris ibn Yusuf ibn Mansur ash-Shidyaq was born in 'Ashqut in the Lebanon in 1804, of a Maronite family. In 1809 his parents moved to al-Hadath near Bayrut, and he received his first schooling in the Maronite school of 'Ayn Waraqah. When the American Presbyterian Mission became active in the Lebanon, his brother As'ad became a Protestant. The Maronite community did not take kindly to this defection, and As'ad is said to have been "worried to his death." Faris reacted by becoming a Protestant himself. The Mission sent him to Egypt to complete his education; he then joined the editorial staff of Egypt's official gazette, "al-Waqa'i' al-Misriyyah," the forerunner of all Arab journalism. In 1834, he was appointed Director of the American Missionary Press in Malta. While in Malta, he secured in 1838 the office of Preceptor in Arabic, and conducted classes both in the Lyceum and in the Valletta Primary school. He also claims to have taught in the University (Ch. 3), hut of this there appears to be no corroboration in the University records. At that time, however, the Maltese showed little interest in the study of Arabic, and Shidyaq appears to have found it easy to obtain leave of absence fairly frequently. Indeed, although he finally left Malta in 1848, it was not until two years later that he intimated his decision not to return, 'and thus vacated the office.