THE fame of Timur, erroneously called Tamerlane Timur, although long known to some persons in Europe, was more generally communicated to the Public in the year 1722, by the labours of the indefatigable Orientalist, Petis de la Croix, who translated from the Persian language the History of that Monarch, denominated Zami* Namath, or Book of Victory, by Sherif Addyn Aly of Yezd.

In the year 1783, Professor White of Oxford, published a Persian Edition of the Institutes- of Timur lenk, with an English translation by Major William Davy of the Honourable East India Colnpany's Service,* which was deservedly much admired, and as it was the cause of producing the Translation of the following Memoirs, I shall take the liberty here-after of subjoining a portion of its Preface.