extensive annotations

One of the earliest attempts to produce a compendium and dictionary of legal terms used in India by one of the pioneers in Arabic printing in Europe. One of the earliest texts printed in England with nastaliq script, which Samuel Russeau had initially commissioned for The Flowers of Persian Literature (1801).

Samuel Russeau (1763–1820) established the Arabic Press in London, published some of the first English translations of several important Arabic and Persian works, and compiled some of the earliest Arabic-English and Persian-English language texts, of which this is one. His works contributed significantly to early study in Persian texts and his dictionaries were vital to the East India Company and their officers acting in India.

This volume was evidently in the hands of an English traveller in India, to be used as a working dictionary for their time spent there. It is adorned throughout in near-contemporary annotations which pertain to the use of certain words in context or alternative meanings, as well as notes for their personal use relating to the East India Company.

Second edition; 8vo (175 x 115 mm); printed in English and Farsi, considerable near-contemporary manuscript notes to margins and spaces in first and last few leaves as well as intermittent in text, title page a little frayed with small marginal repair, inner hinges strengthened; contemporary calf rebacked and recornered, gilt lettering piece to spine, well annotated otherwise a very good restored copy; lxiv, (13)-267pp.