Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-12-16
A LITERARY ENTERPRISE
Of More Than Passing Interest Being
Promoted in Denver.

Good wine improves with age. While
this may not be said of a book, which
once written is finished forever, it is
true that time alone brings to light
knowledge of the real value of some
publications
The Arabian Nights Entertainments,
as translated from the Arabic text in
the early days of book publishing has
long been a standard work and no Ii
brary is considered complete without
it. Book worms have pondered over
its fascinating pages, not only admir-
ing the conception of its wonderful
tales but reveling in the purity of eX-
preston in its English translation.
The literateur prizes it even more for
its vivid descriptions, its rhetoric and
grandeur Of composition, than for its
interesting stories.
The writing of these tales. however.
was so far back in the musty ages Of
the past that even the authorship is a
matter of doubt. Great changes in the
social customs of civilized man have
occurred since the writing of these ro-
mances. which of course, conformed
to the manners and methods of that
DAY. Literary men, therefore, recog-
nizing the true value of the work
to both old and young, have placed it
before the public at price within the
reach of all. But they have found it
necessary in so doing to expurgate
many passages and many descriptions
that however meritorious in their way,
nj n he
would be highly improper for general
circulation, or for perusal by the i'm
mature reader OF this day and gener-
alton.
Realizing these things, and the fact
that if nothing was done to perpetuate
the original text, a gem would ulti-
mately be lost to the literateur, Cap
tain Sir Richard F. Burton of London
England. in 1852, began the transla-
ton of the work from the original
Arabic text. Like all such literary or
ganisms of slow growth, many of its
beauties and treasures lie partly be-
meath the surface. The profounder Sc
cial and religious sentiments must
sometimes be searched for. The work
is both the history of Moslem culture
and the record of Moslem esprit in the
I
1t is said Sir Richard Burton was
perhaps the only one who joined to
the necessary linguistic knowledge that
practical experience of eastern life,
which alone could supply the true
meaning OF a troublesome passage.
The Burton translation was finished
and 1000 copies printed in Benares,
India, in 1885. by the Kama shastra So
ciety, being supplied only to the mem
bers of the society. 1t was, as far as
human invention could make it, n COM
plete reproduction of the original, not
only in text, but in paper, binding, etc.
Copies of this edition can now rarely
be found. save in big libraries, where
they will always remain.
These conditions led to the organiza-
ton in Denver of what is known as
The Burton Society''-for the purpose
Of promoting the study of oriental lit
erature. and having for its special OBJ
ject the publication of another edition
of the Burton translation of the Ara
bian Nights, which is properly entitled
| THE Book of a Thousand Nights and
Night"
The counsel for the society, Mr..
James Fl. PershinE, of Denver, has
been in Phoenix for the last ten DAYS,
and from him it is learned that the
new Burton Edition. like the OriEi-
nal. will appear in sixteen volumes. be-
ing an exact reproduction. including
the 100 illustrations by Stanley L.
Wood. The society has been at great
! expense in the manufacture of paper