Another of them was Mīr Atā-ullah of Meshhad, who was well versed in Arabic literature. He wrote a treatise in Persian, on the kāfiah (rhyme or versification), which is extremely well composed; but has this fault, that all his examples are taken from his own verses, and he introduces each example by saying, ‘as is to be observed in this couplet of mine.’* He wrote another very excellent work on the kinds and measures of verse, which he called Badāī-us sanāi (the wonders of art). He was not quite orthodox in his religious opinions.
Kazi Ikh-Another was Kazi Ikhtiyār, who executed the duties of Kazi with great propriety. He wrote a treatise, in Persian, on Jurisprudence.* It is an excellent treatise. He formed a collection of passages, for the purpose of elucidating and explaining the texts of the Koran.* When I met the Mirzas at Murghāb, Kazi Ikhtiyār and Muhammed Mīr Yūsef accompanied them, and they were introduced to me. The conversation turned on the Bāburi character. I sent for the letters, and wrote them,* and at that same meeting he read the characters, comprehended the rules of writing, and wrote a little.
Muham-Another was Muhammed Mīr Yūsef, the scholar of the Sheikh-ul-Islām, and afterwards his successor. In many parties, Kazi Ikhtiyār had the upper place; and in others, Muhammed Mīr Yūsef. He finally was so much carried away and infatuated by his fondness for soldiership and generalship, that, except where these two matters were concerned, one could discover neither learning in his conversation, nor sense in his communications. Although he had neither good fortune nor talents in either of these pursuits, he, in the end, on their account, gave to the wind his wealth, his life, his family, and his reputation.**
The Poets. Of the poets of Sultan Hussain Mirza’s court, the most
distinguished and the most eminent by far was Moulāna
Jāmi.
Suheili.
Tufeili.
Abdal Rahmān Jāmi. Sheikhim Suheili, and Hassan Ali
Tufeili Jalāir, whose names and characters have been
mentioned in the short account which has been given of
Sultan Hussain Mirza’s principal Begs and courtiers, were
also distinguished as poets.
Another of the poets was Āsafi,* who was the son of a Wazīr, whence he obtained the poetical name of Āsafi.* His poems want neither colouring of style nor sentiment, although not possessed of passion or enthusiasm. He had a pride in saying, ‘I have never composed any of my odes with the intention of collecting them.’ This was probably mere affectation. His odes were collected by his friends, and those about him.* He wrote few poems except odes. When I went to Khorasān, he waited on me.
Banāi.Another of them was Banāi* of Heri, whose father’s name was Ustād Muhammed Sabz Banā, whence he himself derived his poetical name. His odes possess both colouring of style and enthusiasm, and he composed a diwān. He also wrote masnevis, among which there is one on the qualities of fruits, in the mutakārib measure. It is a sorry composition, of no value. Another of them was a short masnevi in the khafīf measure; and another of greater extent, also in the khafīf measure; this last he completed in his latter days. At first he was unacquainted with the science of music, and Ali Sher Beg had taunted him with his ignorance; but, one year, the Mirza having spent a winter at Merv, whither he was accompanied by Ali Sher Beg, Banāi remained behind at Heri, applied himself to the study of music, and made such rapid progress, that, before the summer, he was even able to compose some pieces. In the summer when the Mirza returned to Heri, he sang in his presence, and that to music of his own composition, to the great astonishment of Ali Sher Beg, who complimented him on the occasion. He composed several pieces of music, one of which is denominated the Nuh-rang (or nine measure). The parts of this Nuh-rang, and of the Yaldai Naksh (or Midwinter-Night’s Air), have their modulations in tenor.* He was a decided rival and opponent of Ali Sher Beg, whence he suffered much trouble and molestation; and finally, being unable to maintain his ground, went to Irāk and Azarbaijān to Yākūb Beg, by whom he was well received, and became his companion in all his parties. After the death of Yākūb Beg,* he was obliged to leave those countries, and returned to Heri. He still retained his humour and his spirit of opposition, of which the following, among other instances, is related. One day at a chess-party, Ali Sher Beg happening to stretch out his foot, it touched the hinder parts* of Banāi; on which Ali Sher Beg said, in a joking way, ‘It is a sad nuisance in Heri, that you cannot stretch out your foot without coming in contact with the backside of a poet.’ ‘Nor draw it in again,’ said Banāi, ‘without coming in contact with a poet’s backside.’ At last his sarcasms drove Banāi from Heri, and he went to Samarkand.* As Ali Sher Beg was the author and patron of many and useful inventions, every man who made any discovery or invention in his art or profession, in order to give it credit or currency, called it the Ali Sheri. Some carried their imitation of him to such an excess, that Ali Sher Beg having tied a handkerchief round his head, on account of an earache, that style of tying a handkerchief came to prevail,* under the name of the Ali Sheri fashion. When Banāi left Heri for Samarkand, as he was setting out, he ordered rather an uncommon sort of pad for his ass, and called it the Ali Sheri. The Ali Sheri pad became common, and is now well known.
SeifiAnother was Seifi Bokhāri, who was a tolerable Mulla. He used to point to the numerous volumes he had read, as a proof of his undoubted claim to the title. He composed a diwān. There is another diwān of his which he composed for the use of tradespeople. He wrote many fables, but left no masnevi, as may be gathered from the following verses:
(Persian)— Although the masnevi be deemed the test of a poet’s orthodoxy, I take the ghazel as my creed; Five couplets that afford delight, I hold better than many* khamsehs.
He left a Persian Prosody,* which is very brief in one respect, and prolix in another. It is brief as it has omitted to treat of several useful and difficult subjects; and prolix inasmuch as such subjects as are plain and clear are treated of in their minutest particulars, down to their points and discriminating marks. He was addicted to wine, and troublesome in his cups. He was remarkable for the force with which he could inflict a blow with his fist.
AbdallahAnother was Abdallah Masnevigoi (the masnevi writer), who was of Jām. He was the nephew of the Mulla by his sister. He took the poetical name of Hātifi.* He wrote some masnevis in emulation of the khamsehs. He also composed the Taimūr-nāmeh in rivalry to the Haft-paiker (or seven statues*). Of his masnevis, the best-known is the Leili-Mejnūn, though its excellence does not equal its reputation.
Mīr Hus-Another was Mīr Hussain Maamāi (the Enigmatist). None perhaps ever equalled him in his conundrums and riddles. His whole time was spent in devising enigmas. He was a humble, unpretending, and, in his way, incomparable* man.
Mulla. Mu-Another was Mulla Muhammed Badakhshi, who was from Ishkamish. Ishkamish is not in Badakhshān,* which makes it odd that he should have taken the poetical name of Badakhshi. His poems are not equal to those of the poets whose names I have mentioned.* Though he has written a treatise on enigmas, his enigmas are not particularly good; but he was a pleasant companionable man. He waited on me when I was at Samarkand.
Yūsef