Soohrab, a poem:

Early english Shahnameh translation. An early and important English translation of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, containing the section of the text relating to one of the main protagonists, Sohrab. This is the first edition to have been published with parallel Farsi text and is preceded only by an incomplete Calcutta edition in 1785 prepared by Joseph Champion. From the library of Alexander George Ellis of the Royal Asiatic Society (d. 1942), who published several catalogues of the Arabic Printed Books and manuscripts at the British Museum.

James Atkinson (1780-1852) was a British orientalist that began his career as a medical officer onboard an East Indiaman, after studying medicine at Edinburgh and London. In 1805 he was appointed an assistant surgeon in the Bengal service and placed in medical charge of the station of Bakarganj, near Dacca. In his leisure he devoted himself to the study of the Persian language with considerable success. Atkinson's Persian translations in both prose and verse are his chief title to fame, and this edition of Soohrab is his first publication.

First edition; [6](half title, title and dedication), xxv, [1], 154, [2](errata), 155-267, [3] (errata & ads.)pp., bound with duplicated from pp. 211-242 at the end; 8vo, printed in English and Farsi, lightly age toned, edges uncut and some unopened; housed in 20th century half calf, spine gilt in raised bands with red morocco label lettered in gold, a very good copy. Dimensions; 255 x 150mm (10 x 6 inches).