8vo. viii, 262 pp., French & Arabic text, + 193 pp., of Arabic text within borders, translated for the first time into French, contemporary hard boards, cover bumped & rubbed at edges, copy clean inside and in good condition, Paris, l’Imprimerie Royale, first edition, 1828.

Synopsis

EXTREMELY RARE. Grangeret de Lagrange was a French Orientalist, librarian at the Arsenal and translator. This work is dedicated to Baron Silvestre de Sacy. It is divided into two parts: the first contains the Arabic text and the poetry, the second is a French translation of the poetry together with notes, explanations and introduction. Several pieces are selected in this volume from al-Mutanabbi, Omar ibn al-Farid, together with other texts including a eulogy by Salah Eddine Khalil Safadi, al-Waqidi, poetry selected from al-Waqidi’s work on the conquest of Syria, love letters, religious hymns and moral thoughts etc.
In the notes (27 pages) there are included fragments of Arabic and Persian poems, and at the end of the French part, the author has included a section from his own work, Hymne en l’honneur de Jéhova.
The book includes poems by Motennabi and Omar ibn al-Farid, followed by an eulogy by Saladdin Khalil Safadi, son of Ibek, who furnished the author with a collection of the celebrated polygraph, poet Suyuti; then some poems taken from L’Histoire de la conquête de la Syrie which bears the name of Waked and includes within it an account of the adventures of Dherar, one of the bravest warriors of Omar’s army; and, finally different poems which are, for the most part, very brief fragments.
The volume has five poems by Motennabi, first four of which are in praise of the Emir Fatik and the fifth is a eulogy about a warrior Abu ‘lfewares Dillir, written in a manner of ancient Arab poets. The mystical poet, Omar, son of Faredh, who was well-known in the Levant, especially Egypt, wrote about Sufis and the contemplative life. In this work five of his poems or elegies are included, the first four pieces are love songs, mystical and contemplative of the greatness and the divine beauty.
In the notes section of the volume, the author has introduced other poems, taken from the l’Histoire des Arabes d’Espagne by Ahmad Almocri, son of Muhammed, 3 Mekamat of Bedi-alzeman Hamadami; there is also a eulogy (p. 167) by Persian poet Djami, an ode by Hafiz (p.199), another ode by a little known Persian poet, Melikian Schahfour Nishapur and three fragments by the Persian author Saadi, known for his Gulistan. There is also an extract of the author’s own work, Hymne en l’honneur de Jéhova.
“A critical review of this book was published in Journal des Savans, Août 1828, pp.464- 476, by the famous Orientalist Sylvestre de Sacy”.