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Lot Essay
The introduction to this Rubaiyat states that it was Mirza Ahmad Khan's desire to correct false attributions of works to Omar Khayyam. It is recorded that numerous errors in attribution were made following the interest in Khayyam abroad and the subsequent translation of his works. Mirza Ahmad Khan, who was the son of Aqa Mirza Muhammad Taqikhan Mu'ayyad al-Mulk sought to correct these inaccuracies by examining various manuscripts, in particular two copies of the Rubaiyat which were dated 350 and 208 years prior to the completion of this manuscript. Ahmad Khan was aided by Fasih al-Mulk Shurideh, a famous blind poet of Shiraz, as well as Mirza Muhammad Nasir Fursat al-Dawla. In order to further rectify previous incorrect attributions, Mirza Ahmad Khan chose to publish works which had previously been attributed to Khayyam in this volume with the correct name of the poet credited above. For example see the opening verse which is correctly attributed to the poet Salman Savaji.
Following the introduction, the story of Khayyam's life is given, based on the account compiled by Nizami 'Arudi in addition to other sources. A note is then made of the other works by Khayyam including a mention of a treatise on establishing the gold and silver content of an object which is recorded as being preserved in the library of Gotha in Germany. Interestingly there is a mention of the Omar Khayyam Society in London and their desire to restore Khayyam's tomb to the south of Nishapur.
Following the introduction, the story of Khayyam's life is given, based on the account compiled by Nizami 'Arudi in addition to other sources. A note is then made of the other works by Khayyam including a mention of a treatise on establishing the gold and silver content of an object which is recorded as being preserved in the library of Gotha in Germany. Interestingly there is a mention of the Omar Khayyam Society in London and their desire to restore Khayyam's tomb to the south of Nishapur.