‎ABDULLAH YUSUF ALI‎
‎4 autograph letters signed by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, to "Khourshed" [ "Khourshed de Ravalieu", Raden Ayou Jodjana born Elisabeth Pop ], mostly about Persian Poets, and about Rembrandt (very damaged, with great lacking). From Chelwood, 3 Bedford Road, Bedford Park, London, W 4. Dated Dec. 22 1920, Mar. 7 1921, Mar. 28 1921, Apr. 7, 1921‎

‎Dec. 22 1920, 4 pages, with small lackings : "My Dear Khourshed, warmest greetings & best wishes for Xmas & the New Year. I am sorry to hear that you have been ill [ ... ] Your husband write to me just before he was leaving London, to let him know when time came, if I would let him this house. I have decided nothing yet, & shall not I think be in a position to decide till the Spring. It is [ ... ] to hear that [ .... ] thinks your plan can be performed if certain conditions are fulfilled, which you are in a position to fulfill. [... ] It is evidently a musical Plan. Do you want my collaboration in the Libretto ? What is the idea underlying it ? For title, either "At feet of Shiva" or "At Shiva's Feet" would be good English. Some [ ... ]might prefer the one, and some other prefer "At Shiva's Feet". It is shorter, and the rythm is more balanced. As regards [ ... ] I agree with your remarks in the abstracts, but am puzzled to see later application. What is the question that I did [ ... ] but which you want to answer ? What is the question & what is the answer ? Perhaps the sand & waves of Scheveningen are necessary before I can solve the puzzle ? Or perhaps a [ ... ] chair of musical laughter, or perhaps after all, not among these things, but simply [... ] I don't know. That's unfinished conversation - or interrupted [ ... ] : shall we just treasure it because it began at all, & not be impatient because it did not finish ? [ ... ] sunbeams, love themselves in [... ]Mar.7, 1921, 4 pages, with small lackings : "My dear Khourshed, I a glad you are better, & I hope you will soon recover this weakness which must make an eager soul like yours free under the compulsory withdrawal from fields words & the ever-sounding sea. We are having such beautiful weather - [ ... ]summer spring days, with a bite of frost in the mornings, our clear blue skies, through which Orion & Sirius & all the great summer constellations are gradually making their [ ... ] overload. Do you remember the glorious summer days we had in The Hague ? It was autumn then. Now is the sun of Spring, increasing in splendour and strength. Good [ ... ] About my Lecture on Hafiz in the Lyceum Club an Mar. 5th. : I am going to give an account of Hafiz & illustrate his poetry to this audience : 1 - by the singing of one of his Tales in Persian ; 2 - by the singing of this same Ode in an English verse translation in the original metres, & 3 - by explanations of his meanings. I have transleted the Ode which begins [persian text ] [ lacking ] who are going to set it to music & also to find singers if possible. [... ] But you are at a distance, & in this state of your health, I dare not ask you to undertake the strain. I have not seen any english translation of Hafiz that is satisfactory. I do not claim for my translation that it is satisfactory. But it is an honest presentment. [ ... ]I send you my Poem on Rembrandt. If you can make, or have made, two copies without mistakes, I shall ask for one copy to be sent to me & the other for publication to the Gazette de Hollande or any other paper that may like to publish it." Mar. 28,1921, 10 pages, with important lackings : [long letter about his poems on Rembrandt, then, on a second part, about Hafiz ] "Hafiz first addresses his master, the beloved Shiraz. He offers him whole heards, but if he only finds acceptance, what will he not give ? The black mole is rules a blemish, but even for a blemish of their master, he will give what is to him most precious. Samarkand & Bokhara were reputed the two finest cities of the time [... ] The turkish painter whom picture : "Jeune Emir à l'étude" I saw in Liverpool was Osman Hamdu Bey, of Constantinople. He frequently exhibited in Paris and died within this century. If you can get any reproduction of this picture, I shall be obliged" [ ... ]. Apr. 7, 1921 4 pages, very damage, half of the text lacking ‎

Reference : 57812

‎Scarce set of 4 autograph letters by Abdullah Yusuf Ali (1872-1953), the famous british-indian scholar known for is his translation into English and commentary of the Qu'ran. Formed by Hazrat Inayat Khan, his correspondent Elisabeth Pop (1888-1981) then gave recitals of Indian and Persian songs, under the stage name of "Khourshed de Ravalieu". She will officially married in 1923 to a famous Javanese dancer, Raden Mas Jodjana and changed her name in "Raden Ayou Jodjana" (a large set if archives coming from them available in our catalogue). ‎