The Dabistan

518

cription of such a book is, on account of the errors
which may be committed, an object of hesitation
and reflection, it should therefore be drawn in the
Win of print. As obedience to the order of a lord is
praiseworthy, necessary, important, and not devoid
of various manifest advantages, therefore was printed
the beforesaid copy, which is replete with the fun-
damentals of each religion and sect, and a collection
of the dogmas of all creeds and sects explicitly and
distinctively, in order to diffuse the useful notes and
disseminate the precious gems in such a manner,
that the colleagues in study may derive from the
reading of this work an abundant advantage, and a
sufficient satisfaction. Thus, a multitude of copies

in this countrv, which came under the view of the
tj'

editor, contained numerous errors, alterations, and
contradictions of vicious expressions; afterwards,
with extreme care and pains to obtain the authentic
copy which had come into my possession from the
town of the King of the World (Delhi], the doubts
and faults have been, as much as possible, discarded,
and the editor carried it to a manifest correction.
Besides, on account of different idioms and techni-
cal phrases of each sect, the understanding and inter-
pretation of frequent expressions of this book were
difficult without having recourse to dictionaries; on
that account, and for the convenience of those who
consider and the utility of those who investigate,