Persia Past and Present: A Book of Travel and Research, With More Than Two Hundred Illustrations and a Map

Excerpt from Persia Past and Present: A Book of Travel and Research, With More Than Two Hundred Illustrations and a Map

The preparation of this volume has been a work after my own heart for the past three years, and I am now almost sorry that it is finished, although it has been carried forward amid many distractions of an official and public nature besides my regular duties at the University. I have entitled it a book of travel and research, having essayed the somewhat difficult task of combining these two themes into a union which I hope will be found true, at least in spirit, even if imperfect when judged by the standards that I should like to uphold.

I was tempted at first to label some of the chapters, like those on Takht-i Suleiman, Kangavar, Ragha, and a part of the section on the Old Persian Inscriptions, with a warning, 'this chapter is dedicated to the student,' and to prefix to other chapters, like those on the different cities, By Caravan and Cavalcade, Pasargadæ, and Persepolis, a prefatory line, 'dedicated to the 'general reader.' I decided against such a procedure, because I believe that the interests of both are ultimately one, and if the general reader enjoys a comfortable forty winks while certain technical matters are being discussed, he will awaken refreshed to resume his interest at a point where the specialist may begin to nod. But these very comments may have in themselves a somnolent effect and defeat their own end by superinducing the results they are seeking to avert. For that reason I shall refrain from adding others, and shall proceed rather to bring out the points which I wish to emphasize.

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