K. 6 (University Library, Cambridge University)
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E. G. Browne Collection
Contents
Summary of Contents: شهرستان و غیره A MS. from the late Sir A. Houtum-Schindler's library containing four Persian
treatises on geography, cosmography and the like, namely: (1) A geographical poem in the mutagárib metre, composed in Sha'bán, 977/
January, 1570, by Hukmi or Hikmati of Turkistán (ff. 1-57), incomplete at end,
beginning: آغاز كتاب شهرستان رشك بوستان و گلستان من كلام حکمی شاعر ترکستان برغم دوشمنان (sic) بکام دوستان که باشد خدا بر خداوندگان
بنام خداوند جان و جهان
شه دین و دنیا محمد امین
بحق رسول طريق يقين
مطبع رسول جهان آفرین
علی ولی شاه مردان دین The date of composition is mentioned in the 14th bayt, and the title in the
sixteenth. The chief cities and districts celebrated are Mashhad, Jám, Bákharz,
Sarakhs, Herát, Qandahár, Sístán and other towns in Khurásán, Jurján, 'Iráq,
Mazandaran, Adharbayjan, Fars, China, Central Asia, Georgia and Kurdistan,
Probably only one page is missing at the end, since the last section (p. 57) is
described as the "Conclusion of the Book" (s). The poem is of little
interest, and the verse is very bad, being full of false quantities. (2) A Persian work entitled "Ajá ibu'l-Mahhlágát ("the Wonders of Creation"),
ascribed to Muhammad ibn Mahmud ibn Ahmad at-Tiri (? at-Tabari) as-Salmani,
beginning : حمد و سپاس خدایرا که صورت ما را از قطره آب بنگاشت و بخودی خود برآن ثنا گفت قال
الله تبارك وتعالى وصوركم فاحسن صوركم الخ It occupies ff. 58-207 and is divided into ten chapters called Rukn, of which
the first (f. 62") treats of the Angels, spirits and celestial bodies; the second
(f. 74") of fire, meteors, lightning, rainbows and winds; the third (f. 76%) of the
earth, waters and mountains; the fourth (f. 94") of notable cities, countries and
buildings; the fifth (f. 116) of trees; the sixth (f. 121) of talismans, buried
treasures, and the tombs of famous kings and prophets; the seventh (f. 126") of the
psychology, vanity and races of man, of prophetic miracles, the natural sciences,
especially Alchemy and Medicine, and of Predestination and the Resurrection;
the eighth (f. 156") of the Jinn, and various diabolic creatures; the ninth (f. 162") of
wonderful birds; the tenth (f. 167") of wonderful beasts and reptiles, concluding
with an account of seventy-two dívs or demons and the talismans appropriate to
each. (3) An anonymous treatise on geography and cosmography entitled Risála dar
Masáḥat u Jaghráfiyá u Hay'at (ff. 207-240b), beginning: بعد بر الحمد لله الذي زين السماء الدنيا بزينة الكواكب ونوّر وجه الغبرا باشعتها الثواقب ... اما.
ضمیر منیر ارباب فطنت و خاطر مستنیر اصحاب خبرت واضح و لایح است که معرفت هیئت اجسام
سفلی و اوضاع اجرام علوی از اشرف مطالب و اعلی مراتب است It comprises an Introduction (f. 208) on elementary geometrical conceptions,
two Discourses, the first (f. 209") dealing with the measurements of the earth's surface
and the definition of the Seven Climes, and the second (f. 233b) with the measure-
ments of the heavens, planets and stars, and a Conclusion (f. 237) dealing with
certain religious obligations demanding some knowledge of these sciences. The
colophon (on f. 240) is dated Saturday, the 2nd of Ramadán, 1085/Nov. 30, 1674.
(4) The Conclusion (Khátima) of Mírkhwánd's Rawdatu's-Safá (ff. 241-305),
entitled: خاتمه در بیان بدایع صنایع ملك صانع و آنچه نگاشته كلك قدرت اوست بی مانع و منازع ، Copied by Khán Muḥammad ibn 'Abdi'lláh ibn 'Abdi'l-Khaliq ibn 'Abdi'l-
Jalil in 1085/1674-5. Ff. 305 of 34 x 22'3 c. and 21 ll., legible ta'liq with rubrications.Physical Description
Form: codexSupport: PaperExtent: Ff. 305Dimensions: 34 × 22.3 cm.Layout
21 lines
Hand(s)
legible ta'liq with rubrications
History
Origin: 1085 AH; 1674 CEProvenance and Acquisition
A MS. from the late Sir A. Houtum-Schindler's library
Bequest of E. G. Browne.
Record Sources
Summary, physical description and provenance copied from R. A. Nicholson: A descriptive catalogue of the Oriental MSS belonging to the late E.G. Browne. Cambridge, 1932.Availability
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Funding of Cataloguing
JISC
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