72 Oriental Literature. 



and poetical, from the Arabic, in the course of 

 the last fifty years, may also be mentioned as favour- 

 able to the same object. 



PERSIAN LITERATURE. 



The Persian language was also an object of con- 

 siderable attention, and the knowledge of Persian 

 literature made some progress in Europe during 

 the last age. It was before remarked that the la- 

 bours of Dr. Hyde, towards the close of the se- 

 venteenth century, contributed much to the pro- 

 motion of this object. This gentleman, from va- 

 rious Persian and Arabian writings, from the rela- 

 tions of travellers, together with numerous letters 

 from persons in the east, compiled his celebrated 

 work on the Ancient Persians, which has been 

 ever since regarded as a standard work in this 

 branch of literature. Since that time much has 

 been accomplished in the same field of inquiry. 

 An attempt will be made to select a few out of 

 the numerous facts and names which might be 

 mentioned under this head. 



About the middle of the century M. Anquetil 

 du Perron, of France, made a voyage to the East, 

 for the purpose of recovering the writings of Zo- 

 roaster, or Zaratusht, the celebrated ancient 

 philosopher, who is said to have reformed, or 

 founded, the religion of the Magi. After spend- 

 ing a number of years in Persia and India, and 

 applying himself to Persian literature with great 

 zeal, he returned to his own country in 1761, and 

 not long afterwards published a work under the 

 title of Zend-Avesta, a work ascribed to Zoroas- 

 ter, and said to contain his pretended revelations. 

 Though it seems to be generally agreed that this 



