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Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [159v] (321/1814)
The record is made up of 2 volumes with inserts (898 folios). It was created in 1892-1924. It was written in English, Urdu and German. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
144
PERSIA
upper cotton garment drawn over the lower part of the face
Such as I saw were prematurely old and ugly, the melancholy 1 *
of the East.’
In extension of what was here said, I may add two other
observations upon the peculiar orography of the country. I n the
Physical ^ rst P^ ace ^ ie dividiHg ^ nes between the watersheds are
pecu- seldom the highest ranges or crests ; illustrations of which
phenomenon I -noticed in the case both of the dividino’
line between the Atek or Transcaspian and Kuchan drainage, and
again of that between the Kuchan and Meshed drainage he. the
streams that run respectively to the Caspian and the Heri End.
Secondly, the rivers, instead of pursuing a course parallel to the
axis of the mountain ranges, or, in other words, running down the
deep valleys between them, and then turning the corner where the
saddle dips, prefer to pierce the ranges almost at right angles to
their previous course ; Nature having provided for that purpose
transverse fissures and gashes through the very heart of the rock,
which they could never have forced for themselves, and which do
not betray the symptoms of aqueous detrition, but must rather
have been caused by extreme tension at the moment of original
elevation.
Once upon the plain, we passed in quick succession the villages
of Anderokk and Rezan, which appeared to revel in an abundant
Approach water supply and in a wide area of cultivation. Far
to Meshed aW ay on the southern side of the expanse the mountains
behind Meshed could be seen, broken up into detached ridges,
with sharp and serrated points. I strained my eyes to catch in
the distance the glint of the golden cupola and minars of the
holy Imam. Slowly the mist curled upward, as though a silken
window-blind were being delicately raised by cords; and first a
sparkle, and then a steady flash, revealed at a distance that must
still have been from twelve to fifteen miles the whereabouts of
the gilded dome. Though my emotions were not those of the
devout pilgrim who had very likely travelled hundreds, perhaps
thousands, of miles to see the hallowed spot, though I did not break
into wild cries of c Ya Ali, Ya Husein,’ and though I did not tear
off fragments of my dress and suspend them upon the nearest bush,
according to the formula of the pious Shiah, I yet looked with
the interest of one who has heard and read much from afar upon
the famous city which I was approaching; and, putting spurs to
About this item
- Content
These two volumes are George Curzon's own personal annotated copies of both volumes of his book Persia and the Persian Question , which was published in 1892. Alongside the volumes are various loose papers relating to Persia [Iran], consisting of the following: received correspondence; newspaper cuttings; publishers' press releases; cuttings from various booksellers' catalogues; various journal and magazine articles; two items of printed official British correspondence; several prints of photographs and sketches; and a few handwritten notes by Curzon.
In most cases these papers, which range in date from 1892 to 1924, relate to the chapters in the book where they were originally inserted, suggesting that they were kept by Curzon with the intention of using them to inform a revised edition of the book.
Of particular note among the small amount of correspondence are two letters received by Curzon in 1914 and 1915 from retired schoolmaster and Islamic scholar Sayyid Mazhar Hasan Musawi of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India (ff 5-9 and ff 44-53). These letters, which are written in Urdu and are accompanied by English translations, discuss in detail several inaccuracies found in the Urdu version of Persia and the Persian Question .
The various prints of photographs and sketches, which were originally inserted into volume two, are of different locations in the Gulf region. Several of these appear to have been produced in preparation for the publication of the second volume of John Gordon Lorimer's Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Oman and Central Arabia (i.e. the 'Geographical and Statistical' section) in 1908, as they are identical to the versions found in that volume.
Also of note among the loose papers are an illustrated article from Country Life dated 5 June 1920, entitled 'The People of Persia' (ff 36-37), and a printed family tree of the Shah of Persia [Aḥmad Shah Qājār], produced in preparation of his visit to Britain in 1919 (f 233).
Volume one of Persia and the Persian Question contains a map of Persia, Afghanistan and Beluchistan [Balochistan], which is folded inside the front cover (f 1).
The German language material consists of a publisher's press release for two books authored by German archaeologist Ernst Emil Herzfeld (ff 29-30).
- Extent and format
- 2 volumes with inserts (898 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: this shelfmark consists of two physical volumes. The foliation sequence commences at the first folio of volume one (1-463), and terminates at the last folio of volume two (ff 464-898); these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Each volume contains a large number of loose leaves, which have been foliated in the order that they were inserted into the volume; for conservation reasons, these loose folios have been removed from the volume and stored separately. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers of the two volumes.
Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English, Urdu and German in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [159v] (321/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213843.0x000080> [accessed 6 June 2026]
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/33
- Title
- Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Questionby George Curzon, with Inserted Papers
- Pages
- 54r:135v, 147r:149v, 158r:180v, 183r:221v, 224r:224v, 227r:246v, 248r:257v, 259r:260v, 268r:362v, 364r:364v, 367r:388v, 390r:400v, 402r:416v, 419r:432v, 434r:444v, 448r:462v, 464r:471v, 475r:481v, 483r:513v, 516r:525v, 527r:544v, 546r:563v, 566r:598v, 600r:622v, 624r:656v, 658r:665v, 667r:675v, 678r:684v, 687r:688v, 691r:691v, 693r:693v, 695r:708v, 711r:721v, 724r:726v, 728r:729v, 731r:736v, 742r:742v, 746r:757v, 759r:761v, 763r:763v, 765r:765v, 772r:777v, 780r:789v, 793r:794v, 797r:809v, 811r:821v, 825r:840v, 843r:898v
- Author
- Curzon, George Nathaniel, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
- Usage terms
- Public Domain