1873.] Annual Report. 37 



wise. Even as it is, after collating so many copies, the editing and reprint- 

 ing of a correct text would be, by no means, a light or an easy task. 



' It will be observed that I have commenced the translation from Sec- 

 tion VII., and from that Section, it will embrace the whole work. The 

 first six contain — I, an account of the Prophets, Patriarchs, etc., the ancestors 

 of Muhammad, and his life ; II., III., IV., the history of the Khalifahs ; and 

 VI., the kings of Yam an. All these are of very little importance. The Vth 

 Section is somewhat more important, and relates the history of the early 

 Persian kings, but also contains so many errors, that a volume might be 

 filled with notes to_correct and explain it, and, therefore, I determined to 

 omit it. I can give a brief resume of the contents of those Sections to pre- 

 cede Section VII, on completing the translation. 



' My references to Elliot's India are not directed, of course, to the whole 

 of that work, but, merely to those portions of the Tabaqat i Naciri contained 

 in it, which appear to have been taken chiefly from the printed text, and con- 

 sequently very considerable differences will be found to exist between that 

 translation and mine, which I have endeavoured to make available for the 

 general reader, and not for scholars alone. 



' I do nOt expect there will be many typographical errors — even of a 

 minor nature — but of such as may be found to have crept in, I will, on com- 

 pletion of the work, give a list, with the Index and title page. 



The long and unctuous adulations addressed to, and the constant prayers 

 offered for, the " Sultan of the Sultans of both Turk and 'Ajam," to whom the 

 author dedicated his work, have been generally omitted or greatly reduced, 

 and some of the introductions to Sections also, which are in a similar style, 

 have been cut short, but in all other' cases, I have not " compressed" the 

 translation in the least degree, and I may say that I have weighed every 

 word and sentence, and have omitted nothing, not even the poetical quota- 

 tions. I may have to compress some of the longer poetical extracts, if of no 

 particular merit or interest, but not otherwise. 



' I have noticed a very remarkable difference in the mode of expression 

 in scores of places — the signification the same, but so very differently ex- 

 pressed — so much so, indeed, as to give one the idea that the Persian text 

 must be a translation from another language. I have only space to men- 

 tion this briefly now, but hope to do so in my prefatory remarks to the 

 whole work, when complete. 



' Although the notes are numerous, and some somewhat long, I think 

 it will be found that they were necessary to correct the author's incorrect 

 statements, and the serious blunders he often makes. I may truly say 

 I have neither spared time nor labour, in endeavouring to make the trans- 

 lation acceptable to the Society and the public. 



' I cannot close this report without referring, briefly, to the kindness 



