[15] See the present Transl., vol. I. pp. 113-114. A mistake is here to be pointed out: at p. 114, l. 11, the name of Kaivan has been substituted for that of Mobed Serosh. [16] See vol. II. p. 137. [17] See vol. II. p. 145. [18] Jehangír reigned from 1605 to 1628. Shah Jehan ―――― 1628 ―――― 1659. Aurengzeb ―――― 1659 ―――― 1707. [19] The Works of sir W. Jones, vol. IV. pp. 16 and 105. § II.――DISCUSSION ON THE DESATIR. This word was considered to be the Arabic plural of the original Persian word _dostúr_, signifying “a note-book, pillar, canon, model, learned man;” but, according to the Persian grammar, its plural would be _dosturán_, or _dostúrha_, and not _desátir_. From this Arabic form of the word an inference was drawn against the originality and antiquity of the Desátir; but this of itself is not sufficient, as will be shown. Other readings of the title are _Dastánir_, in one passage,[20] and _Wasátir_[21] in two other places of Gladwin’s Persian text, and the last also in a passage of the printed edition.[22] The first is not easily accounted for, and is probably erroneous; but the second is found in the index of the printed edition,[23] under the letter و, _vau_, and explained: “the name of the book of Mahabad;” it cannot therefore be taken for a typographical error, and is the correct title of the book, as I now think, although I formerly[24] preferred reading _Desátir_. It is derivable from the Sansrcit root वाश् _wás_, “to sound, to call,” and therefore in the form of _wasátis_ or _wasâtir_ (the _r_ and _s_ being frequently substituted for the _visarga_) it signifies “speech, oracle, precept, command.” It is also in connection with the old Persian word _wakshur_, “a prophet.” Considering the frequent substitution in kindred languages of _ba_ for _va_, and _ba_ for _bha_, it may also be referred to the root भाष _bhasha_, “to speak,”[25] which, with the prepositions _pari_ and _sam_, signifies “to explain, expound, discourse.” Hence we read in the Commentary of the _Desátir_ the ancient Persian word _basátir_[26] (not to be found in modern Persian vocabularies), which is there interpreted by “speculations,” in the following passage: “the speculations (basátir) which I have written on the _desátir_.” I shall nevertheless keep, in the ensuing Dissertation, the title Desátir, because it is generally adopted. Besides, in the Mahabádian text, the _vau_, و, frequently occurs for the Persian _dál_, د, thus we find وادن, _wáden_, for دادن, _dáden_, “to give;” and _wárem_, وارم, for _dárem_, دارم, “I have;” but I am aware that the two letters, so similar in their form, may be easily confounded with each other by the copyist or printer.