INTRODUCTION.

WHEN I was attending the school in my ’teens, about twice twenty years ago, I came across a book called HATIM TAI, very clumsily printed litho­graphically with various quaint drawings to illus­trate the book. It was a Gujerati translation of the Persian version of the Adventures of Hatim bin Tai. Years rolled on and I had forgotten all about it. Some time ago, however, I came across an old book of the same title in English, a cursory perusal of which recalled to my memory the old pictures of the deeds of Hatim, whose name is a synonym for generosity and selflessness among Asiatic nations. It is a record of mysterious deeds, indeed.

As there is now so much enthusiasm for novels, adventures, and love-stories, I think this book might supply a want of almost all classes of people; but to the student of Theosophy, it will be a book which will help in more than one respect. He might see underneath seeming absurdities, numerous occult truths. Read in the light of theosophy the book will yield many a mine of superphysical and occult experiences, interspersed with noble ethics.

The English translation from the Persian was done by Duncan Forbes, A. M. The first edition of it was published in London in 1830; and a second edition of the same was “reprinted at the General Printing Office, by Francisco do Rozario for Ignacio Mendonca,” in Bombay, in 1836. I do not know whether any other edition of this book has been published during the intervening seventy-five years. If not, this edition will, it is hoped, serve as a treasure, unearthed after three quarters of a century, from the realm of Occult literature.

THE CHERAG OFFICE; N. F. BILIMORIA.
July 1911.
 
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