The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-17
TO-DAY we CELEBRATE.
2ooth AnnIyeraary o. ealland. iran.

2ooth Anniversary OF ealland, Trans
lator Of arabian Nights"
Just two centuries ago today, on
February II, .1715. there passed into
the great unknown a man whose
name Is all but forgotten, but to
whom a vast multitude OF readers
owe a tremendous debt of gratitude.
Antoine Galland vas the discoyerer
and the first to translate and intro
duce to the western world the Ear.
abian Nights Entertainments" or
THE Thousand and One Nights"
Many others translators, writing in
many tongues, have since given us
varying versions OF these Oriental,
classics. but Galland was the pioneer,
and to him belongs the lions share
Of the glory. And what glory for
1t would be difficult to fin dany part
OF the civilized world where these
tales have not penetrated. and
brought keen delight TO their reaners.
Antoine Galland was born in 1916,
OF humble parents, but he early mani
Tested such talent that he was en-.
abled to secure an excellent educa.
tion. The young Frenchman was
then given an appointment as attache
to the French embassy at Constantine
ople, and devoted himself to a study
of Eastern authors and the collection
OF Oriental literature. He Travelled
much, and in Bagdad. the most SPLEEN
did city OF the world under the glori.
GUS regime of Haroun AL Raschid in
the ninth century, he gained his first
knowledge OF those classic tales of
the days of Bagdad's glory. He i'm
medtately set about the task Of trans
lating these stories which had long
boon famous throughout the East,
and in 1904 his "Mille ct Une Nuts"
was published. Galland's learning
was prodigious, and he ranks among
the greatest 0rientalists OF all time,
but 1t Is to the ARABIAN Nights En-.
tertainments" that he owes his last
ing fame.
From France the tales spread to
all lands, and translations. some fair
ly complete and others CARRIED and
with many OF the tales which are Of
fensive to modern morality sup.
press, have been published in nearly
all tongues.
OF the various English TRANSACTIONS
from the Arabic the best known are
those Of E. w. Lane, publisher In
1888, and Sir Richard Burton, who
gave the world a remarkable literal
translation of the Oriental classics.
Burton explored Arabia in the dis.
guise of an Afghan pilgrim, and Wis.
tied the forbidden city OF Mecca.
Many great works remain to his
credit, but the Thousand and One
Nights" Is his magnum opls.
Lady Burton tempered most dis.
astrously with the Arabian Nights"
and utterly destroyed his last work,
1.-THE Scented Garden" which repre-.
sented the toll of fifteen years. 1t
was alleged to have been at the in.
stance of her cousin, Cardinal
Vaughan, that Lady Burton thus
brought down upon herself the CEN
sure Of the literary world. Burton's
original translation of the Thousand
and One Nights" has been restored
to the world by a society OF his
American admirers.
To Galland belongs the credit for
giving us the first translation OF the
Arabian Nights" to Burton the glory
Of the most perfect translation.
Neither received the honor that vas
their due. OF Burton, the greatest
adventurer Of modern times and Eng.
lands foremost Oriental scholar,
Swinburne wrote:
"Burton-a name that lives till
fame be dead"