The History commences at the 188th page, with the birth of Timūr, A. H. 736, (A. D. 1336,) and is continued in the form of annals till A. H. 777, being the forty-first year of his age, omitting the last thirty years of his life. It is written in a careless manner, occasionally obscure, with much tautology, and some repetitions, but without any break in the detail, except at the commencement of a new year, evidently evincing that the art of book-making has not been employed to set it off, and that it is a translation from some language less polished than the Persian.[3] I have however found it requisite to divide the Translation into Books and Chapters. In comparing Major Davy’s Translation with Petis de la Croix’s, I have found so much discrepancy between their spelling of Oriental names, that one can hardly suppose the same persons, or places are meant, I have therefore ventured to make an innovation in Anglo-Oriental orthography, by making use of such of our letters as agree with the Persian Alphabet. The _exact_ pronunciation of a proper name is of little consequence to the European reader, while the Oriental student will be thus enabled to transpose it into the Persian character; some of the names of places have been so long settled, that I have not interfered with them, but take this opportunity of stating that _Kund_ or _Kend_, in the Tūrky language, signifies a town, and therefore forms the termination of the names of many cities; Turān, called by the Greeks, Transoxiana, and by the Arabs, Maveralneher, should properly be spelled Ma-verā-al-neher: _that which is beyond the river_. Khurasān being the Eastern province of Persia, was called the Region of the Sun. We are very much indebted to the French Literati for information on Oriental subjects, but they have led us into a very false orthography by their partiality for the letter C, which does not exist in the Persian language, and their alteration of several important letters. Almost all Arabic names have meanings, and are derived from a root of three letters, thus from H. M. D. _praise_, is derived Muhammed, _the greatly praised_, consequently the writing of it Mahomet, as is frequently done, destroys the etymology; Amr, signifies _command_, whence Amyr, _Commander_, which should always be written with the first letter of the alphabet, although frequently written _Emir_ and _Umeer_; Amyr al Mumenyn, _Commander of the Faithful_, must be in the recollection of every person who has read the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments. Some of the French authors write, Dragoman for Terjūmān, an Interpreter; Chagān for Khakān, an Emperor; Chacan for Shegun, an Omen; whilst the letters j, y, t and d are constantly interchanged.