The Dabistan, by SHEA, David, & Anthony Troyer (eds.) - 1843: or School of Manners, translated from the Original Persian, with Notes and Illustrations.

Paris: Printed for the Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland, 1843. First complete edition in English of this "important [Persian] text of the Azar Kayvani pseudo-Zorostrian sect. It was written anonymously between the years 1645 and 1658 and contains important information particularly about the prevalent religions of India in the 17th century" (Encyclopaedia Iranica). The author, erroneously identified by Sir William Jones as one Muhsin Fani, appears to have composed most of the text during the reign of Shah Jahan, travelling to various parts of India to study different religious creeds; his attempt to keep his identity secret probably reflects the orthodox religious climate subsequently promulgated by Awrangzeb (r. 1658-1707). Each chapter is devoted to the beliefs of a different group, including Parsis, Hindus, Tibetans, Jews, Christians, Muslims, and (treated separately) Sufis, as well as smaller communities. The Persian text was printed in Calcutta in 1809; a partial translation by Francis Gladwin had previously appeared in the New Asiatic Miscellany (1789). This edition is scarce, with seven copies listed at auction since 1933. 3 volumes, tall octavo. Original green cloth, paper-spine labels, edges untrimmed. From the library of British Arabist and colonial agent Col. S. B. Miles (1838-1914), with printed bookplates noting his widow's bequest of the collection to Bath Public Library in 1920, manuscript shelf-marks to spines and front-pastedowns, and blind-stamps to the text as usual. Spine-labels largely missing, vol. 1 spine chipped at foot, vols. 2 and 3 slightly nicked, skilful restoration to joints, sides lightly rubbed, tips bumped, endpapers browned, occasional light spotting, vol. 2 sigs. 21-2 foxed more heavily, occasional pale-tide marks to margins of vols. 2 and 3, only touching the text in vol. 3 contents. A good copy.