EN T C O N T S .

CHAPTER PAG E PREFACE

I U L E O F ER A RY . O T IN S P SI N HISTO

II A E OF ER A L ERA URE . SK TCH P SI N IT T

III THE REA ER O E : . G T P TS FIRDAUSI

NIZAMI JALAL -UDDIN RUMI ’ SA DI-AL SHIRAZI

JAMI LESSER POETS RUDAKI ASADI ’ UMAR KHAYAM HAKIM SANAI — RASHID UDDIN WATWAT KHARANI HAKIM AZKARI

' ' ‘ SHAIKH FARID- UDDIN AIIAR AMIR KHUSRO O F DEHLI SHAIKH KAMAL -UDDIN KHUJANDI KATIBI AMIR 3m m OF S ABZWAR HATIFI v N i CON TE TS .

CHAPTER PAG E SHAIKH FAIZI SA’IB PERSIAN POETRY 1 THE AZAL . GH 2 THE AS A . K ID

3. THE MES NEVI

4 THE UA RA . Q T IN

ALE AND R E v. T S STO I S KALILAH AND DIMNAH ANWAR- I SURELI ‘ ’ ‘ ’ AYAR- A O R U E OF WLE E D NISH, TO CHSTON KNO DG THE GULISTAN THE BAHARIS TAN

THE NIG ARIS TAN THE BOOK O F S INDIRAD THE BAKHTYAR-NAMA ’ THE TUTINAMA O R ‘ AL E O F A ARR , T S P OT THE SHAMS AH-VA- QUHQU HAH THE ADVENTURES O F HATIM TAI ’ THE BA AR - A O R AR E O F W H I D NISH, G D N KNO LEDGE

VI MES MA ER AND U M . DO TIC NN S C STO S ABOUT PERS IAN WOMEN TREATISE O N HOSPITALITY ETIQUETTE OF EATING AND DRINKING ‘ THE DARISTAN

VII L AL LU . PO ITIC CONC SIONS A P R E F C E .

FOR n al schola r or erson s w the Orie t , for p ell versed

in n b ook ha s n ot n w n . Orie tal literature, this bee ritte

A very hasty perusal of it will Show them that it

‘ ’ c n n n n n e w a n d m a n o tai s othi g , y be take as read, a

form frequen tly adopted in the case of reports at

m n m n in public eeti gs . But there are a y people this

c n who n w a n d n al ou try k o little, care less, about Orie t

n l a nd n t literature ge era ly, Persia literature par icularly .

They have n ot the time or the in clin ation to turn

n n t of a n d their atte tio to li erature the sort, so

remain in complete ign oran ce of what is really both

useful a n d in terestin g.

It ma y be that the subject has n ot been placed

m n ot n before the properly, that the dish has bee

s u in a n n wa w n u erved p appetizi g y , or the i e po red

out in f n n m n n hi a su ficie tly sparkli g a er. T s has with

m t n n ow m t w w all hu ili y bee atte p ed . The ork, ho ever v iii PREFA CE. m ma wa n n in t a n d n w uch it y be ti g s yle la guage , ill be foun d to con tain a good deal of in forma tion col lect ed a n d m w of u collated fro the orks vario s authors,

A n n t n w c such as tki so , Beale , Clous o , Costello , East i k ,

n z a f S ir W m Falco er, Fit ger ld , Forbes, Gri fith, illia

n n Kn at chbull S ir n m Jo es , Kee e , , Joh Malcol , Mark

ha m O usele S ir W a m O usele , De Mohl , Sir Gore y, illi y ,

Reha tsek n n S Redhouse , , Robi so , De acy, Scott, De

Vamber n n n W n W n Tassy, y, Va s Ke edy, ari g, ollasto , — a n d Zimmern from man y of whom copious extracts

h n n a n d w w ave bee take , to hose orks a further

refe ren ce can be made by such readers as m ay be

n i terested in the subject .

a n int n n a n d Persi itself is a eresti g cou try, has had

f w n a past history full of varied ortun e . O i g to her

geographical position she lies open to an historical

u a n d m m a m n w n f ture , the ti e y co e , soo er or later, he

a good deal ma y be heard about Persia a n d her

In m n m w on politics. the ea ti e a light ork her litera

m a on the n a n ture y be acceptable , pri ciple that as

n wn n n wn i dividual , a to , or a cou try is better k o , so

are they sometime s all t he more appreciated . A

who v m n a nd w n traveller has isited a y places, a dered — everywhere on the surface of this small plan et for ‘ — stea m a n d electricity have uc l such PREFA CE. ix a traveller is far more in terested in the n ews from all its parts than on e who has n ever left his home or

. In m wa n a al of a n hearth the sa e y, the , perus E ster

ma w a n d literature y het the appetite , lead the seeker of kn owledge a n d the pursuer of n ovelty t o fresh

’ w a n d s n e w w w s m oods pa tures , here there is al ays o e t n t o n a n d m n n ew t o hi g fresh be fou d, so ethi g be picked up .

The prospect of the future of Orien tal literature in

n n n m . w E gla d at prese t looks gloo y There is , ho ever, a proposal on foot t o attempt t o resuscitate the old

O n tal n n n d a n d n rie Tra slatio Fu , it is to be si cerely

n wa s hoped that the a ttempt will succeed . This Fu d

n in 1 824 a n d w n origi ally started , the Society orki g it was n established by Royal Charter, their first Preside t

in of n be g the Earl Mu ster . They published their first — work in 1 829 The Travels of Ibn Batuta an d con tin ued stea dily t o brin g out n e w tran slation s of

m n n a n o various books for a y years . Fi lly The Chro

’ i Al - n w in 1 879 and log es of Biru i ere published , the

’ m of n m n ow in Me oirs I dia, by the sa e author, are

of l n an d wi m course pub icatio , this ll co pletely exhaust

un of whi are n o the f ds the Old Society, to ch there

n lon ger a y subscribers .

A revival or reorgan ization of this Fun d would be x R A P EF CE.

m a a ost excellen t thin g for Orien tal literature gen er lly.

was i a n n n n n m It qu te i depe de t body, though i ti ately

n n t w A i . co ec ed ith the Royal siatic Soc ety If revived, m w A S w it ight be orked by the siatic ociety, hich is

still fairly flourishin g ; but the subscription s an d don ation s to the Tra n slatio n F un d should be kept

n t a nd i e irely separate , devoted exclus vely to the pro

n of n n n w ductio the tra slatio s of Orie tal orks , both

a n n a n n cie t d moder .

En glan d has greater interests in the East than any

unt in an d h wa other co ry Europe , oug t to lead the y in keepin g the world in formed on all subjects con u m has seted with Oriental literature . S urely the ti e

n ot yet arrived for her to ta ke a back seat on that

an d n n a w w h coach , to let other atio s do ork hic she

in i ought to do herself. Perhaps th s Jubilee year

somethin g will turn up in favour of a revival of the

u n ow n i n T n n very usef l , but exti ct , Or e tal ra slatio

n Fu d .

For assistan ce in the preparation of some parts of

t his work my best than ks are due to Mr . Edward

Re ha tsek un n n m n n ow din in , a H garia ge tle a resi g

mb A a n d n h a n d Bo ay, a good rabic Persia sc olar, a

r on r n con stan t contributor of a ticles O ie tal subjects ,

“AA -fi rn als v w n . . chiefly to Jou , Re ie s , es Mr xi PREFA CE.

Rehat sek n t he e n d of 1 842 n left Hu gary at , spe t a fe w m n in n in n o ths Paris, the four years the U ited

of Am a n d n al m Ne w States erica, fi ly sailed fro

Orle an s by Liverpool an d the Cape of Good Hope for

n di w n in m 1 847 a n d I a, here he la ded Dece ber, , has

n remain ed in that cou try ever sin ce .

Durin g a residen ce of n early forty years in the East

Re hat sek has u an d w n m . Mr. both st died ritte uch

u n n é t he A n n His Catalog e raiso of rabic, Hi dusta i ,

n a n d n u in Persia , Turkish Ma scripts the Mulla Firuz

’ in m w n wn t o n in Library Bo bay, is ell k o Orie talists

u n Europe as a val able book of refere ce . He is a

w of m n a n d was a n Fello the Bo bay U iversity,

m n w in A n Exa i er there for t elve years rabic, Persia ,

n an d n . a m of Lati , Fre ch He is lso a Me ber the

m B n of al As a n d Bo bay ra ch the Roy iatic Society, his biography has been published in the Dizion ario

Bio rafico of n An e G ubern a tis u g Cou t g lo de , p blished

n in 1 In m at Flore ce 880. his private life he is so e w n r a n d ma n n ll hat ecce t ic, y be looked upo ge era y as hi quite a p losopher.

A perusal of the Catalogue of the Persian Man u

’ in m in m scripts the British Museu , three volu es, by

. a n d of in dl n Dr Rieu, those the Bo eia Library at

f d w l w w n Ox or , il sho hat a qua tity of Persian litera xii PREFACE.

u n a nd n n n in t re, u touched u tra slated, is to be fou d

n n d Wh n w h E gla . ile the prese t sketch deals chiefly it s s n w a s n r d n uch Per ia orks have bee al ea y tra slated , there will be foun d in it the n ames of man y a uthors wh se w s a t o n d an d t o o ork perh ps ought be tra slate , it is be hoped that they will be tran slated at some future

im an d our n w d h i r n t e, k o le ge about t e r autho s co sider

a n . In m nwhi as m n is bly e larged the ea le , so ethi g

r n n hin ma and m me bette tha ot g, this s ll i perfect volu has been produced in the hope that it will draw a ttention t o the man y beautiful passages that are t o

f n in n be ou d both Persia prose an d Persian poetry. PER S IA N PO R T R A IT S .

A CH PTER I .

O T LINE OF PE IAN HI TO U S RS S RY .

THE area of modern Persia is about a million square

m n m n an d iles , the populatio about eight illio s, the

m n reven ue about t wo illio s sterlin g a year. To defin e the exact boun daries of modern Persia is a s difficult as to defin e with exactn ess the boun daries

n n n n of that an cien t cou try. Co ti ually cha gin g in

n t m n or n d n t it the Olde i e by co quest cha ge of y as y,

w n ow wn to m has , ho ever, settled do , co paratively

k n n a n d ma spea i g, fixed fro tiers , these y be roughly defin ed as follows u un n ul On the so th it is bo ded by the Persia G f,

of m n a n d A n on Gulf O a , rabia Sea ; the east by Beloo chistan an d Afghanista n ; on the n orth by Russian

mm n n k on a a nd territory, co e ci g at Sara hs the e st, stre tchin g to the southern shores of the Caspian S ea a n d on the west by some of the provin ces of Turkey in Asia. From this ro ugli sketch it will be seen that while PER S IATV PORTRAITS

Northern Persia is more or less complet e ly u n der

w a n d n n e of a e o ra hi the po er i flue c Russi , both g g p

c a n d c ern a cally, politi ally, physi ally, South Persi is more un der the in fluen ce of En glan d a n d this should n ot be lost sight of in t he manipulation of wha t is called British in terests in t he future . It is un n ecessary t o en ter here in to details con n ected w m n a n n a r ith the ou t i s , rivers , deserts , rai f ll , p oducts, a n d c m of r a t he r e a n n li ate Pe si . But for prope xpl atio an d n e a n n e re it n e ce s better u d rst di g of her lit ratu , is

c r w m a sary to give a brief sket h of her histo y , hich y

d n t wo of An c n e a an d be ivided i to parts , that ie t P rsi ,

n Moder Persia. An cien t Persian history begin s with the Fish

d di n n a u who a a dy sty , the earliest r lers of Persia, lived in tim e s so very distan t that m a ny writers have

v belie ed the whole of their history to b e fa bulous . The Persian s durin g this period were suppose d to be

a n d m a is a virtuous pri itive r ce , but very little

n wn m k o about the .

n a wa s w Ka a n ian w c This dy sty follo ed by the y , hi h

mm n ce w K iku c a ba d EC . a n d af o e d ith ( , ter the

ru m n n n e n e w le of a y disti guished ki gs , d d ith

in w Darab II . hose reign Alexan der the

c n a n d Ka a n ian n a Great o quered Persia, the y dy sty,

m u in n ca m a n e n d the ost glorio s Persia history , e to .

f usht a s B C . Durin g the reign o G p ( . on e of t he

Ka a n ia n n m a y ki gs , the refor er Zoroaster is s id to have made his appearan ce in the moun ta in s of

Azerblj an . O UTLIN ES OF PERS IAN H IS T OR Y. 3

The Kaya nia n kin gs were followed by the Gre eks a n d a n a n d n n Parthi s , for five ce turies Persia groa ed

n e n n in A . D . 228 u d r their tyra y. But the year

Ardisher n n Ka a n ia n m n , a desce da t of the y o archs,

in l on w off t he n n rose rebel i , thre Parthia yoke , fou ded

a n n n a a n d n m the S sa ia dy sty, restored the ki gdo of

a n a n n a n Persi to its former glory . The Sasa i dy asty beg w A i i e n of rd s e A D . 22 a n d h r . n . 8 ith I , , after the r ig m a n n n w a Ye zdi a rd . y ki gs, e ded ith th t of j III The

e i D 4 1 e of Na ha wa n d n A . . 6 battl of , , decided the fat

r a a n d e m n n e t he of Pe si , the pire the fell u d r yoke t he a n m An d a n n n f atic Kha lif O ar. thus cie t Persia history e n ds with the fa ll of the Sasa n ian s a t the

a i D . 4 1 b ttle of Na ha wa n d n A . 6 . Amon g the kin gs of the S a sa n ia n dyn a sty t he m e a wa s rwa n who suc ost cel br ted Naushe the Just ,

in e ce ede n AD 5 3 0. d to the thro e . He order d the

n u n n e w d e a n d co str ctio of roads , bri g s , dykes ,

n a n d e n a a n d . buildi gs, cour ged schools literature Philosophers from G re e ée a n d In dia resorted to his ’ a n d t he of Bid a m n court , Fables p y, brought fro I dia , wer n a n n c n e tra sl ted i to Pehlevi, a dialect of the a ie t

r n m n B uza r im ehr was m a n Pe sia . His i ister, j , a of e n w m w m m xtraordi ary isdo , ho he had raised fro the

m a n d lowest station at Merv. The ga es of chess draughts are said t o have been in troduced in to Persia from In dia durin g this period .

w n in A .D . 5 78 a n d wa s u Nausher a died , b ried at

T in n At m us . , Khurasa his death the e pire of Persia e n m n n u n A xte ded fro the Red Sea, i cludi g So ther rabia 1—2 4 PERS IAN POR TRAITS . a n d a a A a a n r m p rts of E st fric , to the C spia ; f o the Euxin e t o t he distan t ban ks of the Ja xa rt e s ; a n d

m the a n n fro Mediterr ean t o the In dus . But Ira had

n he r a n d a attai ed to the height of prosperity, her f ll

wa s n soo to come . Modern Persian history m ay be said t o begin with

m a n d n of the rise of Isla , the reig of the Khalifs m as a n d a a w n m A . D . 6 4 1 Da cus B ghd d , hich exte ded fro

’

- - t o A . D . 879 w n Am bin n t he S ufla r , he ru Lais fou ded y

or n a il t o mm a n rs Brasier dy sty, st l subject the Co de

in A . D . 9 01 the of the Faithful . To this succeeded ’ m n n in n Am r m who Sa a i dy asty, the perso of i Is a il,

u a n a n d n t w ruled over Kh ras the or h of Persia, ith

a u a a w l m n t their capit l at B kh r , hile the Dai a i dy as y ruled in Fars a n d the south of Persia durin g the sam e

e p riod . To the S a man ia n s Persia o wed the restora tion of

n n a w ha d n a n d r n her atio lity , hich bee oppressed t odde ’ n ma m a n u der foot by the Arabian con querors . Is il Sa i

A m an d wa s in A .D . 9 0 son succeeded 7 by his h ad,

A. D 9 6 1 . late r on Man sur ascen ded the thron e in .

Am r n in A .D . 9 75 wa s l w son He , dyi g , fo lo ed by his , i

who wa s t n a n Nuh II . , obliged to seek assis a ce gai st

l u c m S ubakt a in in his rebe lio s subje ts fro g , a chief

n n n w wa s in Ghaz i ; the co seque ce of hich , that

A D 9 m son of S uba kt a in n . . 9 8 Mah ud , the g , dethro ed

m i n the la st kin g of the S a a n a dyn asty.

manian a n d m n in To t he S a Daila i dy asties , the n orth a n d south of Persia respective]v s u cceeded the

“ " m G ha zn iv is in the person of th queror TL N S S AN H T O U I E OF PER I IS OR Y.

a m wh a n o r m A . D o . 9 9 M h ud of Gh z i , ose h use ruled f 8

A . D . 1 m m to 06 0. Mah ud hi self wa s the first Muslim

n a n d n of n i a n d n A . D . 1 024 i vader co queror I dia, re moved the san dal- wood gates of the fa mous te mple of

mn in n . A in So ath , Guzerat, to Ghaz i fter his death ,

A . D . 1 03 0 n n e n in w a n d , his dy asty soo d cli ed po er,

G ha zn iv is w S a l ukide s the ere succeeded by the j ,

ho w m A . D . 1 063 1 1 9 3 a n d w n ruled fro to , ere the

o w At a - who e f llo ed by the Turkish begs , last d till

A . D . 1 225 .

The u n n z n w n Mughals , der Cha ge Kha , hose origi al n ame wa s Ta mujin (born 1 1 53 an d died com

m e n ce d n in a in A .D . 1 226 a n d their dy asty Persi ,

n 1 w c e co tin ued till 3 3 5 . They ere su ce ded by the

' Muzafla rs who r n a , eig ed at Shiraz for bout forty

w n Ma n sfir w mi w years, he Shah , ith all his fa ly, ere

a m in 1 put to death by the con queror T i ur 3 87 . The Ta imuride s bega n their successful career un der

a m a l Tima rla n n in the gre t Tai ur ( so called g) , bor

1 3 3 7 a n d n a t m a a com , their dy s y y be said to h ve m e n ced in 1 3 87 a n d n t n m , co i ued so e sixty years , whe n it was succee ded by the Turkish dyn asties of

r a n d n W e fi st the Black Sheep the the hite Sh ep , ’ n w e n m S afwi u til they er dethro ed by Shah Is a il , the

m n S a fwia n n a n d fa ous fou der of the dy asty, restorer

- n in 1 4 It of the lon g lost a tion ality of Persia 9 9 . 1 22 lasted to 7 .

’ i A D 1 4 a n d m m S a fw wa s n . . 7 8 Is a il bor , proclai ed

h e in 1 49 9 a n d a - a n i S ah of P rsia , styled Shah Shi , or

’

n of . in 1 5 23 n n Ki g the Shi ahs He died , co sta tly TRA T 6 PERS IAN POR I S .

n of s fightin g all through his reign . Of the ki gs thi dyn a sty the most distin guished in every way was

A s n n wn bba , the greatest sovereig that Persia had k o for man y centuries, an d distin guished in history a s

A He n m 1 5 85 1 6 28 bbas the Great. reig ed fro to ,

W n s a d n in a e n . yi g that year, ged s ve ty he thi gre t ’

n c a . pri ce eased to live , Persia ce sed to prosper The successors of Abbas the Great were n ot so dis

in uish d a n d e n S a fwi m n c s t g e . Cruel d ge erate o ar h followed on e after other un til the appearan ce of Na dir Kuli Kha n (common ly kn own as Nadir Shah) on t he

n in 1 2 e c m sce e 7 7 . This robb r chief first be a e

n al a n a m n n e n Ge er of the Persi r y, the Rege t ; th ,

n S afwi n a wa s m m deposi g the dy sty, hi self proclai ed

in 1 73 6 . O n in 1 747 Shah of Persia his death , , the

m e a n d n r e pire f ll to pieces , a a chy prevailed through out e a n i n n a s was e in P rsi u t l the Za d dy ty establish d ,

1 76 0 in r n r m n n W , the pe so of Ka i Kha Za d the akil , w ho reign ed successfully till his decease in 1 779 . His dyn a sty came to a n e n d with the death of the ’ a n - Ali n in 1 79 4 a n d gall t but ill starred Lutf Kha , ; it w a s succeeded in that yea r by the Kajar (the

e n n n n in the e n of A or pr se t reig i g) dy asty , p rso gha

Aka mm w s w in 1 Muha ad S hah . He a follo ed 79 8 by ’ n h w Ali a h who in 1 834 a n d his ep e , Fath Sh , died ,

wa s u e ra n n amm s cce ded by his g dso , Muh ad Shah ,

who n in 1 848 wa s w - u n t he , dyi g , follo ed by Nasir ddi ,

e n pres t Shah of Persia. Though the dyn asties have been ma n V

n f w um good ki gs have been e . There

AN TRAIT PERS I POR S . — u A D . 1 226 A .D . 1 3 3 5 . The M ghals .

' Muz flars 1 3 6 1 The a 3 3 87 . T i 1 4 The a murides 1 387 50. The Black a nd White Sheep The S afwi dyn asty Nadir Shah a nd his de

scen dant s

The Zan d dyn asty The Kajar dyn asty (still 1 reign in g) 886 . CHAPTER II.

A E A SKETCH OF PERSIAN LITER TUR .

THE history of Persian literature m a y be divided in to

n a n d w m e seve periods , the first last of hich e brac

t wo n on e e n about ce turies each , the others about c tury w each , as follo s — First Period Persian poetry in its origin al purity. — A .D . 9 1 2 1 1 06 . — n . A m of A n Seco d Period d ixture rabic, pa egyric, n d m — a n . A .D 1 1 1 2 . ro a tic poetry . 06 03 — r d a n d m A .D . 1 203 Thi d Perio Mystic oral age.

1 300. — Fourth Period Highest state of lyric poetry a n d — . A D 1 1 3 . rhetoric . . 3 00 9 7

d — n n of n en d Fifth Perio Stag atio Persia poetry,

in w m A. D . 1 39 7 g ith the last great poet Ja i .

149 4 .

— n of w Sixth Period Gradual decli e poetry, hilst

- n n . A . D history a n d letter writin g attract atte tio . — 1 49 4 1 59 1 . — Seven th Period Deca y of literature in con sequen ce — . A. D 1 59 1 1 785 . of political confusion s . S AN T A T PER I POR R I S .

These seven periods will n ow be con sidered s eparately .

E FIRST P RIOD .

Som e verses are quote d as being the Oldest a n d w earliest fragmen ts of Persia n literature . They ere

m m a a n n n A . D . 4 20 co posed by Bahra Gur, S sa ia ki g (

a n d m addressed to Dilara , a beloved slave

who r a n d m in m girl, replied to her lo d aster the sa e

m wa s m a an n er. Afterwards greater progress de

A D . 5 30 durin g the reign of Kin g Nausherwan ( .

who m n Buzar ime hr , by the advice of his i ister, j ,

s n n t o n b a n e t his physicia , Barzoi , I dia to o t i a copy ’ f i a ll r o the Fables of B dpa y . Nearly this ea ly litera

wa s w m r n ture , ho ever, lost at the ti e of the dest uctio

of n m A r the Persia e pire by the rabs , as also the fi st

Persia n roman t ic poem of Wa n ik a n d Azra. — A D . 64 1 879 Durin g the reign of the Khalifs ( . ) the

Ar on n of r a ab c querors discarded the la guage Pe si ,

m n u sin g the Arabic in all public a n d oflicial docu e ts .

a n n a n d o e The vit lity of the Persia to gue, the l v of

wa s w e n the people for it, ho ever so gr at , that as soo

o un ff e for it s re - n n as pport ities o er d i troductio , the mother ton gue of the people again recovered its

e wa s t e n supremacy. But literatur n o cultivat d u til prin ces a n d min isters be ga n to en courage me n of

rn n n n a lea i g. These last developed the Persia la gu ge

n a to such a degree that it e tirely superseded its riv l , the Arabic. The first Persian prin ces who did so m ‘ for the u A S KET CH OF PERS IAN LITERA T URE. revival of the Persian lan guage a n d litera ture were d Am r ma n i n s A . 1 a n S a a .D 9 0 the ( , especially i

son A m m n who n in n Nasr , of h ad Sa a i , reig ed Khurasa

A o me the first half of the tenth cen tury. b ut this ti

a of n who lived Rud ki , the father Persia poetry , is m said to ha ve composed on e hun dred volumes of poe s . He prepared a metrical tran slation of the Fables of ’ Bid a w Bala mi n w on e in p y, hile , the lear ed vizier, rote

m m r n c a prose . A ir Nasr hi self t a slated the elebr ted ’ ! n of a in a n a r m n n Chro icles T bari b idged for i to Persia , whilst the poet Da kiki wa s to have composed a history

n n wa s a n a its of the Persia ki gs , but ssassi ted before completion .

An S a ma n ia n n Ma n sfir on e other ki g, , ordered Abu Ma n ssur Almori to collect the best Persian works which ha d escaped the deluge of Arab fa n at i cism a n d m r m m n a of , to co pile f o the a ge er l history

A o n w Persia. cc rdi gly Alm ori composed a prose ork from the a n cien t book of Ya zda n da d bin Shapur.

h wa s w w m n T is history , ith other orks of a si ilar ki d , u irda usi m a w S n sed by F , the Ho er of Persi , hom ulta

n The Chro icle s of Ta ba ri were originally writt en in Ara bic. They were t ra n slat e d in to Pe rsia n in a n a bridge d form by Na sr bin A a S a ma n urt hm d i. F he r t ra n sla tions of the m were made by Abu Ali he m n st Ma n t er of sfir I. the son of Nuh a ft er , i i , him by A M mm bu u a a Ta brizi a out A. D. 1 118 a n d a ter Abu h d , b l by A u a S a h bin M u amma Th Pers a n Tari a ar bd ll h li h d . e i kh T b i has e en tra ns a te nt o Fre n c Zorenb er w e the or na b l d i h by g, hil igi l

Ara c v e rs on of w c for a on t e n o com ete -MS cou bi i , hi h l g im pl . ld b e rocured is n ow n m Ar r e rou t out so e a c sc o a s. p , b i g b gh by bi h l Abu a f l Ta r J ar a a wa s orn A. D . 838 an d e 9 23. b i b , di d PERS IAN POR TRAITS .

Mahmud t he G ha zniv ide ha d ordered to compose a

He e m history of the Persian kin gs in verse . a co

lished in mori n in p poet ry what Al had do e prose , w Da kiki ha d n in a n d w a A hat also begu verse , h t sadi , who w m de did n ot had like ise received the sa e or r, e n mm ve co en ce .

m son S ub akt a in n of the Mah ud , the of g , the fou der

G ha zniv ide n a n d the A D . 9 9 dy asty ( . 8

n of wa s a in greatest pri ce it, equally ze lous both

extendin g his empire a n d in en couragin g literature .

wa s e n n His court celebrat d for the scholars atte di g it,

m t he a m e but ore especially for poets sse bl d there,

n a d over whom Azuri wa s a ppoin ted as kin g or chief. Ha d n o other work been produced durin g this period ’ S hahn a ma n w a sufliced besides the , it alo e ould h ve to

n u mm rt as w ll e s re i o al glory to the bard , e as to the prin ce who ha d in vited the poets of his court to

n it s m n u dertake co positio .

in n Azuri v v - a n u But , additio , re ived the lo e dve t res ’ of Wa n ik a n d A w i i m U ruzi zra, h le N za i , the prede

m G an a wi in m n com cessor of Niza i j ro a tic poetry, e m pos d the a ours of Wa isa a n d Ra min . He also

‘ ’ w m a m rote a or l poe called The Four Books . In the latter portion of this first period the — l ki e s A . D 1 0 1 1 w in w . S a ju d ( . 6 3 9 3) ere po er Although most of the poet s who flourished un der

S al ukide s n l t o n is the j belo g strict y the ext period , it n evertheless n ecessa ry t o m e ntion here the third

n a n d t n of d n . Sulta greates pri ce that y asty, viz ,

t “L a S a n m ala - n s z M lik h h , sur a ed J l uddi vi ier, A K T H AN T I S E C OF PERS I LI ERA T URE. 3

m - ul- a s n d of w of Niza Mulk, the true fou ers the po er

S al ukide s a n d on u the j , the greatest patr s of literat re . Both the Sulta n a n d his min is ter were themselves

m - - politica l a n d historica l a uthors . Niza ul Mulk is

a re a s v in re perh ps the g te t izier the history of literatu , in the en courage men t whereof he earn ed immortal

a r n a t w o n r a n d glory by the p t o ge he bes o ed schola s , “ t he a r n t t n o n a t by liter y i sti u io s he f u ded Baghdad ,

a a n Na isha ur Hira t u a n d Am d Isf h , p , Balkh , , Mos l, i ,

a ll of which he en dowed with a mple fun ds . Ma lik Shah m a in ta in ed at his court t he post of

’ n e s a m G a n Ki g of Poets, tablished by M h ud the h z i

a n d w in o ur m t he vide , hich is still kept up ti es at

a n d n in n n w n n n court of Persia, eve E gla d , here Te yso i occup e s the office of Poet Laure ate . Most of these c r a e w a n n c m ou t poets h v , ho ever , f lle i to o plete

n Azuri t he m d a n d oblivio , so that , of court of Mah u ,

MOizzi of t ca n a n m e n , tha of Malik Shah , lo e be

t wo e n t s tion e d . But gr at scholars belo g also to hi

r who n ot me w l pe iod , , although poets , have beco el

a kn own in Europe . The first is the celebr ted physi e a n a n d n c ae Abu Ali n a n a s i e yclop dist , Si , Europea ized

A c n n n a a A .D . 9 83 a n d a vi e a, bor at Bukh r the gre t

a n a n d m t m m u a mm i theologi oralis , I a M h ad Ghazzal ,

n who wrote both in Ara bic a n d Persia .

ND E I S EO O P R OD .

This might appropriat ely be called the Pan egyric

a a d t n of n m t o age , bec use the l u a io pri ces see ed be the

aim e a n d m highest of po try , because the ost cele T I 4 PERS IAN POR RAITS .

ra t e d n An w Kha kan i n b pa egyrists, ari , , Sa ai , Zahir

Fa r abi a n d Athir- n Akhe st e i n y , uddi g , all lived duri g

A m n n w t his period . lthough at the ti e opi io s ere divide d as t o the compara tive merit of these pan e

rist s n n m gy , posterity has u a i ously decided that

An wa u r n n o ri occ pies the fi st ra k, because other ca n cope with him in the sublimity he occasion ally

n d in the e u n d a n . isplays , pho y of his dictio He live d at the court of Sanjar at the same time a s

Kha ka n i on e in n , of his chief rivals pa egyric poetry ; but the la tter betook himself to the court of Khakan

n n w n w m a e Ma uchehr, the pri ce of Shir a , ho he ex lt d

in his e m the w Fa r abi a n d po s to skies, hile Zahir y

Akhe st e i w a n r Ildi iz g ere the p egy ists of g , the first of

At a - the begs .

n a - n oflice Besides these volu tary pr ise Si gers, the of Kin g of Poets was a lso m a in tain ed a n d held at the ’ c ourt of the prin ces of Shirwa n by the poets Abul Ala a n d Falaki at the court of the At a - be gs by the

poet Sharaf- uddin S hafarwa deh a n d at the court of

the S a l ukide n n S e j pri ce , Tugha hah , by the po t ki Az ra . This last is also the author of some tales

n wn in a n d n of S n a n d k o Europe , of the ovels i dbad

‘ ’ Hin dba d. w n in a c He follo ed , as a arrator, the tr k ’ o f t who wa s n Ras i , the author of The Thousa d Tales , a n d who lived durin g the time of Sultan Mahmud the

G ha z niv ide .

Mystic lyrics also commen ced to bud durin g this

n t n n n period , but attai ed to perfec io o ly duri g the

n . n of A a n d ext Sa ai, the predecessor ttar, of Jalal

6 PERS IAN POR TRAITS .

In proportion a s prose a n d poetical composition s became en riched by the Ara bic locution s en grafted u n m t he a r n a n or n l po the , e lier tra sl tio s of f eig classica w w e n in m O ld a n w e orks , ritt the si ple Persi style , er c n e a n d w r m e n o sidered obsol te, ere e od lled duri g this ’ t he e m Bid a period . Thus first of th , the Fables of p y , w Am a S a ma n ia n ha d e his hich ir N sr, the , caus d

Bala mi t o a n n t a n d vizier tr slate i o prose , Rudaki

n e w n ow n n m Ar c i to vers , ere agai tra slated fro abi ’ n n A a l a r- l a s i to Persia prose by bul Ma i N s u lah (or,

e a a m - d n a - a he is call d by D ul t Shah , Ha d u di N sr ull h) , in accordan ce with the comman d of Bahram Shah

G haz niv i w m w a s a n of , to ho this ork , also The G rde ’ n Truth , by Sa ai , is dedicated .

THIRD PERIOD .

Durin g this period Cha n gez Khan (a lso called by us

n n a n d G in is son Ye suki of Ge gis , Je gis , g ) , of , a chief

‘ u ma a n c the tribe of M ghals , de his ppeara e as a

t fi a a c e n n s des royer . The rst tt k f ll upo the cou trie

n O m a n n O f beyo d the xus , the ost cie t seats civiliza

n a n d w e n ha d n e n tio , h re the scie ces take r fuge duri g the in vasion a n d subj uga tion of Persia by the Arabs . Samarkan d a n d Bukhara were a t presen t (a s B a lkh a n d Ba mia n had been ye ars a go) the cen tres of civili za tion de of r a n d of , the abo s schola s , the repositories

a n d l b a books . Their colleges i raries , celebr ted

u w r d t w n t he thro ghout the East, e e es royed he

u h e a n d r r M g als occupied thes cities , the schola s eithe A S K T H AN T E C OF PERS I LI ERA T URE. I 7

fell un de r the swords of the con querors or dispersed in

all direction s .

A m - n the bout this ti e lived also Nasir uddi Tusi ,

m o a n d a s n m who wa s e m fa ous philos pher tro o er,

e a n n n h n z ploy d by Halaku Kh , the gra dso of C a ge

’ n m ha n a n d Kha , to for the Ilk i tables, to build the

a r a a wa s on e celebrated observ to y of Mar gh . He of

a a t e e a n d m the best schol rs th P rsia ev r produced , so e

f a re a s n w o his books to this day used sta dard orks .

He a ppe ars to ha ve been forcibly deta in e d a n d e m ~

Ala - n m ma a e ce n d n ployed by uddi Muha d , d s a t of

a a n a a e n ra n o wn a s Ma n of H s S bb h , g e lly k the Old ’ n a n a n d the n c of t he of the Mou t i , Pri e Sect the Assassin s (a memoir of whose life has been written

Ala - n ov a in i t he a i n of by uddi J , gre t histor a the

n wa s e a s a n in period) , u til he rel ed by Halaku Kh

w - 1 25 6 . It a s Na sir uddin tha t persuaded Halaku to m a n a a n d the wa s a d arch ag i st Baghd d , city dev state , t he d a n d m c colleges destroye , the ost pre ious books of the libraries thrown in to t he Tigris . Durin g these stormy t im e s the courts of the de se en dan ts of the At a - begs a n d t he S aljukide s were so ught a t r l u a s m h f e by scholars as p aces of ref ge , so e of t eir

- w m e n . O n e of m At a princes ere literary the , beg

S a d bin n m A b a n d e n m Za gi, co posed ra ic P rsia poe s

n m e o Abu al ca but the a e of his succ ss r, Bakr, so lled ’ Abu w r s Nasr, ill live for eve , becau e Sa di , the great

him of w a n d poet, dedicated to several his orks ,

’ ’ a m n m his n or e n in o g the Gulista , Rose Gard ,

A.D . 1 25 8. 1 8 PERS IAN POR TRAITS . .

A n c of S a l ukian d n n m Ala pri e the j y asty, by a e

d n Ka ikuba d m a . n u di , also beca e celebr ted Duri g his reign Kon ia (Icon ium) be came the refuge of

m m a n A a n n who t scholars fro y si tic atio s , though themselve s more se cure on the western fron tiers of the

a cont in en t from the perse cution s of t he Mugh ls . ’ Ala - d n u or n n n wn w u di b ilt restored i etee to s , ith

m m n n a n d m n . u erous osques, colleges, o asteries Duri g the da y he admin istered the affairs O f his go v ern m n an d n wa s e t , his ights he devoted to study . He ’ ’ n n a Al m of very fo d of readi g Gh zzali s che y Felicity , a n d joyfully received Ja la l- uddin of Balkh (afterwards

n wn a a - n m m t k o as J l l uddi Ru i) , the greatest ystic poe f o t . Persia, at his cour

’ Of this period Ja la l - uddin Rumi a n d Sa di we re the

n a m n The o n n e f m . e e a a r brightest or e ts di d exil , fro his n a tiv e la n d ; the other fin ished his days in his I a . n t t wo e birthplace, Shir z hese great po ts the

a r a e e n t he e a e v n of ch racte of the g , as d fi ed by gr t e ts

a u d in e a t e in tw ff n w o d . it, is f ithf lly el d , but i ere t ays

In - d n w e d n m n of Jalal u di iscer the retire e t the spirit ,

w c m n u n u u hi h , succu bi g der the press re of the M ghal

u n ure ts l w w n del ge , e deavo d to save i e f by ithdra i g a n d sin kin g in to the profun dities of in tern a l con tem ’ la tiv e w we in who u in p life , hile perceive Sa di ( fo ght

n of a n d had the Crusades for the religio his fathers ,

n n n m bee eve captured by the Fra ks) , the first i port

of n u n nt d n u n in Europea po Orie al e ucatio , res lti g the clarification of thought a n d soberin g of t he

m n i agi ation . A S K T H N T A 1 E C OF PERS IA LI ER T URE. 9

E FOURTH P RIOD .

Durin g this time man y excellen t poets flourished in

om t he n t he t o h Persia, fr ba ks of Oxus t ose of the

on e fa r all t he e a n d wa s Tigris ; but exceeded oth rs , ,

n a e f o t . on e wa s a i deed , po t poe s That H fiz , to whom the first a n d high e st ran k has been un an imously

as n sig ed . The succe ssors of Chan ge z Khan en de avoured to repair the devasta tion s of th e ir an ce st or a lrea dy

w d e n d of the e a to ar s the pr ce din g pe riod . Hal ku

a n a n d a n a n w m e n of Kh Gh za Kh ere culture , the

m r a n n e a n om a n d for e h vi g bee devot d to stro y , the

a n u who r a n m a n a n d l tter a li g ist spoke Pe si , Kash iri ,

n a a n n wa s r e n da n Chi ese . Gh z Kha also the fi st d sce t of Cha n gez Khan who became a con vert to Ma

hom e da n ism a n d n u a n a , i aug rated epoch favour ble to

m e n ce w a n be Isla itic sci , hich beg to flourish at the

n n n of n t n r n gi i g this ce ury , duri g the eig of his

r mm a n n m brothe , Muha d Khuda Ba da, sur a ed Al i ja t u . The greatest promoter of the scien ce s a n d the arts ’ u n Cha n e zia n n w a s Abu d ri g the g dy asty Sa id , the

son d n da n t a n d n of Khu a Ba , the seve h last sovereig

i a n The a n a a t n of this family n Ir . gre t tur l ale ts of t his prince we re developed un der the guida n ce of his

w Ab a a n d n wn a tea cher, Kh aja dull h , he is k o lso as a

A m a caligrapher. bout this ti e the taste for be utiful h n w n w e n c r a d riti g, for hich Persia has b e eleb ated

e n n . In the Ta kira hs ver si ce , bega to develop itself j 2— 2 z o E S AN T A T P R I POR R I S .

(biogra phies of poet s) severa l of them a re men tion ed

v n n e e n li r r At t he as ha i g bee xcell t ca g a phe s also .

’ o Abu a the m d n u a w c urt of S id ost isti g ished l y ers ,

o n a n d r of the t m o n m e . hist ria s , poets o ators i e f u d a ho

Am n m w e r a m a n a w a n is o g the e S l S aji , disti gu hed

wa a rm a n n e oe rma n poet Kh j Ki i , a oth r p t ; Mir Ki i , ’ so a o e t e a a n a ce e a e e a n d al p ; Ub id Z k i , l br t d jest r

e a u a n a a u a r who l e e a po t ; M l N sir B kh i , iv d lik

e r s a n d w e on ff e n su a n d d vi h rote po try di er t bjects ,

r oth e s .

r w a s a s e e o e d n d Histo y l o d v l p d uri g this perio , ’ t he a t ron a A u A n u n de r p ge of b Sa id . lthough duri g t he prece din g o n e Jov a in i ha d b e en the first to culti

v s a n c e w a s o w ate thi br h of lit rature , he f llo ed by

Abu a ma n a Bin akiti t he of un i Sul i D ud , author a

rsa h st a n d e a s w e a n d wa a A ru ve l i ory , a po t ll , Kh j b , the historia n of Sultan Aw e is but t he t ruth of their historica l sta te me n ts w a s a ft e rwa rds impugn ed in ’ ’ the A in Akbari by t he Emperor Akba r s le a rn e d

e A u vizi r, b l Fazl .

m a s i o a e ea c t he The greatest erit to h st ric l r s r h ,

c a tion of n in e n a a n d the e s a s ultiv scie ce g er l , t bli h

m n of col e u n e a rn e e t leg s , is doubtedly due to the l d

v a - n Am a ma - ut izier, R shid uddi ir, author of the J ’ ’ a w a or n of who T rikh, Collectio Histories, occupied the highest posit ion un der the G overn men ts of Gha zan

a n d a a n d t m t he of Khud B a, but fell a vic i to

’ n e of u un d Abu In t he w i trigu s co rtiers er Sa id . ork

just n ame d Rashid - uddin n arrated the history of l Chan gez Khan an d of his dyn asty in a most d e t a ile d A S K T H 2 1 E C OF PERS IAN LITERA T URE. ma nn w a n m na me n a n d w er, ithout y eretricious or t, ith m a . n n e n on e m uch accur cy U fortu at ly, o ly volu e of this history ha s been p ublished for the splen did Col

n n a lectio Orie t le at Paris.

A bin a zl- r w t bdullah F ullah , of Shi az , i h the poetical

’ e Wa ssaf or r e a titl of , the desc iber, cel br ted as the

‘ ’ a - i- Wa ssa f n of uthor of the Tarikh , bei g a history ’ Chan gez Khan s successors down to the time of Abu ’

o w n . con Sa id , is als orthy of otice His style is

sidere d m n a n d n u to be the odel of Persia prose ,

n a n w . w a m attai ed by y other riter But, h t is ore

m n n i porta t, he u ites also fidelity of facts to the highest

n m n or a e ts of diction .

Khwaja Hamd - ullah Must oufi - bin - Abu Bakr- a l

Ka z win i so m - n Must oufi m , al called Ha id uddi , ust be

m n n a s an n a n e t e tio ed historia d geograph r. He firs

’ ‘ ’ m r - G uzida o r S t t r co posed his Ta ikh , elec ed His o y,

in a n d a wa r re - w it in a n d it verse, fter ds rote prose, still ran ks amon g the best gen eral histories of t he

East . Eleven yea rs afterwa rds this a uthor composed

e wo on ra a n d n a al his celebrat d rk geog phy tur history,

’ c d e of e r w m m alle The D light H a ts, hich is uch estee ed

n an d ha s t n for him m by Orie tal scholars , ob ai ed fro

’ ‘ ’ e D He rbelot t he title of Le géograph Persan . He

D . 1 4 . died A . 3 9 S carcely ha d the coun try recovered from the terrible

n of the a n a n w n devastatio Mugh ls u der Ch gez, he a n e w calamity occurred through the con quests of

m Tima rla n m n Tai ur, also called g or Ta erla e , the hero

of n . w w n this ce tury It ould, ho ever, be u just to T 2 2 PERS IAN PORTRAI S . pla ce him by the side of Chan gez as the scourge of

m n n a nd n . n z a ki d the destroyer of scie ce Like Cha ge ,

m d e a n of A a n d e he e itat d the subjug tio all sia, , lik

him w of w , he aded through rivers blood as ell as over the smokin g ruin s of burn in g town s in order t o a ttain

his object . The ta kin g of Sa ma rka n d by Chan ge z a n d his

ra m O f ma w v r m a r py id skulls y, ho e e , be co p ed to the

s m n of n a m r who e w of tor i g Isfaha by T i u , erect d to ers

m a n e n n in n m in s hu h ads , seve ty thousa d u ber, variou

h But the con fla ra tion of parts of t at town . g a flourishin g town did n ot a ppear to have been so

e t o a m n who d lightful a spectacle T i ur as to Cha gez, burn t the colleges of Samarka n d an d Bukhara after

cuttin g all their professors to pieces . When Taimur con quered Isfa ha n he issued e xpress orde rs to spare the stree t of the lawyers a n d the

wa s n n t o house of a great preache r. He eve frie dly

a w w m n m m schol rs , ith ho he liked to co verse so eti es

in e n a n d m mu m n . ar est, at other ti es for his a se e t He

v w m n a n is said to ha e allo ed a y liberties to the le r ed ,

a n d n eve to have rewa rde d their pleasantries .

m a n a n d n Tai ur had also his p egyrists, the historia ,

a m - al- din of Hira t who a m m Niz , c e out the first fro

w of a m him his the alls Baghd d to eet , described

c m a n w a p ig s . Others also rote histories of those

m w w e t of ti es , but their orks ere clipsed by hose — S a u d n Ali an d Ahm - ibn A h h raf d i Yezdi, by ad rabsha ,

w w m n w n hich ere co posed duri g the follo i g period ,

a n d w n w in are still ell k o n our days . The last

A 2 4 PERS IAN PORTR ITS .

n mm Abu - ha k O f r n bee i ortalized by Is , the poet Pe sia

n m who n w w m e n gastro o y, ever rote a verse ithout

t ion in g in it the n ame of a sweetmeat or a dish . ’ ’ w n al n O f His Di a , c led the Elixir of Hu ger, is full amorous son gs a n d parodies on the odes of Ha fiz .

A n m s n a a ccordi g to the poe s of thi bard , Sika d r p pears to have been fon d both of a good talk a n d of m r m n n er y co pa io s .

r n Baisa n ha r son k w The p i ce g , of Shahru h , at hose

e a m t m court lived the gr t ys ic poet , Sayyad Kasi ’ An w b r n ar, called the Distri ute of Lights , Diver i to

’ S e a a n d m a n - n n the of Truth , y other high sou di g n m wa s m o a n d w in a es , hi self a p et, able to rite s n To u n m everal la guages . his brother , S lta Ibrahi , Persian literature is in de bted for on e of its historica l m n - n Ali d asterpieces, for he i duced Sharaf uddi Yez i t o write the history of his great an cestor an d the cele bra t e d o n u mu w m n n n c q eror, Tai r, hose do i io s exte ded from the borders of Chin a t o the shores of the Medi ’ - t a n a n . w a s af n a m a err e The history called the Z ar , ’ a n d a a n a n d n lso Tarikh Sahib Kir i , is i deed a

n w n la . a n d sta dard ork , tra s ted by P de la Croix

’ m n A m - A shah s uch used by Gibbo . h ad ibn rab his t of m o w ory Tai ur is als e ll kn own . But the greatest promoter of scien ce a n d patron of

a wa s or n son of schol rs Ulagh Ulugh Beg, a other

A n Mirza Shahrukh . ccordi g to the verdict of Orien ta l au thors he wa s the most learn ed prin ce after Alex

n a s on e of n m a der, also the greatest astro o ers ,

m a nd n m n ud geo etry astro o y bei g his favourite st ies . A 2 S KE T CH OF PERS IAN LITERA T URE. 5

v n - e ma a n t The obser atory to the orth ast of Sa rk d, buil him i s n A . D . 1 420 a n d n m by , his astro o ical table

(preferred by some t o those of Nasir - uddin Tusi) are fair specimen s of his predilection for mathematical

n w . l n G ha a th u n a mshid k o ledge Mau a a y ddi , J

a n n Alikush a n d a n Kodizode h R sha i , Maula a , M ula a

m a m a t m n m w r Ru i , the gre test he aticia s of his ti e , e e

n . a a re a his assista ts His t bles c lled Zij Ulugh Beg ,

- as those of Nasir uddin were n am ed Zij Ilkha n i .

At a m n a n d e n w a n a a m S arka d he built do ed c de y, surpassin g in splen dour a ll other esta blishmen ts of

n or this ki d . His re ign a n d life were cut sh t by his

n a u son who e a n him a n d u u gr tef l , reb lled ag i st , ca sed him n in A . D 1 44 . to be assassi ated . 9 The n ext pe rson worthy of m en tion is Mirza Abu

’ - - . AS A bin a a lia s Wa ssaf wa s Sa id bdullah F zl ullah , , ’ h n of r Abu d Cha n e zide the istoria the fi st Sa i the g ,

m n ti n e d n already e o ed abov uri g the fourth period , so Abdul - Ra ssa k wa s t he historian of S ultan Abu ’

Ta imuride . re Sa id , the The style of the latter is garded as infe rior in rhet orical orn a men t t o tha t of

m r e a a n d a r the for e , but as r g rds the solidity ccu acy f w m A ’ ’ o the ork they deserve equal erit . bu Sa id s

a n wa s m of n p egyrist Ja i , the last poet the first ra k,

m f In n but the ost versatile o a ll. o bran ch of poetry wa s in e on e n he the first poet , but ev ry the ext to him n a n d n n . Yet a other poet historia ador ed the ’ n Abu a n m Doula t reig of S id, a ely, Shah, the author of a biography of t e n Arabia n a n d on e hun dre d a n d t h - s n w n s irty four Per ia poets, ith various quotatio T 2 6 PERS IAN PORTRAI S .

r m h w a n d n n a t f o t eir orks , a ecdotes of the pri ces w e hose courts they resid d .

n a m so - Duri g this period K bari, the called poet of

a m a n n m a N ture, ade his appear ce , as also the gastro o ic l

Abu - a m n n d who n poet, Is hak, alre dy e tio e , sa g the

m An w e n praises of t he culin ary a rt . Kasi ar

de a v o ure d n e w n m m a n d to tap a vei of ysticis ,

n a Nesimi m wa n m Maula betook hi self, for the t of ore

n n m n i teresti g subjects , to the co positio of devout

a son gs . Now also t a d Sabzwari made his ppear

a n a s n n m a n d o a n d wa s ce a physicia , astro o er, p et ,

the author of several works in poetry a n d in prose . But the most remarkable phen omen on in the domain s

n t wa s n e w n o - m of elega literature a ki d of pr se poe ,

or a m n in w m a n d m e allegoric l ro a ce , hich oral ta physical truths were repre sen te d in the garb of

n a o - The m of e se su l l ve stories . ost celebrated thes ‘ ’ ’ are Husn wa Dil Be auty a n d Heart ) a n d the S hab csta n - i- Khyal Dormitory of both of which were the composition s of Maula n a Ebad

N a isha uri. u m u w p Th s od lated prose , hich had

n in w k wa s n o w hitherto appeared o ly historical or s ,

e m n m o b co i g ore devel ped .

of t n n The court Sul a Husai Mirza, ruler of

K n a n d e t he O f hurasa , call d Victorious , boasted

v m n n m e n a m n w m m a m e n se eral e i e t , o g ho y be

t ion e d Al m for his great vizier, Mir isher, fa ed his

n w e w r w k o l dge a n d his love of learn in g. His o ks ere

n m a n d ms in Cha ht ai u erous, he has left poe the g , or

h in n . pure Turkis dialect, as also the Persia The A S K T H AN T A T 2 E C OF PERS I LI ER URE. 7

S ulta n Husain himse lf wrote a n ov el con tain in g a

n a o n variety of stories, pri cip lly the subject of love , a n d m o m also so e p e s . But the first prose writer of this period wa s Maulan a

a n Wa ez n m Ka shifi n e w Hus i , sur a ed , the author of a ’ n a n so - a b s Bid a n r tra sl tio of the c lled Fa le of p y , u de

‘ ‘ the title of An wa r - i- S uheli ( Lights of Can opus a r n m t he Am a A m S uheli t o fte the a e of ir Sh ikh h ad , w m e a w sain Wa ez who ho he d dic ted the ork . Hu , w m a n w a s w l a s a n n rote y other orks, e l exte sive c mm n a a n t he o f o e t ry to the Kur , is also author the

‘ ’ Ak b Muhsin i a a e e m s lak , a very v lu bl syst of ethic

n on w a a n a treati g up orship , pr yer, p tie ce , hope , ch stity,

- e t c. w a n d a n r on e n This ork , earlie by Nasir uddi ’ e Akhla k a s u in e n Tusi, call d N iri , occ py P rsia literature the sam e position a s the cha ra cters of La

Bru ére in n . n ot w em y do Fre ch They do , ho ever,

n a n c a r b ut n m al body represe t tio s of h acter, o ly or

d n a n d in w . octri es , tales hich these are applied Husain Wa e z die d a t the begin n in g of the sixteen th

n A . D . 1 505 n n so ce tury, , but belo gs to the fiftee th , fa r as his life a n d litera ry activity are con cern ed . He w a on on w e a - n rote lso politics, hich subj ct N sir uddi

‘ Tusi had forestalle d him by his Rules of Imam ’ a a w of a m w n him Ship . The politic l l s T i ur, ritte by self a n d servin g a s models upon which the rulers

m e a m w v n d co posed th ir st tutes , ust, ho e er, be co sidere of greater value than the works composed by doctors of the la w in accorda n ce with t he ten ets of t he

Kuran a n d the decision s of the first Imams . 2 8 PERS IAN PORTRAITS .

E SIXTH P RIOD .

n o e w e n Duri g the sixth peri d ther ere pl ty of erotic,

m m ra a n d m o a s we a s om n ystic, o l , ythical p ets , ll r a ce

w e s who a ll r m a a t rit r , st ove to i it te their gre pre

de cessors we e n e r m . Ha tifi , but re v ry i f ior to the ,

a n d Ahi m a e e r n a s r m n c Hilali , d th i appeara ce o a ti

- d a m of . Ha tifi first n m a n authors , the a ed , K si

n a n a e m r a n d n Gu ab d eve tt pted epic poet y, sa g the ’ a m a n d a m a l n r exploits of T i ur of Sh h Is i , the fou de

w m r r a r of S af i n a . n ce the dy sty Pri s , o eove , still ppea ed

’

m r t he s n of m I. . a o as authors S Mi za , Shah Is a il ,

c m e a s e o pos d his biogr phie of po ts , called Tuhfa

’ m a n d m a n a s a o we Do ulat Sa i , y be co sidered f llo r of

w w m a t o a in n Shah , ith ho he ppears h ve vied groupi g together a s grea t a n umber of poe ts a s possible . He colle cted n ot less tha n four hun dred from all cla sse s of o l of a re a o pe p e , but the lot there sc rcely f rty

w m n n n Am n t e m m a n orth e tio i g. o g h are y viziers ,

w a n d m e m a m l who a e on la yers , bers of royal f i ies , h v ,

t he r n of fe w or n e st e gth a good bad verses , attai d

n u n in a n the ho o r of figuri g these biogr phical otices , which a re a s m e a gre a n d dry as those of Doula t Sha h

a re a n d n e copious e t rt a in in g . While on ly middlin g poets occupied the places of t d u n om heir great pre ecessors , d ri g this period s e good

a n m r mma Persi historian s ade thei a ppea ra n ce . Muha d bin wa n mm n n wn Mirkhon d Kha d Shah , co o ly k o as ,

a n d his son Khon da mir w n h . , rote u iversal istories ’ Mirkhon d s literary life properly belon gs to the pre N A T 2 A S KE T CH OF PERS IA LITER URE . 9 c n in 1 49 8 n com edi g period , but he died , havi g just

’ le t e d his Ra uza t - us - a wh p the sixth book of Saf , ich wa s n son G ha a s- n mm a fi ished by his , y uddi Muha d bin - m - n Khon da m ir who w m n Ha id uddi , rote a y

‘ ’ n c u n t he - us- histories besides , i l di g Habib Siar. Khwaja Mollah wrote t he spe cial history of the Tur kom a n s Iskan da r wrote a history of the kin gs of the ’ n m m a A S a fwi . a dy asty, fro Shah Is il I to bb s the

G e a a a k A a m A A a n d r t, c lled the T ri h l rae bbasi

a r ma n n a n d a Mull Id is that of the Otto Sulta s , lso memoirs of the most illu strious chara cters of t he

amm n n who A 1 Muh ada religio flourished from . D . 45 1 1 to 506 . In dia n ow bega n t o vie with Persia in the pro duction of historical works un de r the govern men t of

r u h m r s m own wa r the g eat M g al e pe or , fro Babar d ds . Persia had been alre a dy in early ages con n ecte d with

n o a n In dia. There is doubt th t the pa theistic doc trin es of the S ufis were imported from that coun try

t o r . n t he n of w n Pe sia Duri g reig Nausher a , the

a n Burzui or a u a m of physici , B rzoi , bro ght the g e ’ c Bid a a n d n m n r m hess , the Fables of p y, Hi du edici e f o

’ ’

n . m n c s of n a n d Hin dba d I dia The ro a e Si dbad , ’ Ten r w a s the Tales of the Vizie s , as ell other

n t w n a a in o arra ives , hich eve tu lly ppeared the Th u ’ s n a n d O n e a m m n a a d Nights, lso ca e fro I di . Persian literature wa s protected a n d patron ized by t he descen dan ts of t he various con querors O f Hin

t n n n m Ba b a ride s dus a , but by o e so uch as by the of t he m a n d n n m race of Tai ur, beari g the a e of the 3 0 PER S IAN PO R TRAITS

M re a ha l w o i n in A . D . 1 5 2 ho e a n t re 6 . g t ug s , b g g

a a t he f n e of t s y n a t w e his n s B b r, ou d r hi d s y , rot Eve t

’ of a i a s aesa mm n t a . so n B bar C r did his Co e r es His ,

m a n w a s n o t e f v o u a e t o c e n ce a n d t o Hu yu , l ss a r bl s i

a r . B ut r a n t e a t r a t t a n e schol s Pe s i li r u e i d its highest

e n in n a n de r ra n d n Ak r t he perf ctio I di u his g so ba ,

e of t he e a M al who t a n t he great st gr t ugh s , ob i ed

’ e of t h n sobriqu t e G ua rdia n of Ma n ki d .

The Empe ror Akba r was high - min de d en ough n ot

t o e m e of t r o e r A - a b co jealous his illus i us vizi , bul F zl , who with his broth e r Fa izi glo rifie d t he reign of their ’ re n A - r d h o of Akba r s sove ig . bul Fa zl desc ibe t e hist ry

n in t wo e r m a a w . reig xt e ely v lu ble orks , viz , the

‘ ’ ‘ ’ A - n m a n d the Ain - A n a n n d a kbar a a kbari , co t i i g et iled a n of n a n d of t of t a ccou ts his reig , the sta istics h t

r . o w in n a n d a a n pe iod B th orks are pri t , h ve lso bee partly tran slated .

A a m mo e n n e n a kb r hi self, the st lighte ed sover ig th t

n e o wa s n n ot n l I dia ev r p ssessed , a patro o y of every

n n n a n d art a n wa e ki d of lear i g , but also brilli tly re rd d t he caligra phe rs a n d pain te rs that be employe d t o

copy a n d t o illustrate Persia n m a n u scripts . The large works that he ordered to be orn amen te d with pictures

’ w : a m a ma n t a e in ere the History of H za, ro tic l , ’ twelve volumes t he Chan ge z - n a ma (Cha n gez s

‘ ’ — - book) the Za far n a ma ( Victory book of Taimur s ’ n u t he hi —n m w co q ests Ik l a a, the first ork of the

‘ ’ ‘ five poems of Nizami ; the Ra zm - n ama ( Battle ~ book which is a Persian tra n slation of the Mahab

’ ‘ harata the Ayar- Da n ish ( Touchston e of Kn ow

S AN TRA T PER I POR I S .

n a n d the kin g as his vicegere t . Till his death in

1 605 n n t o t n in , he co ti ued take the grea est i terest

w of m e n a n d n a n d the ork his literary his tra slators ,

' o n m n t in a ll the a flairs of his G ver e .

EVENTH ERIOD S P .

W A a a n d a A ith Shah kb r Sh h bbas , the greatest

n a a n d S a fwi n who occu pri ces of the Mugh l dy asties ,

n d — r n a a n P A .D 1 e the . 5 5 6 1 6 05 pi d th o es of I di ersia, — a n d A . D . 1 5 85 1 6 28 e e c the r n c r sp tively , b illia y of

n a a n d e e e dis Persia liter ture , sp cially of po try,

r n e r n a ppe a ed . Duri g this p iod o poet has acquired a a n m a n d n o s a n r who gre t a e , hi tori has appea ed c m e w m t ould be co par d ith the for er celebri ies .

r M mm an a n Mi za uha ad Muhdi Kh , the histori of

a r a a n d Nia m e t n a n N di Sh h , Kha , the histori of

Aura n zeb e the n n e s who e r m e n tlon g , are o ly o des ve on a ccoun t of their style .

of A . a n an d A The successors kbar, viz , J ha gir uran g

e l w in of e z be , sti l follo ed the footsteps th ir great

n ce m a n d a e n n r a stors , Tai ur B bar, by l avi g co t ibution s

of t m w n s to the history their i es, ritte by their order , a n d thus en coura ge d the production of large historical

a a n r d n w r s . a d w o k Shah J h gi kept a iary , rote his

’ own m m in e r a n ca Tu ak a a n r e oirs P si , lled g J h gi i , which has been tra n sla te d in to En glish by Major

2 a David Price in 1 8 9 . He lso caused the celebrated

‘ ’ a a n - i- n r a t n of n F rh g Jaha gi i , dic io ary the Persia

m om t n be e mi a r wo . la guage , to co pil d fr for y si l rks

In a n d n ow lieu of poetry history, epistolography K T H AN TERA T A S E C OF PERS I LI URE. 33

n t o i and n n d bega flourish n Persia I dia. I cre ible trouble a n d curious a rtifice s were employed in pro ducin g private a s well a s official letters in a beautiful

s a n d w cali ra hic n . e tyle , ith g p elega ce The Stat

s a e mm n n w ecret ri s of courts, co u icati g ith each other, vied especially amon g themselves to carry off the palm in the production of e legan t cre den tials for their

m . n al m en a n a n n a bassadors Ge er ly of educ tio , le r i g,

a n d wit w a in n a n d , ell re d the best Persia poets, able t o recite or to use their celebra ted passages a s occa

s n r w r c e m a . io equired , e e sele t d for a b ssadors Their wit a n d their min d adorn e d with a ccomplishments were in ten de d t o impress the Sulta n s a n d the viziers o f the coun try visited by the m with high ideas of the

n the offi m a w educatio of cials of their sters , hile the beautiful style a n d caligra phy of their creden tials furn ishe d a good e xample of the Skill of the secre

taries . ’ n e c r m n n ha e ist olo U der th se i cu sta ces , I s , p

a the w of M n gr phy, ork the u shi , or State secretary, m n received a high degree of develop e t . The first rules a n d e xample s of a n e a t epistola ry style had been

n Wa wa l w n already give by t t, the a giver of Persia

a n d S ha fur a isha uri t of prosody, by N p , the poet, bo h

on u whom wrote spe cial treatises these s bjects . Afterwards Khwaja Mahmud Gawan or Khwaja Jahan reduced their rules t o a perfect a n d developed

n m system in his views on compositio . So e celebrated ’ a s m an d t m of poets, such Ja i Sa ib, also lef odels ’ - n m o f w n . b a letter riti g Sa i , the poetical a e Mirz 3 34 PERS IAN PORTRAITS

mm Ali of i wa s ce e Muha ad , Tabr z , a lebrated po t ’ u n er d a n d w in an e n d ri g this p io , rote Ghazals

n e w e a n d n re n of tirely styl , is co side d as the fou der

n e w c w n ow m n w . the s hool , hich has a y follo ers It wa s a n in dispen sa ble con dition of a highly orn amen ta l style that po etry should plea san tly altern a te with

n r un a t he om n a re o n so prose . U fo t tely c positio s fte flowery a n d exa ggera ted in their figures of speech a s to tran sgress a ll the b oun ds of good ta ste . Some books of trave l m ust b e m e n tion e d as belon g

w s com o e in g to this period . O n e a p s d by Abdul

m a r Ta hm a s n a n d Kari , the f vou ite of p Kuli Kha ;

n Abu a a n who his a other by Mirza T lib Kh , described

c n m a wa s u n journ ey to Mecca . His o te por ry Mo la a

a mma Ali a n who in Shaikh Muh d H zi , , order to escape

n m n n n in persecutio fro Nadir Shah , fled i to Hi dusta

1 7 33 w in 1 76 6 . He , here he died , at a good old age wa s a m n r in a n d volu i ous autho , both prose verse, a n d also wrote a most in tere stin g book of person al m m in 1 74 1 w c ha s n n n n o e oirs , hi h si ce bee tra slated i t

i in 1 . n d . n . . a 830 E glish by T C Balfour, Esq , publ shed

An o Abu a n n c n w ther T lib Kha , a ative of Lu k o ,

m n n a n in 1 79 9 and wa s travelled fro I dia to E gl d , well kn own in Lon don un der the title of the Persian

r n . u n n al a n d p i ce D ri g his travels he kept a jour , after his return to Ca lcutta it wa s published there ; a n d w n e S w a n d after ards tra slat d by Charles te art, 1 1 published in Lon don in 8 4 .

m m n Fro the ti e of Nadir Shah up to the prese t ,

a ff m n m t n Persi has su ered a y reverses fro revolu io s, A S KET CH OF PERS IAN LITERAT URE. 35 w a n d m n w c n ot w ars, fa i es, all of hi h could , ho ever, e xtin guish the a dmiration still bestowed by the people

n r n w upo their g eat poets . But the ge ius hich they showed in former times a ppears t o have become

Th of n n totally extin ct . e poetry the eightee th ce tury is n ot of extraordin ary value a n d the domin an t Spirit of n n n n r that of the i etee th is, to a great exte t, pu e

m m m in d n of S ufis. ysticis , as e bodied the octri es the

win ffe n The follo g is a list of the di re t authors, whose n ames a ppear in the precedin g a n d followin g pages — IR T ERIOD A . D . 9 1 2 1 1 06 . F S P , P oe ts.

’ M i z o z i, ’ iza mi U ruzi N ,

Rudaki, ’ m Um a r Khaya .

Prose Writers.

Almori a , Gh zzali , Am ir Nasr, Malik Shah , A nn m - ul vice a, Niza Mulk ,

Bala mi a . , T bari — ECOND PERIOD A . D . 1 1 06 1 203 . S ,

Poets.

iza mi G a n a wi N j , - n W w Rashid uddi at at, n a Sa i, - n S ha fra wade h Sharaf uddi , n Suze i ,

Za hir Faryabi. 6 PE L 4 . V TRA T 3 RS POR I S .

' ' Pr e ll mte r os s .

’ A ul M - a l N s ul a Azra ki. b a i a r l h , Ami of a g Bukhar ,

HIRD E IOD A 1 203 1 00. R .D . 3 T P , P oe ts.

a - d n umi S a d bin n Jal l u di R , Za gi , ’ us o e Kh r of D hli , Sa di .

' Pr se Il rit rs o e .

- ov a in i Na n . J , sr uddi Tusi

— O RTH ERIOD A. D . 1 3 00 1 3 9 4 . F U P ,

Poe ts .

t a n i Mir K man di Isfaha , ir i , Bin a kiti a , Nasir Bukh ri , a a ma n a wa H fiz, S l S ji, ’ m - d n Khu n b a a n a di . Ka al ud i j , U eid Z k i wa K m n Kh ja ir a i,

Pros Wri e ters.

A - bin - wa A u bdullah Fazl ullah or Kh ja br ,

Wa ssaf n - ud n w n i , Mui di Ja i ,

Bin akiti i m - al- din of Hira t , N za , am - udd n Must oufi - d n Ami H id i , Rashid ud i r.

E — IFTH RIOD A . D . 13 9 7 1 4 4 F P , 9 .

Abu - m Is hak , Ka bari , Am S a S a bz wa r Ka tibi ir h hi of , , t a d wa m An w r Sabz ri , Kasi a , Bura n dak Nesimi , , m Am i Ja i , Yusaf ir . A S KET CH OF PERS IAN LITERAT URE. 37

Pro e Wri r s te s .

A B n Wa ez Kashifi bdul assak , Husai , A m ibn A m h ad rabshah, Ja i ,

‘ Al r - in Ali e isher, Sha af udd Y zdi , t a d w S ul n n Sabz ari , ta Husai of Khura Doula t S sa n hah, , Na isha uri Ebad p , Ulugh Beg .

— IXTH ERIOD A . D . 1 49 4 1 59 1 . S P , P oets.

m Kasi ,

Shaikh Faizi .

Pr se Wri ers o t .

A ul w b Fazl, Kh aja Mollah , a Mirkhon d Babar Sh h , , dr Faizi, Mulla I is,

n Ma n ishi S a m . Iska dar , Mirza mir Khon da ,

— EVENTH ERIOD A . D . 1 59 1 1 785 . S P ,

Poe t .

’ Sa ib .

Writers.

m mm Abdul Kari , Mirza Muha ad Muhdi

u Talib n n , Ab Kha , Kha o n m Niam e t , Haz , Kha

b ali n S a n . Mirza A u T b Kha , hah J ha gir 38 PERS IAN POR TR AITS

The authors men tion ed a bove m a y be t hus chron o logically classified

P t oe s .

Bin a kiti Rudaki, , Da kiki u of hl , Kh sro De i, Azuri z , Hafi ,

A ad m - n Khu an di s i, Ka al uddi j , irda usi m n a wa F , Sal a S ji, ’ izami U ruzi w m n N , Kh aja Kir a i, ’ Mo iz zi m n , Mir Kir a i , ’ ’ ma Kha a m n U r y , Ubeid Zaka i , An w n h ari , Maula a Nasir Buk ari, S n ul n a Amir a ai, Ma a a Yus f i , Ra s - n W w B uran dak hid uddi at at, ,

Far abi Abu - Zahir y , Is hak , Khaka ni as m An w , Sayyad K i ar, Akhe st e i m g , Ja i, ’ A l Ala m bu , Ka bari , l ul n m Fa aki, Ma a a Nesi i , S hafra wa deh t a d zwa , Sab ri , Azra ki , Ka tibi. Am r i of S abzwar i Shah , zam G a n zawi H ifi Ni i , at , S n i al uze i, H l i, S a d bin n Ahi Za gi , , Ja - n m m of n lal uddi Ru i , Kasi Gu abad, ’ S z a di, Shaikh Fai i, ’ t di n a Isfaha i , Sa ib .

H istorica l a n d Politi l W ca riters .

ov ain i Tabari, J , Alm rI Bin a kiti o , , Mallk h w A S ah , Kh aja bru ,

- m ul - din Am Niza Mulk, Rashid ud ir,

CHAPTER III .

s THE G REATER Pom .

II w l a t ere from t he ecedin c a t e t a t il be g h d pr g h p r h , a mon g t he man v poe t s whose n a mes an d w orks ha v e c m wn t o us t e e are se v en us t ri u s n es o e do , h r ill o o

s v T y are —Firda us w se ff n s wil n e e r die . ho e u io l he i , ’ - An war N za mi of a nz a a a u din m . S a i, i G , J l l d Ru i di,

z a n d am . Hafi , J i

se ir a s w ote his rea e c The a Of the , F d u i r g t pi , Sh h ’ n a ma or of in An war his racef l , Book K gs i g u

n s an d a s of a sa n N za m his pa egyric , Te r Khur i i roman tic poems ; Jala l - u ddin Rumi his mystic ’ verse s ; Sa di his son n et s a n d poe t ical pieces ; Hafiz his a n d t o a n d w n an d m his lyrics, odes love i e Ja i ’ n d e w r n an . Seve Thro es , oth r o ks A fe w details about e ach of the above will be

n n as s fe w e xt a cts m t r w so i teresti g, al o a r fro hei orks, as to give a gen eral idea of t heir style a n d ae com

lishmen ts. r w to r p Eve y poet, ho ever, be tho oughly

n o an d a in u derst od appreciated, ought to be re d the

n u in m has w n w la g age which he hi self ritte . Ho ever

an l n ma wan in in le good the tr s atio y be , it is t g the sty , EA T I TH E G R TER POE S . 4

a m e n n a n d m n the polish , the subtlety , the re l a i g, a y i n . k r n n a n d n in other thi gs Sha espea e E glish , Da te

al n a re n n u m in It ia , i fi itely s perior to the served up a n n y other la guage .

An d m m a n the sa e y be said of the Persia poets .

n w wa s rn Tus m n Firdausi, to begi ith , bo at (the oder

in r n a r A . D . 9 40 an d Mashad) , Khu asa , about the ye ,

2 n a m a n d m w r died there about 1 0 1 . His e fa e ill eve

‘ ’ ‘ w S ha hn a ma be coupled ith the , or Book of the

’ in m in r a n d n K gs of Persia, co posed ve se , givi g a n ation al history of Persia from the earliest Pishda dia n

i A D In z d n . 6 50. kin g to the death of Ye dijar . the fam o us satire on the Sulta n Mahm ud at the e n d of

w irda usi m t he w n the ork, F hi self gives follo i g de

n n A n n scriptio of it , as re dered by tki so

’ Now mark Firda usi s strain his Book of Kings W e ve r s r u on tr m a n t w n ill oa p iu ph i gs. All who ha v e liste n e d t o its v a rious lore Re o ce the w se ro w w se r t a n e fore j i , i g i h b eroe s of ot e r t mes of a n c e nt a s H h i , i d y , For ov er flourish in my soun din g lays ; a ve I n o t sun of Ka us Tus a nd G iw H g , , , O f ma tc e ss Rusta m fa t fu st a n d true hl , i h l ill,

O f the re a t D emo n- n er who cou t ro w g bi d , ld h His a mun t o the e a ve n s a n d se e his foe k d h , iz O f os a n Fa r un an d S a m S uwa r H h g, id , ,

Lohuras Ka i- K usro a n d Isfe n di a r p , h , y ; G ushtas Ar as a nd him of m t n a me p , j p, igh y , G uda rz with e ighty sons of martia l fa me

The to of t rt e ars is n ow com e te il hi y y pl , Re cor su me of man a wa r e fe a t d bli y lik , Writt e n midst toil a n d t rouble ; b ut the strain Awake n s e very heart a nd will re main ba rd

r ew ard ,

ule ts

“ a st er

“ m s a n ts gi ,

mtme nts of de mon s,

act on s i , f ace Rusta m d , mons

r mona rc , h

. 5 CF OWH

m l of ot e rs h ,

ms in t he a tt e b l ,

’ iven a n e w fe g li .

’ S ha 1 : of t he hn a ma is

ezdi ard t he a s of Y j , l t

d all the c r n mu h o icles , TH E A T R T G RE E POE S . 43

a n d r n nn w a n d histories, t aditio s co ected ith Persia

n a n d m a n d her sovereig s , had the put together , these formed the book kn o wn by the n ame of Syar - al ’ ’ I h or B ost a n n a m a . n n n Muluk , the the te t ce tury a Persian history wa s ordered t o be prepared by the

S a ma n ia n n Ma n sfir a n d Alm ori wr in ki g ote it prose, w Da kiki a n a m in r wa s hile beg the s e ve se , but a ssassin a ted by a slave after he had written only t wo

n thousa d verse s . Nothing further wa s don e in the matter till the

n ta n M m n who e n reig of Sul ah ud of Ghaz i, first

the w t o n a a n d n l t o trusted ork the poet U s ri , fi al y

r ir usi w Firda usi t o do the whole in ve se . F da orked a t m a n e a a n d n n n w the it for y y rs , bei g disco te ted ith sum (silv er for gold pieces) paid to him by Mahmud on co m n n w w on its pletio , fi ished the ork ith a satire

’ n m n n n w was the S ulta s ea ess , the bitter ess of hich such that the poet wa s obliged to fly for his life . The w k e n w en w h in e or , th , hich had op ed it verses prais a n d a dulation of the Sultan Mahmud to the exten t of flatt e ry

Pra se ra se to Ma mu who of e re nown i , p i h d, lik In ba ttle or t he ba n que t fills the throne or of the re a ms of C n a n d n usta n L d l hi Hi d , S ove reign a n d lord of Pe rsia a n d Tura n With his loud v oice he ren ds the flintie st ea r O n a n a t e r e rce un t ouc e fe a r l d ig fi , h d by , And on the wa v e he se e ms the crocodile T a t ro w s a m st the wa t e rs of the e h p l id Nil . G e n e rous and ra v e his e ua is un no wn b , q l k In ee s of r ncel w rth he sta n s a n d d p i y o d lo e. ord l , ord days ! f asting pra ise

most

“ one,

wn , a re d, re ward line

011

Tots blow

the e

“a rk itself will

a s con a n n 5. t i i g TH E G A T RE ER POETS . 45 man y passages of great beauty a nd of powerful

t n a nd w on e n ca n descrip io , of hich alo e be quoted here

O ne T ou exa test a n d v e st him o n on h l gi d mi i , Anothe r Thou caste th a s food t o t he fishes O n e ou e nr c est w t h t reas ure e Karun Th i h i lik , An ot e r T ou fee e st w t the rea of a f t n h h d i h b d flic io . N or is t at a roof of ov e n or th s of a tre h p Thy l , i Thy h d For ou the Creator of t he wor d no west w a t is fit Th , l , k h . Thou a ssigne st t o ea ch ma n his high or lo w estate ’ An d how s a I escr e T e e ? T ou a rt w at T u h ll d ib h h h ho a rt .

w m But the ork , to be appreciated , ust be read as a

w . m w n t ra n sla hole Malcol , riti g about it , says No tion in verse can con ve y to the mere En glish reader a n y just impression of the whole poem of the Sha h ” n ma . m in w it i w n a n d a The idio hich s ritte , the a l n a n d m w w h n lusio s etaphors ith hic it abou ds, are too foreign to our lan gua ge a n d taste to admit of success in such a n un de rta kin g ; b ut a prose t ra n sla

n w m a n d tio of this great ork is a desideratu , select ’ al m pa ssages might bear a poetic for .

m A n n in 1 83 2 t o Ja es tki so , , appears have supplied

w n a n d e w n e w n this a t, a p rusal of his ork (a editio of

’ ‘ w a . n n n hich has just appe red) , of S Robi so s Persia

’ ’ for n d a n d n Zimm ern s Poetry E glish Rea ers , Hele

’ of n w w Epic Ki gs, ill give a good idea of the orth

m of a n d m a n d erit the great poet, verify the re ark of

‘ m n Va mber t m in Ar i ius y, tha it is the irror the resplen den t radian ce of which the Persian a n d the Central Asian delight to fin d the glory of bygon e ’ a ges. S 44 PORTRAIT .

The nfa nt in the cra le s s his n a nn i d li p , use of ’ The wor e xults in Ma mu s spoth ld h d n of th e 1 In fe st iv e hours He a ve n smiles upon ’ a n d In con t est de a dly a s t he dragon s t oo t h

ount e ous in all t n s his e xha ust le s he a an d B hi g , p ' ‘ Difluse s e ss n s throu the rat e bl i g gh g wit h he r An d of t he n oblest t houghts a nd a t un e the v d r The soul of G a brie l bre a th e s in e v e r ’

Fi . M a y Hea v e n wit h a dde d glory cro w1 1 rdausi

' Pra se ra se t o m t Ma m ud c w - i , p i igh y h , rrk o n Fir

e n e w t v ses a s n him ’ d d i h er bu i g n an d Ki gs , m a nn er :

r ‘ e nt the f of O h ha d th fat er race a kin lv li e , y h g d g

. " Th m o t e r e en for ro a v irru ed r ausi a, y h b y l Fi d , A e t n h diffe r nt fa t e the poe the a Hon ours a nd wea lt h ha d bee n 11 B ut how remote from the e a g] No h en n o in ance strv i 1 igh, bl g From a v ile stock thy bold ca r. bl s mith v th s of l a c as y : Anwari WI10 a u m , -A]as ! krom v 1ce ca n goip;uess elfth cen 5 a t Is mercy hoped for in the tyra r 30 t he t own Of Can wa te r wash the Ethiopia n h i an w e re v C o e the da rkn e ss I. an d is ch efl m m g , i y The tree to which a bit ter fr: and enjoyed t he Would still be bitter in t he h “Whose ac uamt ' An d a bad hea rt kee ps on it s S ui , q

O r if it chan es. c an e s fu l er. g h g A fi rm “rl t h st s re ams of nlk wh n L Jule st udying in t he Acquire more bort ul swe e t r “1ed Mm owah t The re ckless king who grime

' \Ius e v e r b e consi n sen antS a n d t g e d t . R Ne ws ,

il missed tha t wa x ij lli ! y , B ut e d a s - b gin or en “mum{y well mount ed e e e m a n a s the rOdm - l n uir tha t he wa s v r r i p m gu ;k an i q y

4 s PERS IAN PORTRAITS

o m r a is on e of Of the p e itself, Kirkpat ick s ys it

m in e r n l n a e the the ost beautiful the P sia a gu g ,

s nt m n r u n ral an d n ot n re n e i e ts th o ghout atu , u f que tly

sublime .

IZAMI N .

’ a N a m or I iz am - n Abu mma Sh ikh iz i , uddi Muha d

a bin t he m n o Ily s Yusaf, great ro a tic p et of Persia ,

wa s n A . D . 1 1 4 1 e n his at bor . He liv d early all life

G n a n d n n wn m a za, is, therefore , ge erally k o as Niza i

n G a n a wi. wa s of Ga ja, or j His early life devoted to

a s sm a n d m s cetici , fro it he acquired a ta te for solitude

a n d m n w n n . editatio , hich he ever totally reli quished

u for a r c wn r But tho gh ye s rushed do by bigot y, his

n ral n n n e e a n d atu i bor ge ius ass rt d itself at last, he

n w w h w rem n as bega his orks , hic ill ever ai a proof of

c a n his great poeti al t le t. The first he published in 1 1 79 wa s t he Storehouse ’ of M e w n on ysteri s , a ork givi g his thoughts God

ma n a n d d an d m n . , evoted to philosophical editatio s ’ His n n wa s u a n d n ext productio Kh sro Shiri , a

m n e m of a n d n m ro a tic po the highest order, take fro

n n in w a n cie t Persia history . It is said that the hole

n an n da a n d ra ge of Persi literature , o ly Fir usi Fakhr

ul A ur a n i m n lah sad J j , the author of the earlier ro a ce

‘ calle d Wais a n d Ramin (written origin ally in the

can m t w m in Pehlevi dialect) , co pe e ith Niza i the won derful delin eation of cha ra cter a n d the brillian t

painting of human a flection s. ’ In 1 1 88 w n ll n there appeared his Di a , or co ectio TH E G REA TER POETS 49 of ka sida s a n d w h n u ghazals, hic are said to have m

e w n n m fe w ber d t e ty thousa d verses, but co paratively

m wn A have co e do to us. bout the same time t he

mm n n m n m the great poet co e ced his seco d ro a tic poe ,

‘ ’ a m n - t r of a n d n n f ous Bedoui love s o y Laili Maj u , ’ which ha s ofte n be e n compared with Ariosto s

’ n u w Orla do F rioso . This as followed by his Book

’ ‘ ’ Al n or t n Al n a n in of exa der, For u es of exa der, epic

a a n d e n two a I . n the style of Fird usi , divid d i to p rts

r Al n r n of the fi st, exa de is depicted as the co queror the w in n a s t i an d orld ; the seco d, prophe , ph losopher,

’ ’ Niza mi s a w wa s a t traveller . l st ork the H f Paikar, ’ S n r in w n or The eve Fai Faces, hich he retur ed to

m n c n . n n ro a tic fi tio It co sisted of seve tales, related by the seven favourite wives of the Sasan ian Kin g m Bahra Gor. The five works above - men tion ed form what is

’ ’ n n wn Nizami s n ge erally k o as Qui tuple , or Five ’ i m a r a n d n A . D . 1 203 h Tre su es, their author died , uc

a n d m n . on a n d regretted la e ted Later , his elegies eulogies were sun g by the three greatest Persian poets

’ who came aft er him . Sa di says

G one is am o ur e x u s t e ea rl w c H ea ven in its Niz i, q i i p , hi h kin dn ess For e of the ure st de w forme for the em of the wor m d p , d g ld Ca m it s one in its r ht n e ss b ut the wor un re ar e l ly h b ig , by ld g d d, ’ eaven re - assum n its ft a it a a n in its s el H , i g gi , l id g i h l.

Hafiz writes

This a ncien t va ult conta in eth n othing ben ea th it ’ ara e f r be t o Comp bl o au y t o the w rds of Nizami. 4 50 PERS IAN PORTRAITS

’ W m in Y a n d Za likha c s t o hile Ja i , his usaf , dedi ate m m m m m hi so e ourn ful e orial verses .

As m n w m n regards the poet hi self, alo g ith his a y

n w n t wo thousa d verses , he is said to have ritte the followin g lin es also — G od give s all His boons t o the a ss ala s Would t o hea ve n Nizami had bee n an ass

The curren t story of the day is that in the Old Testa men t it wa s con sidered a most extraordin ary

n n w i thin g to ha ppen whe a ass spoke . No adays it s con sidered extraordin ary when a n ass does n ot

speak .

ALAL - DDIN MI J U RU ,

a n d r wa s n Poet , Mystic , Sufi philosophe , bor at

i A D 1 2 - n Wal a n . . 07 . B lkh , His father, Baha uddi d, wa s much respected in that city for his grea t san ctity

a n d e n n a n d t l ar i g, hus excited the jealousy of its

r n mm n m Kutb - n of rule , Sulta Muha ad , sur a ed uddi

Khwa rizm who m it a n n n t a , ade such u pleasa bode to

Baha - uddin that he determin e d to aban don his n ative

n w him m a n d m n of his place, taki g ith his fa ily a y

disciples .

al - n wa s n n J al uddi , the future poet , the o ly five

old an d a m n a n d m years , he cco pa ied his father other

rs wa of n t o the fi t to Mecca, by y Baghdad, the

m n n in A m n Laren da in Hijaz , Da ascus , Erzi ja r e ia ,

As a n w al wa s m r in A D i Mi or ( here J al ar ied . .

t n m n a n d n n n n l he to Sa arka d Co sta ti ople. Fi a ly THE G REA TER POETS . 5 :

Baha - uddin settled down a t Kon ia (the an cien t

n m in S n ll an d Ico iu ) yria, fou ded a co ege, died there

in 1 23 1 .

’ After his father s death Jalal- uddin wen t to Aleppo an d m s n n di an d n ll Da a cus to co ti ue his stu es , eve tua y return ed t o Kon ia with a great reputation for learn

in a nd n . m n g, piety, devotio There he re ai ed per m a n en tl n a n d n y, succeedi g to the chair directio of

n n m the college, to the spiritual guida ce of his u erous

a n d t o of S n - a] m or disciples, the title ulta Ule a,

a n d of n . s Chief Ruler the lear ed He tayed there ,

w n ll in 1 2 3 actively orki g at his duties , ti his death 7 , ’ when he wa s buried in his father s mausoleum at

n Ko ia . ’ m on Me sn ev i n n His literary fa e rests the , co sisti g

of m or u n wn six volu es , books , parts , sually k o as the

’ ‘ ’ Mesn e v i i Mesn e v i an d e m hati y Sherif, or Holy , p ’ m n w has cally styled The Poe , a productio hich given t o him the n ame of the greatest mystic poet

of a n d t o w n . The Persia, hich he is fully e titled

w k is al or e m or itself a series of t es, apologu s, ixed

w m a nd e m m w up ith oral r ligious axi s , ise thoughts, a nd n a n d w h practical applicatio s , deals largely it

n a n d S ufi hil S m s of it Divi e love p osophy . o e part

‘ ca n be compared t o the Pan cha Tan tra an d the

Hit o odesa in n a nd a s t o p the Sa scrit, other p rt

n of our as he certai books Bible , such the Proverbs, t

s or a n d n of Ecclesiaste the Preacher , the So g

m n S olo o .

alal- u in w n a m n an d J dd , he live , had a y disciples 4—2 P AN T T 52 ERS I POR RAI S .

f we a n d him m ac s ollo rs , these accorded to ir ulou

w w we n e xa po ers , hich probably re co siderably g

An m . w gerated after his death yho , so e of his sayin gs a n d doin gs resemble man y o f the sayin gs

a n d n in a n d is doi gs of Jesus as recorded the Gospels , it

ma en n n probable that these last y have be used , i de ted

u n a n d m r po , extracted fro for the pu pose of the

i n m In m w glor ficatio of the great ystic . the sa e a y it is probable that some of the attributes of Jesus

have in later days been added ' to the attributes of

vice versal m m n Buddha , or , as there is so e rese bla ce between the deeds a n d the words of these t wo authors of a n d m In Christianity Buddhis . both cases the dis ciple s a n d followers were the rea l foun ders of the faith .

O n e n - n a n a n d thi g Jalal uddi appears to h ve do e, tha t is to have established a peculiar order of der v ishe s Ma uleli w a n d , called the , ith a special dress , to have adopt ed for their use in strumen tal music in the

S r m a n d hape of the flute, the ebeck , the dru , the

m n w n n or n n a n e c m ta bouri e , ith si gi g cha ti g as a o

n In m m n n our pan im en t to the da ce . the sa e a er as

S n - a alvatio ists of to day, Jalal perh ps hoped to

w n a n d m c an d attract ith oise usi , thus raise the b owlin an d heathen from their lethargy. The g shakin g or dan cin g dervishes are still to be seen both at Cairo a n d Con stan tin ople . The details of the deeds of the Ma uleli dervishes w w n Eflaki have been given in a ork ritte by El , a

m r A n s n of disciple of Chelebi E i raf, a gra d o Jalal , A T TH E G RE TER POE S . 53

n d com w was n s in A .D . 1 3 1 0 a hich begu , it is aid , ,

let e d in 1 3 53 a n d m a n a s A p , y be looked upo the cts of A of Ma uleli f t w the postles the dervish a hers , ith w m n al n n m of an ho , as the origi fou der, the a e Maul a

- Jalal uddin Rumi will ever be con n ected . ’ A of A n w m The cts the depts , alo g ith the first volu e ’ of Me sn ev i n a n d n the , has bee fully freely tra slated

m W. m w by Mr . Ja es Redhouse, fro hose pages the followin g an ecdote has been taken

’ O n e of alal s di a n d wa s con J sciples died, there a sult a tion amon g his frien ds a s to whether he should r in ffin w on e be bu ied a co or ithout . Af n n a n d m ter Jalal had bee co sulted , had told the a s n m to do they pleased , a other disciple ade the observation that it would be better to bury their r w ffin O n n wh ? elative ithout a co . bei g asked y he a n w A m can n n s ered , other better urse her child tha ’ ca n m her child s brother. The earth is the other of m n a n d w f n the hu a race , the ood of a co fi is also the ’ ’ i f n m n r earth s ch ld therefore the co fi is the a s brothe . ’ n s mm t n n ot t o Ma corpse should be co itted , he , a ffi n t v n ff n e co , but to Mo her Earth , his lo i g , a ectio at e n par t . ‘ Jalal expressed his admiration for this apposite a n d m n w wa s n ot subli e doctri e , hich he said to be ’ n w n in a n fou d ritte y then extan t book .

An other specimen of the Me sn e v i is taken from ’ Robin son s Persian Poetry

THE ERS LOV .

A e ove one sa to he r o ve r O e a r out t ou a st se en b l d id l , d y h, h h in th tra ve s an a t y l m y ci y. PERS IAA 54 PO RTRAITS .

Te me t e n w ich of t hem a ea red to t hee the most ll , h , h pp pleasa nt

He re ie d T a t wh ch co nta n ed he r who ro ed me o f m pl , h i i bb y h ea rt . W herev e r the so ve re ign of my so ul sprea deth her ca rp et of re ose t a t a ce t ou h it we re t he e e of a needle p , h pl , h g y , wou d see m b n l o u dless as t he de se rt . Whe re ve r there is a ma iden be a utiful as Joseph a n d radia nt as the oon tha t a ce t hou the o ttom of a we l wou d be m , pl , gh b l , l n e a Ed n . W t thee a r son woul be a rose arde n 0 t ou ra vis er of i h p i d g , h h ’ hearts ! R t t e e e wou be a Parad se 0 t ou i h h H ll ld i , h chee re r of souls

The sa me st ory has been prett ily don e in to verse ’ in Costello s Rose Garden of Persia

E T D THE FAIR S LAN .

e l me en t e t ra v e e r t ou T l , g l ll , h Who ast wa n ere far and wi e h d d d , S een the swee te st roses ow bl , And the brighte st rivers glide ; S a of a ll t n e e es av e se e n y, hi y h , Which the fa irest la n d has been 1

a s a I te t ee w ere L dy, h ll ll h h ature see s ost blast an d fa r N m m i , Far above a ll climes beside ? ’ Tis w ere t ose we ove a e h h l bid , And that little spot is best ’ r ed Which the loved on e s foot hath p ess . ou it be a fa r s a ce Th gh i y p , Wide and spreading is the pla ce ’ t a arre n oun Though twere bu b m d, "‘ Iwo uld become enchan ted groun d W t t ee on sa n waste wou se em i h h , y dy ld ’ - m The ma rgin o f Al Cawtha r s stre a ; ’ m And the n canst make a dunge on s gloo ” - o A bower whe re ne w born roses blo m .

46 PERS IAN PORTRAITS

M has u d n of M . Jules de ohl p blishe , at the expe se

F e n e n m e n a m e t a n n of t he the r ch Gov r t , co pl te r slatio

’ S ha hn ama in a m a gn ifice n t folio e dition a n d

m de o ha s in in c an d Mada e M hl had pr ted , a heap

n n e n o m e n n on w t her co ve i t f r , the Fr ch tra slati , i h

’ s a n s cr ca n o e a n d n n un the hu b d iti l t s i troductio , der ’ ’

e of Le v r de s o Abon l a m Firda usi. titl Li e R is , by K si This is n ow re ga rde d a s the sta n da rd work on Fir

’ da usi s e ic c n ta n n a s e t he n m p , o i i g it do s fullest i for a ‘ ’ on on t he s e c of t he o n a n d ti ubj t B ok of the Ki gs , can be highly re commen de d to an y pe rson wishin g to obta in fulle r an d further in formation about t he life of ’ the re a oe A m n a m r g t p t , bu l Kasi , sur ed Fi dausi , a

u a wonl deriv ed from Firda s (P radise) .

ANWARI .

There is n ot muc kn wn An w who h o about ari , appears to ha ve been born in the twelfth cen tury at

fi don h a v il a e a n n t he wn of e o , l g ppertai i g to to

in Khurasan . wa s a n d is He , , chiefly

o lo bra tod a s a ne ric e a n d e n o a p gy po t , joyed the

s ial fa v o ur of the S ul an S n a w a u n pec t a j r, hose cq ai t

- e a uvo be ma de in the followin g ma n n r .

w s v y oor and w n in t he a er p , hile studyi g

to a n f t the oolle e cal Ma n soowa h it o a g led ,

ha en ed on e da that the s s n a n d p p y hor e , serva ts ,

follo xw rs f S l S an ar S a l uki a a wa o u ta n j j p ssed th t y ,

a n nwari s a man a a w m nt d A . ee ing p rticul rly ell ou ed ” w ll i ml asw rta incd o n mi th a t wa s an d e e q u m . he THE G REA TER Porn ; 4 7 a oe t a tt a ch O n t his he re c ed p ed t o t he co urt . fle t t a a oe t t o be so w e l ca re for m s be e s e e m ed h t p , l d . u t t by the prin ce a n d t ha t v e ry night he se t t o w ork a nd

re a red a oe m in ra w of t he a n a n d w c p p p p i Sult , hi h he

w n a w m c e n t t o pre se n t t he n ext da v . Sa j r as u h

ase wit t he v e rse s a n d e co n s n a t n c t he ple d h , r g i i g o e

lit of t he a t o r o ffe re e t r t o a t a him t o abi y u h , d i he t ch

An wa his co urt or t o rewa rd him wit h a pre se nt . ri

c t he form r a n d re rese n t e in v e rs his e ws hose e , p d e vi a n d his wishes t o se rv e t he Sulta n a n d re ma in n e a r

In this m a nn er An wa ri passe d from the colle ge t o

c t a n d e n e a n a r in a ll wa i the our , att d d S j his rl ke

e d on a n d n l di al A . D . xpe iti s, fi al y ed at B kh about

1 200. w m e n o m an d me He rote so lo g p e s, also so

m e si pl lyrics . O n e of his best production s is ca lled The Tea rs of

’ ras a n w n n a e n o n i Khu , hich has bee tra sl t d i t E gl sh

' n W m r a t a nd ar verse by Captai illia Ki kp rick , it appe ed

i 1 a w in the Asia tic Misce lla ny n 785 . Khur san as

a of overrun by the Ghuz , a b rbarous tribe Turko

m n who mm er e o f c e t a n d a s , co itted ev y speci s ru l y , ’ An wa ri s e n e this elegiac epistle of repr se t d the sad Khura sa n it e s a n d t he condition of the , applied to

k n l e n n Prin ce of Sama r a d for re i f, ope i g thus

t en t e a e oh wa ft to S amar an Wa f , g l g l , , k d, v s test t a t ssfu an \Vhe n n e xt t hou i i h bli l l d, ia un e in woe ! The plain t of Khurasa n pl g d ’ te u s Bea r to Turan ia s king our pi o s croll ’ re at es fort all the an uish d soul Whose O pe n ing b h h g , ’ ’ e r the torture n And close den ote s wha te d k ow. 4 8 PERS IAN POR TRAITS

m on e Of the poe itself, Kirkpatrick says it is of

m in n n u the the ost beautiful the Persia la g age,

s n m n u n an d n ot n n e ti e ts thro ghout atural , u freque tly

sublime .

IZAMI N .

N m or m - n Abu mm Shaikh iza i , Niza uddi Muha ad

bin the r m n Ilyas Yusaf, g eat ro a tic poet of Persia,

A D 1 l hi at n . . 1 1 4 n a l s wa s bor . He lived early life

G n a n d n n wn m a za, is, therefore , ge erally k o as Niza i

of n or G a n a wi. wa s Ga ja, j His early life devoted to

a m a n d m a sceticis , fro it he acquired taste for solitude

n d m a n w n n . a edit tio , hich he ever totally reli quished

u r c u wn But tho gh for yea s r shed do by bigotry, his

r n n n e e a n d n atu al i bor ge ius ass rt d itself at last, he

n w w h w em n of bega his orks , hic ill ever r ai as a proof

n his great poetical tale t . The first he published in 1 1 79 wa s t he Storehouse ’ M e w n on of ysteri s , a ork givi g his thoughts God

d ma n a n d d m t n . an , evoted to philosophical edita io s

‘ ’ is n n wa s an d n H ext productio Khusro Shiri , a

ma n m of a n d n m ro tic poe the highest order, take fro i w a n cien t Persian history. It is said that n the hole

an n da a n d ran ge of Persi literature , o ly Fir usi Fakhr

Jur an i a e a m n ullah Asad j , the uthor of the rlier ro a ce

‘ called Wais a n d Ramin (written origin a lly in the

can m w Niz ami in Pehlevi dialect) , co pete ith the won derful delin eation of chara cter a n d the brillian t

pain tin g of human affection s . ' m In 1 1 88 there appeared h or collection TH E G A T T RE ER POE S . 49

kasida s a n d w n u m of ghazals, hich are said to have

w n n m l fe w bered t e ty thousa d verses, but co parative y m w A have co e do n to us. bout the same time t he

m m n n m n m great poet co e ced his seco d ro a tic poe , the

‘ ’ a m n e - t r of a li a n d n n f ous Bedoui lov s o y L i Maj u , ’ which ha s ofte n be en compare d with Ariost o s

’ n a w w Orla do F rioso . This a s follo ed by his Book ’ ’ of Al n t n of Al n a n in exa der, or For u es exa der, epic w I a a n d n t o a . n the style of Fird usi , divided i to p rts

Al n t he n the first, exa der is depicted as co queror of the w in n t a n d orld ; the seco d , as prophe , philosopher,

’ ’ Niza mi s w wa s a t a traveller . last ork the H f Paik r, ’ S n r e in w n or The eve Fai Fac s, hich he retur ed to

m n n . n n ro a tic fictio It co sisted of seve tales, related by the seven favourite wives of the Sasan ian Kin g h m Ba ra Gor . The five works above - men tion ed form what is

’ ’ n n wn Nizami s n ge erally k o as Qui tuple , or Five ’ m e r a n d t in A . D . 1 203 Tr asu es , heir author died , uch

n d a n d m n . on e a regretted la e ted Later , his el gies eulogies were sun g by the three greatest Persian poets

’ who came aft er him . Sa di says

G one is a m o ur e x u s te ea r] w c H ea ven in its Niz i, q i i p , hi h kin dn ess For e of the urest de w forme for the em of the wor m d p , d g ld Ca m it sho ne in its r ht n e ss b ut the wor unre ar e l ly b ig , by ld g d d, ’ - eave n re assum n its ft a it a a n in its s el . H , i g gi , l id g i h l

Hafiz writes

This a ncie nt v a ult conta in eth n othing ben e a th it ’ r t Comparable fo be au y t o the words of Nizami. 4 5° PER S L 4N PORTRAITS

’ W m in Y a n d Zalikha i hile Ja i, his usaf , ded cates to him m m n m m so e our ful e orial verses .

As m al n w m n regards the poet hi self, o g ith his a y

n w n t wo thousa d verses, he is said to have ritte the followin g lin es also — G od gives all His boon s t o the a ss ala s Would to heave n Nizami had been a n ass

The curren t story of the da y is that in the Old Testamen t it wa s con sidered a most extraordin ary

n n w thin g t o h a ppen whe a ass spoke . No adays it is con sidered extraordin a ry when a n ass does n ot

speak .

JALAL - DDIN MI U RU ,

an d wa s n Poet , Mystic , Sufi philosopher, bor at

a - Wa a in A. D . 1 207. n B lkh, His f ther, Baha uddi ld, wa s much respected in that city for his great san ctity

a n d n n a n d t al lear i g, hus excited the je ousy of its

r n mm n m h- n rule , Sulta Muha ad , sur a ed Kut uddi of

Khwarizm who m e a n n n t a , ad it such u pleasa bode to

Baha- uddi n that he determin ed to aban don his n ative

n wi him m an d m a n of his place , taki g th his fa ily y

disciples .

Ja a - in wa s n n l l udd , the future poet , the o ly five

old an d a m n a n d m years , he cco pa ied his father other

t o wa of n first Mecca, by y Baghdad, the to the

mas r n an in A m n Laren da in Hijaz , Da cus , E zi j r e ia,

A n w alal was m i A D sia Mi or ( here J arried n . .

t n S am r n an d n n n n he to a ka d Co sta ti ople. Fi ally TH E G REA TER POETS . 5 :

Baha - uddin se ttled down at Kon ia (the an cien t

n m in n ll a n d e Ico iu ) Syria, fou ded a co ege , died ther

in 1 23 1 .

’ After his father s death Jalal - uddin wen t to Aleppo a n d m n n di a n d n al Da ascus to co ti ue his stu es , eve tu ly return ed t o Kon ia with a great reputation for learn

in a n d n . r m n g, piety, devotio The e he re ai ed per m a n e n tl e n t o a n d n of y, succ edi g the chair directio t he lle t o n of n m co ge, the spiritual guida ce his u erous

a n d t o of n - a] m or disciples, the title Sulta Ule a,

a n d of a n . s Chief Ruler the le r ed He tayed there ,

w n in 1 2 3 actively orki g at his duties , till his death 7 , ’ when he w a s burie d in his father s mausoleum at

Kon ia . ’ m on Me sn ev i n n His literary fa e rests the , co sisti g

of m n wn six volu es, books , or parts, usually k o as the

’ ‘ ’ Me sn e v i i or Mesn e v i a n d e m hati y Sherif, Holy , p ’ m n w ha s cally styled The Poe , a productio hich given to him the n ame of the greatest mystic poet

of a n d w ll n The Persia, to hich he is fu y e titled .

w l of al or m ork itse f is a series t es , apologues, ixed

w m al a n d e m m w up ith or r ligious axi s , ise thoughts,

a nd n a n d w practical applicatio s , deals largely ith

n e a n d i m s f Divi love Sufi ph losophy . So e part o it ca n be compared t o the Pan cha Tan tra an d the

Hit o odesa in t he n a n d t t o p Sa scrit, other par s

n of our as t he he certai books Bible , such Proverbs, t

or a n d n of Ecclesiastes the Preacher, the So g

m n Solo o .

J lal—u in w n al m n s a n d a dd , he ive, had a y disciple 4—2 52 PERS IAN PORTRAITS .

w a n d t o him mi u us follo ers , these accorded rac lo

w w w n e xa po ers , hich probably ere co siderably g

r r An w m of ge ated afte his death . yho , so e his sayin gs a n d doin gs resemble man y o f the sayin gs a n d n as in o a n d doi gs of Jesus recorded the G spels, it is

ma e n d n n probable that these last y have be use , i de ted

n a n d r m of upo , extracted f o for the purpose the

n m In w glorificatio of the great ystic . the same a y it is probable that some of the attributes of Jesus have in later days been added t o the attributes of

vice versal a s m m n Buddha, or , there is so e rese bla ce between the deeds a n d t he words of these t wo authors of n a n m I Christia ity d Buddhis . n both cases the dis ciples a n d followers were the real foun ders of the faith .

O n e n al - n a a t o a n a n d thi g J al uddi ppe rs h ve do e, that is to have established a peculiar order of der v ishes Ma ule li w a s a n d t o , called the , ith a speci l dres , have adopted for their use in strumen tal music in the

of r m an d the shape the flute, the ebeck , the dru ,

m n w n n or n n as a n e m ta bouri e , ith si gi g cha ti g a co

niment t n In m m n u p a o the da ce . the sa e an er as o r

S al n t o - al a t o vatio ists of day, Jal perh ps hoped

w n a n d m an d s s attract ith oise usic , thu rai e the

n m w n a n d heathe fro their lethargy. The ho li g shakin g or dan cin g dervishes a re still to be seen

n n both at Cairo a n d Co sta tin ople . The details of the dee ds of the Ma uleli dervishes

n n in w w n Eflaki have bee give a ork ritte by El , a

5» "r i of i m A a . a n dson of a d sciple Cheleb E ir r f J lal ,

A T A T 54 PERS I N POR R I S .

e me t e n w c of t em a eare t o t e e the most T ll , h , hi h h pp d h ” pleasant l “ He re e a t w c conta ne her who ro e me of pli d, Th hi h i d bb d my eart h . Wherever the sovereign of my soul spreadeth her ca rpe t of re ose t at a ce t ou it we re the e e of a n e e e p , h pl , h gh y dl ,

would see m boun dless a s the de sert . Wherev er there is a ma iden beautiful a s Joseph an d radian t a s the moon that a ce thou the otto of a we wou be , pl , gh b m ll, ld n n a Ede . W t t e e a r son woul be a rose ar en 0 t ou ra v s er of i h h p i d g d , h i h eart s ! W t t e e e wou be a Para se 0 t ou h i h h H ll ld di , h cheerer of souls

The same st ory has been prett ily don e in to verse ’ in Costello s Rose Garden of Persia

FAIRE AND THE S T L .

e me e n t e t rav e er thou T ll , g l ll , Who ast wan ere far a n d w e h d d id , S e en the swe etest roses ow bl , An d the bright est rivers glide ; S a of a ll t n e e e s a ve se e n y, hi y h , Which the fairest land has bee n ?

a s a I te t e e w ere L dy, h ll ll h h ature see s ost e st a nd fa r N m m bl i , Fa r a bov e all climes beside ? "‘ Iis w e re t ose we ove a e h h l bid , An d that little spot is best ’ re sse Which the lo ve d one s foot hath p d. ou it b e a fa r s a ce Th gh i y p , Wide a nd spre a ding is the place ’ u twere but a arre n oun Tho gh b m d, ’ Twould be come e nchanted ground W t t ee on sa nd waste wou i h h , y y ld ’ The margin of Al- Ca wthar s stre am ; ‘ And t hou can st make a dungeon s gloom ” - m A bower whe re n e w born roses bloo . TH E A T R T G RE E PO E S . 55

’ A DI - AL HI ZI S S RA .

’ S b - d n - a l mm n haikh Masla ud i Sa di Shirazi, co o ly ’ a di wa s n A .D . 1 1 9 3 an d c lled Sa , bor at Shiraz about , ,

his a n e m e after educ tio at the Colleg of Baghdad, beca a v a n d der ish a great traveller. It is said that he m n m t o ade fourtee pilgri ages Mecca, visited Europe , a nd A n r A n traversed sia Mi or, Barba y , byssi ia, Egypt,

al n A m n A a n d n . Syria, P esti e , r e ia, rabia, Persia, I dia O f himself he wrote

I a ve wan e re t rou v a r ous uarte rs of the wor h d d h gh i q ld, An d spent my days con v e rsing with e v eryon e I me t In e ve r corn er I foun some t n to ro t me y d hi g p fi , ’ From e ver s ea f I a t r y h g he e d a n e a r.

m a e n — His life y be divid d i to three parts the first ,

a n d n n a n d his youth educatio the seco d , his travels ;

a S w t the third , his liter ry labours at hiraz , here he buil

m wn a n d W a her itage, settled do , orked there till his

in A .D 1 29 1 . death , . ’ t m n li m n n n of Sa di has lef a y terary re ai s , co sisti g

m n m al m m poe s, odes , elegies , verses , a ecdotes , or axi s, l ra m n a n d . O use e f g e ts , discourses , essays Sir Gore y, in n of a n his biographical otices Persi poets , supplies ’ ’ a list of a complete colle ction of Sa di s composition s in a n d e w n - in n n prose vers t e ty four all , i cludi g the ’ ’ ’ Al- Khabisat or m w , Book , of I purities, hich Sa di

n r e m described as givi g a relish to othe po s , as salt is

in n f m t wo w used the season i g o eat . The orks best ’ n wn in a re a n or k o Europe the Gulist , the Rose

’ ’ ‘ ’ n f m n a n d or e n o . Garde , the Bosta , Gard Perfu e 56 PERS IAN POR TRAITS .

m n w m d n They asked Luk a , Of ho di st thou lear ” m a n n 7 r m n m n n ers He replied, F o the u a erly. W sa w m do w of hatever I the hich I disapproved , that ” n m n m I abstai ed fro doi g , is a pithy extract fro the ’ n Gulista .

n of e w Again . The be efit good soci ty is ell shown in the followin g well - kn own apologue

O n e wa s in n m n day, as I the bath , a frie d of i e

n m n of n . put i to y ha d a piece sce ted clay I took it , a n d d Art m a m for sai to it , thou usk or bergris, I ” a m rm w m ? n w cha ed ith thy perfu e It a s ered, I wa s of was om t m in a despicable piece clay , but I s e i e the compan y of the rose ; the sweet quality of my c m a n n wa s mm n m e e w o p io co u icated to , oth r ise I ”

n of . should be o ly a bit clay , as I appear to be

’ ’ ’ ’ S n or n of m was com a di s Bosta , Garde Perfu e,

in e a n d n n m n posed vers , has ever bee co pletely tra s

n n n n m n lated i to E glish , though do e i to Ger a by

w w wa s e n in t wo m Graf, hose ork published at J a s all

m n n in 1 m s . volu es 85 0 ; a n d fro thi Mr . S Robi so has

n n n m e an d n appare tly tra slated u erous xtracts, give

‘ them in his Flowe rs culled from Persian G arden s ’ a n d again in his Persian Poetry for En glish Readers .

’ ’ Of all the great Persian poets S a di s gen ius agrees m w n m a n d ost ith that of Europea ethods , the great

of beauty his style is its elegan t simplicity . His ima gin ation is more sober than the erotic flights of

a m m of - n m w H fiz , or the ysticis s Jalal uddi Ru i , hile m n d a n d n n m n to be a y goo , useful , oble se ti e ts are n in a ll w hi ones fou d his orks . Of m S ir William J T T TH E G REA ER POE S . 57

i wa s alm w n in says , His l fe ost holly spe t travel , but n o ma n who enjoyed the greatest leisure ever left behin d him more valuable fruits of his gen ius a n d ’ in n m n dustry . O useley calls him The brightest or a e t of m r n a n d Persia, the atchless possesso of piety, ge ius, ’ n n w : lear i g. Va mbe ry refers to him as follo s This

an d a n of n n n ot great poet scholar is object ve eratio , o n the of t o Ma homedan ly to people Persia, but every in A s n w the siatic world. His Guli ta is read ith

m n an d in the m n ad iratio rapture iddle of Chi a , as w ll r Af n e as on the extremest borde s of rica. Europea scholars have lon g sin ce appreciated a n d admired the un n n n n a dyi g fresh ess of his style , his brillia t la gu ge , ’ a n d his w n And m itty an d telli g similitudes . Ja i ’ calls him The n ightin gale of the groves of Shiraz . ’ ’ di i the w n n Of Sa s ph losophy , follo i g a ecdote is ’ w of : n r m n he orthy record I eve co plai ed , said , of m n n but n w n m f w a n d y co ditio o ce, he y eet ere bare, I had n ot mon ey to buy shoes ; but I met a m a n ’ w a n d m n n w m lot . ithout feet , beca e co te ted ith y ’ Sa di bein g a sked from whom he learn ed his phi loso h m n n r p y, replied, Fro the bli d , because they eve i ’ a n e n dva ce a step un til th y have tried the grou d.

HAFIZ .

w z w n m is S m - d n Kh aja Hafi , hose proper a e ha s ud i

M mm the m n of . uha ad , is ost elega t lyric poet Persia He was born at S hiraz sometime during the first half

of t n n a n d e A.D . 1 3 9 1 . the four ee th ce tury, died ther

rs t o n S i z an d He appea have bee devoted to h ra , hated A TS PERS IAN POR TR I . t o a t he w n for a n n le ve place , hich he ever did y le gth of time : The gen tle breezes of the groun d of Mosalay a n d the waters of Rukn abad have n ever allowed me ’ t o n f n e joy the delights o travelli g. To him the delights of Shiraz an d its n eighbour hood were as great as the pleasures of Pa ris a n d its

n n the n a n d w in e viro s to Parisia , these ere expressed m n lin of ode ll ad a y a e verse, besides the specia y

z dressed to Shira itself.

May ev ery blessing be the lot ’ O f fa r S ra e art s ove ie st s ot ! i hi z, h l l p 0 eave n ! me it s e aut e s s are H bid Ti b i p , Nor his wa ste fu traces t ere prin t l h .

S till be thou blest of Him tha t gav e strea swe et Ru n a a w ose wave Thy m, k b d, h Can ev er u an a ssua e y h m ill g , ’ An r n to Chiz er s a e d life p olo g g .

And oh the gale tha t wings its way ’ ‘ Tw xt Jafiraba d a n d Mosala i y, How swe et a perfume doe s it bear ! How grateful is its a mbe r a ir !

Ye who ster ous o s wou tast e my i j y ld , — Come to this sa cre d city haste Its sa nts its sa e s se e to no w i , g , k k , w Whose breas ts with hea ven ly rapture glo .

An d sa swee t ale— for t ou canst te y, g h ll W t ove e a was it we i h l ly L il ll, W en ast ou asse the a e n h l y p d m id by, Of wayward will a n d Witchin g eye ? “Th a w e n ou fe are the da y, H fiz, h y d y a t tore ou from her a rms a wa Th y y, O h why so than kle ss for the hours ’ You pa ssed in Leila s lovely bowers TH A T T E G RE ER POE S . 59

in a t o n Hafiz, his youth , appe rs have bee devoted

s r a n d n w v to plea u e, sa g ith poetic fer our the praises

n d w m of love a in e . He has been called by so e the

An n of an d m of his ff n ll acreo Persia, so e e usio s fu y

out m n w n the f w n n bear the co pariso ; it ess ollo i g, tra s lated by S ir William Jon es

S weet a d if t ou wou st char s t m i , h ld m my igh , And t ose a rms m n e c nfo bid h y k i ld, at ros che ck t a t a n Th y , h lily h d, Would give thy poe t more de light ’ a n all Bukhara s va unte o Th d g ld, l em n Than a l the g s of S a marka d .

Bo let on i uid ru flow y, y j q by , An d th e n s v e eart be a bid y p i h gl d, ’ Wha te er the frown ing zealots say Tell them their Eden ca nnot show A strea so c ear a s Ru na a m l k b d, A so M sala bower swe e t as o y.

G o o fort s m e la b ldly h, my i pl y, W ose a cce nts flow w t art ess ease h i h l , Like orient pea rls a t ran dom strung ; M n otes are swee t the a mse s sa y , d l y, An d oh ! fa r swee t e r if t e ease , h y pl ’ n The nymph for whom these notes are su g.

The literal tran slation of the above is given in

’ Robin son s Persian Poetry as follows

w t a e eart in an I If tha t beauty of S hiraz ould k my h h d, would give for her dark mole S amarka n d and Bukhara .

‘ Bo br n me the w ne t a t re a net for in Para ise t ou y, i g i h m i h, d h f the wate r of Ru na ad nor the wilt n ot see the banks o k b ,

- ala rose bower of our Mos y. 6 2 PERS IAN POR TRAITS .

d infidels a n d in m e n piety i olaters, , libert es are of

he li n a n d Him t purest re gio , their idol is the Creator

f n a n d sel the taver is a retired oratory, its keeper a sage in structor ; beauty den ot es t he perfection of the S upreme Bein g ; tresses are the expan sion of His glory ; lips the hidden mysteries of His essen ce down on the che ck the world of spirits who en circle His thron e a black mole t he poin t of in di

n w n n n m r a n d n e m a n visible u ity ; a to ess, i th , i briety e religious ardour a n d abstraction from all t errestrial

n a n or thoughts ; doctri e is the ro d ; the stude t , dis ci le w a n d ffe n of p , is the ayfarer ; the di re t stages

n n r n n perfectio are roadside statio s o i s . ’ A Hafiz s n n a n d fter death , a collectio of five hu dred

sixty - n in e of his odes wa s made by Sayyad Kasim ’ ’ An w a n d en t w n Hafiz s Col ar, itled Di a Hafiz , or

’ ’ B t n Ha fiz s w lection . u the Leipsic editio of orks ‘ con ta in s both the ghazals formin g t he Diwan a n d m a lso a n umber of his othe r poems . A co plete tran s la tion of his works has n ot yet been don e in to

n m a w E glish , but it is ru oured th t this arduous ork

is n n a r r n w about to be u dertake by th t ve y a de t orker,

. n n n wn n n s Mr Joh Pay e , already re o ed by his tra slatio ’ ’ of l n W of n a n d Vi lo s orks , The Thousa d Nights

’ ‘ ’ O n e N an d of of B ight, the Tales occaccio , for the f Villon Society . Di ficult as are the tasks that

. a n e n a n d n w Mr P y e has alr ady do e , do e so ell , the

Ha z w w un d m f f fi ork ill be fo to be the ost di ficult o all .

As lre d s d z ha s t wo of w a a y tate , Hafi sets follo ers,

t he a e an d a . w t he a ea r gr v the g y It ould, pp

AN A T 64 PERS I POR TR I S .

n m a n d a e w uddi Ru i , the gr ceful eas of Hafiz ith the ’ deep pathos of Nizami . He de voted his whole life t o

a n d wa s n w w e n literature , e do ed ith such ext sive learn in g that he wa s supposed t o be a complete

m a of n n in whi h wa s ster the Persia la guage , c he certainly on e of the most gifte d a n d productive of

w . wa s a m n w ks n ot n riters He the uthor of a y or , o ly i in poetry but also n prose . The total n umber is

m n - fiv e said to a ou t to forty or fifty . m w w e . n Of these orks , so ere poetical , viz , seve

’ r ma n n wn A n an d o tic pieces , k o as the Haft ura g,

n four collectio s of lyrical poems . The writin gs in

n of a mm r a n prose co sisted history, biogr phy, gra a d

n d m t a m . prosody, e hics , theology, ysticis Of t hese last his Nafa hat - ul- In s gives a n excellen t accoun t of

m an d n a n or Sufis , co t i s the stories of the lives,

’ of . Ba ha rist a n biographies , the professors of it The , ’ or n n wa s m a n d Spri g Garde , a ixture of prose verse

b ut m in n t of this ore a other chap er . The collection of the seven roman tic pieces is

’ ‘ ’ n t n a n d e itled Saabah , The Seve , also ’ ’ A n n n w ura g , The Seve Thro es , as follo s

’ The Chain of Gold . ’ Salaman a n d Absal . ’ The Presen t of the Just . ’ The Rosary of the Pious .

’ f a n d The Loves o Laili Maj n un . ’ a a n Z ikh Yus f d a l a . ’ The of W m Book isdo . TH E A T R T 6 G RE E POE S . 5

m n They are all supposed t o be exquisite co positio s . ’ ‘ a n d mo in m m e al st equal erit to the Kha seh , or Fiv ’

m a m . i of Poe s , of the celebr ted Niza i The ep sode ’ a n d Zalikha n n n in i n m Yusaf , co tai i g the or gi al so e f n n w d n n t our thousa d couplets, has bee ell o e i o

E n n . . ffi a d al glish by Mr Ralph T . H Gri th , so by

’ i d ! . n n n a n a n a re Mr S . Robi so his Persi Poetry , both w e ll worth perusal ; while the tale n ted tran sla tor of " ’ t he Rubayat of Umar Khayam has also ren dered in to E n glish verse the roman tic a n d mystical story of ’ ala m n n S a a d Absal .

m Doula t a n d r The estee ed biographer, Shah , Shi

a n in m m o of Kh Ludi , their respective e irs the poets , ’ a n d a Ali in n t he e n H ji Lutf , his accou t of P rsia ’ ’ c A d or Alt poets alled the tash Ka a, The Fire ar, ’ all speak very highly of Jami s gen ius both as a po et a n d w a n d m a n a prose riter, he y be truly co sidered as worthy compan ion t o the illustrious six precedin g him in e a n d who n w him a e this chapt r, , alo g ith , h v

‘ ’ e n m i The n be so et mes called Persia Pleiades . THE LI‘ OET B S ER P S .

As in our plan etary system the smaller stars also ha ve

m so in d of n a so e place , this recor Persia liter ture a fe w a a m n m n det ils bout the i or poets ust be give . As r a d al n m of n m eg r s the actu u ber Persia rhy ers , their n ame is Legion ; but fiftee n have been selected for m n n n a n n n m e tio here , obody of y ote has bee o itted , a n d they follow each other in fair chron ological order .

DAKI RU ,

W n a n m wa s - n Abu A hose origi l a e Farid uddi bdullah ,

m a a c i t in took his title fro Rud k , the pl e of his b r h ,

w he en Sa markan d or Bukhara . He a s born blin d a t t d

of n n n m o f hi the i th ce tury, but fro the superiority s gen i us a tta in ed the highest ran k at the court of Amir

as m n mun ifice nt n who N r Sa a i , his patro , ruled at

n Ar a n a n of B ukhara . Rudaki tur ed the abic tr sl tio ’ n d Bid a s a n n in A. D . 9 25 a p y F bles i to Persia verse , re ceived from his royal m aster a reward of forty thou

n m wa s t h e wr sa d dirha s . He also ote a TH E S S T LE ER POE S . 6 7

’ w n n in n a n d ha s Di a , or collectio of odes Persia ,

n m n bee called by so e the father of Persia poetry. He

A . D 4 died . 9 5 .

A ADI S ,

e e n of irdausi wa s Beli ved to have be the teacher F , on e of the most celebrated poets at the court of

n m n n Sulta Mah ud of Ghazn i . The Sulta ofte begged ’ him n d w w n S ha hn am a to u ertake the ork of riti g the , ’ or n f w so w d n Book of Ki gs, a ter ards ell o e by

irda usi A a w c m on a o F , but sadi l ays ex used hi self c n n o a t o ou t of his age . Curiously e ugh , he is s id

irda usi a n d w n have outlived F , to have ritte the last

n four thousa d couplets of the S ha hn a m a for him .

O n e a irda usi on t m story is th t F , his depar ure fro

a n A a d n t he w a n d t Gh z i, requested s i to fi ish ork, tha Asadi composed tha t pa rt of his poem between the Ara bian con quest of Eastern Persia un der the Khalif

An n m ma e n d. O r to the other story , take fro the ’ A a t o ff w n u wa s t sh Kada , is the e ect that he Firda si on in he n for As a n d his deathbed Tus , se t adi , said ,

m t he S ha hn a ma ma n un Master, so e of re i s

n h a n d a a w n a m n n b fi is ed , I fe r th t he I go e o ody

’ ‘ w m A d son n ot ill co plete it . sadi replie , My , be ’

r w ll n . d n g ieved if I live, I i fi ish it Fir ausi rejoi ed,

‘ ’ a re a n d can c . A d ho w You old , scar ely do so sa i ,

m s in t wo da f r n ever, co po ed ys ou thousa d couplets ,

a n d w m t o irda usi who wa s m sho ed the F , uch pleased ,

i r w a n d praised h m grea tly fo the ork . It is to be in fe rred from the above that Asadi 5 2 6 8 PERS IAN POR TRAITS . did assist Firdausi in his great work some tim e or

n w m n im other, but u der hat exact circu sta ces it is ’ sa possible to y . The date of this poet s death is

wn un kn o . The followin g is a n extra ct from his celebrated

m on w n a n d n poe the dispute bet ee Day Night, give

’ ’ n d n in Costello s Rose Garden of Persia (Lo o . 1 845)

Da ca n but a nt the s e s w t ue y p i ki i h bl , ’ Night s starry hosts a ma ze the v ie w Ma n me asures t me but the moon i by , t s rou s w a t da re ve a s o soo n Nigh h d h y l to . Day is with to il a n d care oppre ssed t comes an d w t her e nt e rest Nigh , i h g l . Da us st n o ra se ca n r n y, b y ill , p i b i g All night the sa in ts the ir a n the ms sin g ; ’ ’ Her s a e is cast G a r e s w n h d by b i l i g.

’ UMAR KHAYAM

Wa s born a t Na isha p ur in the latter half of the e n n a n d A D 1 1 2 leve th ce tury , died there . . 3 . His

a m n w n wn n n m f ous quatrai s, ell k o u der the a e of ’ ’ the a m a Kha am n Rub yat of U r y , have bee published

uarit ch in 1 879 n n a n by Q , , they havi g bee tr slated by

’ n Fitzgera ld . But e w tran slation s of verses by Umar

n n a e a r n a n d Trubn e r are co sta tly pp i g, has published

m a n n n n so e fresh quatr i s do e i to E glish by Mr . Whi l nfie d.

’ m r Kha a m n - m a on e U a y , or the Te t ker, is of the

m n n of a n in d n ost i teresti g the Persi poets , for a ditio to his polished verses he was also a n astron omer a n d THE l E R 6 S S E POE TS . 9 m m n n r an d m a i t athe aticia , a decided freethi ke ter alis ,

a n d has n l i bee ca led the Voltaire of Pers a . For some particulars of his life we are in debted to

a m - ul m n u n Al Niz Mulk , the celebrated i ister of S lta p

A a n n n of S a l ukide s a n d wa s rsal , seco d ki g the j , after rd

- l of son . a a a m u his , Malik Shah It ppe rs that Niz

M as n a w n wn ulk , H a Sabba ( fter ards k o as the Old

Ma n n n A a n a n d of the Mou tai , or head of the ss ssi s) , ’ m Na isha ur a n d m a U ar studied together at p , for ed

r n n m a v ow close f ie dship together. They the de a tha t the on e of the three who succeeded best in life

w W n m - ul k should assist the other t o . he Niza Mul

e c m m n his t wo - w un him b a e i ister, school fello s fo d out

a n d a m the m n v ow w wa s cl i ed perfor a ce of the , hich

a e a n e ce a e n t he c rri d out . H sa r ived plac u der

n m n n n his n r Gover e t , but i trigued agai st be efacto , a n d w as disgraced ; the said ben efactor bein g after

’ wards a ssa ssin ated by on e of Hasan s followers in ’ m K m n a n d 1 . ha a m A . D 09 2 . U ar y asked for retire e t, for opportun ities to spread abroa d the adva n tages of

d e a t e n c . n s n a n sci e He received a pe io , resid d

N i r a shapu .

’ As a poet Umar wa s celebrated for the freedom of

e n n a n d his r ligious opi io s , for his hatred of hypocrisy

l d a n d n of the tricks of fa se evotees , for his tolera ce

a fi n d a n n c of other creeds . He f ils to y Provide e

n a n d a n a n w an d but Desti y , y cert i orld but this , so he advises people to m ake the best of it

M se f w e n oun ea er fre uent y l , h y g, did g ly q D ctor a nd sa nt a nd ea r rea t a r ume nt o i , h d g g PERS IAN POR TRAITS .

About it a n d a bout b ut e ve rmore a m t r w we n t C e out by he sa me doo here in I .

W t t e m the see of W s om I sow i h h d i d did , An d with mine own ha n d wrought to ma ke it gro w An d this was a ll t he ha rv e st tha t I rea pe d

I ca me e Wa te r a nd e W n I o. lik , lik i d g

Int o this U nive rse a n d Wh n ot n ow n , y k i g,

Nor W en ce e Wa ter w - n ill o w n h , lik illy y fl i g An d out of it a s W n a o n the Was te , i d l g ,

- I now not W t er w h ow n . k hi h , illy illy bl i g

W a t w t out a s n h t e r urr e W e n ce h , i h ki g, i h h i d h An d w t out a s n W t er urr e ence ? i h ki g, hi h h i d h Oh ma n a cu of t s fo r en w n e , y p hi bidd i Must ro wn th m h n so ence d e emory of t a t i l . ’ U p from Earth s cen tre through the S e v e nth gate I an d on t h thron e of S a turn sa te rose , e

An d ma n a n ot un ra v e e the roa y k ll d by d,

- B ut n ot the Ma ste r kn ot of Huma n Fa te . The re wa s the Door t o which I foun d n o Key ;

The re wa s the Ve il through which I might n ot 86 0 . S ome little talk a while of Me an d Theo

The re was a n d t e n n o m ore o f T e e a n d Me . , h h O h Thre a ts of Hell a n d Hope s of Pa ra dise — O n e thing a t le a st is ce rta in this Life flie s O n e th n is ce rta n a n d the re st is es i g i , Li ’ The F owe r t a t on ce has own for e ver e s. l h bl , di

All we se e a ov e a roun , b , d , Is b ut u t on fa r roun b il i y g d, All we trust is e mpty sha de To e c ve our re a son ma e d ei d . e me n ot of Pa ra se T ll di , ’ O r the bea ms of houris eye s W ho the t rut of ta e s ca n t e h l ll, Cun ning prie st s inv e n t so we ll He who e a ve s th s m orta s ore l i l h , u ts it t o re t urn n o more Q i .

7 2 PERS IAN POR TRAITS . purpose for which the Almighty had created him a n d

a w n w a n d b e th t he he ould appear before his Maker, a w r w him he w n sked hat he had b ought ith , ould o ly b e able t o produce pa n egyrics on kin gs a n d pri n ce s m m ’ ortals like hi self. These words made so deep a n impression on the se n sitive min d of the poet that he secluded himself

r m w w t f o the orld forth i h , gave up all the luxuries

a n d n an d u n n om va ities of courts , so ght i structio fr

c S m d n w the elebrated haikh Yusaf Ha a a i, hose cell ’ ’ w a abah n c a s called The K of Khurasan . Sa ai s hief ’ ’ w or Ha dika a n of k , , or The G rde Truth , a beautiful

m on n G od a n d o poe the u ity of , other religi us sub ’ e ct s a n d a m S son a a u d j , dedicated to B hra hah , of M s ,

n m so a r Shah of Ghaz i, is ystic throughout , but popul

i in - in n t ha t t is sold every book shop Persia a d In dia. His Mesn ev i a n d Substa n ce of Bein g are n ot

w n wn . a n A .D . 1 1 80 so ell k o He died at Gh z i , his sepulchre bein g to this day a pla ce of pious pil m gri age .

RAS Hm - DDIN WATWAT U ,

A poet celebrated for his rea dy wit a nd sma lln e ss of

n c o stature . He has bee alled the Boileau f Persia n

’ o a s e t or on a n w p etry , also its L gisla , ccou t of his ork ’ o n n n a n n w c a n Prosody e titled E ch ted Garde s, hi h is

a r on a n d m n a s a n utho ity the subject, has re ai ed sta d

a rd w ork .

He was n u a a ative of Balkh , but bro ght up t

a m n an d in m n A S arka d, flourished the ti e of Sulta ssiz , ” TH E LES S ER POETS . 73 so n of Khwa rizm S on e of S n w hah , the ulta s of Kh ar izm w s n m a An w a n d . He a also a co te por ry of ari , w a s in the fort of Hazar Asp while it was besieged by

S u n S n in w wi m m lta a jar, hose service , it ll be re e b A w n n was m d . ered , ari e ploye Duri g the siege the t wo poets wrote very severe satires again st the parties of a n d w n m n each other, hich they excha ged by ea s of a w n n W w w a s m rro s ; but the fort bei g take , at at ade ’

n . wa s h w s An wari s priso er He , o ever, relea ed at in n a n d b ca m n ma r n t he tercessio , they e e i ti te f ie ds , goodness of his verses bein g always ackn owledged by

u t the s perior poe .

W w t m n a nd suc at at at e pted every ki d of poetry , ce eded in a ll n n him in , leavi g behi d verses both

n a n d A a n d a n . Persia rabic, lso a collectio of letters ’ His Diwa n alon e con sists of fifteen thousan d dis

a n d m a of n tichs , he co posed Kasida seve ty distichs , in which every word of a line rhymes with every w in the n f r a m exe cu ord ext, a eat p ob bly i possible of

n in a n tio y European lan guage .

W wa n n n - v n at t died . at the adva ced age of i ety se e ,

in A . D . 1 1 82 an d n in , is said to have bee buried the t wn of Jur an ah in Khwa rizm a o j , , the pl ce of his

. was n n m Vutwa t w w death He ick a ed , or s allo , or

m n m al on a n of m n z s all a i , ccou t the s all ess of his si e a nd n n flow the co sta t of his talk .

HARAN I K ,

n m Af - ud n m bin Ali S hirwa ni Sur a ed zal di Ibrahi ,

n t S w n d in n of a a ive of hir a , flourishe the reig 74 PERS IAN POR TRAITS .

n n n e S w n who n e Khaka Ma uchehr, pri c of hir a , co ferr d on him Kh k n i w the title of a a . Disgusted ith the

m n m w an d t o court, he deter i ed to retire fro the orld

v n who live like a der ish . But the Sulta , both e m a n d him w n ot r of stee ed loved , ould hea this

a n d w e him m s n e . proposal , al ays refus d per i sio to leav

w m n he The poet , ho ever, deter i ed to fly, so that might take to the life to which he had aspired so

n . In i w wa s t he lo g his fl ght , ho ever, he captured by

ffi n a n d a u t o cers of the Sulta , brought b ck to the co r , a n d then imprison ed in the fortress of S chabra n for

n m seve on ths .

n m n m n m o r Duri g his i priso e t he co posed a Kasida,

c a n a n d in w the elegy, full of h gri , hich he spoke of

v n w m n di ersity of religio s ith such freedo , that a frie d of his wa s obliged to write a commen tary on the work to remove the suspicion that the poet wa s n ot a

M n a home dan . O n his r m good release f o priso , he

m n m m n w ul n an d re ai ed for so e ti e lo ger ith the S ta , at last obtain ed permission to execute his former plan o f

m n w w n on beco i g a dervish . He first, ho ever, e t a

m a n d in n s pilgri age to Mecca, described verse the sa d a n d so w deserts that he traversed , as to give the orld

n n of in Ma home da n ism w h a good opi io his belief , hic wa s con sidered rather doubtful after the publication of

his Kasida .

v n l in A . D . 1 1 86 a E e tua ly he died at Tabriz, ccord in m w in 1 1 76 n A g to so e riters , accordi g to the tash ’ ’ a w w Ali t o Kada, the uthor of hich ork (Lutf ) appears

n m a n d n n ot have bee a great ad irer of this poet, i serts TH E LES S ER POE TS . 75

less than a dozen specimen s of his poems . Kha ka m is a lso quoted by Garcin de Tassy in his ’ Rhétorique e t Prosodie des Lan gues de l O rien t ’ m w s a . Musul an . He a buried t Tabriz Close to his

t omb the poets Zahir- uddin Farya bi a nd Shah Ghafur

a isha ri n N p u are also i terred.

AKIM AZRAKI H ,

’ Whose proper n ame wa s Abu l Mahasin Abu Ba kr

a n - n wa s a n a n d - w Z i uddi , a physici , poet , prose riter,

’ n d n n n n n a a ative of Mars . His Diwa co tai s early

t wo n a n d on e his w n thousa d verses, of orks, Si dbad ’ a n d Hin dba d w n wn in m , is ell k o Europe . He co posed ’ a Alfiah wa S halfia h on lso the , a treatise love ,

w e n S al uki r n n a I. the ritt for the j p i ce , Tugha Sh h ,

w nm n wa s Na isha ur a n d who seat of hose gover e t p ,

wa s n w a patro of the poet . The ork in question correspon ds somewhat with the Kama Sutra of

’ Vat s a a n a a n d An a n a n Kull a n a y y , the g Ra ga of y

w n in n but n a n d n Mull, ritte Sa scrit, tra slated pri ted for n m asht ra private circulatio by the Ka a S Society. Azra ki is also stated to be the a uthor of a Historyr ’ a w a m n of Mecc , of hich there are sever l a uscripts in r on e m w wa s Eu ope , especially at Ca bridge , hich

a who in t o left there by Burckh rdt, , the preface ’ in A m his Travels rabia, professes to have largely ade

u se of it .

Az i in A 1 1 . D . ra k died at Hirs t . 89 6 A T A T 7 PERS I N POR R I S .

A A TT R.

a - in A r n m mma Sh ikh Farid udd tta , sur a ed Muha d

b m wa s r a n d e in um m I rahi , a d uggist deal r perf es , fro

‘ w n m a n d n a n n e hich he took his poetical a e , o ly ab do d

on m n u his shop beco i g a S fi philosopher . This he did

n w n m n e a u der the follo i g circu sta ces , as r l ted by S ir Gore O useley

Attar wa s on e day sittin g at his door with a n w n a s m n n a n d frie d , he religiou e dica t approached , looking an xiously a n d closely in to the well - furn ished w a v a n d m arehouse , he ed a deep sigh shed tears, edi t a n on r n t of ti g the t a sitory sta e all earthly property , a n d on the in sta bility of human life to enjoy t he n n m n goods of this world. Mistaki g the se ti e t upper ’ m in a kir s m n a n d n n scru ost the F i d , a oyed by his t iniz in A him n w g looks , ttar desired to bego e , to hich a n n e n m e the other replied , Yes , I h ve othi g to prev t r m a n or n f m a n n n f o le vi g your door , i deed ro ba do i g w a t n m n w rn the orld o ce , as y sole possessio is this o out a m n A ho w g r e t but , O ttar, I grieve for thee , for n n h n ca st thou ever bri g t yself to thi k of death , 7 le a vin g all these worldly goods behin d thee ‘ Attar wa s so profoun dly touched by the words of he u w a n the dervish , that gave p his shop ithout a p g , re n n all w on n e a n d com ou ced orldly c cer s for ver, m e n ce d the study of Sufism un der the celebrated ’ n - n Shaikh Reke uddi .

He con tin ued his studies in the mystic doctrin e s

w u a u h wa s n wn t o ith such assid ity , th t altho g he k o

b e an n m wa s m m i i itable poet , he ore fa ous as the T TH E LES S ER POE S . 7 7 m r e n a s a n d in ost pe f ct Sufi , livi g a recluse absorbed

th n n c the con templation of e Divi e Esse e .

A w n wn a n m t ttar, ell k o as the Persi ystic poe

n n w n n a n d - n m wa s sta di g bet ee Sa ai Jalal uddi Ru i ,

n a l S ha d a kh t n n t o bor at a pl ce ca led y , apper ai i g

Na isha ur in n of n S n a n d p , the reig Sulta a jar, is said to have lived to the age of on e hun dred a n d fourteen

e w - fiv e w n S ha d a kh y ars , of hich eighty ere spe t at y

- a nd in r m a n d w n n n in Na isha ur. pilg i ages, t e ty i e p

he e Na isha ur son - in In A . D 1 t . 230 , at sieg of p , the

la w n h n t r wa s ll a n d a of Cha gez K a the Tar a ki ed , gen e ra l massa cre of the in habit an ts of that place wa s

ma b u al a n d - n wa s m n de y the M gh s , Farid uddi a o g the

n m w n u ber that ere slai .

w r n m n t wo His orks are ve y u erous , but o ly , The

’ R c a n d The o Re fle ct ion s hetori of Birds B ok of ,

en a n d n in u have be published tra slated E rope , the

- in n A latter bein g used as a school book I dia. ccord ’ ‘ in t o Doula t S A w n n f g hah , ttar s Di a co sists of orty ‘ t n a n d Te tra stics w l t housa d verses , his of t e ve hou

sa n a n d quatr i s .

AMIR KHUSRO or DEH LI

Wa s the greatest of the Persian poets who flourished

in n n i A D 1 2 . a t a . . 53 n I dia Bor at P la , eve tually he

w in 1 3 24 a n d wa s settled at Dehli , here he died ,

a t G ha a s ur in m buried y p , Old Dehli, close to the to b

- A o f m n . his spiritual guide , Niza uddi ulia

Khusro wa s much patron ized by G ha ya s - uddin

Tu hla k S h who him n o f g ha , raised to the dig ity s S AN T A 7 PER I POR R ITS .

Am r a n d w t ha s c mm m i , hose vir ues the poet o e orated

’ in a Tu hl k- n ma m his history c lled g a a . Fro his let ters it would a ppea r that his composition s exceed

n r n c u do n o t four hu d ed thousa d o plets , but quite

a n n a n d re ch five hu dred thousa d , he is said to be the

n - n w in author o f some n i ety n i e orks all .

m t n o Like so e of the greates Persia poets, Khusr ’ w m a c m also rote his Kha s , or five elebrated poe s,

w n a n t n n a n d hich co t i about eigh ee thousa d verses , m are particularly a d ired by his coun trymen . ’ e a o w him Ishkia a Th re is ls a ork by called the ,

c n e m on a n d n a n colle tio of po s love subjects, givi g

o n of n c n who e in acc u t the Pri e Khizir Kha , f ll love

w w a of n ith De al Devi , the d ughter a ki g of Guzerat,

m n w i a n d arried her . His collectio of orks is held n

m n in n a n d n n ms great esti atio I dia, it co tai s also poe

n n chiefly on mystica l theology a n d divi e love . Ma y of a e n se t m a n d h n these h ve be to usic, are c a ted

e n d n a n by the devotees , frequ tly pro uci g extrav ga t

rm m t m . ecstasies , te ed by the spiri ual deliriu

’ The followin g is on e of Khusro s extemporan eous effusion s fresh from his heart

‘ w n m r a n d w I e t to the ce ete y, ept bitterly for the

- n e n s n o w t he ca e of n on is n . abse c of frie d , ptiv s ex te ce “ ” “ W a in n o d here are they , s id I , sad ess , th se ear frie n ds of my he art when a vo ice from t he grave ” t e W re e i sof ly rep ated , he are th y

A T A T 8 0 PERS I N POR R I S .

KATIBI

a s r a n d m a of a W a favou ite estee ed poet, uthor

w n o m a n d of Di a of lyrical p e s , of a variety other

w w w in r . wa s n orks , all of hich ere ve se He bor at

Te rif a nd w n r m Na isha ur t o a n t he j , e t f o there to p le r

of w n in w m a e a art riti g, hich he de such progr ss th t

n e n m Ka t ibi w a n d n e he obtai d the a e of or riter, retai d

T kh llus e al it as his a a or po tical sobriquet . His re n ame wa s Ma ulan a Sha ms - uddin Muhammad - bin s

b - al - Na is a ri w n Hir t d r n A dullah h pu . He e t to a u i g t he n Ba isan ha r a n d w e ca me reig of g Mirza, after ards b o n e of the best poets of the court of Sultan Mirza

ra m w n in w n w a Ib hi of Shir a , hose praise he o ce rote

n a n d e v e m n a pa egyric , rec i d for it fro the pri ce

r n t e n u a n n m n the o p ese t of tho s d di ars . This o ey p et d b in m n in a s istri uted a o th l rgesse to poor poets , r m n a n a n d u eligious e dic ts , distressed virt ous people ; defen din g the propriety of his con duct by sayin g that the boun ty of the prin ce wa s thus con verted to t he re e a n d use n n n a li f of hu dreds , i stead of bei g ppropri a ted by on e in dividual . In the latter pa rt of his life he wen t to live a t

Ast ra ba d w d e m o f in , here he i d , a victi the plague ,

A D . 1 4 n r m we . 3 5 ; a d his e a in s re buried n ea r tha t

c ity .

AMIR S HAH I or S ABZWAR , ,

The al n m Aka son m - d n poetic a e of Malik, of Ja al ud i

r was r e a n m a n . a w a Fi ozkohi , a ve y l r ed He lso rote

be a t u n a n d wa s a m a n an d n t u if l ha d, good usici pai er, THE S S POETS 8 1 LE ER .

a n d his verses thus attain ed a greate r repute tha n his m n m ll m iddli g poe s deserve , for he both i ustrated the

a n d w m of set them to music. He as a conte porary

Doula t who n l him an d ha s d Shah , u duly exto led , state in his biographies of the Persian poets that Amir ’ S ha hi s m n verses co bi ed the fire of Khusro , the

c of n De hlev i n n m ] delica y Hasa , the te der ess of Ka a ,

n n m Am r S a d n . the tra spare t li pidity of Hafiz i hahi ,

w w u t o al Em ho ever, rote a bea tiful ode the Mugh

eror who n him m u p Babar, had se t to ake vario s

w n of in c n Astrab ad in dra i gs certa urious buildi gs at ,

w a A.D . 1 450 n hich pl ce he died , over seve ty years of

a n d wa s own a S abz wa r age , buried at his request t ,

the place of his birth .

IFI HAT ,

W n m n A h wa s n w hose a e is Maula a bdulla , the ephe of

m w w as m . the great poet Ja i, hose sister his other

wa s n in Ja m of rs a n d He bor , a city Hi t, studied

n n a n d n c n of n nd u der the patro age i stru tio his u cle, a

n w rm n m m the , ith his pe issio , secluded hi self fro the ’ w d W n m orl . he S hah Is a il S afwi fought the Uzbak

in a n a nd w e n Tartars Khur sa , sle Shahib g Kha , their

c e on the u his n d hi f, he prevailed poet to q it cell a m ’ c m t o . Am l n o e court bitious of riva li g the Kha sa,

‘ ’ o r m of i m wr in m n of Five Poe s N za i , he ote i itatio ’ ’ m a n d n n an d S hi n the his Laili Maj u , Khusro ri ,

’ ‘ ’ ‘ t n an d m - n m or s of Haf Ma zar, the Tai ur a a, Victorie ’ mu Tai r. Amon g the n umerous Persian poems on the story 6 ' 8 2 PERS IAN POR TRAITS .

’ a a n d n un a Ha tifi m n of L ili Maj , th t of see s u iversally

m m a n d m a in estee ed as the si plest ost pathetic, be r g out the old a da ge that the course of true love n ever

m n w did run m . i n e s ooth Exper e ced of the orld ,

w n al on the ho ever, say that this depe ds a good de m parties the selves .

n s To a alyze the story briefly, it appears that Kai

wa s son of an A n m m the rab chief, ha dso e , a iable ,

il wa o a n a n d al . s f t le ted , so a poet La i the daughter a n n S a n d was m l d eighbouri g haikh, equally acco p ishe

a s an d a m n wa s m . But her lover, their att ch e t utual ’ the avarice of the girl s father destroyed at on ce all

ei he r m of th r hopes , for he ordered to beco e the bride on e m an d w r a n d in i f ore rich po e ful , , spite of the gr e an d m n r n n w e re o st a ces of the lovi g pair, they er

m n n r m a n m n separated . Kais beca e i sa e f o dis ppoi t e t, a n d n m wa s a n n n the his a e therefore ch ged to Maj u ,

distracted.

Art m l The Khalif said to Laili , thou the da se for whom t he lost Maj n un is become a wanderer in the desert ? Thou surpa sse st n ot other girls in ”

u . n w n bea ty Laili a s ered , Be sile t, for thou art ” n n n ot Maj u .

n a n d his Eve tually the poor distracted lover dies , w him faithful mistress soon follo s to the grave .

ha s n v ersified iza mi a m a n d The tale bee by N , J i, ’ Khusro Dehle v i ; but Ha tifi s version is supposed t o

h m o m n To m m a an d t e . be the ost usic l, st ela choly Nizami is accorded the palm for the best poem on t he ’ of a n d n an d v tale Khusro Shiri , the lo er artist Fer

A 84 PERS IAN PORTR ITS .

’ i n - n m w n a n n an d he e S ka dar a a, he de th i terve ed, di d

- a n d was ri d a t A. D . 1 59 5 n r e , aged o ly fo ty eight, bu

Agra. His Diwan con tains about n in e thousan d couplets in s m an d a ra n s w odes, idyls, elegie , epigra s, qu t i , ith

n f an d was d t Em er . a lear ed pre ace, de ica ed to the p or

’ S A IB

Is the poetical n a me of Mirza Muhammad Ali of

who n on e of an Tabriz , is perhaps the o ly the Persi

n n m of il lyric poets deservi g of the a e a ph osopher, beca use he is n either exclusively sen su al nor exclusively

- w a in n super sensual . He rote gh zals an e tirely n e w

s a n d ma n a s n tyle , y therefore be co sidered the fou der of a n ew school which has been much copied by later

S ir O usele Turkish poets . Gore y says that few have

’ ever reached the perfection to which Sa ib carried his

ode a n d r fe w e ghazal or , ve y hav so deeply studied f the art o poetry . He pa id a visit to In dia in the

a n a han hir a n d latter p rt of the reig of J g , there

m n m w fa h n n ma n beca e i ti ate ith Za r K a , a oble of the

who n n n m court, bei g appoi ted Gover or of Kash ir, took

n w him un n the poet alo g ith to that co try . Eve tually

urn n w he ret ed to Isfaha , the place of his birth , here he wa s hon oured with the title of the Kin g of Poet s

A n a n d in by Shah bbas , Ki g of Persia, died there

A .D . 1 6 69 m in 1 6 75 as stated by so e , or as stated by ’ n w n n n n n others , leavi g a Di a co tai i g eighty thousa d

r ve ses .

Persian poetry may be said to be divided in to four H E L S 8 T ES ER POETS . 5

: m n c n classes the historic , the ro a ti , the pa egyric, a n d m a n d n f n the ystic the poetry itself i to our ki ds ,

. the az or i viz gh al ode , the kas da or elegy, the

m esn ev i a n d or n . , the rubayat quatrai

z n ot t o n of n The gha al ought co sist less tha five ,

f n w t wo n or o more tha t elve couplets . The verses of t he m of first couplet rhy e together, but the verses the

n ot a w n n other couplets do e ch couplet , ho ever , e di g

in m the same rhy e as the first . ’ The followin g is a tran slation of on e of Hafiz s ghazals in this style

ence e ve r care ! b o the fla on flow H , y y, bid g A cu or two o f ros w ne estow p y i b .

Bring that which charms a like the young and old h ’ at ru win e t e cure of ov er s woe . Th by , l

’ ’ Br t w n e s the on sun the cu s the oon igh i ly , p m ; en our nt o the oon t s un w Th p i m hi s belo .

W s o re el ous ere exerts his ower i d m, b li , h p ; ns of wine aroun him throw But quick the cha i d .

O h ! u c r t at ure and s ar n strea q i kly b ing h p p kli g m, nd ue nc the a es t at in oso ow A q h fl m h my b m gl .

The rose now e s b ut it a ? fli , did gl dly fly ’ For hues like ruby win e no flow rets show

’ d ou the ove s soft coo n s now are one An th gh d i g g , S till from the flask is he ard t he guggling slow :

’ Nor mourn the nightingale s depart e d note ur now From harp and lute still shall we rapt e k .

But in a r a ca n t at r t for be se e n d e m h b igh m , Then bring the draught that lulls t o sle ep ea ch woe 86 N A T PERS IA PORTR I S .

’ ou e ste a s its n uence swe et Th gh o er my sen s s l i fl , S till fill the bowl till lost in bliss I grow

And yet another cup to Ha fiz bring ; ’ And be it r t or wron st the o et ow. igh g, ill bid g bl gl

A n . in al r n w are e gai other ghaz s, ce tai ords rep ated

en d o w n at the of each c uplet, the ord precedi g those

r w n m in fi epeated ords bei g the rhy e the rst couplet,

a n d n n of c throughout the seco d li e of each the ouplets, as shown below

’ ’ W e ere rec ned the c ee s r t rose to me s enou hil h li , h k b igh gh ’ The s m nou h hade tha t cypress here bestows to e s e g .

’ Far be from me the men who fe ign devotion s zeal ’ T n u h he joy tha t from the goblet flows to me s e o g .

For virtuous deeds b e Paradise the blest reward ; ’ Th c P n n ex ose to me s e nou e ell where aga s wi e p gh.

e s e the strea et seate mar how ife es on B id ml d, k l glid ’ at n h m s nou h Th sig ow swift each momen t goes to e e g .

’ e o t s wor s e ts and v ew its v ar ous a ns B h ld hi ld d ligh , i i p i ; ’

If n ot t o ou the o it s ows t o me s enou . y , j y h gh

Wh see an ot er o w en ere m ove rec n es ? y k h j y, h h y l li ’ Th n w e bliss her converse fo d besto s to me s enough.

’ ’ Not e e n to Para se I G od er t di d fly, did p mi ; ’ o e n h L ve swe e ter far than angel knows t o me s oug .

’ Wh a t en con emn the lot to ea c assi n d ? y, H fiz, h , d h g ’ ’ A u e ess eart w t v erse t t ws o me s enou g il l h i h ha glo t gh.

It is n ecessary that the poet should in troduce his n ame in to the first lin e of the last couplet of each

an d alm n ghazal, for this purpose ost every Persia poet has assumed a poetical n ame under which he is

88 AN TRA T PERS I POR I S .

Frequent men tion has been made in the precedin g ’ h w w In n m n pages of t e ord Di an . Persia it has a y m n n fa r n n ea i gs , but so as literature is co cer ed Diwan may mean a recueil or miscellan eous col lection from differen t authors ; also the collection of

w on e in as w as in the orks of author prose ell verse , especially after his death ; also the composition of a n um m w end in ber of ghazals , the rhy es of hich each letter of the alphabet ; also a complete series of odes or other poems by on e author run n in g through the

’ w Th wan f n uni hole alphabet . e Di o Hafiz has bee v ersall n alm of - m n n an d y assig ed the p pre e i e ce, those

’ of m n Ja i a d Sa di are held n ext in estimation . All Persian poets have dwelt lon g a n d ten derly on

n of on m n a n d the feeli g love , the e otio it causes , often on its fata l effects

The s a ers of overs are t e r stresses but n o co a nts l y l h i mi , mpl i ’ rocee fro the s a in p d m l .

The ntox cat on cause the cu ma ast for a n t but i i i d by p y l igh , the intoxication caused by the cupbearer may la st for a f t ’ li e ime .

ff n the n The su eri gs of abse t lover, of the dis

a n of an d of ppoi ted lover, the rejected lover, every

in of n a in k d lover , have bee repe tedly told every

in of n al r . n e of in k d Orie t ve se I de d , the degrees ten sity have been classified as follows

Love of the eye Attachment of the min d TH E LES S ER POETS . 89

Con stan t reflection Destruction of sleep Emaciation of the body T urnin g away from objects enjoymen t Removal of shame Madn ess Fain ting

Death.

n n w S ufis or m . Ma y of the Persia poets ere , ystics

f or t o m n a n d They pre er, profess prefer, the editatio s w e cstasies of mysticism to t he pleasures of the orld . They say that n othin g exists absolutely but God ; tha t the human soul is a n eman ation from His W n s n a n d w n Him . Es e ce, ill be fi ally restored to he

a n d n n a Sufi poet speaks of love beauty, a Divi e se ti men t is always t o be un derstood ; a n d the words are to be in terpreted in the same sen se as the words in ’ S n of m n w l the o g Solo o , hich have both a iteral m nin a n d m m n n ea g a ystic ea i g. It is probable t hat the S ufis obtain ed some of their

m n u m n w m m n ideas fro the Hi d s, a o g ho there are a y

i a n d in ff n n m . ascet cs devotees, all bear g di ere t a es The S unyasi is one who has aban don ed the world ; the Vairagi is on e who is free from all worldly desires ; the Yogi is on e who seeks union with the Deity by abstract meditation ; the Yati is o ne who restrain s his passion s ; the Jit en driya is on e who has con quered his organ s of sen se ; the S raman a on e who fa tigues himself by austerities the Bhikshu on e who 0 S AN T A T 9 PER I POR R I S .

n ma lives by beggi g. Of the above, the Sufi y be said

n w m n a n d to correspo d to the Yogi , to ho gold, iro ,

n m a n d w a n d w sto e are the sa e , hose acts phrases sho

n iff n w c m n a n d an i d ere ce to the orld , o plete selfish ess, all- absorbin g con ten tment shared between themselves a n d n n n w wai n the Divi e Esse ce , i to hich they are ti g

W n n to be absorbed . aiti g to be absorbed i to the Divin e Essen ce ! we are all waitin g for that ; it is

n m m in m . u i the i evitable it ust co e ti e But, l ck ly

of il n w in iff n for the progress civ izatio , people ait d ere t w we w ays . If all aited like the Quietist, the Yogi , or we n al the Mystic , should soo cease to exist to gether.

w n m t Ho ever, the Persia ystic poets have lef us

m i in m n wh so e beaut ful ideas their poetry, a y of ich have doubtless appeared in n e w shapes an d forms in

m m n Europe . There are so e in ds so co stituted that

w l w a n w they i l al ays fall b ck upo such a faith , hich m a l n of y be ca led the religio the heart, as opposed to

m m an d u m for alis rit alis .

9 2 PERS IAN PORTRAITS

is t a e ush rw n Kin of Pe rsia It s t d that Na e a , g ,

A. D . 5 30 on of his min is e r ( the advice t ,

Buza r imehr se n a rn e an d min nt h si j , t a le d e e p y cia n

n a m arzo Barz ui t o n ust a n for t h ed B i , or , Hi d e e x pre ss purpo se O f Obta in in g a copy of t he Fa ble s o f ’ Bid a w i c n a in s e ci s O f n st ruct i n p y, h ch o t ed every p e i o .

m ss n was u w t a c an d u m e n t The i io exec ted ith t j dg ,

a n d ar urn e r n n w him tra n scri t B zoi ret d , b i gi g ith a p w whi ha d e n s rv a m n t h Of the ork, ch b e pre e ed o g e

- as u s n s n best guarded tre re Of the ki g Of I dia . It w a s

mm r n n i a dialect i ediately t a slated i to Pehlev , of

n c n s n for ra ti a t n rsi the a ie t Per ia , the g fic io Of the Pe a n m on arch . From this version in Pehlevi the book was transla te d

A . 5 0 an e t n am into S yriac about D . 7 by cclesias ic e d

or Bod a n d n A 750 A dulla h Bud, ; i to rabic about by b

Ibn - al- Moka fla in d n t o mm n of on e of , obe ie ce the co a ds

m Ar was n the Abbasi Khalifs . Fro abic it restored i t o

n n of A ul asr- u din A mad a Persia by directio b N d h ,

n of S a manian mil a nd in erse b pri ce the fa y, clothed v y

was n n d fr m the the poet Rudaki. It agai tra slate o A 1 1 D . 1 i rabic of Abdullah in A. 8 by the des re of

n m S n n S ul n a m d Sulta Bahra hah , a desce da t Of ta M h u

n an d n r of w was of Ghaz i this revisio , the autho hich ’ ’ A - a m w has n e bu l Ma ali Nasr ullah, is the s e hich Si c ’ n n n Kalila h a n d mn bee curre t u der the title Of Di ah . The work un derwen t revision a n d received the embellishment of flowery lan guage from Husain ’ Wa e z O f w m m n n en d of n h ( ho ore a o ) , at the the fiftee t

n a n d h n wa s a d ce tury , t is highly polished versio c lle TALES AN D S T ORIES . 93

’ ’ - An w i S uheli or h n u . It ar , The Lig ts of Ca op s wa s a a n d n n a n , l stly, revised put i to plai but eleg t ’ — a n A az A. D . 1 5 87 88 in n l guage by bu l F l, , Obedie ce to

O f m A a n d wa s the orders the E peror kbar, brought ’ out n n m of A - n or Th u der the a e the yar Da ish , e ’ Touchston e Of Kn owledge . This collection of fables has been tran slated more frequen tly a nd into a greater variety of lan guages

n n A o tha n a n y other compositio ot sacred. lth ugh

fi n n n ow A the rst Pehlevi tra slatio is lost, its rabic

n n a n d ma versio is exta t , y be verified through the

r n n m n in t a slatio s ade i to Greek , Lat , Syriac , Turkish ,

w n n an d n . Hebre , Italia , Fre ch , E glish The work has been ca refully exa min ed a n d com

r n a n d e m pared by O ie tal scholars , th y have co e to

’ t he n n a n Kalila h a n d mn co clusio that the Persi Di ah, ’ An w - i S uheli a n d A - n h the ar , the yar Da ish ex ibit a sufficien tly exact representation Of the Arabic tran s

a on n m a n d a n l ti take fro the Pehlevi , th t the Pa cha

’ ’ a n ra or in S n l T t , Five Chapters , a scrit iterature

c r n t w m an d is nal o respo ds bes ith the , the origi text Of the work which was procured from In dia by

a usherwan m n n N so e thirtee hu dred years ago . The three works above men tioned may therefore be con sidered as the Persian version s of the original ’ Of Bid a a n d u mi n Fables p y, as s ch hold a pro ne t

a in n . O f t m pl ce Persia literature The first he , ’ Kalila h a n d mn n n Di ah , has bee lately tra slated

n n from the Syriac i to E glish by Mr. Keith Falcon er

m a nd w s of th w (Ca bridge, the hole hi tory e ork R AN R I 94 PE S I PO TRA TS .

so fully ente red in t o t ha t it is n ot n ece ssary t o e n t e r

h n t f It will be suffi ere i o urt her deta ils . cien t to sta t e

l n t a t De S a c in A . D . 1 8 1 6 wrote a t some e th o n h y, , g the Ara bic v ersion of t hes e st ories ; tha t the sa m e

v rsi n was t ra nslat ed in to En lish the v e o g by Re . Wyn dham Kn a t chbull in 1 81 9 ; and tha t Keit h Falcon er has in his a ble work giv en us a comple t e

n of its nte n tio co ts. There a re four cha pters in the work

1 A Bid a an ow h me t o writ e the . out d h e ca oo . b p y, b k A m 2. bout the ission of Ba ri to In dia to O btain a w copy of the sa id ork.

3 . The his o r the lif of a zoi the h sicia n t y Of e B r p y ,

B z ar im hr r composed by u j e the minist e .

4 . An ssa on the u and wo k e y s bject Object Of the r ,

' fr m en of A ulla Ibn - al- Moka fl o the p bd h a . An d followed by the tales themselves in fourtee n

a r as f w ch pte s, headed ollo s

1 . n an d or the m m t w The Lio the Ox, E ble s Of o

’ ri n w m a n to i ni F e ds ho a Li r co trives d su te .

2 . n e n the n w the I v stigatio Of Co duct, together ith ’

n mn a l. Defe ce , Of Di ah the J cka

3 . n or m m The Ri g Dove, the E ble of Sin cere ’ Frien ds.

4 . O wl a n d w or the n of n The the Cro s, Da ger bei g ’ an n m deceived by E e y .

5 . n a n d t i or m m The Mo key the Tor o se , the E ble

O n who n n wh w n f a Perso havi g Obtai ed at he a ted, ’ loses it again .

96 PERS IAN PORTRAITS her an d un her on r d oun an d k lled he r. fl g the g , i h s is a a ra ou sin c ou a n ot b e e n But t i p ble of y , e y h ve ’ a fa hful ea c rs n or a a n ha v e ou st blished by it t he , g i , y a t ach urse to the re n or h a r n ed t o w e t ed yo lf pu , e ke is an d G od- f a r n men n or e n isci l of asce t cs e i g , b e a d p e i O n t s h or hermits. hi a ccoun t a ughtin ess of spirit ha s a n ou ca i a rro a n ha s ot swa v er o u t ke y pt ve , g ce g y o y , in ss has an d ou a ar c has slain o u greed e v quishe y , v i e y , an d f e n ss of n w d e has e ble e k o le g aba sed you. N ow d m a n ns a re w rse ha n ma n ess a n d eceitful co p io o t d , remind on e of the simpleton who a llie d himself t o a ’ rogue . i i i l‘ i

Amon g the trials Of this world there is n ot hin g m t n t he s r e r a n d o rt an d ore bit er tha los Of p op ty , p ve y , w deficien cy of n o urishmen t. For the tree hich is n in h an d n which is con pla ted the eart , the i terior Of m o n n ss an d f i m r er than su ed by r tte e , its ru t o e bitt e of S oc a be t r a n a o ma n who lo oks alo s otr , is t e th po r a n d hopes for somethin g that is in the han ds of other

men . o r e i s an d de For p ve ty is the chief of all v l , ’ t oo m n r an d a a wa stroys , , a a s good cha acter, t kes y m f m him an d s him az n f e . To odesty ro , give a br e ac sum a e of ru n in w r ds up, poverty is the c us i both o l a w n m man e a n d ra ft bec use a t akes a a ch at a liar, c y an d an a m m en an d a me d deceitful, outc st fro , ash , n n an d f w m Wh in u o . en a deficie t pr de ce , void isdo man affl w h n k str es is icted ith all t ese thi gs, luc y ok w ll n ot m him r m al or m e s nto i re ove f o tri s , fro the vil i whi m him a me n to re ard ch they ake fall, but c use g

him shuffler n a n an d m . In as a , u derh d, a sche er n his f n u n an d ff n e retur for rie dship , pr de ce , a ectio , th y

him al - ar a a n d l m w e call a t e be er, cr fty quarre so e, ick d

a n d n . n his n n n his u just The u dersta di g perishes, A T TALES N D S ORIES . 9 7

n w w a n d his n m n k o ledge fades a ay , skill tur s to ad ess a n d the loss of his intelligen ce a n d wisdom is worse ’ n a n d n tha the loss of his goods possessio s .

The n ext Persian version Of the Fables of Bidpay is ’ n wn n n m the An w - i S uheli or k o u der the a e Of ar , ’ L n wa s n n ights Of Ca opus . It re dered i to Persian

m m w n A . D 14 0 a n d 1 05 so e ti e bet ee . 7 5 by Maulan a ’ n Wa e z n m Kashifi a n d Husai sur a ed , dedicated by ~ him t o Am A m S uheli se albea re r or ir Shaikh h ad ,

m n t o n n of K n i ister the Sulta Husai Mirza hurasa . Its t wo latest a nd best tran sla tion s have been made

a a n w in 1 854 a n d Mr. W n by C pt i East ick , by ollasto

' in 1 877 a n d a referen ce to either will give a good

a w w n a n ide Of the ork itself, hich co sists Of elaborate

e an d n n a nd O f n or Pr face I troductio , fourtee Chapters

n n Books,with a very brief co clusio . The Preface is simply a mas s Of phrases strun g to

in O n e G od gether praise Of the , Of His Prophet

mm a n d n w m Muha ad, Of the perso to ho the book is

d d m a w n m de icate , ixed l rgely ith quotatio s fro the

n Kura . The In troduction brin gs on the scen e the King

Ha mai un Fa l a n d m n Khu lst ah Ra i a n d y , his i ister j , in con versation s between them allusion is made to the

a n nd n m Dabshalim an d the gre t Ki g Of Hi , by a e ,

r hm n Bid on w a n d n B a a pay, hose polity pri ciples the

Hamai un is kin g foun ded his a dmmist ration . y :Fal delighted to hear that his min ister kn ows all about

n Dabshalim an d the B ahm n a n d that great Ki g r a , 7 9 s PERS IAN PORTRAITS

T s begs that everythin g about him may be related . hi the min ister proceeds to do in a won derful flow of

n w h the n w la guage, of hic substa ce is as follo s In on e of the chief cities of Hin d there reign ed a

a n r a nd in gre t, good, ge erous, p osperous, just k g, ca Dabshalim n din his i a n d lled . His surrou gs, v rtues,

n n an d f m his ge erosities are the described , a ter a drea about a n Old ma n in a cavern who was possessed of a

as w t n a n d tre ure or hy Of ki gs, he goes forth to try

fin d him In man lls . this he succeeds. The Old te

him a w is n f n d about the tre sure, hich accordi gly ou

a n d n Am n m n of brought to the ki g. o g the a y chests gems an d jewels there wa s on e casket which wa s

o n w diflicult a n d m m w n it pe ed ith y, fro a s all box ithi

n m w on w i h the ki g hi self took a piece Of hite silk, h c r As were written some words in the Syriac chara cte . n obody a bout the court could read or make out the

s ll in w n a n d r n cro , a sage skilled riti g deciphe i g

n n f A n the stra ge characters wa s se t or. fter perusi g

w a n d n on m w in ords, reflecti g the , he said This rit g

c n ain of n n an d in h o t s a variety be eficial thi gs , is trut the written treasure left by the Kin g Hoshan g for the

n Dabshalim w n ot Ki g , ith the advice that he should

be nf or w b of d i atuated led a ay y the treasures gol ,

s l w an d n n e the i ver, je els, precious sto es, but should ot

t n wn n four ee rules laid do for his guida ce, as every prin ce who did n ot choose t o rely on them would fin d

n a n of his n dis an d s s the fou d tio fortu e turbed, the ba i ’ of his m i in e p re secure.

AN T A T PERS I POR R I S .

’ a n d to a n n m s to Ad m Obt i these the ki g u t go a s Peak ,

in n w w ll n nf ma n Ceylo , here he i Obtai further i or tio

n h m A te m co cern in g t e . f r so e hesitation the kin g w n an d is a in w d e t thither, d covered a c ve hich live

the wise Brahman called Bidpay. The kin g relate d

his dr m a n d Bid a n c mm n a n s ea , p y the o u ic ted the lesso

w m in of in t e e n Of isdo the shape stories , told four

a h as n books or ch pters ; the c ief story, it is related, bei g

n w i the r i terpolated ith other stor es, so that fi st

a n n w n - t he n d ch pter co tai s t e ty eight stories ; seco ,

t en n the t the third , six ; the fourth , fourtee ; fif h ,

n h three ; the sixth , three ; the seve th , t ree ; the

i n n n eighth , e ght ; the i th , five ; the te th , three ; the

n w t i n t wo eleve th, five the t elf h , four ; the th rtee th,

a n d n . the fourtee th , three

the two n a n m n n Of tra sl tio s e tio ed above , East ’ ’ w c i s a n a n d w i W as n is i k s pl i serviceable , h le oll to s m w in a n d n ore flo ery both phrase la guage . They a re

o w a n d e l in b th , ho ever, excessively good exc ssive y

t erest in a n d u t wo w m g, a per sal Of the is orth the ti e

M n a n d . O f wit the trouble a y are the extracts , full a n d w d m n f m m but is o , that could be take ro the ,

S w n ot w m v e a r pace ill permit it . The orks the sel s e

the d O f n w d a n d at isposal the searcher after k o le ge ,

For kn owledge seek the foun tain - head ’ Be n ot by journ als oft misled .

The third Persian version O f the Fable s Of Bidpa y ’ l A - n or n of is ca led the yar Da ish , Touchsto e Kn ow ’ ed a n d wa s o m e A a the re l ge, c pos d by bul F zl , g at TALES AN D S T ORIES ro r

m n n wn d A who r n m i ister Of the re o e kbar, eig ed fro — A . D . 1 5 5 6 1 6 05 . It has n ot been tran slated into

a n n n a n n n an y Europea la guage , but excelle t Hi dust i

n n was m in al in 1 803 n tra slatio Of it ade C cutta , u der ’ n the title Of The Illumin ator Of the Un derstan di g. Abul Fazl has followed the lin es of the An war - i

S uheli has n an a n d ren , but used plai er l guage thus

w m n d t wo dered the ork ore i telligible. He also ad ed ’ a w w m H n Wa e z in ch pters hich ere o itted by usai , but ’

in Kalilah a nd mn . cluded the Di ah, viz , the history Of

n a nd on the life Of Barzoi the physicia , the essay the sub ject an d Object Of the work from the p en Of the Ar abic

'

n A a Ibn al Moka fla . w e tra slator, bdull h Other is the

n the m a n d a n ature of book is the sa e, as popular versio

in as a n in n reta s its place sta dard work Persia literature.

The three n ext books t o be n oticed are the

w n w a s orks Of three Persia didactic riters . The cl s Of authors kn own un der the term didactic hav e

n n m n m wr rs m bee de o i ated oral ite , though orality has n ot been much either practised or un derstood in

h as an d Persia . Still t ese authors have cl sified de

' diflere nt an d v s an v (l s scribed the virtues ice , d ha e es ca nted with great en ergy on the beauties of the one m w on an d the defor ities of the other. Their orks

n an d st s n m n ts this subject breathe the oblest pure e ti e , an d their application is illustrated an d enforced by

the most pleasin g and apposite ta les. This style of composition has been prin cipally culti ’ v a t e d by the Persian poets but in prose the Gulistan PERS IAN PORTRAITS .

’ ‘ of Ba ha rist a n O f a m a n d Ni a ris Sa di, the J i , the g ’ t an n - din w n n Of Mu i ud Ja i i, have Obtai ed the greatest c a n d a re w l n wn elebrity, e l k o throughout the East . In these works the tales a n d reflection s aboun d in

a n n t an d n a n d i v riety, i ge ui y, i terest, are descr bed

w m a n d n . ith si plicity, grace , elega ce

’ ’ ’ n or a n The Gulista , Rose G rde , by Sa di , has ’ been already men tion ed as on e of that a uthor s best

n wn w . n n n t n k o orks It has bee tra slated i to La i ,

n n m n a n d . G en E glish, Fre ch , Ger a , Dutch George

’ t ius has the credit Of first makin g Sa di kn own to

n n n n in A .D 1 6 5 1 . Europea readers by his Lati tra slatio .

’

In A D . 1 81 6 w n n n . there appeared Glad i s tra slatio ,

we in 1 823 in 1 827 follo d by those Of Ross , Of Lee , ’ a n d a w in 1 854 all in n S emalet s Of E st ick , E glish .

n n n wa s out in in 1 83 4 Fre ch tra slatio brought Paris , a n d there are German tran slation s by Nesselma n an d

Graf. ’ Ea st wick s n i a n l n Of the above , versio g ves exce le t

w a n d w w t . A few idea of the ork , is ell or h perusal

m w ll n a n details fro it i be give here , as also extract . ’

n n A D . 1 2 The Gulista (fi ished . 58) is a mixture

a n d t he a in w Of prose verse, t les told prose , ith verses

n m n d l w n m n f i ter ixed a fo lo i g the . It co sists o a

c a n d n n The prefa e , eight chapters, short co clusio s . preface begins with the praise O f God ; then the

A Abu - bin - bin n praise Of the tabak Bakr Sad Za gi, to whom the work is dedicated ; then a prayer to G od t o preserve Shiraz ; a n d then the reason or cause O f

writin g the book.

T 1 0 4 PERS IAN PORTRAI S .

ANZA ST .

Fro men to ounta n a n d to w I fled m m i ild , Myse lf to hea ven ly con verse to betake Conjecture n ow my sta te tha t in a she d w Of savages I must my d e lling ma ke .

U LET CO P .

Be tte r to v e in c a ns w t t ose we ov e li h i i h h l , ’ ” we ts a to m v Than wit h the stra nge mid flo re g y o e .

m as n on m s a n d wi t en He took co p sio y tate, th d n m me m n of n i ars redee ed fro the bo dage the Fra ks, Al a n d took me alon g with him to eppo . He had a d w m n me in m aughter, ho he u ited to the arriage

kn ot; with a portion of on e hun dred din ars . As tim e w n on n out of m r e t , the girl tur ed a bad te per, qua rel

m a n d n . a n so e , u ruly She beg to give a loose to her n u a nd t o m n a s to g e , disturb y happi ess , they have said

DISTICH.

’ In a good ma n s house an e vil wife Is his he ll a bov e in this prese nt life From a vixe n wife prote ct us well S av e us 0 G od from the a ns of e , , p i h ll

At n she a n r a n d ald le gth g ve ve t to eproaches , s , Art thou n ot he whom my father purchased from ’ an n for t e n n the Fr ks priso di ars I replied, Yes , he m me w t en n a n d me n redee ed ith di ars, sold i to thy n h n ha d for a u dred .

DISTICH.

’ Iv e heard tha t once a ma n of high degre e ’ From a wolf s tee th a nd cla ws a lamb se t fre e ha t n t its t roa t he sev ere w t a n fe T igh h d i h k i , ’ When thus complaine d the la mb s departing life ou from the wo f st sav e me t e n but n ow Th l did h , , T ’ oo a n I erce ve the wo f art t ou. pl i ly p i , l h 9 TA LES AN D S TORIES . 1 5

A book Of the same sort a n d description as the ’ ’ uli n Ba ha rista n or n d n G sta is the , Spri g Gar e , by

J m n t r or n a i . It is divided i to eight chap e s, garde s ,

a of n ad e an d fter the type the eight garde s Of Par is , is described by Sir Gore O useley as a book on ethics an d

e d c n ll n n n n a r u atio , i ustrated by i teresti g a ecdotes, r a

t iv es a an d m . , pologies , aphoris s The headin gs Of the chapters are as follows

h h n . A m m I ro atic Herbs fro the Life Of S aik Ju aid , ’ a n d ot her An ecdotes Of Pious Shaikhs .

h Ana or An II . P ilosophical , ecdotes Of Philo ’ s ophers . ’

m n m W m . III . The Bloo i g of Real s by isdo ‘ IV. Fruitfuln ess Of the Trees Of Liberality a n d

’ n Ge erosity .

n ta n V . Te der S te Of the Nighti gale Of the Garden ’ O f Love . VI ’ . Breezes Of Jocular Sallies.

VII . Sin gin g Birds of Rhyme an d Parrots of ’ Poetry . ’

n n m An m l . VIII . O the Natural La guage Of Du b i a s

There appe ars to be n o published tran slation of

w in n n the s this ork E glish , excepti g ixth chapter

n b . . W s n n n Wit a n d do e y Mr C . G il o , e titled Persia ’ m a n d a a n d W n d in Hu our, published by Ch tto i us

1 In s 883 . German the Ba harist a n has been tran

‘ n Fru hlin s - n m 1 846 lated u der the title Of Der g garte , ,

n v n S chle cht a - Wssehrd w n ow s m by Baro o , hich ee s

n r out of n t a n d ffi t o to be e ti ely pri di cult procure.

1 O 8 S AN T A T PER I POR R I S . but it has deeply pen etrated in to Oriental literature gen erally ; an d so man y version s Of the book have a d h t in ff n n s ppeare , t at the s ories the di ere t versio have been somewhat altered a n d tran sposed. The origin of the story seems to be foun ded on t he well - kn own verses

’ e re is in eaven no ra e e ov e to atre tum Th h g lik l h d d, ’ In e no fur e a woman scorn h ll y lik ed .

’ t a n o The woman whose lov e is scorn e d is worse h p ison.

An w al n n h : A in yho , the t e tur s upo t is episode k g s n son b w man who e ds his to e educated by a very ise ,

n him m w n retur s fully acco plished but, o i g to the

n w an n n i n n ot t o a Sig s Of his horoscope, ith i ju ct o spe k for seven days after his return home . Before the ’ n n in w m n m n t on e ki g he is sile t , but the o e s apart e s, ’ of the kin g s women havin g made advan ces t o him of a m w a n d m so e hat bold character, the good odest youth

so n of n is horrified that he forgets the ecessity sile ce,

n a n d n . scor s her request , upbraids her viole tly

n n n w m n Feari g the conseque ces Of her co duct , the o a

r m n a nd s n tea s her gar e ts , scratches her face , pre e ts herself before the king in great distress . He asks her

son f n n m the cause Of it ; she says that the , eig i g du b n mm di on n n he r ess before his father, i e ately e teri g

m n m v n a nd t n ro apart e ts ade iole t love to her, he p

n m n posed that they should poiso his ajesty. The ki g

a n d n im believed her tale, ordered the pri ce to be m ediately put t o death . TA A T 0 LES N D S ORIES . 1 9

’ k n v n a n d t o n The i g s iziers i terpose , , gai delay, relate to the kin g stories abou t the craft a n d malice

w m n a n d w n him n u n as in of o e , ar agai st due h te m O f m n A n O f atters i porta ce . fter heari g the stories i n n n a n . the v ziers, the ki g se ds the pri ce b ck to priso At n ight the damsel countera cts the effects Of these stories by tellin g others about the dece itfuln ess a n d w n me n w O f n n icked dispositio Of , ith the result i duci g

n n m son the ki g o ce ore to put his to death . This story - tellin g a n d coun ter- story - tellin g lasts seven

w en n n n days , h the pri ce , bei g free to speak agai , tells

n ffa n m e a n d his versio Of the a ir, relates a u b r of tales ,

n n n . n n establishes his i oce ce Fi ally, the ki g abdicates

n in son a n d i the thro e favour Of his , ret res to practise

n devotion a n d the duties Of religio .

n m Mr . Clousto has traced the sa e story, or sort Of

O f m n n wn story, through the literatures a y la guages, do ’ W n n W a n d to the ester book Of the Seve ise Masters, he has don e his work so thoroughly that further

a n n on c nn expl atio s the subje t here are u ecessary. It rema in s on ly to give a fe w extracts from the work itse lf

W n w l n ot n O f n n n o he God i ls the destructio a yo e , in gen uity Of ma n ca n effect it a nd if it be decreed by ’

Him n n n ai . , it ca ot be cou terv led

A n own a n d n pplyi g this to his case, taki g it for his

n a n text , the pri ce rel tes the story Of the guests poiso ed in n n n m - n co seque ce of the ope ilk dish , the poiso PERS IAJV PO R TR A] IS dro n in o it from t he mo uth O f a sn a k e w hi ppi g t , ch was be n ca rri d hrou t he air b a st ork i g e t gh y .

” ‘ “ ? Who was guilty in this in sta n ce asked t he p rin e e ? a nd who ought to ha v e bee n punished O n e sa id t he f ma e sl v e beca use she did n ot cov er u th e m il e l a , p k. An other sa id the sto rk was t o bla me for ha v in g t h e sna in his m u . An o r su este d t he sn a k e ke o th the gg , f r d n its n om n to the o roppi g ve i milk . A fo urt h ad e O f the n e a n m n who left it d d, the giver e t rt i e t, t o his sl to c t he mil . The r n e n sa id A ave fet h k p i c the , ll these opin ions a re mista ken . NO o n e was t o bla m e ” it was t he de cree Of G od .

f n n n d rin ce There are our thi gs, co ti ue the p , about which the wise do n ot distress themse lv es :

’

. n ail a for w v ca n it m a First O e s d y bre d , ho e er s t y it wil n dl ffi t o c n t on e t o h be, l u doubte y su ce o duc is grave .

n . w n n can v t or re t a rd Seco d Death , hich o e a er , an d w ef met w h esi n a hich ought, ther ore, to be it r g tion . ’ h . n s n w i will not ase T ird O e desti y, h ch ce t o a n man n w hs n d n all n tte“d a ot it ta i g his exertio s. . is w n w n or t Fourth D tress, hich either the ise he ” ca n r m foolish e edy .

O n e n n n a in n n r is is co sta tly e g ged devotio , a othe in Who for ever the tavern . leads the on e t o the ? street of the tavern who draws the other to the practice of devotion

n man mm d in w e h Ma y a , though i erse the at r, a s w i s has n ot n reached the shore, h le the ailor see it. Man y a n alchemist has gon e to the grave poor a n d

T 1 1 4 PERS IAN POR TR AI S .

O n his way t o the place of execution Ba khtyar is

n hi the ch recog ised by s adopted father, robber ief, who w m n n n ma n m , ith his co pa io s, rescues the you g fro t he an d of r a nd n a n n e h s the gua ds , the solicits audie c

f n o the ki g.

A r a n n w w k n a n d n fte i tervie ith the i g , certai ex

n n a n d w pla atio s about the youth, the clothes the je els

w n w him that ere fou d ith at the well are produced .

k n n n a n d a m The i g the recog ises these , d its that

B a his n - t son him t o n akhty r is lo g los , takes the quee , his m who m she him al other, ad its that accused f sely a t n n of v n m n the i stigatio the iziers . These ge tle e a re mm d d a n d n n i e iately execute , the ki g resig s his t hron e to his son ; the robber chief is made chief

m n n w w vizier, his co pa io s re arded ith honourable a n m n a n d a n for m n ppoi t e ts, Bakhty r the rules a y

a w w m a n d n ye rs ith the usual justice, isdo , ge erosity.

’ ’ Tut in a ma or a of The , T les a Parrot, is a story book O f the same sort a n d style as the t wo precedin g

o n wa s o n a w n in e n k es . It rigi lly ritte P rsia by Na h

s n m of but it n ot habi , the poetical a e the author ; is

n wn for c a n w n d or w n k o ert i he he flourishe , he he

d A . D . 1 3 30 n ied , though the date Of is give by

Pe rt sch It t o n n o n a n . is supposed have bee fou ded

n w n ot n ow n of w Old Sa scrit ork, exta t, but hich the ’ ’ - S a t ati or n o f a a in Suka p , Seve ty Tales a P rrot, lso ’ a n wa s o n a n o Nakhshabi s S scrit , ly abstract . C pies of

w w wa s w l n w d a n d ork, hich el do e , the stories ell tol ,

n ot b a d a re n ow a a n d the verses , r re , the book itself 1 1 TALES AN D S T ORIES . 5

’ has been superseded t o a certain exten t by Ka diri s a m n wr n a o m l bridg e t, itte probably b ut the idd e Of

v m n t a the se enteenth cen tury. Of this abridg e tran slation along with the man uscript in Persian was

b al a n d n in n n in pu lished at C cutta, repri ted Lo do

1 801 .

Previo us t o this publication twelve stories Of Nakh

’ sha bi s w w n n o n r n in ere ell do e i t E glish by Ge ra s ,

1 79 2 n n w wa s n ot n n d but u fortu ately this ork co ti ue , while Kadiri on ly produces thirty - fiv e stories out Of

- the fifty t wo con tain ed in the origin al work . There a ppears to be n o complete tran slation Of the whole

o in n w t o m of bo k E glish , hich is be regretted , as ost

a re a n d ma n m t o n the stories good, y Of the be fou d in n r a n a n d A - other Sa sc it , Persi , rabic story books . There is said t o be a complete Fren ch tran slation in m n w h a n n a uscript, together it the Persi origi al , at

n in o a n d m n s Mu ich , the R yal Library, so e portio have a n n man A h lso been tra slated i to Ger . bout t ese last

n w e n was Mr. Clousto rites , that the ighth ight

a n in 1 843 in m n tr slated by Brockhaus, , a Ger a w a n d n n a n d eekly paper ; the first, seve th , eleve th , ’ - Kose a rt e n in an n Ike n s forty eighth , by g , appe dix to ’ ’ n n S 1 822 Ka diri s m n tra slatio ( tuttgart, ) of abridg e t.

n the m n A The outli e Of story is si ple e ough. prin ce of former times n amed Ahmed S ultan was w al a n d n o son B e thy prosperous, but had . y prayer a n d n n n n a n d a son is rn i tercessio the boo is gra ted, bo

him who is a ll Miemun or A The to , c ed , uspicious .

is u a n d ca d c and youth bro ght up edu te arefully, 8—2 T A 1 1 6 PERS IAN POR R ITS . m a i d m n m d KhO lst eh rr ed to a fair a sel a e j , or Pros

e rous p .

O n e Miemun a a a a n d day goes to the b z r, buys a

w n r o who mm n m on o derful pa r t, reco e ds hi self the plea that the mean est a rt that he possesses is to kn ow

n O n the en t i the past a d the future . str gth of a p

t he Mie mun ma t n out O f about future, kes a good hi g

n a n d m S O a n d w spike ard , beca e pleased delighted ith

n a n a h the co vers tio Of the bird th t he boug t a sharuk ,

or m n n i a (a Species Of starli g) , to keep the parrot

m a n co p y . Mie mun shortly a fterwards has to start on a lon g

n a n d n mm n o a n d: jour ey , before leavi g co e ds the parr t

t he t r n w n W n e s a li g to his ife , addi g he ever you hav

n a n a n w a ff busi ess to tr sact, or y eighty air occurs, n ever ca rry your in ten tion s in to executio n without ’ a a n d n n their dvice co se t . After six mon ths Of sorrow a n d grief on t he part of

Kho ist eh for a n a n a n n r j her bse t husb d , pri ce of a othe

c n m a wa a n d n n t o se e ou try co es th t y , happe i g Kho

ist eh n in w an d re j , falls viole tly love ith her, this is

ciproca t e d. After the usual in terviews O f the Eastern

O - w n w n n a re r e g bet ee , hose fu ctio s fully desc ib d by ’ Vat s a a n a in m m n y y his Ka a Sutra, a eeti g is ar

ra n e a n d KhO l st eh n n t o t he r n g d , j co se ts visit p i ce

t m n ema k n as da n ht af er id ight , r r i g that y reveals, ig ’ a i our a n in m c sts a ve l over ctio s , quite the ter s of

t he n m w an d o ly erotic poe that Macaulay ever rote , called

T T r r8 PERS IAN POR RAI S .

uch n But n ow n s n n c thi g. as love had gai ed a ce da y

v e ot n l out of o r her, she g i to a rage , pu led the bird

t he a n d w n on cage, struck her ith such viole ce the

groun d that the poor starlin g died then a n d there .

Kho isteh ll n n rr a n d j , sti a gry, the goes to the pa ot

e s n s as w all t he r wn t o r pre e t her c e , ith particula s do ’ t he n wa s n w w starli g s death . The parrot e do ed ith

n a n n an d n m a u derst di g, at o ce thought to hi self th t if

re a n d d o n als w he fused raise bjectio s, he o ould be

m t o a in urdered . He therefore said the l dy the

s n m n : n wa s m oftest to es i agi able The starli g a fe ale ,

m n of w m n in w m for w a y ho are deficie t isdo , hich rea son those who are wise themselves ought n ot t o

n ot n o w reveal their secrets to a n y of the sex . Be

n or n in o min d for as on m u easy u settled y ur , l g as y soul con tin ues in my body I will exert my en deavours

in n of r a n d w in this busi ess you s, ill gratify your

clin a tion s. G od a l a n forbid it should ctual y so h ppe , but if this secret of yours should be divulged a n d

n a of w m a n d an your husba d he r it, I ill ake peace tr

li w n ou a n d him i r of quil ty bet ee y , l ke the pa rot ’ Ferukh Beg. Khojist e h asked What is the story of the pa rrot ’ of ? n Ferukh Beg Tell it to me at full le gth . The

n s a n d w n n parrot the tell her the story, he it is co cluded

s Ar n o w a n d o n a ays ise quickly , g to the pri ce , th t ’ m m n your pro ise ay n ot be broke or violated. But

t n n wn of da jus at that i sta t the da y appeared , so

Kho ist eh n ot n t o n j did go that ight the pri ce, but w n e t t o her own bed in stea d. 1 1 TALES AN D S TORIES . 9

h d T is goes on for a series of n ights . The la y

a nd m o dresses herself beautifully, co es to the parr t for m n n per ission to visit the pri ce . Every ight the

o w m n parrot urges her to g , but al ays quotes so e se ti m n t o w an d Kho st eh e t hich is attached a tale, p ,

n t o h r the a n in wn a xious ea story, is gai deta ed till da , w n is t oo he it late to go .

n Miemun n a n d m n n Fi ally retur s, , issi g the starli g ,

w m Kho ist e h asks hat had beco e of the bird . Before j

d the r : of me re coul reply , pa rot said Require a

n n n a nd of latio of all the adve tures of the starli g, ’ Kho ist eh Mi mun n . e a d j said , Speak the parrot

a n d n n n tells all the particulars , it e ds u fortu ately for

Kho ist eh Mie mun . j , as puts her to death

The S hamsah - v a - Quhquha h is a Persia n story ’ b w te n a Berkhordar u m n . ook, rit by Mirz T rk a It is n m r t wo m a n d uh uhah a ed afte viziers, Sha sah Q q , whose adventures are n arrated in the begin n in g of t he w n m n me ork, it bei g custo ary to a the book after the tale which is either the first or con sidered to be

m m n t t o t wo or m e the ost i porta . It is usual give or n m a n d n on e a es to a book, accordi gly this bears like wise the title of Mahboob the Beloved of ’ ’ ’ Hearts , or Heart s Delight.

w a wa s m n The author, it ould appe r, a Turko a ; but in his preface he does n ot say much about his person al a ff an d n ot m n n w or w n com airs , does e tio here he he

his It m re posed book. is to be gathered fro his

n n if m m a n d marks that he led a wa deri g l e for so e ti e , E AN TRA T P RS I POR I S . me t wi m n m n fa n w th uch e courage e t at Is ha , here he foun d patron s who were delighted t o hear him recite s m of his l w d w n Hirat o e ta es. He after ar s e t to , where he appears also to have been much patronized for his literary a ttainmen ts a nd social qualit ies . ,

in ma n a nd im w n n Be g a devout , pelled by his a deri g in n on l m sti cts, he started a pi gri age to the holy

n f n wa wa s shri e o Mashad. O his y he robbed by

Koza ks in ‘ of Khwariz m who the the desert , took e n m our a n d verythi g fro author, destroyed all his

an d m n n im n a books a uscripts. Betaki g h self the to m e whic n ot n m ore secure plac , h he does a e (probably

n of his n s re - w Isfaha ) , at the request frie d he rote

m m m all a n d n n m fro e ory , his tales ; othi g ore is to be

n m t he w nt n m n refle c lear t fro preface, hich co ai s a y

n a n d i e ff n tio s poet cal usio s . The work begin s with a chapter O n t he Necessity of

n n l w n O n Polite ess the fol o five dissertatio s, the first the Behaviour of a Householder such a s to procure himself Happin ess in this World a n d in the n ext the secon d O n the Education of Children the third O n the Advan tages of followin g a Tra de or a Profession the fourth treats of Ho spitality a nd t he fifth O n ’ Gratitude for the Ben efits receiv ed from G od. After this come five chapters

O n m a n d w c I . Civility, Hu ility, Modesty , hi h are the Virtues on which Amicable In tercourse with all ’ s Con dition s of Men is ba ed .

o n n a n d A n m n n II. G od Ma ers , bste tion fro I juri g ’ Others by Word or Deed.

N TR A T PERS IA POR I S . t he luckin ess or un luckin ess of certain in dividuals w n m a hose histories are give . The author akes out th t

m n all r i w so e pers o s are lucky thei l ves, others al ays

n m a re i u lucky so e lucky the first part of their l ves , or

n n t a n d n nl a n d duri g portio s of heir lives, the u ucky, vi rs Als men n d t o ce ve d. o that bri g goo or bad luck m t town s a n d coun tries un dervarious circu s an ces. There is doubtless a n elemen t called luck which

ms i t n of m e n w m n see to pres de over the des i y , o e , a n d l r n a nd n m chi d e , as also over horses a i als

n a nd n e a n d ge erally, i deed ov r houses ships ; but it

- m n it or it s . is i possible to defi e , trace it to source Of co a n d ff ca n r urse , cause e ect be traced through eve y t hin g but the accidenta l meetin g of a person in the

n w n ff w w ul street causes ofte o derful e ects, hich o d n ever perhaps have taken place except for that chan ce

n e w. all n n i t rvie Ought it to be c ed Provide ce , Cha ce , or n ? who can ? s n Desti y say The ea iest solutio is , The Will of G od b e don e a phrase which covers

n a n d w we all n w everythi g , about hich equ y k o n n othi g.

In on e of w n these stories, ho ever, a ki g said to his vizie r : I have full con fiden ce in your in tellect an d e n n o in xperie ce , but I place faith your belief about

an d of m m good ill luck , because both the are ere w a n d n n n m n : ords, depe d e tirely upo circu sta ces thus ,

n n m a n n n t a n d n a n d for i sta ce , if a be i tellige ho est m n a a ff w n a ges his airs properly, he ill certai ly have good - luck ; but a careless fool must n aturally meet w ill- ith luck. TALES AN D S T ORIES 1 2 3

VER as S .

Ever man is the aste r of his own fortun e y m , According t o his cha ra cter a n d stre ngth of min d ; O ne a s u ma n w se a nd o ortune L k , i pp , The ot er as cra Ma nun ou w find h zy j y ill . The n t n a e a mon roses we s igh i g l g d ll , The owl in ru n s a es i bid , B ut nte e ct e ve r a scent t e s i ll y ll , ’ And the foo his own fo l c es l l y hid .

The vizier replied : What your majesty says is but

s of m n n ct the equel y assertio , because the i telle ual qualities of every in dividual depen d upon his horo scope a n d t he propitious or un propitious position s of

a a n d n m a n h r the st rs, accordi g to these a is eit e

n c we n in lucky or u lu ky. Moreover, ofte see that t elli e n t a n d me n n ot o w f g good do pr sper, hilst ools a nd rogues succeed in all their un derta kin gs Af te r some further con versation it wa s determin ed to keep a n accoun t of the doin gs of a n unlucky ma n called S hoayb a n d in due course the vizier produced t he documen t in which all the misfortun es con n ected w S hoa b w a n d wa s a ith y ere recorded, it c lculated that w h n w w n it i the space of t elve days , o i g to his bad luck or n on e n n m en ha d evil ge ius, thousa d five hu dred

b n ff e lost their lives , esides the i juries su ered by thos who had been woun ded a n d who had lost their property .

In his preface to the twen ty - eight Amusin g ’ Rehat s k w : In n a n d Stories , Mr. e rites elega ce beauty of style the Shamsah con siderably sur 1 2 S AN T A T 4 PER I POR R I S .

as n run of o c m n a n d p ses the ge eral pr se o positio s , is diflicult en ough to repel anyo n e who has n ot acquired a tolerable kn owledge of Persian by a regular course ’ f Th n o study. e tra slator has in troduced a good

w so as w w n r a a n d flo ery style, to Sho the o de ful phr ses idioms un der which Pe rsian authors often represen t

s a n d of w ll w n their idea , hich the fo o i g is a speci

‘ m en

On ce upon a time there were three whales of the of a n d n of n sea fraud deceit, three drago s the ature of n a n d n of n n thu der the quick ess light i g, three m n r a n d n n m defa ers of ho ou reputatio , a ely, three m e n - n w m n of w m deceivi g , lascivious o e , each ho had from the chan cery of her cun n in g issued the diploma of m n a n d n a n d in tur oil to a hu dred cities cou tries, the a rts of fraud they accoun ted Satan as a n admirin g in the t f m f spectator thea re o their stratage s . O n e o ’ them wa s sittin g in the court of justice of the Kazi s m on wa s e m of the e brace , the sec d the precious g ’ a - m as t m of m a n a n d the b zaar er s diade co pli ce , third wa s the hee zle a n d orn a men t of t he Sign et - rin g of the a n d ul of n n Th life so the superi te den t of police . ey were con stan tly en trappin g the fa wn s of the prairie of w of n n n a n d n deceit , ith the grasp cu i g , plu dered the wares of t he caravan of tran quillity of h e a rts of stran gers a n d acquain tan ces by mean s of t he edge of m of O n e the sci itar fraud. day this trefoil of roguery m et a n d n m at the public bath , , accordi g to their ho o e n e ous n a n m n n ma g ture , they i ter i gled as i ti tely as the co mb with the hair they tucked up their garmen t of a m t wa of n n n r n i y to the ist u io , e te ed the ta k of

m n m in - of agree e t, seated the selves the hot house love ,

‘ ‘ a n d poured from the dish of fn llv w m ean s of t he

6 S AN T A 1 2 PER I POR R ITS . t he first who writes the in can tation upon the n ame of ” A n the in of the Ka zi . ccordi gly y dressed the robe n n n on the m n of n a n d cu i g , put a tle deceptio , departed t o their respective domiciles

The three tricks played upon their respective hus

a n w m n a re n in ll b ds by the three o e the detailed fu ,

n d a n — n n h uffi a at gre t le gth too lo g to be give ere . S

en n of ci t to state the outli es the stories . ’ ’ The w n w ha n n who Kazi s ife k o s t t a certai carpe ter,

t o wa s m ' in w lived close her, very uch love ith her. She sen t her maid t o him with a messa ge t o say that

m of n ff n r the fla e his love had take e ect upo her hea t, a n d that he must make a subterran ean passage b e

w n housc a n d w n so m t t ee his her d elli g , that they igh commun icate with each ot her freely by mea n s of t he

m n . n a n d i e The carpe ter dug the passage , the lady

him a nd t o him To - m w pays a visit, says , orro I shall

m a n d ou m n to m me co e here, y ust bri g the Kazi arry ’ u n to yo . The ext day the Kazi goes to his office ; the

’ t o n a n d n d im t o lady goes the carpe ter s house , se s h

n h n m m . bri g her usba d, the Kazi, to arry the The

n him a n d the for carpe ter fetches , , as Kazi hopes a

n m w n n m good prese t , he co es illi gly e ough , but is uch surprised at the extreme liken ess between the bride

‘

a n d own w . m his ife The ore he looks at her, the

m in a n d ff n m ore he is doubt at last, o eri g so e excuse

m n off t o o wn but to fetch so ethi g, rushes his house, wa s u who n it h forestalled by his spo se , e tered throug

a n d on his a was n wn on the passage , rrival lyi g do her TALES A N D S T ORIES 1 2 7

a ma m c e n bed. The K zi kes so e ex uses for his sudd

n r n m a n d m w e t y i to her roo , , after so e ords, goes back ’ to the carpen ter s house ; but his wife had preceded

him a n d wa s n in a . A n n , sitti g her pl ce gai he bega the m n wa s t m on cere o y, but at racted by a black ole ’ the c rn of b w he a e o er the ride s lip , hich could h v m sworn was the sa e a s that possessed by his wife.

n m a n d in of m n Maki g ore excuses , spite the re o stra n ces of n t o the carpe ter, he hurried back his house ;

w f a n ot him a nd but his i e had gai g there before , he

n n a n d m n a t fou d her readi g a book, uch asto ished his

n t ma d a n d seco d visit. She sugges s that he is , he admi n u a n d n the ts that his co duct is curio s , retur s to ’ a r n m t he m n c pe ter s house to co plete cere o y. This is

n n n n m agai freque tly i terrupted , but fi ally he arries

own w n a n d n v in his ife to the carpe ter, , havi g beha ed

a n n m nn t n off such extraordi ary a er hroughout, is se t

n s m to a lu atic a ylu .

he az r- m n The wife of t o aa aster the plays her trick .

S he n w son of n e i vites her ould be lover, the a ba k r, to

' put on a woman s veil a n d come to a feast a t her

O n r al him in i nn house. his ar iv , she took to the er

m n n w him n him apart e t, spoke lovi g ords to , u dressed , a n d told him to rema in comfortably there un til she r t n n n w e ur ed, bri gi g ith her the requisite refresh m n . S he n v s him a n d lls on e o e ts the lea e , te f her female atten dan ts to cause it t o arrive to the ears of the bazaa r- master that his wife had brought a stran ge

ma n t he . n n to house , etc , etc. This bei g do e, she re ns t o a n d n d in in him tur her lover, is e gage talk g to 1 2 8 RS AN T A T PE I POR R I S . w n n n n he she hears her husba d approachi g. The you g

“ ma n n m d n bei g dreadfully alar e , the lady ope s a c a n d C n r in n hest says, o ceal you self this box u til I ’ w w m of ff A n see hat ill co e this a air. ccordi gly she looke d n m a n a n d n we n t t o m her up the you g , the eet

n w m w r w h a husba d , to ho she relates the hole sto y , it lon g dissertation on the subject of love ; a n d finally

n him w of box w b us prese ts ith the key the , hich the

m ha n out ban d accepts fro her d . The lady bursts

‘ n a n d aim m m but o laughi g, excl s, I re e ber, you f rget . ’ n m i Give m e such and such a pre se t . !This old ga e s

n n e n n a n played by two perso s . The o ca ot accept y t n m a n d v ice ve rsal w hi g fro the other, , ithout first

a n w a n d w e t o do repe ti g the above ords , hoev r fails

n or n is this is bou d to pay a forfeit give a prese t . It

‘ ’ ’ a al n Dia dest e e t c an lso c led Philippi e , , ] The husb d,

n a n d t n n it o w f disgusted at losi g , hi ki g a j ke of his i e ,

w wn ke o f c t a n d e a v thro s do the y the hes l es the house , w n a e the o r hile she eve tu lly l ts out l ve . This story is well kn own both in the Ea st a n d

W c in t o h est. Balza gives it his postscript t e

‘ ’ da a in a e m Physiologie Mari ge a slightly lter d for , while other authors h a ve a lso told it in v arious wa ys. It is n ow the turn of the wife of the superin te n den t

o . a a m e o f police She first, by str tage , g ts h ld of the

es of a n d n Ma hom e da n m n dr s a K la ar (a ki d of o k) , a n d then in vites her husban d to ta ke tea with her

' 1 c cin d s n a nd ar of v a rim w e m a . alo e , to p take of s e t e ts h This he willingly agrees f r e is reposin g

1 3 9 PERS IAN PORTR AITS .

’ m l The it wa s n ot fair of you to pass t he ti e so lazi y . s n n n n s a nd n uperi te de t ope s his eye , is asto ished at

n n m d i w fi di g himself at ho e a n n his o n clothes .

an d W n n t o He sits up says, ife , thi gs have happe ed ’ m e wh ca n . S he ich I scarcely describe replies , From the un eas y motion s which you have made in

e m t ha d your sl ep , it appears that you us have extra

’ r n m a m n ! m o di ary drea s . He s ys , Drea s i deed Fro t he momen t I lay down I have experien ced t he most ’ n n w n stra ge ad ve tures . His ife the declares that he

n t oo m a n d n ff n m ha d had eate uch, had bee su eri g fro

m a n d a n in n w S u e rin t en drea s digestio , to hich the p

e n e n d t ass ts .

t s h n w n n The hree ladie t e e t, accordi g to the agree m n t ha e t, to the bath to tell their s ories to the old g,

a n d w . t receive her a ard To their very grea surprise, they were in formed that t he old woman had gon e

n un w t h m a ll a n d to a other co try, had out i ted t e , had k the t n ept cove ed ri g for herself.

’ TH E ADVENT RE OF ATIM TAJ U S H .

h n m n w i wa s a n a T is is a Persia ro a ce , h ch tr sl ted by

n a n a n d n for the m Du c Forbes , pri ted first ti e in A En glan d in 1 830. secon d edition wa s prod uced in

n a in 1 83 6 a n d n r n wa s e n e I di , a othe editio r pri t d by

n n m h n in m in 1 Ja arda Ra c a draji Bo bay 86 9 . The

w r h n in t o k , t ough a fictio its character, purports o describe the character of a m an well kn own for the libera lity of his disposition a nd the magn an imity of

h as e n a t - of m a n n his eart, the true b ef c or ki d, an d is TALES AN D S T ORIES 1 3 1 t hus calcula ted to con vey a clear con ception of t he

h t c of n f a n d m t c aracteris i s Orie tal li e odes of though . His n ame is often m en tion ed in t he Arabian ’ Nights .

in his r t o t n n ha s Forbes , p eface the first ra slatio , described the work as conta in in g a due portion of the

n B u m n n t a n super atural . t a o g the a ives of Persia d

n u a n l in m n m n s Hi d st the be ief de o s , fairies , agicia w n n a n d m n a n d ith their e cha ted palaces , talis a s

m n it wa s in in t he char s , is as prevale t as Europe

h a t r n c ivalrous ages th succeeded the C usades . He ce the most celebrated works of fiction in the Ea st aboun d w t n d w a nd m l i h the i cre ible , the ild , the arvellous , ike t he production s of t he bards a n d story - t ellers of

n a n d h m w n a n Prove ce t eir i itators , hich e ch ted ’ Europe from t he twelfth t o the sixteen th cen turies . The work itself is read with admira tion a n d listen ed t o w l wh n m ith de ight throughout the East, ere the a e

n m w n e of Hatim is syn o y ous ith liberality . O of the highest complimen ts th a t ca n be paid to a gen erous m a n is t o call him the Hatim of his day .

m m mm n c a m or Hati hi self, co o ly alled H ti Tai,

’ m bin b bin a h of of Hati U aid S id, c ief the tribe Tai , lived in t he latter half of t he sixth cen tury of the

a n . n v n wa s m n Christi era His ati e cou try Ye e , or

A b it n n w w the ra ia Felix , but is u certai hat ere

m a n his exten t or resources of his do i s . Throughout

wa s w m ff life he celebrated for his justice , isdo , a a

bilit a n d n r a n d e A. D . 5 79 y , bravery, ge e osity ; he di d ,

i r n n t he o f uh mm d the e ghth o i th year after birth M a a . 1 3 2 PERS IAN POR TRAITS .

’ A n D He rbelot t o m l n ccordi g to , his b is sti l to be see

An rz i A m l a wa n . at a s al village c lled , rabia He

v a n d n m n de oted his life perso to the service of hu a ity. The adven tures of Hatim Tai are told in the

m n wh n of n u t n ro a ce , ich co sists a Short i trod c io

n n a n d own a n d describi g his a cestors his virtues,

n ch in w ch m t he . seve apters , all of hi Hati is hero

The n n n n stories ha g upo seve questio s , asked by a

f i a n d n m n n who n a r rich lady a ed Hus Ba u , decli es to marry a ny person un less he obtain s an swers to these

n w w questio s, hich are as follo

’ 1 W sa w n n n m . hat I o ce , I lo g for a seco d ti e . ’ 2 a n d n t he w . Do good , cast it upo aters .

‘ 3 . DO n o h m evil ; if you do , suc shall you eet w ’ ith .

’ 4 . who w n He speaks the truth is al ays tra quil .

him n a n un 5 . Let bri g a cco t of the moun tain of ’ Nida. 6 him f ’ . Let produce a pearl o the size of a duck s ’ egg .

him n n 7 . Let bri g a accoun t of the bath of Ba d ’ a g rd .

A in a in w a n d pr ce f lls love ith the lady, is told first to brin g the an swers to the above question s before his

n w n f suit could be liste ed to . He a ders orth in a very

wa n ot n w n w t o wh vague y, k o i g here go or at to do . n m m wh m By cha ce he eets Hati Tai , to o he tells his

a n d who n m in ma a n d story, i terests hi self the tter

n a fin d w u dert kes to the an s ers to t he question s .

1 34 PERS IAN PORTRAITS a con ceited harem beauty whe the r there was a n y w A woman in the orld more lovely than herse lf. t

n a r a r a d a n d n this questio the f vou ite p r ot l ughe , bei g

m r n d n t of i po tu e , told the pri ce tha the daughter a n r n m n m Ba hra wa r n u eighbou i g e peror, by a e Ba (Fortun ate Lady) wa s in every wa y a Peri amon g the

w w n n a ffe c Peris of the orld . These ords e s ared the t n r n m n io s of the p i ce ; he beca e perfectly disco solate , a n d se n t a most skilful pa i nte r with his own portrait

ca a of n h n m r w to the pit l the eig bouri g e pe or, ith i n struction s to pain t the prin cess true to life . The

a n in his m n a n d n p i ter succeeded issio , excha ged the ’ A n t he n t m re n pictures . s soo as pri ce s firs i p ssio s w n rm rt a m ere co fi ed by the po r it, he gave hi self up to t he a n d u n object of his love , tho ght alo e about his

e m r m d w n beloved idol . The peror t ied all re e ies to ea

son m a a n a n d m n m his fro his f tal p ssio , a o g the ost e ffe ctive remedies the courtiers hit upon the plan of rela tin g t o the prin ce stran ge tale s a n d surprisin g

n in me n w m e n a n d n a ecdotes debase t of o , holdi g forth

n n a n f r the i co st cy of the ai sex , hoping that such a rem e dy might prove ben eficial to the fever of his m adn ess . The stories of the courtiers did n ot do the prin ce m d e n in a n re ff r n uch goo , or l sse y deg e the su e i gs of

- c sw n w the love si k ai . Doubtless the best a y t o deal w ith a youth suffe rin g such a gon ies is the way the galla n t Major Pen den n is dea lt with his n ephew

A r w n n ma n wa s m n rthu , he that you g ost viole tly in love with the beautiful a n d accomplishe d Miss TALE AN D 1 S S T ORIES . 35

otherin a n ée t a n Th m w a . e F g y, Cos ig ajor sho ed gre t wisdom a nd kn owledge of the world in meetin g the

m n as An w n co n circu sta ces of that c e . yho , the pri ce

n n in of a n d n t ti ed to love spite the stories , fi ally , af er

a a a n d a n n the usu l crosses of f te ccide t , he is u ited w the n c a n d w n a n d wn ith pri ess, , ith certai ups do s ,

e iv a n d m da — th y l e happily together, die the sa e y the so m e of n happi ess . The stories in this book are on the whole full of fun n m a d s m e n n e h . a u e t , but co siderably xaggerated . T ey must n ot be a ccepted as co nveying a n y correct repre

cu t n n n a m n n n a n s ta io of atio l a ers , or setti g forth y particula r moral but must be ta ken for what they a re w h a s m n a n m d a n d n w ort co bi tio s of co e y , of a ki d hich

’ make the pieces given a t the Pa la is Royal Theatre in

An n m n . w Paris ofte so absurd , but yet so a usi g yho , the storie s will be foun d sufficien tly amusin g in their wa a n d a t m n y, fully equ l to the ales of the sa e ki d

in in n t n a n d produced Europe the fourtee h , fiftee th ,

’ n e n s in m a n w w m n sixtee th c turie , y of hich o a s w m wit a n d w dn a s m n e n isdo , , icke ess played pro i t a

a rt in t p as the stories collected by the good au hor,

n - I ayat Ullah .

A m mm n co plete su ary of the book itself, or eve a

n r t of m w n t tra sc ip so e of the stories , ould prolo g his chapter to a n exten t in compatible with the design of

m n h m e n w . A the pres t ork o gst the tales t e selves , the story about the way in which the woman preten ded to

a n d ot b of n die g uried so as to get rid her husba d, a n d h n d n r a n d a O ff her is t e isi ter ed c rried by lover, 1 36 PERS IAN PORTRAITS .

n m a n n i e ds fatally for all parties . The er n which t he youn g a nd simple Bra hman is taught the mysteries of

Tirre a e or t a w m n in fiv e the V da, fif h Ved , by five o e

iff n w m n . The w d ere t ays , is a usi g subject of the po er ’ of n n own a n d n n n a n quitti g o e s body , e teri g i to other

d a a a w in all bo y at ple sure , is lso de lt ith , as it is

n a n d l in a n n i on e w Orie tal books , ately E gl sh ith m gre at success . The judg en t of the bird is given in t he ca se of the youth who wa s sittin g un der the wall ’ of a n d n in the vizier s palace , looki g at his face a

’ m w n m n a r a n o irror, he the i ister s d ughte p ssi g n the

a t n r n a in terr ce , the reflec io of her pe so ppeared the

a a n d n m a n in u m gl ss , the you g , the ardo r of ad ira t n ha d m a m w io , kissed the irror sever l ti es , for hich

m w n cri e he a s goin g to be pun ished . The sta rli g

r m n m a n in the sun c ied out , Let the put the you g , ’ n n r u w s a d i flict a hun d ed stripes pon his shado . Thi

ca n om a w . be c p red ith other such stories , viz , the w m n a n d v b an d o a the touch of the sil er, the aker

h n m n a n of m the c i k of the o ey, the pl yi g the usic a n d n n it a n d m n in the liste i g to , the pay e t hope ,

an d . The by Rabelais , Chaucer, other early authors

w m n t wo m e n a n d story of the o a , the , the five eggs , a nd n m m n the equal divisio of the a o g the three ,

e t o n m a pp a rs have bee o itted .

In n n a ll - co clusio , a perusal of the story books

’ ‘ m n n in m n e tio ed y Early Ideas, such as The Pa cha Ta n tra The Hit op odesa The Kath a Sarit Sagara The Adv en tures of the Te n You ths The Twenty

‘ flv c Stories of a Demon v-two Stories

A CH PTER VI .

DOME TIC MANNER AN D C TOM S S US S .

IF m a n d n n t m n five acco plished i tellige t Bri ish atro s ,

two m a w e aided by fe le experts, ere requested to prepar

w n our o wn m m n n an d m a ork upo do estic a ers custo s , t hey could hardly produce a more in terestin g a n d ’ e n n n on e a n t he Kulsum n tertai i g th Kitabi Na eh , w t n n t wo rit e by five Persia ladies , assisted by other

e m n n Wh was f ale fu ctio aries. ether the book really written by women is a n open question ; still it con

n a of w ma a m m tai s great deal hat y be c lled fe ale atter, as the headin gs of its twelve chapters Show m m ’ s w w . I . Of tho e La s hich are dee ed i perative ’

n n n . II . Of Rules co cer i g the Bath ’ - n n n a n d . III . Co cer i g Prayers Fast days

n n a n d m n a IV. Of Si gi g In stru e t l Music ; an d of

W m n a n an d the o e of Shiraz , Georgia, Circ ssia, Isfaha , ’ Tabriz . ’ al V . Of the Nupti Night. ’ - e n a n an d hi . VI . Of Pr g cy C ld birth

O f n W an VII . the Co duct of the ife to her Husb d , ’ - in - la w a n d n Mother , other Relatio s . I 1 DOM ES TIC M AN N ERS AN D C US TOA S . 3g

. m a n d e n of n VIII Of Char s , the M a s destroyi g the ’ ff of W t w t n n . E ects itchcraf , ith divers o her Ordi a ces

IX a n d a n d u d . Of Guests Visitors, the L cky Perio s ’ of their Comin g a n d Departure . ’

a nd n m . X. a n d m G Of Male Fe ale ossips , I ti ates ‘ ’ XI m n mn n . . Of the Co positio of Se u for Prese ts

XII n d w S m n . Of Fruits a Flo ers as y bols of Feeli g ’ a n d n Passio .

An abridged tran sla tion of this work wa s prepared

d n r n . a m A n n a n by Mr J es tki so , pri ted by the O ie tal

2 In e . Tran sla t ion F un d in 1 83 . his pr face Mr Atkin son says :

hi m e n n m aw T s is a speci of Persia hu our , a j ’ d esp rit founded upon fema le customs a n d supe rsti

n . t n be ra w a n d in t tio s It pre e ds to a g ve ork , is fac f m e a n w a circle o do estic Obs rv ces , treated ith the mn of of a w fiv e ma n la w i sole ity a code l s , by tro g vers , b w n m assisted y t o others . The origi al an uscript is ” Kulsum a n e Kulsum n n called Kitabi N h , Na eh bei g the n am e of the prin cipal lady j udge whose rule s a n d m a m h n on xi s are t erei recorded , especially the house “ ” a n d le s m a e a s hold rights privileges ( petites or l s , ’ n al m a n w m the Fre ch c l the ) of Persi o en .

It is proper to remark that in the things to be

n or n ot n do e , to be do e , there are four degrees of o n w 1 bligatio , described as follo s ( ) Necessary or ex p edie n t ; (2) Desirable ; (3) Accordin g to the la ws a n d traditio n s of Muha mmad ; (4) Imperative or

u l n As m e of t he n absol te y ecessary . exa pl s applicatio of these terms t he followin g m a y be quoted 1 0 S AN A 4 PER I PORTR ITS .

‘ w ma n wh n a in l If a o , ilst e g ged prayer, shou d happen to discover her husban d spea kin g t o a stra n ge

m ex edient a n d n da sel , it is p for her to pause liste

n v wh w n m an d atte ti ely to at passes bet ee the , if ’ necess r a n n d h i n a y to put e to t eir con versat o .

A n wh n a w m n n ot n t o h for gai , e o e has bee the bat s

n d w a co si erable period , she ought to take hatever there is in the house of her husban d to pay the ex

f r a pen ses o the bath . An d it is n ecessa y th t she

a n d w h n t should scold fight ith her usba d , at leas

n t wi n m him o ce or ce a day , till she obtai s fro the amoun t required .

A a n desira ble for e v e r n who an g i , it is y perso has y ta ste for pleasure a n d luxumous 1n dulgen ce to play on

h m th a n n m t e e a d n . dru , dyr , other i stru e ts Every h a ca n a of m a n d s s ouse th t bo st usic is blessed , bles e

s a n d a S in t o w t he other , it is a gre t ever be ithout

a m rm n n d ch r of ha o ious sou s .

A a n w r n ce w n - n g i , ith refe e to the eddi g ight , it is

n ecessa ry to throw sweetme ats a t the n ewly - married

a n d n n - It couple , this is called the ope i g of good luck.

is n ecessa r d n in a n d w m n also y to a ce a circle , the o e must sin g the followin g ditty so loud that the ir voices a re he a rd in the houses a n d bazaars

Be it Be it B e it e v e r e sse be , , , bl d This n ight Wha t n ight the n ight of fulfille d desire In our ouse we a v e t s um n at on s ! h h ligh , ill i i The r e is ere t he room fra n t c w t o b id h , g i i h j y Ma he Ma he Ma he e ve r e sse be y , y , y , bl d

It is n ecessa ry that a han dsome wo m should

2 1 4 PERS IAN POR TRAITS . a ll a n n d i she e r s is applie d to procure food a l ghts. It is therefore expedien t or n ecessa ry for that in dustrious woman to reply harshly to whatever he says ; a n d if

n a n d he beats her, it is ecessary for her to bite scratch him a n d a n d n in her , pull his beard, do everythi g i power to an n oy h m . If his severity exceeds a ll

n e n a n d iv bou ds , let her p titio the Kazi get a d orce .

a - n n an d n o The third cl ss , or Hupul hupla, has othi g,

w n r d n . a n frie ds He a ts to d ess live luxuriously , but f m w f is totally destitute o ean s . If the ife o such a m a n n r r m v n t e n s abse ts he self f o his house , e e for day a nd t e n n t m n ot on n her igh s, he ust her retur ask where she has been a n d if he sees a stran ger in the

m n ot who w t w n . house he ust ask it is, or ha he a ts

When ev er he comes home a n d fin ds the street - door

m n ot n but a n d n ot um shut , he ust k ock , retire , pres e to en ter till he se e s it thrown open . Should he act c n w m imm m n o trary to this , the ife ust ediately de a d a

Kulsum N n a u n divorce . a eh s ys that if s ch a husba d

w e n n an d should after ards ve beg to be pardo ed , al w m m m a w lo ed to resu e his for er do estic h bits , it ould be wron g in the wife to rem a in a sin gle day lon ger un der his roof.

As a r music m a w t be reg ds , a cy b l i h bells ought to

in e a n d n n a w n w kept ev ry house ; if there be o e , i do , a s ma it a n d chair, or a ves el y be struck like if these e e n n ot n a n s m a v are available , the the h d y be

e n n a n d ca n n beat agai st each other, to this people si g a n d n e n d n m n n da c a e joy the selves . O the occasio of w n f - m n eddi gs , estivals, child birth , circu cisio of boys, a n d on t n n m n n re ur i g fro a jour ey, it is also ecessary m to have usic. O n the a uthority of a ll the matron s the followin g mean in gs are to be attached to the followin g thin gs when sen t with some particular object

’ A w r m n a n a n d n n hole ca damo grai P tie ce ge tle ess .

’ s m m h n o r The eed of a carda o T ere is t ouble .

A a m m n n : n c rda o , half ski ed The door of patie ce ’ is open ed . m t ’ Cloves I a roas ed . Cin n amon in on e stick I sacrifice my life for ’ thee .

n n m n in mal : I a m a n d u Ci a o s l pieces sick , req ire a ’ n physicia . A whole wa ln ut : Be n ot grieved ; I belon g to ’ thee . A waln ut groun d off on on e side : I have become w m n a n d rub eak fro pai , have rubbed this it l w ’ ike ise .

’ S - n a rt w m e ugar ca e Thou s eet to . Chips of san da l - wood When ever I see thee I m w ’ beco e ater. A gla ss Through thee my hea rt has become brittle l ’ ike glass . — Grapes their mean in g is expressed in t he follow ing verse

The ra es of t h red s ma be n ame su a r- can How g p y lip y d g dy. many words may be uttered which ca nn ot come up to the ’ e an n m i g. 44 PERS IAN PORTRAITS

Saffron also v ersified thus

ou a st a e me e w l e r un saffr n How on s a Th h m d y llo ik g o d o . l g h ll ‘ ’ I eat grief use lessly I

’ : I a m m n an d Filbert ela choly sick .

A w m n n w n hite al o d, the ski of hich has bee peeled ’ off The world kn ows that I love thee .

‘ ‘ A Ma th f m A coal y y ace beco e black or, curse ’ n be upo thee.

In w w m n are n w or the East , here o e u able to rite

d m n m in rea , their essages are co veyed by a sy bol the

of w m n a nd shape a fruit, a flo er, or so e other thi g , to

m m n n each of them so e particular ea i g is attached.

n n n a n d Great atte tio is also paid to sig s gestures, as they are often the only mean s of outward commun i

Hospitality is a virt ue highly commen ded by all Persian authors ; an d the following extracts have

n n m a e o n the m n bee take fro a tre tis subject, co bi ed with some remarks on the etiquette of eatin g an d drin kin g

To en terta in brother believers a n d intimate friends n d n d on e w of l n hospitably a ki ly is of the la s po ite ess, a n d on e of the laudable qualities a dorn in g the chara cters of t hose who seek to obtain distin ction . The host must poin t o ut t o each guest his place hi t n in accordin g t o propriety a n d s posi io society, n n him t o a m n i viti g be se ted , he hi self taki g the n n of lowe st place . Should a thousa d carava s grief d t heir burden s of an d distre ss

1 T A T 4 6 PERS IAN POR R I S .

m n a n d m n n in cha ber of obedie ce sub issive ess , ador g a n d refreshin g the rose - groun d of my exist en ce with t he a n w of n n a n d m In ple sa t sho ers co te t sy pathy. spite of all this I a m un able to love her I feel aversion ” in n a n d I w m her prese ce, ish to separate fro her. Jesus (upon whom be blessin gs) said Tell Me n of n n the true reaso thy aversio . The husba d in m of replied , It is because , though the pri e youth , ha s he r m a n d u w she lost bloo , her feat res look ithered i e of a n old ha d l ke thos g The Lord Jesus sai ,

w m n n m - n m h O o a , refrai fro over loadi g thy sto ac , because on e of the con sequen ce s of surfeit is the van ishin g of the bloom from the face . When a great quan tity of food begin s to fermen t in the stomach the a a e n n b a n a n d n v pour sc ds i to the r i , deprivi g the physiogn omy of colour make s it look faded a n d ”

a . w ma n a n m v e ra cit a n d dec yed That o abst i ed fro y, in m recove red her looks a short ti e . Much ea tin g en gen ders la zin ess a n d apathy in m m n a n d m n of re e beri g God , beco es the pare t a n umerous offsprin g of various complain ts a n d diseases . Tradition in forms us tha t it is n e cessary to begin m n a or a a n n ha d a eal eati g a little s lt, , if th t c ot be , w m n n a n d n ith so e vi egar, because thus i tellect discer m n Th m m en t a re a ug e te d . e co poser of the mixed a r t he n of m en a n d n n m p ticles of existe ce ge ii , a ely, be n e fice n t w n n the Creator, issued the follo i g revelatio m n n a i e to the elodious ighti g le of piety, . . , to Moses son of Am m : M the ra O oses , order thy people to b e n a n d n m a w t a gi to co clude their e ls i h s lt , because con tin uan ce in the use of this stomachic will wipe off t he dust of the majority of complaint s a n d maladie s from the skirts of their existen ce but if they n eglect 1) M TI M AN N ER AN D c U T M I O ES C S S O S . 4 7

n n n of m n di this i ju ctio , the frigid breezes a y sorders ” w n fl wer- ill i jure the o beds of their health .

In n m n additio to the above , the treatise gives a y formulae about washin g the han ds before a n d after e a t in g t he pious ejaculation s to be use d at the com men ceme n t a n d e n d how how the to sit at table, to e a t ho w n how t o w m a n d , to co verse , ash the outh , h w i m o to p ck the teeth after eals . In con clusion there is a lon g dissertation about the a n a r n n w w m dva t ges of d i ki g ater, hich ight be issued a s a leaflet by t he tempe ran ce societies . It is relate d of t he of m m ff Elect the Creator, the I a Ja er Sadick , w w n u w n n hose o derf l orks are a guide u to salvatio , that in his opin ion the most excellen t beverage in

w of m - of n this orld , the cherisher the pal tree existe ce of n n a n d wt every livi g bei g, the cause of the gro h,

n e a n d n n of a n w . i cr ase , abu da ce all cre ted thi gs, is ater

is n wn how w n a n d w It the laid do , he , here to dr n a n d w of ul n i k it , the pious ords ejac atio to be

m n n a n d used at the ti e of dri ki g , both before after, are given in detail . The best water is said to be ’ tha t of the Zemzem (in the en cein te of the Ka bah in Mecca) of the Euphrates a nd of that accumulatin g

m n A n n w m fro rai . ccordi g to traditio , cold ater re oves M a ll f a n d e m . a evers dis ases fro the body oreover, if

n m n n w w w perso overco e by a ger dri ks ater, his rath ill

be appeased .

n in s as in We a i Religio the Ea t, the st, is closely ll ed w m m n n e a n d m Per ith do estic a rs custo s . The best 1 0—2 u u uut e dlv

It wa s rm ”

6: Willia m J ml wrote

{ w a s re a er ut d , b

- uzt in s m r . a o e

" 1 1 it a n d . L g e n u y

t ha n I e v e r t w o la st a re 1 t he cha pt e r

0 11 the w e hol , a s work I e v e r

re a rs to ha ve be e n other portion s in 1 809 ; a n d

1 by Da v id She a t he auspice s a n d Commit t e e

g re a t work ha s n e v e r be e n a t t ribut e d t o t ra v e lle r a n d n a ti v e B . u V n s w . 16 70 t a

on t he su e a n d y rs bj ct , w ry imp roba ble tha t t t he Dabist a n were

1 ° A 5 PERS I N POR TRAITS .

em mm n n i e th i e se relief. There is ot the sl ght st

on for w m n fo r doubt the subject, it takes a ay their i d the moment from the thoughts with which their min d is c i d or w wn a n d s oc up e , oppressed , bo ed do , thu s s a nd as m who oothe s ua ges . So e people there are would derive the same comfort a nd con solation by

n h m e mn or of repeati g to t e selves vers s of hy s , pages

o poetry r prose . S ome years ago a discussion arose in E n gla n d on

ffic f w s m the e a cy o prayer . It a proposed to atte pt to

ut t o in al n p it the test our hospit s, by prayi g for the pat ie nts on on e side of the ward a n d n ot prayin g for

e on n thos the other side , they bei g of course treated

wa s n ot all the while for their respective diseases . It t r ed w was n w n n i , hich a pity, as k o ledge is o ly obtai A m a ble by e xperiment a nd observation . si ilar trial m m t o ff or ight be ade as the e ects of prayer, the r ea n of r n the m n ff ep ti g ve ses or prose , upo i ds of di er w e n t people . It might be foun d that both ould e qually a bstract the min d from the serious grief or me n a ain the m m n w m n l t l p of o e t , just as ork, hard e ta wo a a s m n an n ff r n f om rk, bstr ct the i d of y perso su e i g r a r e a s w m r n g t orro or a terrible isfo tu e . ’ . n t o Dabista n w n sis But to retur the , hich co ts of

we e c a rs a n of w l ff n n t lv h pte , tre ti g t e ve di ere t religio s,

a n w m . ra nsla n d of ma tters con nected ith the The t tio of 1 843 is pr e ceded by a pre liminary discourse by

Mr n . r e w ch i in o re arts con a T oy r, hi is d vided t th e p , t i in a short abs trac the w s on w o e g t of ork it elf, al g ith th r intere s tin nf m n g i or atio . DOM ES TIC M AN N ERS AN D CUS TOM S 1 5 1

m in his n n b The author hi self, i troductio , descri es the work as follows

‘ “ ” In h Da bista n n a n t is book, called The , is co t i ed m t n of n w a n d n t n so e hi g the k o ledge faith of past a io s , a n d n m n of the speeches actio s of oder people, as it has bee n reported by those who kn ow what is m n a n d w a n w a s a ifest , see h t is co cealed ; as ell by who a re m a n d those attached to exterior for s , by those who n n w m n n w m n discer the i ard ea i g, ithout o issio an d m n n w n a n d n a n d di i utio , ithout hatred , e vy , scor , without ta kin g a part for the o n e or a gain st t he other ’ side of t he question .

An d then follow the twelve chapters treatin g of

n n n a h n the religio of the Parsia , Hi dus , T itia (Tibe

n w r n ma n S a da kia hs a a ta s) , Je s , Ch istia s , Mussul s , , V d

hiahs n a n Roshen ia n s Ilahiahs (U it ria s) , , , Philosophers ,

a n d S ufis.

n m w n of m I ter ixed ith a ecdotes , verses, stories iracles , m m m a n d n of s ysticis , spiritualis , all ki ds religiou ’ i Da bista n t n wn in bel ef, the deserves to be bet er k o

a w n w m n i Europe . Sp ce ill ot allo of a co plete a alys s

w e m w l w h of the ork her , but so e extracts i l sho t at m a n y of the ideas con tain ed in it may be traced in

w n n n r the orks of Da te, Milto , Voltaire , Vol ey, Victo

a n d . Hugo, others The description in this work of he a ven a n d hell

n A a Viraf or Viras A . D . 200 as give by rd i p , about , ’ bears a won derful resemblan ce to the Paradiso a nd ’ n n a nd un I fer o , r s thus It is related that when the power of Ardishe r N T A TS 1 5 2 PERS IA POR R I .

a a a n wa s rm a e r m his rt B b g fi ly est blish d , f o vi uous — — Mob e ds a n d Dust a rs coun t ed by thousan ds he s e n n m a m n a n d elect d seve u ble ished s ges free fro si s , addressed them thus : Let whichever of you is able m of a n d n us n l n con divest hi self body, bri g i te lige ce ” c n n a n a e e er i g he ven a n d hell. The seve s g s sel cted m a m n m on e n m A Viraf a n d fro o gst the selves a ed rdai , n n w w n wn he , havi g dru k a cup of hallo ed i e , lay do o n a n d n ot e a n his couch , did arise before the xpir tio of a week ; his spirit through the efficacy of the d n w a n n a m ivi e ord h vi g bee sep rated fro the body, w n n w the six sages all the hile sta di g roun d his pillo . O n the A a a n m eighth day rd i , risi g fro sleep , ordered cr who m m t o w t n a s ibe to be brought , should co it ri i g all wo a n d W n his rds, thus he spoke he I fell asleep An of a m n e n m m the gel Par dise ca e ar. Havi g ade y a m n the m e of m min sal a , I explai ed otiv s y co g to the ‘ o w m n n A . a d n ther orld He took y ha d , said, sce d ’

e . a n d three st ps I obeyed, arrived at the straight m ” bridge o f judg ent .

w e i n w sa w This is follo ed by a d script o of hat he , only equalled by that of Dan te in his Commedia ’ n t he f t n I n o S . . t Divi a, or Revelatio Joh is a

v n a m n n m n isio of the re l s of eter al pu ish e t , of expia

n a n d of in n w a . tio , bliss, the i visible orld after de th ’ A a n t of Da bist a n in g i , the au hor the , his chapter

o n the e i n Ila hia hs a of r l gio of the , tre ts the A disputes of the pe ople of differen t religion s .

m ha of on m si ilar c pter, or series chapters , the sa e ’ e w l n in n w w n the subj ct i l be fou d Vol ey s ork, ritte at

e n d a n a n d n a of the l st ce tury, called The Rui s, or ’ u e m n S rv y of the Revolution of Empires . The eet i g

1 A 54 PERS I N PORTRAITS .

- is truly in spired m en . It said that these great per son a ge s were en abled to divest themselves of corpore al elemen ts to such a degree that they quitted the body at pleasure ; also that they ha d acquired from the

n n w all n w court of heave the k o ledge of scie ces, hether

n wn or ul a n d n n l w k o occ t, co seque t y had the po er of f of exhibitin g extraordin ary works . By the e ficacy these austerities they had ren dered elementary matter m subject to the selves . The Mobed Hoshya r was con versan t with both the

a n d n w a n d m s visible i visible orlds , a ter of the esoteric h m a n d exoteric doctrin es . He used to support i self o n m of his n the extre ities fi gers, so that his body did n ot m n n a c w n in w co e i to co t t ith the grou d , hich position he con tin ued from midn ight until dawn . ’ n m wa s The Mobed Sarosh , sur a ed The Illustrious ,

n who in of f n a sai t elect, the course his li e ever looked upon a woman his mouth wa s n ever polluted with an imal food of a n y description ; he sought ex e n r m w a n d m m t o a mal lusio f o the orld , li ited hi self s l quan tity of food .

If t ou st but n ow the easure of a an on n ea sure h did k pl b d i g pl , ’ T w f n hou ouldst n ever more t alk about the ple asure o se se .

All t m e t him sor s of iraculous stori s are old about , such as his cre a tin g what wa s n ot previously in

n n e m an d n n existe ce ; reveali g s cret atters, co ceali g what wa s eviden t the acceptan ce or fulfilmen t of his pra ye rs ; his performin g a lon g journ ey in a short space of time his kn owledge of thin gs hidden from ' ' ‘ “ ills ZV JI l J un the 581153 5 , and I Q from each other : bring m-r prim e the living of and underst and the la n g ua g e “ s etc t o p roduc e 1 v : : a n » mineral . un i u

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A CH PTER VII .

POLITICAL CONCLUSIONS .

TH E early in v a sion s of In dia from the side of Persia

a n d A n n w m n n a n d for fgha ista are orthy of e tio , ready

n n in n refere ce are here give chro ological order.

A usht a s w n w 5 1 5 B . C. G n a s bout , p (other ise k o

H sta s e s on e of Ka an ian in Darius y p ) , the y k gs , crossed the In dus a n d con quered a n d an n exed the Pun jab a n d n n ot n t the I dus Valley, but did pe etrate far her in n n m to I dia . The con quered provi ce re ain ed more or n n u a n d n of less u der Persia r le , as a portio the

n m u m of of Persia e pire, p to the ti e the fall the

K nia n n . a a 3 3 1 B . C y dy asty, The n ext in vasion of In dia was that of the Greeks

A n 2 w un 3 6 B .C. a s w n der lexa der, about It o i g to

e n a n d n fi m en who a c this exp ditio , to the scie ti c c m n it n was m n wn o pa ied , that I dia really first ade k o

a n d m n n n to Europe , all the ost authe tic I dia dates

a h ve been fixed from this period . The Greeks did

n ot w m n n m r in n a , ho ever, re ai lo g as aste s I dia fter A ’ l n 3 23 B . C . exa der s death , In modern times the first invasion of an y n ote wa s T A O N L S N 1 6 1 POLI IC L C C U IO S .

f m f o o h A D . 1 1 n w o w n . 00 a n d that Mah ud Ghaz i, bet ee

1 024 m n o n w di n n n ade less tha t elve expe tio s i to I dia,

u a n d took Lahore , Dehli , Meer t , Muttra, other parts Of

n n m m n m n Hi dusta , de olished a y idols , levelled a y

m n a n d un m a s te ples to the grou d , pl dered as uch

n ot m or n possible, but did establish hi self his dy asty

in n the cou try . ’ ’

n wa s aim u in A . D . 1 3 9 8 who k The ext T r s, , too

w mm n r a n d n w Dehli ith its i e se treasu es, retur ed ith

m i n n uch plun der to h s ow cou try .

b n n in A . D . 1 505 an d Ba ar Shah first i vaded I dia ,

In 1 2 m n a n a n in 1 5 1 8. 5 5 n ag i he ade his fi al i v sio , a n d on 20th O f A 1 5 26 e w a m n the pril, , sl Ibr hi Husai

a n n O f Lodi , the Path Ki g Of Dehli , at the battle

n a n d a m n e O f the u Pa ipat , bec e the fou d r M ghal

n a n w n in 1 85 7 . dy sty Of I dia, hich e ded

i A . D 1 m a n n a n . 73 9 Nadir Shah arched ag i st I di ,

n a n d w w him co quered the Mughals, brought a ay ith from Dehli a booty Of on e hun dred a n d forty - fiv e m n in w wa s n m n e illio s , hich i cluded the i perial thro

w a m n of a n mm n v a a n d set ith di o ds i e se lue , called the

’ n Peacock s Thro e .

A m A al mm n l u n h ad Shah bd i , co o ly ca led D rra i Shah ,

in A . D . 1 4 In 1 5 a n in vaded In dia first 7 8 . 7 7 he ag i

n fa r a s a n d A a a n d a n adva ced as Dehli gr , fter havi g plun dered a n d m assacred the in habita n ts of various

wn n a n ah . In 1 75 9 n to s , retur ed to K d ar he agai m a n n a t m on n n rched i to I di , his ti e the urge t requisitio

n n m a n d in n 1 76 1 of the i habita ts the selves, Ja uary , , 1 1 A 1 6 2 PERS IAN POR TR ITS .

e d on l n O f n a n d def ate the Mahrattas the p ai s Pa ipat , e n t ered Dehli in triumph .

W n a n d n n ith the exceptio of Babar his desce da ts , n on e o f the m odern in vaders rem ain ed perman en tly

m wn n w in In dia . They ca e do upo her like the olf

‘ on o O fi e n a n d m n o the f ld , carried th ir plu der, ade

n i fixe d settleme t n the coun try.

m u c Fro the side of the sea the D t h, Portuguese ,

n a n d n m n a n d e r Fre ch , E glish ade their desce ts , th i struggles for supremacy in the East are n o w matters

n n a n s o f history . But from these lan d a d sea i v sio

e o n e n n o w ci l n a n d a s ther is thi g to be spe a ly oted , , fa r n a n d n n m m as E gl is co cer ed , to be specially re e

It n r n m bered . is that o fo eig coun try ca n beco e the perma n en t mistress of Hin dustan unless she is a lso m t he istress of sea.

All m n n w n a r the oder i vaders , ith the exceptio Of B ba who un a n a ca m a n d con fo ded the Mugh l dy sty, e

a n d n r a n d n t o own quered plu de ed , retur ed their

n v cou tries . E entually the Mugha l dyn asty fell u n der the domin ion of a race that came from beyon d the se a . An d tha t thispower of the sea is recogn ised by the n a tives themselves the followin g story will

w . n n a n n O f 1 85 7 a s a sho Duri g the I di Muti y , m o f o wa s m a mon m a n of atter c urse, there uch talk g y the n a ti v e chie fs (n o n ames n eed be men tion ed) as t o w s o wa s a n who hat they h uld do . It questio as to

for e n a . e c n b n should Op the b ll Each d li ed to egi , va rious re a son s ; a n d the o n e given by the ruler of a n ta t e n o t fa r r m se a was t his n t ative s f o the , tha cou ry

A 1 64 PERS IAN POR TR ITS .

n pla y them O ff on e again st the other. O e day they

a re for n n n a n d all Russia, a other day for E gla d ; so

the game goes on . Years ago the policy adopted

t w wa s t o n n m n t o o ards Persia se d expe sive issio s her,

n d t o n d of m n on h r a spe d a great eal o ey e . But it w l a s foun d that she w a s t oo a bsorben t . She took a l

l a n d w ma n m b ut that she cou d get, al ays de ded ore ,

f r n n in An d s did very little o E gla d return . o that

w n ga me wa s isely give up . Our presen t a ttitude towards Persia ca n on ly be o n e

of a n a n d so it h m n n passive Observ tio , s ould re ai u til

n — a n d n a n there is a reaso a good , stro g , v lid reaso

W n n n t o in terfere actively . hile her orther provi ces

a re a m n l n n n l ost e tire y u der the i flue ce Of Russia, her southern provinces a n d the Persia n Gulf ought t o

remain un der o ur in fluen ces . It is there where our

in a n d for n terests lie , these should be kept the be efit

of an d n n a n a or Persia E gla d , a third p rt er or p rticipat

in m n the ot bein g required .

A ha s Hirat her fter Russia established herself at ,

n a m wi t o m wa in rs a n d ext g e ll be ake rail ys Pe ia, by

t m e ns n mm n n w h hat a , if possible , ope up co u icatio s it

c t he Persian Gulf. It is t o be hoped tha t this poli y

w u n for s a ml a s e ill be str ggled agai st , Ru si fir y est bli h d in the Persia n Gulf would be a stan din g men ace t o

n a on n e a n A I di o side d sia Min or on the other.

As e a d A n t n o a ur o . T re r g r s fgha is a , p licy is cle r he will doubtless be an other sca re in En glan d when

a m v s on B i .w r n w l Russi o e rat , hich she ce tai ly il

f a is r f r do on e o these da ys. The v lley ve y e tile I POLITICAL CON CL US ION S . 65 a nd n mm n n a n d n or the positio very co a di g , soo er

w w n n later Russia ill put her p a upo it . Is E glan d prepa red t o go t o wa r with Russia if she takes Hira t 7 That is the question which will have t o be discussed on e of a n d w n a on e these days , it ill be a co troversi l ,

m n on on e m n on . a y side , a y the other As everybody is en titled to hold his own ideas on a n n d a t o n y subject (i deed , i e s appear be the o ly

m n n wa is property that a y people possess o days) , so it

m m n per itted to quote i e , though , Of course , it does n ot w a a n w of m follo th t there should be y follo ers the ,

or in m . B out our believers the irat is really of beat, t oo m a n d m our n n far fro the sea, too far fro I dia m frontier for us t o arch a n a rmy there . If we on ce

w n we n b e it. Let e t there , should ever able to leave

n n o ur m n us look at the dista ces . Pishi , ost adva ced

1 1 5 m m n n a post, is iles fro Ka dahar ; Ka d har to

75 m k B 279 m or Girishk , iles ; Girish to irat, iles ;

4 6 9 m in w or w iles all , ithout roads rail ay, carriage ,

or en route . O n n n stores , forage the other ha d, Ka da

a n d a re w n our e a a n d n n m t har Kabul ithi b t, E gla d us be prepared t o defen d a n d fight for both those places

n if they are directly threate ed by Russia. When the

w wa s n we n our own ork do e , could agai retire to

n n t n t o w fro tiers , stre g he ed as they ought be ith rail

w n m a n d c m al n m ays behi d the fortified a ps o g the , these last bein g occupied by stron g forces ready fo r ’ a m m n n active serv ice t a o e t s otice .

In our al in w A n n mu politic deal gs ith fgha ista , it st always be remembered that Engla n d is dealin g with a 1 66 AN PERS I POR TRAITS .

n n n n n e ma n cou try e tirely depe de t on the life Of o . In all coun tries life is a m ost un certain elemen t to

w in Af n n so a n d treat ith gha ista it is doubly , there also t o the un certain ties Of life must be added the

e n An Am of possibiliti s of revolutio a n d exile . ir

A n n d a n d n t o - m w fgha ista is here to ay go e orro . What fixed policy ca n be adopted to suit such a case 13

1 st n a s i t he n a . I terfere as little possible w th i tern l

m n n or ff A n n e ad i istratio a airs of fgha ista , but giv

e n m n or n n n t o pres ts of o ey a ual subsidies, accordi g

m n circu sta ces.

2n d the n m . Let ruler Of the cou try for the ti e being understan d that En glan d is always ready to en ter into a defen sive treaty as far as Kan dahar a nd Kabul are con cern ed ; for the in depen den ce of which En glan d m ust ever be ready to fight .

3 rd . A t a n n n ot lso , h t, though E gla d is prepared to en t er in to a n y treaty as regards B irat an d t he

n on w l n cou tries the Oxus, still she il leave that questio open t o be decided or settled as circumstan ces m ay

m n m n on e arise , her sy pathies regardi g the bei g the sid of Af n a n gha ist .

H in n n two of itherto , I dia , there have bee schools politica l thought so fa r as o ur fron tier policy wa s con ~ ’

n . on e m n cer ed The , the asterly i activity school, presided over by Lord Da lhousie a n d Sir John Law

n a n d S ir m a m . re ce , Sir Charles Napier Ja es Outr ’ w s w s The other, the for ard chool, hose advocate appear t o have been Lord Aucklan d an d Lord Lytton

I 68 PERS IAN POR TRAITS . politics the combin ation s a n d the complication s a re n m a n d can nl w as n u erous , o y be dealt ith they prese t m the selves . Of the in vasion O f In dia by Russia in the n ear ob future there is n ot much chan ce . It is a very big j an d f it n n w ll n be ore is u dertake Russia i e deavour,

t o n w of probably, rouse the feeli gs of the hole the t n al A a n d A n n t o ribes Of Ce tr sia, Persia, fgha ista , rise en ma sse a n d descen d with her upon the fertile plain s of n t n of n a s r Hi dus a . The prospects plu der are dea to those wild m en tod ay as they were in the times of

m m a n d Mah ud , Tai ur, Babar, Nadir Shah ; but the n n w it m w ext i vaders ill , is hoped, eet ith a resolute

n Oppositio .

wa s w w m s n t o n If Paris ell orth a a s, accordi g He ry

so n of n di w l w Of Navarre , the sovereig ty I a is e l orth

a n d n n m alw a struggle, for that struggle E gla d ust ays

a f n n a n be prep red. It is useless or her to depe d o y

w in or in A n n for po er Europe, Persia or fgha ista , as sistan ce ; she must depen d upon herself alon e a n d u n own n n fi po her I dia subjects to ght her battles.

As n n n n O f n di lo g as E gla d is true to the i terests I a,

w a n d m n a n d treats her ith justice oderatio , gives her

a l n n t n people gradu ly i creasi g poli ical privileges , so lo g w n we d n ill I dia be true to her . Of course o ot love ’ n n l n n v n re the E glish , as a very i te lige t ati e o ce m we n in arked, but co sider that the present state Of feelin g an d of civilization in In dia it is better to have the En glish over us than a ny other n ation a nd

n n n n n certai ly E gla d is i fi itely preferable to Russia. TI A N N 1 6 POLI C L CO CL US IO S . 9

S o m we al t o n e day, perhaps , sh l be able gover ’ o urselves . In dealin g with Asiatics it must always be remem

e r w n a n d l b ed that they orship the risi g star , ike to

n be o the winn in g side . Nothin g ha s such a fascin a

n m a s a n d tio for the success , their gratitude is

n for f r t o m a n d n ot u ge erally avou s co e , for favo rs

s pa t . This was amusin gly illustrated on ce at a meetin g held t o do somethin g to perpetuate the m m of mm n of n who e ory a Co issio er a large provi ce ,

w for w - n a n d who wa s had orked years for its ell bei g,

n his n e n m leavi g post . O of the atives re arked that he would n ot min d subscribin g to do somethin g for

n e w mm n m wh m n wa s the Co issio er, fro o everythi g to be expected ; but that it wa s hardly worth while doin g

n n n on e a s m wa s a n d a ythi g for the retiri g , his ti e up , w his day as over .

At m m t m n m n the sa e ti e, credi ust be give to very a y n n for a al n atives Of I dia the loy lty, liber ity, ge erosity, a n d n n n on ge ui e good feeli g, that they have displayed

m n n a n d t . n e a y occasio s, both publicly priva ely I de d, a s n n of n m c m t o a rule , the i habita ts I dia are u h ore

a A n n be trusted than those Of Persia n d fgha ista .

W n a n d w t hile the Persia s are clever it y, deceitful a n d n ot t he Af n a n d courageous, gha s are rough

t r a n d n n n . reacherous , but ve y brave i depe de t Both n ation s have a w on derful love of m on ey ; a n d in future troubles with Russia in that quart er our states m en m n ot f m n ust orget that o ey, judiciously dis

h m an d in wa tributed at t e proper ti e the proper y,