The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians

no pretensions to beauty of style or felicity of diction, a clear representation of his meaning is of more importance than an exact reproduction of his words. So the object aimed at has been to make the translation an accurate but a free and readable version of the original text.1

Shams-i Siráj, the author of the other Tárikh-i Fíroz Sháhí, is a writer of a very different character. A painstaking and laborious chronicler, he enters into details of little moment to the general reader, but of importance to the historian and archæologist. Valuable as a recorder of facts and details, he is not an author who will be read for the interest of his narrative, or the excellence of his style.

The short but interesting work of the Sultán Fíroz Sháh, almost as rare in India as in Europe, is now first brought to notice. The Editor has made the translation from a unique copy belonging to Mr. E. Thomas.

Tímúr's irruption into India is fully represented by the extracts from his own memoirs, and from the work of his panegyrist, Sharafu-d dín Yazdí; but there is more matter in store upon this period from other writers.

1 Lest this statement should excite a feeling of misgiving as to the licence taken with the Text, the Editor refers to Nos. IV., 1869, and I., 1870, of the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, in which a literal translation of the history of 'Aláu-d dín's reign has been published since the present translation has been in print.

In the Appendix there is a careful and exhaustive analysis by Sir H. Elliot of several of the poetical works of Amír Khusrú, from which he has culled all the passages which, in his judgment, have an historical bearing. He has performed the same office for a far inferior poet, Badr Chách. The two succeeding articles are the work of the Editor. The first is taken from an article in the Notices et Extraits des MSS.; the other from the Travels of Ibn Batúta. The former is but little known, and in India is almost inaccessible. Both these works were published in French. They afford many curious and interesting illustrations of the period covered by this volume; so to bring them to the knowledge of the many Indian readers who are conversant with our own tongue, copious extracts, translated into English, have been here introduced.

The following is a statement of the various articles. in this volume, with the names of their respective authors, and to this the reader is referred if he desires. to ascertain the authority for any article or passage. It will be seen that somewhat more than two-thirds of the contents have been supplied by the Editor, and this has made it undesirable to keep up throughout the use of the brackets [] to mark the Editor's additions. Where this table shows a translation to have been made by the Editor, the whole of it, notes and all, are to be considered his, and no brackets are used. Sir H. M. Elliot had made preparation, more or less,

for all the bibliographical notices: in these, and in those translations which the table shows to have been made by Sir H. Elliot, or by his coadjutors, the brackets indicate the Editor's additions.

X.-Jámi'u-t Tawáríkh-A munshí revised by Editor.
XI.—Táríkh-i Wassáf-Part by Sir H. M. Elliot and part by
a munshi, revised by him.

XII.-Táríkh-i Binákití-A few lines by Editor.
XIII.-Táríkh-i Guzída-Revised by Editor.

XIV. Táríkh-i 'Aláí.—Sir H. M. Elliot.

XV.-Táríkh-i Fíroz Sháhí, of Zíáu-d dín Barní-Editor. XVI. Táríkh-i Fíroz Sháhí, of Shams-i Siráj-Editor. XVII.-Futuhát-i Fíroz Sháhí.-Editor.

XVIII.-Malfúzát-i Tímúrí-Page 394 to 421 by Mr. C. E. Chapman, B.C.S.; page 422 to 477 by Editor.

XIX.-Zafar-náma-Editor.

APPENDIX.

A.-Poems of Amír Khusrú-Sir H. M. Elliot.

B.-Poems of Badr Chách-Sir H. M. Elliot.

C.-Masáliku-1 Absár-Editor.

D.-Travels of Ibn Batúta.-Editor.

E.-Notes on the Táríkh-i Fíroz Sháhí-Editor.

The Editor much regrets the length of time which the printing of this Volume has occupied. The delay has, in some degree, arisen from causes over which he had no control, but principally from his having had to supply so large a portion of the matter from his own pen. When the extent of this is taken into consideration, the time engaged may not appear excessive.