THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS by Scott, Jonathan - 1811

London:: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown., 1811 First Edition. Scott, Jonathan. [1754-1829] The Arabian Nights Entertainments, carefully revised....to which is added a selection of new tales, now first translated from the Arabic originals. Also, an introduction and notes...by Jonathan Scott LL.D in six volumes. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, 1811. One of the earliest complete translations & rarely offered for sale. Six 12 mo. volumes, half black calf over paper covered boards. Spines nicely decorated. Minor expert restoration to some spine extremities & corners. A very good set in nice antiquarian condition. Contemporary neat name of G.B. Kingdon on the ffe of 5 volumes. Scott's translation precedes Burton's famous work by more than half a century [1865]. These epic stories of Scheherazade stand alone as cornerstone to Medieval Middle Eastern literature introducing amongst others, Aladdin, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, & The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor. Countless editions of the Arabian Nights have been published over the centuries. Jonathan Scott learned Arabic & Persian in India & worked for Warren Hastings. He was Oriental Professor at the East India College at Haileybury in Hertfordshire. Founded by the East India Company in 1806, it was a training college for civil service cadets. His text was used again by Frederick Warne & Co. in the George Fyler Townsend editions of 1869 & 1887 also in the Nimmo & Bain edition of 1883 in 150 numbered sets of 4 volumes illustrated with 18 etchings by the French artist Adolphe Lalauze. In 1890 S.L. Wood illustrated a four volume reprint published by Pickering & Chatto. Scott's text has subsequently been used, in part & adapted for various school & children's editions. The first edition of Scott's translation offered here is rare. Few works of literature have been published in such diverse editions. The Nights have appeared as magazine serials, magazine articles, comic books, children's books, adult books & even erotica.. First Edition.