Persian MS 340 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)
Persian Manuscripts
Contents
سر اکبر
سر اسرار
While the scribe does not indicate the exact date of completion, a note by the colophon in Jones' hand states that he received it as . Chand and Na'īnī published a critical edition in 1957, reprinted in 1961. For analyses of the text, see Chand, Hasrat, D’Onofrio, and Gandhi. Translated into Latin by Antuqueil Duperron in 1801–1802. For two copies of a chronicle composed by the same author that recounts the lives of various saints and holy men, see Rylands Persian MS 164 and 193.
Physical Description
Collation
Condition
Layout
Written in 1 column with 15 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.
Hand(s)
Copied in clear black nasta‘līq script with red subheaders by Ḥāfiẓ Muḥammad ‘Azīm.
Marginalia: Copious notes throughout in the hand of Sir William Jones.
Inscriptions:
- The first right flyleaf a side (f. ia) signed:
‘S. H. Lewin, 1831
Bot at the sale of
Lady Jones's books’ by former owner Samuel Hawtayne Lewin, who adds:
‘Sir W.m Jones mentions this MS. in Works 8.vo Ed.n Vol. 13 p. 366
and gives Extracts—’.
Another inscribed in Jones' hand serves as a half-title: ‘The Upanishad or Chapters or the Véda, on the Being and Attributes of GOD translated by the Prince Dárá Shucúh, Y.H. 1067 Y.C. 1656 compared with the original. W. Jones.’ - Folio 329a, by the colophon, bears three dated notes in Sir William Jones's hand:
‘Negligently Ccollated amd corrected by Rájá Anandrám,
a learned Pandit, agent for the Minster
of the Vazeír 'Asafuddaulah, at Lac'hnaú,
whence it was sent by Col. Polier,
and recevied by me at Ra∫sapaágla,
3 May
1785’
A second note underneath adds: ‘Góverdhana informs me that He
Po∫se∫es the Sanscrĭt Original
of Ten of this work, called Upanishads
21 Dec. 1786 ’
adding ‘So do I
and more 1793’
In miniscule pencile, Samuel Hawtayne Lewin adds:
‘See Sir W. Jones Works
Vol. 13th 8.vop. 366’.
Binding
Probably rebound in Britain, possibly for subsequent owner Samuel Hawtayne Lewin.
Sewn on three raise cords, with endpapers of British-made laid paper with ~8 laid lines per cm and ~28 mm between chain lines, applied over the right flyleaves that commence the volume, but added as a folio surrrounding the left flyleaves, evidently to reattach them after becoming loose. Laced into pasteboards, edges trimmed and coloured bright yellow, with single-core decorative front-bead endbands sewn at head and tail. Boards covered in full reverse calfskin leather.
Twisted impressions by the spine bands reflect the binder tying up the volume in a lying press, not hand-tooling. The second panel down bears the title ‘UPANISHAD’ paletted in gold.
232 × 204 × 50 mm.
Handle binding with caution. In fair, but stable condition, with abrasion to the exterior, bumped lower corners, and broken tailcap.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
After Jones death, his wife Lady Anna Maria Jones (1748–1829) inherited the volume, then after her death, the London firm of R. H. Evans (1778–1857) sold it on 20 May 1831 (lot 436), to bookseller John George Cochrane (1781–1852), who likely acted as an agent on behalf of Chancery Court Clerk and Royal Asiatic Society member Samuel Hawtayne Lewin (1795–1840), for whom he evidently also obtained other ex-Jones volumes (e.g. Rylands Persian MS 187 and 240; see Lawrence, 'Building a Library', pp. 34, 70, Appendix 3).
After Lewin's death, his family evidently sold his manuscripts, largely then obtained by scholar Nathaniel Bland (1803–1865) for his library at Randalls Park, Leatherhead.
After Bland's death, London bookseller Bernard Quaritch (1819–1899) sold his oriental manuscripts to Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880) in June, 1866, paid in two instalments of £450 and £400, and then moved to Bibliotheca Lindesiana at Haigh Hall, Wigan.
Purchased by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1901 from James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford (1847–1913).
Bequeathed by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1908 to the John Rylands Library.
Record Sources
Bibliographical description based on an index created by Reza Navabpour circa 1993, derived from a manuscript handlist by Michael Kerney, circa 1890s and his Bibliotheca Lindesiana, Hand-list of Oriental Manuscripts: Arabic, Persian, Turkish, 1898.
Manuscript description by Jake Benson in 2023 with reference to the volume in hand.
Availability
To book an in-person or online appointment to consult the manuscript, visit Using the Special Collections Reading Rooms. For any other enquiries please email uml.special-collections@manchester.ac.uk.
Bibliography
Funding of Cataloguing
Iran Heritage Foundation
The John Rylands Research Institute
The Persian Heritage Foundation
The Soudavar Memorial Foundation
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