and even now forms the original of all the numerous popular editions.
The earliest English editions were in six volumes, corresponding to the
first six of Galland, and ending with the story of Camaralzaman; nor was
it till nearly the end of the 18th century that the remaining half of
the work was translated into English. The date of appearance of the
first edition is unknown to bibliographers; Lowndes quotes an edition of
1724 as the oldest; but the British Museum contains a set of six vols.,
made up of portions of the second, third and fourth editions, as
follows:—
Vols. i. ii. (ed. 4) 1713; vols. iii. iv. (ed. 2) 1712; and vols. v. vi.
(ed. 3) 1715.
Here likewise the separate volumes seem to have been reprinted
independently of each other; and it is not unlikely that the English
translation may have closely followed the French publication, being
issued volume by volume, as the French appeared, as far as vol. vi. The
title-page of this old edition is very quaint:
“Arabian-Nights Entertainments, consisting of One thousand and one
Stories, told by the Sultaness of the Indies to divert the Sultan from
the Execution of a Bloody Vow he had made, to marry a Lady every day,
and have her head cut off next Morning, to avenge himself for the
Disloyalty of the first Sultaness, also containing a better account of
the Customs, Manners and Religion of the Eastern Nations, viz., Tartars,
Persians and Indians than is to be met with in any Author hitherto
published. Translated into French from the Arabian MSS. by Mr. Galland
of the Royal Academy, and now done into English. Printed for Andrew Bell
at the Cross Keys and Bible, in Cornhill.”
The British Museum has an edition in 4to published in 1772, in farthing
numbers, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It extends to 79 numbers,
forming five volumes.
The various editions of the old English version appear to be rare, and
the set in the British Museum is very poor. The oldest edition which I
have seen containing the latter half of Galland’s version is called the
14th edition, and was published in London in four volumes, in 1778.
Curiously enough, the “13th edition,” also containing the conclusion,
was published at Edinburgh in three volumes in 1780. Perhaps it is a
reprint of a London edition published before that of 1778. The Scotch
appear to have been fond of The Nights, as there are many Scotch
editions both of The Nights and the imitations.
Revised or annotated editions by Piguenit (4 vols., London, 1792) and
Gough (4 vols., Edinburgh, 1798) may deserve a passing notice.
A new translation of Galland, by Rev. E. Forster, in five vols. 4to,
with engravings from pictures by Robert Smirke, R.A., appeared in 1802;
and now commands a higher price than any other edition of Galland. A new
edition in 8vo appeared in 1810. Most of the recent popular English
versions are based either upon Forster’s or Scott’s.
Another translation from Galland by G. S. Beaumont (four vols. 8vo),
appeared in 1811. (Lowndes writes _Wiliam_ Beaumont.)
Among the various popular editions of later date we may mention an
edition in two vols., 8vo, published at Liverpool (1813), and containing
Cazotte’s Continuation; an edition published by Griffin and Co., in
1866, to which Beckford’s “Vathek” is appended; an edition “arranged for
the perusal of youthful readers,” by the Hon. Mrs. Sugden (Whittaker &
Co., 1863); and “Five Favourite Tales from The Arabian Nights in words
of one syllable, by A. & E. Warner” (Lewis, 1871).
Some of the English editions of Galland aim at originality by arranging
the tales in a different order. The cheap edition published by Dicks in
1868 is one instance.
An English version of Galland was published at Lucknow, in four vols.,
8vo, in 1880.
I should, perhaps, mention that I have not noticed De Sacy’s “Mille et
une Nuit,” because it is simply a new edition of Galland; and I have not
seen either Destain’s French edition (mentioned by Sir R. F. Burton),
nor Cardonne’s Continuation (mentioned in Cabinet des Fées, xxxvii. p.
83). As Cardonne died in 1784, his Continuation, if genuine, would be
the earliest of all.
The oldest German version, by Talander, seems to have appeared in
volumes, as the French was issued; and these volumes were certainly
reprinted when required, without indication of separate editions; but in
slightly varied style, and with alteration of dates. The old German
version is said to be rarer than the French. It is in twelve parts—some,
however, being double. The set before me is clearly made up of different
reprints, and the first title-page is as follows: “Die Tausend und eine
Nacht, worinnen seltzame Arabische Historien und wunderbare
Begebenheiten, benebst artigen Liebes-Intriguen, auch Sitten und
Gewohnheiten der Morgenländer, auf sehr anmuthige Weise erzehlet werden;
Erstlich vom Hrn. Galland, der Königl. Academie Mitgliede aus der
Arabischen Sprache in die Französische und aus selbiger anitzo ins
Deutsche übersetzt: Erster und Anderer Theil. Mit der Vorrede Herrn
Talanders. Leipzig Verlegts Moritz Georg Weidmann Sr. Königl. Maj. in
Hohlen und Churfürstl. Durchl. zu Sachsen Buchhändler, Anno 1730.”
Talander’s Preface relates chiefly to the importance of the work as
illustrative of Arabian manners and customs, &c. It is dated from
“Liegnitz, den 7 Sept., Anno 1710,” which fixes the approximate date of
publication of the first part of this translation. Vols. i. and ii. of
my set (double vol. with frontispiece) are dated 1730, and have
Talander’s preface; vols. iii. and iv. (divided, but consecutively
paged, and with only one title-page and frontispiece and reprint of
Talander’s preface) are dated 1719; vols. v. and vi. (same remarks,
except that Talander’s preface is here dated 1717) are dated 1737; vol.
vii. (no frontispiece; preface dated 1710) is dated 1721; vol. 8 (no
frontispiece nor preface, nor does Talander’s name appear on the
title-page) is dated 1729; vols. ix. and x. (divided, but consecutively
paged, and with only one title-page and frontispiece; Talander’s name
and preface do not appear, but Galland’s preface to vol. ix., already
mentioned, is prefixed) are dated 1731; and vols. xi. and xii. (same
remarks, but no preface) are dated 1732.
Galland’s notes are translated, but not his preface and dedication.
There is a later German translation (6 vols. 8vo, Bremen, 1781–1785) by
J. H. Voss, the author of the standard German translation of Homer.
The British Museum has just acquired a Portuguese translation of
Galland, in 4 volumes: “As Mil e uma Noites, Contos Arabes,” published
by Ernesto Chardron, Editor, Porto e Braga, 1881.
There are two editions of a modern Greek work in the British Museum,
(1792 and 1804) published at Venice (Ενετιηριν) in three small volumes.
The first volume contains Galland (Nos. 1–6 of the table) and vols. ii.
and iii. chiefly contain the Thousand and One Days. It is, apparently,
translated from some Italian work.
Several editions in Italian (Mille ed una Notte) have appeared at Naples
and Milan; they are said by Sir R. F. Burton to be mere reprints of
Galland.
There are, also, several in Dutch, one of which, by C. Van der Post, in
3 vols. 8vo, published at Utrecht in 1848, purports, I believe, to be a
translation from the Arabic, and has been reprinted several times. The
Dutch editions are usually entitled, “Arabische Vertellinge.” A Danish
edition appeared at Copenhagen in 1818, under the title of “Prindsesses
Schehezerade. Fortällinger eller de saakatle Tusende og een Nat. Udgivna
paa Dansk vid Heelegaan.” Another, by Rasmassen, was commenced in 1824;
and a third Danish work, probably founded on the Thousand and One
Nights, and published in 1816, bears the title, “Digt og Eventyr fra
Osterland, af arabiska og persischen utrykta kilder.”
I have seen none of these Italian, Dutch or Danish editions; but there
is little doubt that most, if not all, are derived from Galland’s work.
The following is the title of a Javanese version, derived from one of
the Dutch editions, and published at Leyden in 1865, “Eenige
Vertellingen uit de Arabisch duizend en één Nacht. Naar de Nederduitsche
vertaling in het Javaansch vertaald, door Winter-Roorda.”
Mr. A. G. Ellis has shown me an edition of Galland’s Aladdin (No. 193)
in Malay, by M. Van der Lawan (?) printed in Batavia, A.D. 1869.
_CAZOTTE’S CONTINUATION, AND THE COMPOSITE EDITIONS OF THE ARABIAN
NIGHTS._
We shall speak elsewhere of the Cabinet des Fées; but the last four
volumes of this great collection (38 to 41) published at Geneva from
1788 to 1793, contain a work entitled, “Les Veillées du Sultan Schahriar
avec la Sultane Scheherazade; histoires incroyables, amusantes et
morales, traduites de l’arabe par M. Cazotte et D. Chavis. Faisant suite
aux Mille et une Nuits.” Some copies bear the abridged title of “La
suite des Mille et une Nuits. Contes Arabes, traduits par Dom Chavis et
M. Cazotte.”
This collection of tales was pronounced to be spurious by many critics,
and even has been styled “a bare-faced forgery” by a writer in the
_Edinburgh Review_ of July, 1886. It is, however, certain that the
greater part, if not all, of these tales are founded on genuine Eastern
sources, though very few have any real claim to be regarded as actually
part of the Thousand and One Nights.
Translations of the originals of most of these tales have been published
by Caussin de Perceval and Gauttier; and a comparison clearly shows the
great extent to which Chavis and Cazotte have altered, amplified and (in
a literary sense) improved their materials.
It is rather surprising that no recent edition of this work seems to
have been issued, perhaps owing to the persistent doubts cast upon its
authenticity, only a few of the tales, and those not the best, having
appeared in different collections. My friend, Mr. A. G. Ellis, himself
an Oriental scholar, has remarked to me that he considers these tales as
good as the old “Arabian Nights;” and I quite agree with him that Chavis
and Cazotte’s Continuation is well worthy of re-publication in its
entirety.
The following are the principal tales comprised in this collection,
those included in our Table from later authors being indicated.
1. The Robber Caliph, or the Adventures of Haroun Alraschid with the
Princess of Persia, and the beautiful Zutulbe. (No. 246).
2. The Power of Destiny, being the History of the Journey of Giafar to
Damas, containing the Adventures of Chelih and his Family. (No. 280).
3. History of Halechalbe and the Unknown Lady. (No. 204c.).
4. Story of Xailoun the Idiot.
5. The Adventures of Simoustapha and the Princess Ilsetilsone. (No.
247).
6. History of Alibengiad, Sultan of Herak, and of the False Birds of
Paradise.
7. History of Sinkarib and his Two Viziers. (No. 249).
8. History of the Family of the Schebandad of Surat.
9. Story of Bohetzad and his Ten Viziers. (No. 174).
10. Story of Habib and Dorathil-Goase. (No. 251).
11. History of the Maugraby, or the Magician.
Of these, Nos. 4, 6, 8 and 11 only are not positively known in the
original. No. 11 is interesting, as it is the seed from which Southey’s
“Thalaba the Destroyer” was derived.
On the word Maugraby, which means simply Moor, Cazotte has the following
curious note: “Ce mot signifie barbare, barbaresque plus proprement. On
jure encore par lui en Provence, en Languedoc, et en Gascogne Maugraby;
ou ailleurs en France Meugrebleu.”
The Domdaniel, where Zatanai held his court with Maugraby and his
pupil-magicians, is described as being under the sea near Tunis. In
Weil’s story of Joodar and Mahmood (No. 201) the magician Mahmood is
always called the Moor of Tunis.
No. 3 (= our No. 204c) contains the additional incident of the door
opened only once a year which occurs in our No. 9a, aa.
Moore probably took the name Namouna from Cazotte’s No. 5, in which it
occurs. In the same story we find a curious name of a Jinniyah,
Setelpedour. Can it be a corruption of Sitt El Budoor?
For further remarks on Cazotte’s Continuation, compare Russell’s History
of Aleppo, i. p. 385; and Russell and Scott, Ouseley’s Oriental
Collections, i. pp. 246, 247; ii. p. 25; and the “Gentleman’s Magazine”
for February, 1779.
An English version under the title “Arabian Tales, or a Continuation of
the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments,” translated by Robert Heron, was
published in Edinburgh in 1792 in 4 vols., and in London in 1794 in 3
vols. It was reprinted in Weber’s “Tales of the East” (Edinburgh, 1812);
and, as already mentioned, is included in an edition of the Arabian
Nights, published in Liverpool in 1813.
A German translation forms vols. 5 to 8 of the “Blaue Bibliothek,”
published in Gotha in 1790 and 1791; and the British Museum possesses
vols. 3 and 4 of a Russian edition, published at Moscow in 1794 and
1795, which is erroneously entered in the catalogue as the Arabian
Nights in Russian.
Respecting the work of Chavis and Cazotte, Sir R. F. Burton remarks,
“Dom Dennis Chavis was a Syrian priest of the order of Saint Bazil, who
was invited to Paris by the learned minister, Baron Arteuil, and he was
assisted by M. Cazotte, a French author, then well known, but wholly
ignorant of Arabic. These tales are evidently derived from native
sources; the story of Bohetzad (King Bakhtiyar) and his Ten Wazirs is
taken bodily from the Bres. Edit. [not so; but the original Arabic had
long been known in the French libraries]. As regards the style and
treatment, it is sufficient to say that the authors out-Gallanded
Galland, while Heron exaggerates every fault of his original.”
The first enlarged edition of Galland in French was published by Caussin
de Perceval, at Paris, in 9 vols., 8vo (1806). In addition to Galland’s
version, he added four tales (Nos. 21a, 22, 32 and 37), with which he
had been furnished by Von Hammer. He also added a series of tales,
derived from MSS. in the Parisian libraries, most of which correspond to
those of Cazotte.
The most important of the later French editions was published by E.
Gauttier in 7 vols. in 1822; it contains much new matter. At the end,
the editor gives a list of all the tales which he includes, with
arguments. He has rather oddly distributed his material so as to make
only 568 nights. The full contents are given in our Table; the following
points require more special notice. Vol. i. Gauttier omits the Third
Shaykh’s story (No. 1c) on account of its indecency, although it is
really no worse than any other story in The Nights. In the story of the
Fisherman, he has fallen into a very curious series of errors. He has
misunderstood King Yunan’s reference to King Sindbad (Burton i. p. 50)
to refer to the Book of Sindibad (No. 135); and has confounded it with
the story of the Forty Vazirs, which he says exists in Arabic as well as
in Turkish. Of this latter, therefore, he gives an imperfect version,
embedded in the story of King Yunan (No. 2a). Here it may be observed
that another imperfect French version of the Forty Vazirs had previously
been published by Petis de la Croix under the title of Turkish Tales. A
complete German version by Dr. Walter F. A. Behrnauer was published at
Leipzig in 1851, and an English version by Mr. E. J. W. Gibb has
appeared while these sheets are passing through the press.
Vol. ii. After No. 6 Gauttier places versions of Nos. 32 and 184 by
Langlès. The Mock Caliph is here called Aly-Chah. The other three tales
given by Caussin de Perceval from Von Hammer’s MSS. are omitted by
Gauttier. Vol. v. (after No. 198) concludes with two additional tales
(Nos. 207h and 218) from Scott’s version. But the titles are changed,
No. 207h being called the Story of the Young Prince and the Green Bird,
and No. 218 the Story of Mahmood, although there is another story of
Mahmood in vol. i. (= No. 135m) included as part of the Forty Vazirs.
Vol. vi. includes the Ten Vazirs (No. 174) derived, however, not from
the Arabic, but from the Persian Bakhtyar Nameh. Three of the
subordinate tales in the Arabic version are wanting in Gauttier’s, and
another is transferred to his vol. vii., but he includes one, the King
and Queen of Abyssinia (No. 252), which appears to be wanting in the
Arabic. The remainder of the volume contains tales from Scott’s version,
the title of Mazin of Khorassaun (No. 215) being altered to the Story of
Azem and the Queen of the Genii.
Vol. vii. contains a series of tales of which different versions of six
only (Nos. 30, 174, 246, 248, 249 and 250) were previously published.
Though these have no claim to be considered part of The Nights, they are
of sufficient interest to receive a passing mention, especially as
Gauttier’s edition seems not to have been consulted by any later writer
on The Nights, except Habicht, who based his own edition mainly upon it.
Those peculiar to Gauttier’s edition are therefore briefly noticed.
_Princess Ameny_ (No. 253)—A princess who leaves home disguised as a
man, and delivers another princess from a black slave. The episode
(253b) is a story of enchantment similar to Nos. 1a-c.
_Aly Djohary_ (No. 254)—Story of a young man’s expedition in search of a
magical remedy.
_The Princes of Cochin China_ (No. 255)—The princes travel in search of
their sister who is married to a Jinni, who is under the curse of
Solomon. The second succeeds in breaking the spell, and thus rescues
both his brother, his sister, and the Jinni by killing a bird to which
the destiny of the last is attached. (This incident is common in
fiction; we find it in the genuine Nights in Nos. 154a and 201.)
_The Wife with Two Husbands_ (No. 256)—A well-known Eastern story; it
may be found in Wells’ “Mehemet the Kurd,” pp. 121–127, taken from the
Forty Vazirs. Compare Gibbs, the 24th Vazir’s Story, pp. 257–266.
_The Favourite_ (No. 257)—One of the ordinary tales of a man smuggled
into a royal harem in a chest (compare Nos. 6b and 166).
_Youssouf and the Indian Merchant_ (No. 258)—Story of a ruined man
travelling to regain his fortune.
_Prince Benazir_ (No. 258)—Story of a Prince promised at his birth, and
afterwards given up by his parents to an evil Jinni, whom he ultimately
destroys. (Such promises, especially, as here, in cases of difficult
labour, are extremely common in folk-tales; the idea probably originated
in the dedication of a child to the Gods.) Gauttier thinks that this
story may have suggested that of Maugraby to Cazotte; but it appears to
me rather doubtful whether it is quite elaborate enough for Cazotte to
have used it in this manner.
_Selim, Sultan of Egypt_ (No. 261)—This and its subordinate tales
chiefly relate to unfaithful wives; that of Adileh (No. 261b) is
curious; she is restored to life by Jesus (whom Gauttier, from motives
of religious delicacy, turns into a Jinni!) to console her disconsolate
husband, and immediately betrays the latter. These tales are apparently
from the Forty Vazirs; cf. Gibbs, the 10th Vazir’s Story, pp. 122–129 (=
our No. 261) and the Sixth Vazir’s Story, pp. 32–84 (= No. 261b.)
The bulk of the tales in Gauttier’s vol. vii. are derived from
posthumous MSS. of M. Langlès, and several have never been published in
English. Gauttier’s version of Heycar (No. 248) was contributed by M.
Agoub.
The best known modern German version (Tausend und Eine Nacht, Arabische
Erzahlungen, Deutsch von Max. Habicht, Fr. H. von der Hagen und Carl
Schall. Breslau, 15 vols. 12mo) is mainly based upon Gauttier’s edition,
but with extensive additions, chiefly derived from the Breslau text. An
important feature of this version is that it includes translations of
the prefaces of the various editions used by the editors, and therefore
supplies a good deal of information not always easily accessible
elsewhere. There are often brief notes at the end of the volumes.
The fifth edition of Habicht’s version is before me, dated 1840; but the
preface to vol. i is dated 1824, which maybe taken to represent the
approximate date of its first publication. The following points in the
various vols. may be specially noticed:—
Vol. i. commences with the preface of the German editor, setting forth
the object and scope of his edition; and the prefaces of Gauttier and
Galland follow. No. 1c, omitted by Gauttier, is inserted in its place.
Vols. ii. and iii. (No. 133), notes, chiefly from Langlès, are appended
to the Voyages of Sindbad; and the destinations of the first six are
given as follows:—
I. Voyage to Sumatra.
II. Voyage to Ceylon.
III. Voyage to Selahath.
IV. Voyage to the Sunda Islands.
V. Voyage to the Sunda Islands.
VI. Voyage to Zeilan.
Vol. v. contains an unimportant notice from Galland, with additional
remarks by the German editors, respecting the division of the work into
Nights.
Vol. vi. contains another unimportant preface respecting Nos. 191 and
192.
Vol. x. Here the preface is of more importance, relating to the contents
of the volume, and especially to the Ten Vazirs (No. 174).
Vol. xi. contains tales from Scott. The preface contains a full account
of his MSS., and the tales published in his vol. vi. This preface is
taken partly from Ouseley’s Oriental Collections, and partly from
Scott’s own preface.
Vol. xii. contains tales from Gauttier, vol. vii. The preface gives the
full contents of Clarke’s and Von Hammer’s MSS.
Vol. xiii. includes Caussin de Perceval’s Preface, the remaining tales
from Gauttier’s vol. vii. (ending with Night 568); and four tales from
Caussin which Gauttier omits (Nos. 21a, 22, 37 and 202).
Vols. xiv. and xv. (extending from Night 884 to Night 1001) consist of
tales from the Breslau edition, to which a short preface, signed by Dr.
Max. Habicht is prefixed. The first of these tales is a fragment of the
important Romance of Seyf Zul Yesn (so often referred to by Lane), which
seems to have been mixed with Habicht’s MS. of The Nights by mistake.
(Compare Payne, Tales, iii. 243.)
In this fragment we have several incidents resembling The Nights; there
is a statue which sounds an alarm when an enemy enters a city (cf. Nos.
59 and 137); Seyf himself is converted to the faith of Abraham, and
enters a city where a book written by Japhet is preserved. The text of
this story has lately been published; and Sir R. F. Burton informs me
that he thinks he has seen a complete version in some European language;
but I have not succeeded in obtaining any particulars concerning it.
On account of the interest and importance of the work, I append to this
section an English version of the fragment translated into German by
Habicht. (From the extreme simplicity of the style, which I have
preserved, I suspect that the translation is considerably abridged.)
There is an Icelandic version of The Nights (Þúsund og ein Nott.
Arabiskar Sögur. Kaupmannahöfn, 1857, 4 vols. roy. 8vo), which contains
Galland’s tales, and a selection of others, distributed into 1001
Nights, and apparently taken chiefly from Gauttier, but with the
addition of two or three which seem to be borrowed from Lane (Nos. 9a,
163, 165, &c.). It is possibly derived immediately from some Danish
edition.
There is one popular English version which may fairly be called a
composite edition; but it is not based upon Gauttier. This is the
“Select Library Edition. Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, selected and
revised for general use. To which are added other specimens of Eastern
Romance. London: James Burns, 1847. 2 vols.”
It contains the following tales from The Nights: Nos. 134, 3, 133, 162,
1, 2, 155, 191, 193, 192, 194, 194a, 194c, 21, 198, 170, 6.
No. 134 is called the City of Silence, instead of the City of Brass, and
is certainly based partly upon Lane. In No. 155, Manar Al Sana is called
Nur Al Nissa. One story, “The Wicked Dervise,” is taken from Dow’s
“Persian Tales of Inatulla;” another “The Enchanters, or the Story of
Misnar,” is taken from the “Tales of the Genii.” Four other tales,
“Jalaladdeen of Bagdad,” “The two Talismans,” “The Story of Haschem,”
and “Jussof, the Merchant of Balsora,” clearly German imitations, are
said to be translated from the German of Grimm, and there are two
others, “Abdullah and Balsora,” and “The King and his Servant,” the
origin of which I do not recognise, although I think I have read the
last before.
Grimm’s story of Haschem, concludes with the hero’s promotion to the
post of Grand Vizier to Haroun Al-Rashid, in consequence of the desire
of the aged “Giafar” to end his days in peaceful retirement! The
principal incident in Jalaladdeen, is that of the Old Woman in the
Chest, borrowed from the well-known story of the Merchant Abudah in the
“Tales of the Genii,” and it is thus an imitation of an imitation.