2 EDINBURGH CABINET LIBRARY. 



In his account of the religion of Zoroaster, the Author has trusted 

 principally to three sources; First, To the works of Anquetil du Perron, 

 whose persevering zeal has accomplished a translation of those curious 

 relics of Magian lore entitled the Zendavesta, and explored every source 

 of ancient and modern literature calculated to throw light upon the sub- 

 ject ; secondly, To the writings of the ingenious Abbe Foucher, who has 

 examined it with great critical ability ; and, thirdly, To the less vo- 

 luminous, but most perspicuous and conclusive disquisitions of Mr Wil- 

 liam Erskine, who, in addition to his accurate knowledge of European 

 learning, has brought to the investigation an intimate acquaintance with 

 Oriental languages, and the advantage of a familiar intercourse with some 

 very intelligent Parsee doctors. The labours of these three gentlemen 

 appear to have exhausted the subject, so far as materials for inquiry or 

 conjecture are considered. 



In describing the antiquities of Persia, the Author has corrected and 

 enlarged his own observations by the accounts of other travellers ; among 

 whom, Chardin and Niebuhr at an earlier period, and Sir Robert Ker 

 Porter and Morier in our own day, will be found to give the amplest and 

 most accurate details. 



In all that relates to the nature and resources of the government, the 

 classification and character of the people, to the wandering tribes, and, in 

 short, the substance of the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Chapters, the Au- 

 thor has not trusted to his own researches alone, but has converted to his 

 use many original materials, furnished upon the spot by persons in every 

 way qualified to afford the best information. For this reason he believes 

 that these chapters will be found to contain a considerable mass of new 

 and very interesting matter. 



For the account of Afghanistan, he is principally indebted to the va- 

 luable work of Mr Elphinstone, the correctness of which, so far as he had 

 it in his power to inquire, was in every instance confirmed. The latter 

 part of the history, from the dethronement of Shah Sujah ul MulkJS-- 

 cluding the adventures of Futeh Khan, the vizier, is abridged from a 

 statement of facts communicated to the Author while in Khorasan. 



The scientific notice contained in the Twelfth Chapter is entirely fur- 

 nished from observations made by him while he employed his leisure in 

 collecting a number of specimens for the Geological Society of London. 

 A more extended account of the geognostical relations and mineralogy of 

 Persia is greatly to be desired. In a climate so little different from that 

 of contiguous countries no great novelty was to be expected in the natural 

 productions. But a short account of the principal animals and vegetables 

 is given, in which such as are in any respect remarkable have received 

 particular notice. 



It remains to speak of the decorations of the volume. These, with one 

 exception, the portrait of Abbas Mirza, which by permission was taken 

 from the excellent picture by Sir Robert Ker Porter, are engraved from 

 drawings taken on the spot by the Author. They were chosen from an 

 extensive collection, more with the view of illustrating the text and con- 

 veying characteristic ideas of the country, than for producing a merely 

 picturesque effect. He, however, hopes that neither of these objects has 

 been overlooked, and that they will in no respect fall short of any hitherto 

 presented to the readers of the EDINBURGH CABINET LIBRARY. 



PRINTED FOR OLIVER & BOYD, EDINBURGH ; SIMPKIN & MARSHALL, 

 LONDON ; AND WILLIAM CURRY, JUN. & CO. DUBLIN. 



