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BAGH O BAHAR; OR TALES OF THE FOUR DARWESHES.
Translated from the Hindustani of Mir Amman of Dihli
By Duncan Forbes, LL.D.,
Professor of Oriental Languages in King's College, London; Member of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, author of several works on the Hindustani and Persian Languages.
1874.
PREFACE.
The Bagh O Bahar, or "Garden and Spring," has, for the last half century, been held as a classical work throughout our Indian empire. It highly deserves this distinguished fate, as it contains various modes of expression in correct language; and displays a great variety of Eastern manners and modes of thinking. It is an excellent introduction not only to the colloquial style of the Hindustani language, but also to a knowledge of its various idioms and popular phrases.
The tale itself is interesting, if we bear in mind the fact, that no Asiatic writer of romance or history has ever been consistent, or free from fabulous credulity. The cautious march of undeviating truth, and a careful regard to vraisemblance, have never entered into their plan. Wildness of imagination, fabulous machinery, and unnatural scenes ever pervade the compositions of Oriental authors,—even in most serious works on history and ethics. Be it remembered, that jinns, demons, fairies, and angels, form a part of the Muhammadan creed. The people to this day believe in the existence of such beings on the faith of the Kur,an; and as they are fully as much attached to their own religion as we are to ours, we ought not to be surprised at their credulity.