The origin of the work—where and by whom written—is still involved in mystery. According to some, the tales are susceptible of a threefold division. The most beautiful, and in fancy the richest, appear to have come from India, the cradle of story and fable; the tender and often sentimental love tales seem of Persian origin; while the masterly pictures of life, and the witty anecdotes, claim to be the product of Arabia. Through out, however, everything is conformable to the character and customs of the town population of Arabia, and to the Mohammedan faith. The baron de Sacy, in 1829, thus stated his opinion on these points. Speaking of the work he says: "It appears to me that it was originally written in Syria, and in the vulgar dialect; that it was never com pleted by its author; that, subsequently, imitators endeavored to perfect the work, either by the insertion of novels already known, but which formed no part of the original collection, or by composing some themselves, with more or less talent, whence arise the great variations observable among the different MSS. of the collection; that the inserted tales were added at different periods, and perhaps in different countries, but chiefly in Egypt; and, lastly, the only thing which can be affirmed, with much appearance of probability, in regard to the time when the work was composed, is—that it is not very old, as its language proves, but still that, when it was brought out, the use of tobacco and coffee was unknown, since no mention of either is made in the work."
Galland's French edition was speedily translated into all the languages of Europe; edition following edition with great rapidity, some of them with enlargements and others with modifications. Latterly, a Dr. Scott gave a superior English edition, " care fully revised, and occasionally corrected from the Arabic." At length a new English translation from the Arabic, with copious notes and highly artistic embellishments, appeared in 1839. It was the work of Edward William Lane, a gentleman whose long residence in Egypt enabled him to acquire so thorough a knowledge of the language, manners, and customs of the Egyptian Arabs, as has furnished not only a superior version, but a series of notes embodying a portraiture of Egypto-Arabian life at once faithful and' vivid.
The popularity of this book has given rise to hundreds of imitations. Among the best of the French arc—Lee Mille et rn Jours,.,Ifille et Tine Quart d'Iluures, and the Contes.d'un Enclormeur; perhaps the best of the English imitations is the Tales of the Genii, by Sir Charles Morel]; while the best of the German appears to be one got up from the Perso-Arabie, the Faraj bud el Shidcla (Joy after Sorrow), a popular work, and repeatedly published.