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THE LANGUAGE AND POETRY OF PERSIA.

The ancient languages of Persia are three (1) The Zend or East Iranian, or Bactorian language. But this became obsolete during the third century before Christ. This was called the Zoroastrian languages, because the name Zend is that of their sacred book. (2) The ancient Persian language, the chief remnants of which are found in the cuneiform inscriptions of the time of Archemides, discovered in the ruins of Persepolis on the rocks of Behiston. The inscriptions contain the names of gods, men and of Daniel the prophet. (3) The third language was Pehlawee spoken by the West Iranians, Medians and Persians, during the period of the Sassanidæ—3rd to 7th century, A.D.

At last a new form of commentaries to the sacred writings came into existence, in which clearer and more distinct characters were used. Almost all old words of the Zend were replaced. This new form is called Pazend. In later times historians and the Arabs have called it Parsee. It was in use from 700 to 1100 A.D. At 1100 the old Persian language was revived. This is called Jamie or Nizamie.

A purer dialect came into use as the direct result of the writings of the poet Hafiz 1100 A.D. and has continued down to the present day. This is spoken especially in Shiraz, a city of great note in the history of Persia, and the capital of the state of Faris, which gives Persia its name.

Unfortunately after the Mohammedan conquest Persia fell under their reign. Arabs tried to infuse Arabic into the Persian language. The Koran was the only Holy Bible to them they believed that its teachings should be accepted by all Parsees. All writers in the country now, as a matter of course, became Mohammedans. With the fanaticism, characteristic of a conquering religion, with the ruthlessness which Islam has always shown, all the representatives of the old Persian literature and science were grievously persecuted by Omar's general, Sayid Ibn Abou Wakkas. All priests and writers were compelled to accept the new order of things: "Allah the only God, and Mohammed His prophet." So the pure language of the Parsees was infused with Arabic words to such an extent that one-third of the words of the language are Arabic.

POETICAL LITERATURE.

Under the dynasty of Samanides, a writer comes into view, one Nasr, living about 952 A.D. under the third ruler of the dynasty. Also Abul Hasson Rudige, the blind, lived under the same ruler. This man wrote 1,300,000 rhymes. About 1000 A.D. Kabbas wrote, being a contemporary of Mahmud who surrounded himself with four hundred court poets. Ansarie, another writer, wrote 300,000 rhymes in honor of the king.

The reign of Atabek dynasty was the brilliant age of Persian poetry. Anhaduddin Anawaree was one of the greatest writers of that period. The best mystic poet was Sunayi, author of 30,000 distichs. Nizami about the twelfth century, was the founder of the Romantic Epoch. The greater part of his Jami­ or collection of five romantic poems, are about Khosraw and Shirin, a king and his betrothed; Magenoon and Leila, a lover and his beloved.

Kizilarsalon, the king offered for each one of his poems not less than fourteen estates. His tomb now at Gendsheh is visited by hundreds of pious pilgrims.

In the eastern part of Persia the theosophical mysticism was preeminently cultivated, especially in Azerbijon state. A great number of these mystics are in Oroomiah, my city. They speak in allegorical form in glowing songs of wine and love.

Again in this province we find Sunayee in the thirteenth century and Fariduddin Attar, born 1216. A still greater man in this peculiar field was Djalal Eddin Romi born at Balkh and who died 1266. He was the founder of a still existing and most popular order of darwishes. His poems on contemplative life have made him the oracle of oriental mysticism up to this day.

I will give one of his rhymes which will show the spirit of his mysticism: "Gar Kasi wasf ou Zman Posad, bidil oz binishon chiguyan baz, ashikon kushtagon mashookand, bar nayayad Z kooshtagon awaz." The thirteenth century was one of the most brilliant in the annals of Persian poetry. The greatest seer of the era was Sheikh Musli Eddin Sahdie of Shiraz who died in the year 1291. He stands unrivaled as Persia's foremost didactic poet. His Boston and Guliston—"the fruit of the garden and roses,"—are universally known and loved in Europe.

At the beginning of the fourteenth century we made several meritorious imitations of Sahdi in didactic poetry. But far above all these as above all other Persian lyrical and erratic poets shines Hafiz. The "Sugar Lip" is a book in which he sang of wine and love, nightingale and flowers, bee and roses. Below is given a quotation from one of his poems about the nightingale and the miller: "Ai morgh saher ashk zparwana beyamoz, Kan sukhtara jan shud wawaz nayamab" translation: "O thou the bird of morning, you must learn love from the miller. It burned itself in the fire but did not make any noise." Haji Mollah Kozim translated this rhyme as follows: "The morning bird is the nightingale—little smaller than the sparrow, but it has a very loud voice as clear as a golden bell." All poets in Persia agree that it is a better singer than any other bird in Asia. Besides his singing he is the bird that has more love for his mate than any other bird in the world. They generally sing in the morning and the evening time. When the female is on her nest the male sits in the same tree, or very near, and sings for his mate. At times the male sits on the nest and his mate perched near by sings for him in a wonderfully sweet voice. The nightingale is a general favorite, and many popular songs have been written about this bird, and are sung by nearly every young man and young lady, boy and girl in Persia.

This author says of the miller that it loves light more than any other insect. From its love of light it throws itself into the fire, as everyone has seen in America of a summer evening about an electric lamp. Sahdi takes this example for himself to illustrate his love to God. He says the love of the miller is more than the love of the nightingale because the nightingale shows its love by singing and making noise; but the miller, though it has a living body, makes no noise when it is burning in the fire. "So," says he, "ought to be my love to God."

The city of Shiraz from the beginning until this day has been the seat of religion and especially of poetry because these two eminent poets, Sahdi and Hafiz, were born, lived, wrote and died here. Their tombs are visited annually by thousands of pilgrims. They are dead but their influence still lives and it has much effect on Persia and especially on the inhabitants of the city of Shiraz. Many students are enrolled at the great cathedral mosque in the city, where some of the ablest professors of the country are instructors. Professor Yooseph, a graduate of this institution, told me that the air and the very dust of that city has in it the spirit of poetry. Even the small boys who sell grapes, apples, etc. in the streets sing some very charming poems about their fruits, though they themselves may never have learned to read.

THE SWEETNESS OF PERSIAN LANGUAGE FOR POETRY.

The Persians have one poem about the sweetness of their language for poetry, as follows:

"The original language was the language of Arabs. The Turkish language is hard. But the Persian language is honey comb." In comparison with the other Asiatic languages many scholars think it is indeed honey-comb and the sweetest of Asiatic languages, if not also of European languages, for the expression of poetry.

PART II. RELIGION.