Flowers from a Persian Garden and Other Papers, by W. A. Clouston. London: David Nutt, published 1890.
This is one of my favorite books we’ve done. Not only for the subject matter, which includes an appreciation of Saadi (Saádí in the book), but also includes some Tales of a Parrot, Rabbinical tales, and a paper on Beards (among others), but also for its footnotes, which are as far ranging and entertaining as the main matter.
For example, this poem by Saadi:
Honey,
Our Money
We find in the end
Both relation and friend;
’Tis a helpmate for better, for worse.
Neither father nor mother,
Nor sister nor brother,
Nor uncles nor aunts,
Nor dozens
Of cousins,
Are like a friend in the purse.
Still regard the main chance;
’Tis the clink
Of the chink
Is the music to make the heart dance.
Our Money
We find in the end
Both relation and friend;
’Tis a helpmate for better, for worse.
Neither father nor mother,
Nor sister nor brother,
Nor uncles nor aunts,
Nor dozens
Of cousins,
Are like a friend in the purse.
Still regard the main chance;
’Tis the clink
Of the chink
Is the music to make the heart dance.