Grateful acknowledgement is especially made to Prof. A.H. Sayce, of the Oxford University; to Sir M. Monier-Williams, and to Mr. Theo. G. Pinches, of the British Museum, each of these distinguished scholars having examined portions of the manuscript and affixed their valuable notes thereunto.
Cordial thanks are also due to Dr. R. Rost, of the India Office in London, who laid before the artist all the illuminated Persian manuscripts in that vast collection of Eastern lore, and to the honorable Council of the India Office, who placed these rare literary treasures at the author’s service without the customary precaution of taking a bond therefor. The frontispiece is a section of the illuminated title-page of a Persian manuscript of priceless value. This is a copy of the Shāh Nāmah, which is a large folio, the pages being beautifully written in four columns. Each page is illuminated with delicate paintings, which are a triumph of art. This old manuscript, which is now invaluable, was purchased for the India House Collection at the celebrated Hastings sale about twenty-five years since. Our illustration gives only a portion of the page, and thus the full size of the figure has been preserved, which is far better than to mar the beauty of the work by reducing it.
The author is also desirous of expressing thanks to S.C. Griggs & Co. for the beautiful typography of these volumes: it is a matter of congratulation that the courage of this house in assuming the publication of works, which are generally supposed to be needed only by scholars, has been so fully justified.
Carlyle has said, “If a book comes from the heart, it will contrive to reach the hearts of others.” If this be true, no apology is needed for the preparation of these volumes upon Oriental literature, for the work is constantly pursued with an intense love of the subject, and it is hoped that the reader will share to a certain extent the enthusiasm of
THE AUTHOR.
PRONUNCIATION.
A little attention to the diacritical points will enable the reader to readily pronounce the proper names in Persian literature.
These points, however, have been largely omitted in the foot-notes, the system of pronunciation being fully indicated in the body of the book.
| A—a | is pronounced as in | rural. |
| Ā—ā | ” ” | tar, father, etc. |
| I—i | ” ” | fill. |
| Ī—ī | ” ” | police. |
| U—u | ” ” | full. |
| Ū—ū | ” ” | rude. |
| Ṛi—ṛi | ” ” | merrily. |
| Ṛī—ṛī | ” ” | marine. |
| Ṉ—ṉ | ” ” | like n in the French mon. |
| Ṇ—ṇ | ” ” | none (ṇuṇ). |
| Ḥ—ḥ | is a distinct aspirate. | |
| Kh—kh | sounded like ch in | church. |
| Kh—kh | pronounced as in | inkhorn. |
| Ć—ć | ” ” | as ch in church. |
| Ćh—ćh | ” ” | churchhill. |
| Ṭ—ṭ | ” ” | true |
| Ṭh—ṭh | ” ” | anthill. |
| Ḍ—ḍ | ” ” | drum. |
| Ḍh—ḍh | ” ” | red haired. |
| Ś—ś | ” ” | sure. |
