“My beauteous one, who has never been in a school, or can write a single letter,

Has, with a single nod of his, told me more than a hundred professors would explain.”

The natural turn of his genius was modesty. So little inclined was he to depreciate the merit due to others, that he was studious to depress and conceal his own.

“I admire that character under the blue canopy of heaven,

Which can still remain free, whatever its influence may be.”

“He gave his time to reading lectures, which is the noblest of all occupations. The noblest and most pleasing of all being to bring to light the treasures of hidden knowledge; and in this he had no sordid view. His intention being only ot obey his master’s injunctions.”

“A moral sentence, pronounced in a place of debauch,

Has the full effect of incense burned—against bad air and a malignant eye.

That virtuous man’s manner was not like that of the puffed ones of this age.

Amongst so many beauteous ones, I am in love with thy particular air;

I am mad with it; else, there is plenty of beauty elsewhere.

To make a parade of one’s learning, he thought to be a very vile action,

And thought that an excellence that produces only pride and vanity, amounts to a satire upon the owner.”

“To forget the virtuous actions of a worthy man,

And to keep a register of his blemishes and vices,

Is all that can be expected from self-applause and hypocrisy.”

Whenever any one introduced in his presence a discourse in dispraise of a man’s character, either directly, or indirectly, he had too much good manners to stop him, or to reprimand him, but would adroitly turn the discourse to some other object, without affording the speaker any subject of offence.

“Spreading as grateful a scent in his conversation as a pod of China musk*,

But as solidly full of science as an Indian nutmeg is of aromatic matter.”

He recounted himself the following story, which does him a great deal of honour:—

I have no objection, said he, to the reputation and high character of Sheh-sadr-djehan, alias Mia-angn8, who is deservedly acknowledged for one of the ablest and most learned professors of the age, and had a particular talent in polemic writing; but who having in time acquired a turn of mind for dispute, had become an enthusiast, and seemed only to look out for an adversary. I had, said he, a great deal of regard for him, and he, on his side, seemed fonder of my fociety, than of that of any other. Being one day in his house, I amused myself with perusing some parts of Mir Hussëin’s book, (on whom may mercy repose for ever!) and as Mia-angn8 knew of my being a Shya, he stopped my reading, and said, come let us sit down together, and examine which of the two sects is the right one, the Shyas, or the Sunnies. But as he was superior to me, not only in knowledge and learning, but also in years, I answered with much respect and deference, that it did not become me to dispute with a person in every respect my superior, and that I was not likely to come off with honor in so unequal a contest. For all reply he repeated his request, and I repeated my excuse; but he continued to intreat me so earnestly, that for fear of giving offence, I was obliged to seem to enter the lists, and after having added, that it little became me to stand a dispute against such a master as he, unless it might be in submission to his own pleasure, I observed that to try the question by the revealed word of God itself in the Coran, and by the sayings of the Prince of Envoys, was not without difficulties, as the first was full of many obscure passages, whilst the latter might be accused of sophistication; but that I believed the matter in dispute might be reduced at once to this plain question: “Whether the most excellent of the sons of men, after the Prophet himself, was Ab8-bekr, son to Ab8-cohafa, or Aaly, son to Ab8-taleb*?” That this being once determined, the matter would come to a conclusion of itself, and that it depended upon him to determine it, independently of the word of God, and of the sayings of His Prophet. Now as there is in the world such a variety of matters that indicate the qual­ities, the attributes, and the workmanship of God, I ask where and how we are to find out which of these branches of knowledge is the highest and the noblest? At these words, he paused a little, and answered, that the noblest and highest of them was the knowledge of God. It is so indeed, replied I, and no man in his senses will deny it. Now amongst these various branches of knowledge of God, which is the noblest and highest? Here he paused again, and answered, the knowledge of the attributes of God. Now, replied I, there are extant several messages, speeches, sentences of Aaly’s, about the unity and the other sublime qualities of God. Do you know any of Ab8-bekr’s? I should be glad to hear them. Here he fetched a deep sob, and answered, “That to this day he had been sunk in ignorance and darkness, and had not been aware of the truth;” and I thank “God,” added he, “that I have got it at last by being in your company. It is you that have converted me.”

But all conversion comes from God. That illustrious Sëyd at that moment was heard to drop some enigmatical verses about Aaly, which is worth our while to repeat Here they are:

“On looking at the innermost recesses of my heart,

I have found Aaly himself, and nothing but Aaly.

The love of him is consuming my heart, and it says it is no pain;

I sink my head in his bosom, and my heart says it is no great proof of love.

The rose besprinkled with the dew is inferior to the beauty of his face,

And the sweat that drops from it is a pure refreshing water that cools my visage.”

This venerable man died at the age of seventy, in the year 1195 of the Hedjra, and he repaired from this fragile world to the mansions of eternity. The words, May God keep cool the place of his repose!* contain his chronogram. May God Almighty join him to the assembly of his pious ancestors, upon whom all be greeting and grace!

To return to my voyage. Being arrived at Lucknow, I was introduced to Mr. Djahn Bristow, to whom I explained the sub­ject of my voyage, informing him at last of General Goddard’s intention. He gave his consent, and after having obtained that of the Navvab Assef-ed-dowlah, he wrote to the Council on the subject. After sometime the consent of Council came likewise, and he sent for me to inform me of it. Happy to find how my journey had been successful, I put an end to it, and quitted Luc­now, previously informing the General of the success of my negotiation. But he had been already fully informed, having received the orders of the Supreme Council thereon, and he had set out immediately by the post for Lucknow, leaving budgerows, boats, and harcarahs, and his own moonshy, or Persian Secre­tary, with orders to bring up my consort and family from Chennar-gur. So great was his kindness for me, and so great his solicitude for whatever concerned by well-being. He had likewise the attention to send me notice of his departure, and of the orders he had left. This letter he entrusted to a sensible messenger of his, who had orders to look out for me on the road, and to give me the letter wherever he could get of my tidings. The letter came to hand, when I was already arrived at Djonp8r. Fain I was then to return to Lucknow, and to embark with my family, which I also found there; and I remained at Lucknow ten months more, my voyage having lasted in all fourteen months, in which time that generous man had assisfed me with sums to the amount of ten thousand rupees. I lived happy with him; and the time was come for his being employed, when my scheme, always dependent on his own, came to be overset entirely. Mr. Djan Baistow was recalled, and Mr. Middleton was sent to Assef-ed-dowlah’s Court in his stead; and this gentleman, with whom the General had connections, and from whose friendship and concurrence he expected every thing, came to declare himself against the scheme he had set up. A disunion succeeded, and a riveted coldness took place between the two friends; and myself being now become sensible of the consequence of such a mutual dissatisfaction, I took my leave and returned to Azim-abad.

The Author resumes his narrative of public events.