298 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XII, 1916.] 



p. 322 of histhird volume. The whole seems to have been dedi- 

 cated to Shah Isma'il Safawi, and the present volume, which 

 is plainly the conclusion of the whole, closes with an account 

 of the perfections of this monarch and a recital of his praises. 

 The contents are as follows : — 



Pages 1-6 Preface, in which the author states that he, 



being a Shl'a, ha? been led to combat some 

 of the errors made in Khwandamir's account 

 of this period. It is noteworthy that the 

 date of composition of the Habibal-Siyar is 

 stated to be a.h. 927. 



Pages 6-280. A detailed history of Shah Isma'il's reign. 



Pages 280-305. An account of the poets and philosophers 



then nourishing in Persia. 



Pages 306-411. A collection of curious stories, geographi- 

 cal descriptions, and the like, mainly bor- 

 rowed from Khwandamlr. the Matla'al-Sa'- 

 dain, and other sources. 



The date of composition of the work was a.h. 930, as is 

 shown by the ta rikh. 



eAol^ 3, ^ and u^ ^j, ^ 



I hope to publish before long some extracts from Mirza 

 Barkhwardar s book, illustrating the extent of his indebtedness 

 to Khwandamlr. My object in giving this premature and 

 imperfect account of the fragment I have examined is to 

 obtain, if possible, particulars of anv other MSS. of it which 

 may be in existence It would appear from the catalogues that 

 there is no copy m the British Museum, the India Office or the 



