Page:Arthur N. Wollaston - English-Persian Dictionary 1882.djvu/18

 xiv PREFACE.

it is hoped, account for numerous inconsistencies in the earlier sheets of the Dictionary, and screen the author g from the charge of want of care in the revision of the work. It would be hopeless to attempt an apology for the many errors which are to be found scattered throughout the pages of this volume, especially as regards the transliteration into Roman characters, a task, in some measure, hurriedly undertaken at the last moment, in deference to the views of those whose authority it would have been presumption on my part to have questioned. I can only hope that, while, on the one hand, all that is worthy of commendation will not be attributed to me personally, so, on the other, the whole of the mistakes will not be chargeable to ignorance or carelessness on my part. It is, I believe, the universal experience of literary men, that, as regards works of magnitude, especially of the nature of a Dictionary, flaws will creep in, despite all efforts to prevent their appearance--a poor apology, admittedly, but the best it is in my power to offer.

No attempt has been made to arrange the various Persian equivalents according to s. strict philological system; at the same time, when words in English have distinct and totally different meanings--such as " august," which may refer either to a person or a month-—care has been taken to direct attention to the point.

In regard to the Oriental portion of the text, I cannot - speak in too high praise of the care and attention dis- played by the Publishers; few, save those who possess personal experience, are aware of the endless mistakes in Eastern literature which owe their origin to the ignorance and carelessness of the printer. It is self evident, how- ever, that a revision of the proofs by a "reader" who understands the language cannot be otherwise than advantageous. Messrs. Allen are fortunate in possessing