INTRODUCTION.
This remarkable and fascinating romance, in its English version, was originally published under the auspices of the Oriental Translation Fund sixty-five years ago. Issued in the form of a costly folio, it was buried in great libraries, and scarcely found its way at all to the general public. The publishers of the present edition, becoming acquainted with the rare merits and the intense interest of the work, have resolved to bring it, in a more available shape, to the attention of the large class of refined readers who cannot fail to be both delighted and edified by it.
The preface by the accomplished translator of the work from the Persian dealt much with philological matters which are of no interest save to critical students or linguists. Omitting these portions, re-arranging and condensing the rest, and adding some new matter, the present editor seeks here simply to furnish such an introduction as will enable those who approach the work to occupy the right point of view for an appreciative perusal of it. He has inserted in the text itself, in order not to encumber the pages with footnotes, such changes or explanatory phrases as will remove any obscurities which might perplex the reader.