Affichage de 307 résultats

The Akbar Nameh of Abul Fazl Allami translated by Robert Chalmers.

The Akbar Nameh 'History of Akbar' or 'Book of Akbar' was the official history of Akbar's reign and was commissioned by Akbar. It was written by his court historian and biographer Abul Fazl in Persian. Chalmer's translation is an abridged version of the original text. The Oriental Translation Committe decided that, given the importance of the Akbar Nameh, the abridged translation was not suitable for publication and they recommended that Lieutenant Chalmers undertake a complete translation of the text.

The text consists of two hardbound volumes of handwritten text.

Volume I contains a letter dated 1923 from Henry Beveridge to Miss Latimer, Assistant Librarian at the Royal Asiatic Society, concerning Chalmer's translation. There are notes from Gore Ouseley and borrowing slips pasted in. Also a note saying 'see 'Noer's Kaisar Nameh' is handwritten is on the title page.

Volume II contains a letter dated 30th May 1833 from J.C. Morris to the Secretary of the Oriental Translation Committee concerning a letter from Lieutenant Chalmers and asking them to recognise the work undertaken by Chalmers in translating the Akbar Nameh. The letter goes on to state although the translation is not accompanied by the original as required by the rules of the committee, Mr Lushington (English Tory Politician and Governor of Madras from 1827-1832) will on application provide the loan of the original work in his possession from which Lieutenant Chalmers' translation was prepared. On f.157 there is a pressed fern. Annotations have been made in a different hand.

A further small slip of paper concerning the volume 2 (unidentified author) was found in the Society's Institutional records in 2024. This was therefore inserted into the volume.

The papers of Professor T.W. Rhys Davids consist of two certificates. These are:

• Certificate of Thanks for 18 years service as Secretary of Royal Asiatic Society. This is undated but Rhys Davids completed his 18 years, serving as both Secretary and Librarian, in 1905. The certificate is signed by Lord Reay and has the names of the Society's Members below.
• Certificate for Philosophy Doctorate at the University of Wratislaviensis (Breslau) with attached seal, signed by Richard Roepell, 1882. With the certificate are 4 additional paper copies.

These papers consist of "The Symbolism of the Puranas (Part I)", subtitled, "An enumeration of the symbols on the 'Purana' coinage of Hindustan (with four plates) by W. Theobald, formerly Deputy Superintendent of the Geological Survey of India". (The plates are not with these papers). This is a draft manuscript, typed with handwritten corrections, of an article by Theobald subsequent to his two previous articles on the subject published in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1890, Part 1, No. 3, p.181f and Vol. LIX, 1901, Part 1 No. 2, p.38f. The article builds on this work and the earlier work of Walter Elliot and Edward Thomas. It is a systematic review of all the symbols used. It is unknown whether this article was ever published.

These Papers of William (Bill) Roff relate mainly to his research interests in the Hajj pilgrimage particularly among pilgrims from Southeast Asia. The material consists of research notes, papers of Roff and others, and official documents.

The Royal Asiatic Society has, from time-to time, mounted exhibitions of its collections, at its own premises or other exhibition spaces. Several of the major ones of these were associated with the major anniversaries of the Society. The material for those exhibitions can be found in the anniversary catalogues.

However in the late 1980s and early 1990s the Society held regular small exhibitions on its premises. The programmes for these can be found within this catalogue along with other exhibitions not associated with anniversaries.

A catalogue with Japanese titles and Dutch and English explanations of the items collected by J.G.F. Van Overmeer Fisscher whilst stationed for ten years at Nagasakki, the Dutch factory in Japan. This is a handwritten manuscript which begins with the title 'Nipon of Japan' and the Japanese alphabet. This is followed by an explanatory introduction, in Dutch, by Overmeer Fisccher in which he records how he came to own the objects; that the catalogue just provides a brief description of the objects along with some translations appended to the literature and antiquities; and that he is donating his collection to the 'Netherland Academy'. The introduction is signed Van Overmeer Fisscher and dated Batavia, 10 August 1829. Thereafter follows a series of lists including for geography, linguistics, antiquities, and musical instruments. Some parts have explanations in both English and Dutch entries but many lists are just in Dutch.

The manuscript is bound in a leather and marbled cover bearing the Royal Asiatic Society's logo on the spine, indicating that binding or rebinding occurred after its donation. The spine also bears the title 'Japanese Dutch-English Word-Book' suggesting that the identity of the manuscript was unknown when the binding took place.

A proof volume of what seems to be a partial version of G.M.H. Playfair's, The Cities and Towns of China. The front cover and spine have been lost and the back cover is loose. The text covers from p.253-417, No to Zimerick, with subsequent Appendices of Synoptical Table of the Administrative Cities of China, Radical Index and Corrigenda. The text is printed on one side - the blank pages being written to supplement the text and with further annotations on the printed pages.

The front endpaper has a Royal Asiatic Society bookplate with the text "Presented to the Library by Lionel Handley Derry, Esq., 2 June 1952, in Memory of Lionel Charles Hopkins, Esq., I.S.O.". The work is undated but Playfair's first edition of the work was published in 1879 and his second in 1910.

A journal containing detailed lists of compass bearings from various locations in India. The journal is untitled and bears no name of its author. It measures 35cm by 24cm with a brown cardboard cover which has become detached from the pages.

The Minutes of the "Syro-Egyptian Society of London. Instituted 1844". These handwritten minutes cover the time period from the first meeting of the Society on 3 December 1844 to their 146th meeting on 12 March 1861. The Society met fortnightly until June 1846, then monthly, with extended summer breaks. The minutes cover the decisions made at the meetings and the Papers read. Yearly Anniversary Meetings were held in April. The minutes are written in a hardbound volume purchased from H. Penny, Stationer & Manufacturer of Improved Patent Account Books.

"Notes on Cudapah" (Kadapa), "Read July 17/30" "Ordered not to be printed Nov 13/30" with label "Catalogue of English MSS. II No 5, Cuddapah, Presented by Mrs Skinner and read before the Society on 17 July 1830. Three anecdotes concerning traditions:

• The self-devotion of a headman of the village of Chitwail
• An account of the "Assaree Shereef" - a building erected to contain a hair from the beard of Muhammad
• The behaviour of a fakir Handwritten, 3 pages + label.

This manuscript and details concerning it are found in the Society's "Catalogue of English Manuscripts in the R.A.S.", p.20.