THE

ANVÁR-I SUHAILÍ;

OR,

THE LIGHTS OF CANOPUS;

BEING THE PERSIAN VERSION OF

THE FABLES OF PILPAY;

OR,

THE BOOK "KALÍLAH AND DAMNAH,"

RENDERED INTO PERSIAN BY HUSAIN VÁ'IZ U'L-KÁSHIFÍ:

EDWARD B. EASTWICK, F.R.S., F.S.A., M.R.A.S.,

MADRAS

EAST-

MEMBER OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETIES OF PARIS AND BOMBAY; HONORARY MEMBER OF THE
LITERARY SOCIETY; ETC.; PROFESSOR OF ORIENTAL LANGUAGES, AND LIBRARIAN IN THE
INDIA COLLEGE, HAILEYBURY; AND TRANSLATOR OF THE "GULISTAN" "BAGU O BAHAR," ETC.

Just as thou hearest now from Pahlaví,
'Kalilah' donned the Arab garb we see:
Till Nasar's time, unchanged, it thus survived;
But when great Nasar in the world arrived,
Wise Abú'l Fazal, vazir of the State-
Storehouse of wit and peerless in debate-
Bade it appear clothed in the Persian tongue:
He gave the word, and lo! the task was done.
And thus transcribed, new wisdom breathed in it,
Its guiding precepts shone with added wit,
And its great Patron thus bequeathed to fame-
To sight and soul-the impress of his Name.

To Rúdaki the praises all belong;

The blind bard heard and clothed the tales in song.
"T was he that ranged the words at random flung,
Pierced the fair pearls and them together strung.

FIRDAUSI.

HERTFORD:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY STEPHEN AUSTIN,

BOOKSELLER TO THE EAST-INDIA COLLEGE.

M.DCCC.LIV.

GR 305

.B585

E5

1854

ΤΟ

HER MOST GRACIOUS

MAJESTY,

QUEEN VICTORIA.

MADAM,

It is recorded that Núshírván, the most powerful monarch of his age, sent a high officer of state to procure a translation of the original of this work. It is further stated that when, after years of toil and difficulty, the translation was obtained, it was deposited in the cabinet of the king's most precious treasures, and was regarded as a model of wisdom and didactic philosophy.

The light of knowledge is now, however, so universally diffused, that, but for your Majesty's gracious condescension, the translation of the same book into English would be a work of too little merit or importance to deserve notice.

In one point of view, however, the gracious permission to dedicate this translation to your Majesty, may be regarded as likely to have important results, as it may lead other and more worthy laborers to open up to the English public a Literature, which delights and guides the immense population of your Majesty's Empire in the East, and which still remains to a great extent unknown and unexplored in Europe.

Every fresh proof, indeed, of the interest which your Majesty takes in matters relating to India, will undoubtedly be received by the inhabitants of that vast country with grateful feelings; and that such feelings may long be perpetuated and augmented, is the prayer of,

MADAM,

Your Majesty's most loyal and devoted

Servant and subject,

EDWARD B. EASTWICK.