Persian Poetry (1883) (1st edition) (limited edition)

S$325.00

Persian Poetry (1883) (1st edition) (limited edition)

S$325.00

Title: Persian poetry for English readers: being specimens of six of the greatest classical poets of Persia: Ferdusī, Nizāmī, Sādi, Jelāl-ad-Dīn Rūmī, Hāfiz, and Jāmī, with biographical notices and notes
Author: S Robinson (trans)
Publisher: Privately published in 1883.  Limited to 300 copies, first and only edition. Gifted by translator to the Free Public Library of Maidstone. Very, very scarce.

Condition: Hardcover, library binding with usual stamps and markings, though very few of these, and remarkably clean. Tightly bound, some underlining on the inside. In very good condition. Nearly 700 pages.

 

Limited to 300 copies, first and only edition. Gifted by translator to the Free Public Library of Maidstone. Very, very scarce.

A fantastic collection of poems – both the most celebrated and the most obscure – from Persia’s six greatest poets. Some of these poems are impossible to find in English even today. Contains the earliest translations of some of Rumi’s poems into English.

Author’s Preface:

Whilst yet in my early days, the life of Sir William Jones fell into my hands. By the reading of that, and his Commentaries on Asiatic Poetry and his other writings on the subject, I was bitten with a taste for Oriental Literature. This naturally led me to wish to read, in the original words, passages which had particularly struck me, and to know something of the languages in which they were written ;especially the Persian, with which I forthwith began to form an acquaintance. Then, for my own pleasure and improvement, I made occasionally versions of what had pleased myself, and might please others also, who had no time or inclination to study the languages themselves, but who might not be sorry to gain some general knowledge of what they contained of interest and information. I was accordingly tempted to print a very small edition of extracts from five or six of the most celebrated Persian poets, with short accounts of the authors, and of the subjects and character of their works.

CONTENTS

 

F E R D U S I
I. Biographical Sketch
II. Character of His Writings
III. Zal and Rudabah
    An Episode of the "Shah-Namah"
IV. Miscellaneous Specimens of the "Shah-Namah"
    The Death of Dara (Darius)
    Iskandar's Conversations with the Brahmins
    Nushirvan's Address to the Grandees of Iran
    From Nushirvan's Letter to his Son Hormuz
    From the Mubid's Questions to Nushirvan, and his Replies
        1. Children and Kindred
        II. Destiny
        III. How we may best serve God
    The Raja of India sends a chessboard to Nushirvan
    Ardashir's Address to the Nobles of Persia
    Last Words of Ardashir to his Son
    The Gardens of Afrasiab
    Introduction to the History of Hormuz
    Reflections on Old Age and Death

N I Z A M I
Preliminary Notice
Part First : His Life and Writings
    I. Establishment of the Dates
    II. Lineage of Nizami — his "Storehouse of Mysteries"
    III. The Khosru and Shirin — Kizil Arslan
    IV. Laila & Majnun — The Prince of Shirvan — Nizami as Husband & Father
    V. The "Alexander-Book"
    VI. The Heft-Paikar— Nizami's Death
Part Second : The " Alexander-Book:"
    I. Retrospect
    II. The Sources from which Nizami drew
    III. Apollonius of Tyana in the Alexander-Saga
    IV. The Introductory Narratives
    V. Alexander as Philosopher
    VI. Alexander's Call to be a Prophet — the Books of Wisdom
    VII. Commencement of the Journey — March to the West
    VIII. March through the South
    IX. March to the East
    X. March through the North — El-Dorado
    XI. Sickness and Death of Alexander
    XII. Fate of Alexander's Relatives and of the Seven Wise Men
Additional Specimens
S A D I
Preliminary Notice
I. The "Gulistan," or Rose-Garden :
    From the Introduction
    From the First Chapter — The Qualities of Kings
    From the Second Chapter — The Qualities of Devotees
    From the Third Chapter — The Excellency of Contentment
    From the Fourth Chapter — The Advantages of Silence
    From the Fifth Chapter — Love and Youth
    From the Sixth Chapter — Weakness and Old Age
    From the Seventh Chapter — The Effects of Education
    From the Eighth Chapter — Maxims for the Conduct of Life
II. The "Bostan," or Pleasure-Ground :
    Introductory
    From Book I. — On Uprightness and Government :
        The Tiger-Tamer
        Last Words of Nushirvan
        Kingly Actions
        Kingly Duties
        The Frugal Monarch
        Inscription on the Fountain of Jemshid
        The Grandee and the Beggar
        Tokiah's Counsellor
        Reply of a Devotee to a Complaining Sultan
        Unselfishness
        Selfishness
        The Poor Man's Burthen is less heavy than the King's
    From Book II. — Benevolence and Compassion :
        Introductory
        Orphanage
        Abraham and the Fire-Worshipper
        The Wise Man and the Cheat
        The True Works of Piety
        Humanity
        The hard-hearted Man punished
        Shabli and the Ant
        Live not on the Labour of others
    From Book III. — Love :
        Introductory
        Humility : the Glow-worm
        The Unjustly Punished
        The Moth and the Taper
        The Same Subject
    From Book IV. — Humility :
        Introductory
        Humility
        The Sinner and Jesus
    From Book V. — Submission to Good Counsel :
        Introductory
        The Camel and her Foal
    From Book VI.— Contentment :
        Introductory
        The Father and his Infant
        Be Prepared for Vicissitudes
    From Book VII. — Moral Education and Self-control :
        Introductory
        Keep your own Secret
        Speech and Silence
        Calumny worse than Theft
        How to bring up a Son
    From Book VIII. — Thankfulness
        Introductory
        King Toghrul and the Sentinel
    From Book IX. — Conversion :
        Introductory
        The Gold-finder
        The Two Enemies
        Sadi and the Ring
        The Bad Man and the Sheikh
        Ask Pardon in Time
        Sadi at the Grave of his Child
    From Book X. — Prayer :
        Introductory
        Supplication
NOTES
J E L A L - A D - D I N  R U M I
Preliminary Notice
Specimens of "The Mesnevi:"
    Divine Affections
    The Lovers
    The Merchant and the Parrot
H A F I Z 
Preliminary Notice 335
A Hundred Ghazels (or Odes) from his Divan
Notes
J A M I 
Preliminary Notice
Joseph and Zulaikha :
    Invocation
    The Divine Greatness
    The Being of God, and Exhortation to labour in His service
    Praise of God
    The Poet's Prayer
    The Prophet's Journey to Heaven
    Beauty
    Love
    Adam's Vision
    Joseph
    Zulaikha
    Zulaikha's First Dream
    Silent Sorrow
    Zulaikha's Second Dream
    Her Third Dream
    The Ambassadors
    The Messenger and the Departure
    Deception
    Beginning of the Brothers' Envy
    Joseph's Dream
    Artful Counsel
    Deceitful Request
    The Well
    The Caravan
    The King of Egypt
    Intelligence
    The Slave Market
    Bazigha's Daughter
    Love's Services
    Love Refused
    Questionings and Answerings
    The Nurse
    The Exculpation
    The False Accusation
    The Suckling
    Repentance
    The Visit to the Prison
    The Terrace
    The Two Officers of the King
    The King's Dream
    Joseph's liberation from Prison
    The True Faith
    Renewal of Youth and the Marriage
    The Victory of Love
    The Longed-for Death
    The Double Death
    The Poet's Address to Himself
    Conclusion of the Work
Notes and Illustrations
Appendix: Sufiism, or the Doctrines of the Mystics of Islam