Fabulous orients : fictions of the East in England 1662-1785 / Ros Ballaster.

Originally published: 2005.

Narrative moves. Dinarzade, the second string -- The state of narrative -- Shape-shifting: Oriental tales. Fadlallah and Zemroude: transmigratory desires -- The framed sequence -- Travellers' tales -- Fictional letters -- Histories -- Heroic drama -- A passion for tales -- Tales of the Seraglio: Turkey and Persia. Roxolana: the loquacious courtesan -- Speaking likenesses: Turkey and Persia -- Loquacious women I: staging the Orient -- Loquacious women II: narrating the Orient -- Speculative men I: spies and correspondents -- Speculative men II: court secrets -- 'Fabulous and romantic': the 'Embassy Letters' and 'The Sultan's Tale' -- 'Bearing Confucius' morals to Britannia's ears': China. Tourandocte: the riddling princess -- Chinese whispers -- Orphans and absolutism: tragedies of state -- Empire of Dulness -- Narrative transmigrations -- Chinese letters of reason -- Madness and civilization -- 'Dreams of men awake': India. Canzade: the illusory sati -- India as illusion -- 'The dreaming Priest': Aureng-Zebe -- The treasures of the East: Indian tales -- Tales of India: weaving illusions -- The Indian fable: rational animals -- Waking from the dream -- Epilogue: romantic revisions of the Orient