his is the keynote of the poem. Theoretically
incompatible, these two "isms" are in practice inevitable companions.

The theory of reincarnation and that alone, can furnish a full
explanation of FitzGerald's splendid success as a translator.

Omar was FitzGerald and FitzGerald was Omar. Both threw away their
shields and retired to their tent, not indeed to sulk, but to seek in
meditative aloofness, the calm and content that is the proper reward of
those alone who persevere to the end. Retirement brought them all it
could bring, a yet deeper sense of the vanity of things and their
unknowableness. Herein for the mass of mankind lies the charm of the
Rubaiyat, in clear, tuneful numbers it chants the half-beliefs and
disbeliefs of those who are neither demons nor saints, neither
theological dogmatists nor devil-worshippers, but men.

Those seeking further information as to the life and place in literature
of Edward FitzGerald are referred to Jackson's "FitzGerald and Omar
Khayyam" [1899]; Clyde's "Life of FitzGerald" [1900]; Tutin's
"Concordance to FitzGerald's Omar Khayyam" [1900]; and Prideaux's "Notes
for a Bibliography of FitzGerald" [1901], and his "Life" [1903].

For an interesting discussion as to the real nature of Omar, see the
Introduction to "Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam" in the "Golden Treasury"
Series.

W. S.

PREFACE

TO

Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.

Omar Khayyam, or Chiam, was born about the middle of the 11th Century,
at Naishapur, Khorassan, and he died in that town about the year 1123.

Little is known as to the details of his life, and such facts as are
available have been drawn principally from the _Wasiyat_ or _Testament_
of Mizam al Mulk (_Regulation of the Realm_), who was a fellow-pupil of
Omar at the school of the celebrated Imam Mowafek or Mowaffak. Reference
to this is made in Mirkhond's _History of the Assassins_, from which the
following extract[A] is taken.

"'One of the greatest of the wise men of Khorassan was the
Iman Mowaffak of Naishapur, a man highly honoured and
reverenced,--may God rejoice his soul; his illustrious years
exceeded eighty-five, and it was the universal belief that
every boy who read the Koran, or studied the traditions in his
presence, would assuredly attain to honour and happiness. For
this cause did my father send me from Tus to Naishapur with
Abd-u-samad, the doctor of law, that I might employ myself in
study and lea