Persian Portraits: A Sketch of Persian History, Literature & Politics

Persian Portraits: A Sketch of Persian History, Literature & Politics Summary:

By F. F Arbuthnot

Publisher: Bernard Quaritch
Number Of Pages: 185
Publication Date: 1887
ISBN-10 / ASIN: B0000CQFVT
ISBN-13 / EAN:

PREFACE - - - - - - vii I. OUTLINES OF PERSIAN HISTORY - - - 1 II. A SKETCH OF PERSIAN LITERATURE - - - 9 III. THE GREATER POETS :
FIRDAUSI - - - - - 41
ANWARI - - - - - - 46
NIZAMI - - . - - - 48
JALAL-UDDIN RUMI - - - - 50
Sa'di SHIRAZI - . - - - 55
HAFEZ - - - - - - 57
JAMI - - - - - - 63 IV. THE LESSER POETS :
RUDAKI - - - - - - 66
ASADI .-..-- 67
'UMAR KHAYAM - - - - - 68
HAKIM SANAI - - - - - 71
RASHID-UDDIN WATWAT - - - - 72
KHAKANI - - - - - 73
HAKIM AZRAKI - - - - - 75
SHAIKH FARID-UDDIN ATTAR - - - 76
AMIR KHUSRO OF DEHLI - - - 77
SHAIKH KAMAL-UDDIN KHUJANDI - - 79
KATIBI - - . - - - 80
AMIR SHAHI OF SABZWAR - - - 80
HATIFI - - - - - - 81
SHAIKH FAIZI - - - - - 83
SA'IB - - - - .- - 84 PERSIAN POETRY:
1. THE GHAZAL - - - - - 85
2. THE KASIDA - - - - - 87
3. THE MESNEVI - - - - - 87
4. THE QUATRAIN- - - - - 87 V. TALES AND STORIES:
'KALILAH AND DIMNAH ' - - - 93
*ANWAR-I SUHELl' - • - - 97
*AYAR-DANISH,' OR 'TOUCHSTONE OF KNOWLEDGE' 100
THE *GULISTAN' - - - ■ - 102
THE 'BAHARISTAN* - - - - 105
THE *NIGARISTAN' - . - - 106
*THE BOOK OF SINDIBAD ' - - - 107
THE *BAKHTYAR-NAMA' - - - - 111
THE *TUTINAMA,' OR * TALES OF A PARROT* - 114
THE * SHAMSAH-VA-QUHQUHAH ' - - - 119
*THE ADVENTURES OF HATIM TAI ' - - 130
THE * BAHARrl-DANISH,' OR 'GARDEN OF KNOWLEDGE*- ----- 133 VI. DOMESTIC MANNERS AND CUSTOMS:
ABOUT PERSIAN WOMEN - - - - 138
TREATISE ON HOSPITALITY - - - 144
ETIQUETTE OF EATING AND DRINKING - - 147
*THE DABISTAN' - - - - - 148
VIL POLITICAL CONCLUSIONS - - - - 160 For the Oriental scholar, or for persons well versed
in Oriental literature, this book has not been written.
A very hasty perusal of it will show them that it
contains nothing new, and may be * taken as read,' a
form frequently adopted in the case of reports at
public meetings. But there are many people in this
country who know little, and care less, about Oriental
literature generally, and Persian literature particularly.
They have not the time or the inclination to turn
their attention to literature of the sort, and so
remain in complete ignorance of what is really both
useful and interesting. It may be that the subject has not been placed
before them properly, that the dish has not been
served up in an appetizing way, or the wine poured
out in a suflSciently sparkling manner. This has with
all humility been now attempted. The work, however
much it may be wanting in style and language, will
be found to contain a good deal of information col-
lected and collated from the works of various authors,
such as Atkinson, Beale, Clouston, Costello, Eastwick,
Falconer, Fitzgerald, Forbes, Griffith, Sir William
Jones, Keene, KnatchbuU, Sir John Malcolm, Mark-
ham, De Mohl, Sir Gore Ouseley, Sir William Ouseley,
Redhouse, Rehatsek, Robinson, De Sacy, Scott, De
Tassy, Vambery, Vans Kennedy, Waring, WoUaston,
and Zimmern — from many of whom copious extracts
have been taken, and to whose works a further
reference can be made by such readers as may be
interested in the subject. Persia itself is an interesting country, and has had
a past history full of varied fortune. Owing to her
geographical position she lies open to an historical
future, and the time may come, sooner or later, when
a good deal may be heard about Persia and her
politics. In the meantime a light work on her litera-
ture may be acceptable, on the principle that as an
individual, a town, or a country is better known, so
are they sometimes all the more appreciated. A
traveller who has visited many places, and wandered
everywhere on the surface of this small planet — for
steam and electricity have nc *' '1 — such
a traveller is far more interested in the news from all
its parts than one who has never left his home or
hearth. In the same way, then, a perusal of Eastern
literature may whet the appetite, and lead the seeker
of knowledge and the pursuer of novelty to * fresh
woods and pastures new,' where there is always some-
thing fresh to be found, and something new to be
picked up. The prospect of the future of Oriental literature in
England at present looks gloomy. There is, however,
a proposal on foot to attempt to resuscitate the old
Oriental Translation Fund, and it is to be sincerely
hoped that the attempt will succeed. This Fund was
originally started in 1824, and the Society working it
was established by Royal Charter, their first President
being the Earl of Munster. They published their first
work in 1829 — 'The Travels of Ibn Batuta'— and
continued steadily to bring out new translations of
various books for many years. Finally * The Chrono-
logies of Al-Biruni ' were published in 1879, and the
* Memoirs of India/ by the same author, are now in
course of publication, and this will completely exhaust
the funds of the old Society, to which there are no
longer any subscribers.

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