You don’t tell me how Hafiz gets on. There is one thing which I think I find in Salámán which may be worth your consideration (not needing much) in Hafiz: namely, in Translation to retain the original Persian Names as much as possible—‘Shah’ for ‘king’ for instance—‘Yūsuf and Suleyman’ for ‘Joseph and Solomon,’ etc. The Persian is not only more musical, but removes such words and names further from Europe and European Prejudices and Associations. So also I think best to talk of ‘A Moon’ rather than ‘a Month,’ and perhaps ‘sennight’ is better than ‘week.’
This is a little matter; but it is well to rub off as little Oriental Colour as possible.
As to a Notice of Jámí’s Life, you need not trouble yourself to draw it up unless you like; since I can
make an extract of Ouseley’s, and send you for any addition or correction you like. Very little needs be said. I have not yet been able to find Jámí out in the Biographie Universelle. . . .
Now let me hear from you something—whatever you like. Yours and Lady’s, E. F. G.
You, I believe, in your Oxford Essay, translate Jámí’s ‘Haft Aurang’ as the ‘Seven Thrones,’ it also meaning, I see, the seven Stars of the Great Bear—‘The Seven Stars.’ Why should not this latter be the Translation? more intelligible, Poetical, and Eastern (as far as I see) than ‘Thrones.’
To Mrs. Cowell.
London. Friday [April 25, 1856].
My dear Lady,
The Picture after all did not go down yesterday as I meant, but shall and will go to-morrow (Saturday). Also I shall send you dear Major Moor’s ‘Oriental Fragments’; an almost worthless Book, I doubt, to those who did not know him—which means, love him! [307] And somehow all of us in our corner of Suffolk knew something of him: and so again loved something of him. For there was nothing at all