There were, besides those holy men, which we have been mentioning, numbers of pious and religious persons, in different parts of Bengal, all persons of character for sanctity of life and learning; but of whose life, I am not sufficiently informed to commemorate them properly here. One of these was Shah-gh8lam-aaly, in the village of Divrah, about the town of Arvel. Shah-bedi-eddin was another; together with others, who descended from Shah-sherf-eddin-yahya of Bahar. We must also mention Shah-cahilen, in Saher-seram, and Shah-mahmed-mah in Belia, a dependence of Monghir; and also Shah-nedjm-eddin, better known under the name of Shah-mó8lah, in the district of S8r8dj-gara, a dependence of Monghir, where he lived with a deal of ease and satisfaction, enjoying a small estate in land, the revenue of which he spent in entertaining all comers or travellers that would call on him. But Háider-aaly-qhan who commanded Aaly-verdy-qhan’s artillery, having commenced an acquaintance with him, that General made application to that Prince for his bestow­ing on the holy man the small Parganah or District of Cagra, in the dependence of Monghir; and the request was complied with, with the best grace in the world; so that the General one day presented him with the patent of it. Now that estate is enjoyed by his descendants, that is, by his wife’s relations, who all live comfortably upon the product of it.

There were in those times at Azim-abad numbers of persons who loved sciences and learning, and employed themselves in teaching and in being taught; and I remember ot have seen in that city and its environs alone nine or ten professors of repute, and three or four hundred students and disciples;* from whence may be conjectured the number of those that must have been in the great towns, and in the retired districts. Amongst those that flourished in the town of Bahar, the Cazy-g8lam-muzaffer, better known under the title of Muzaffer-aaly-qhan, was personally known to Aaly-verdy-qhan, who appointed him to the office of Supreme Judge of M8rsh8d-abad. He was a learned, ingenious, well behaved man, who wrote well both in verse and in prose.

As to those men of merit and knowledge, who led by their particular destiny, quitted the regions of Iran to come to Bengal and into Hindostan, and who in particular settled in Bahar and Azim-abad, the first of those venerable personages was the Prince of the learned and of the illustrious, the Foremost of the renowned doctors, the Veil-drawer of the difficult and hidden passages, the Seal of teachers and institutors, our Lord and Teacher Mahomed-el-medoo-bed-aaly, who changed his name into that of Mohammed-hezin* the delivered, (to whom may God have granted a high place in heaven!) He was one of the descendants of Shehtadj-eddin-hibrahim, better known under the name of Zahed-the-djilanian; and his fame was spread all over the world. The reputation of his virtues and learning was such, that his writings and compositions were as well known in India as in Iran; his virtues seemed to be an emanition and a manifestation of the powers of the Supreme Being; and himself a creature of a particular choice. I confess, in common with several persons far superior to me in every sense, that in this age he had not his equal. It is even probable that all over Iran and Arabia there has not been a man, so universally learned, as to be reputed a reservoir of every kind of knowledge, sacred or prophane, spiri­tual or corporeal. He was a standing miracle of the Divine omnipotence; had studied all the sciences; and had such a pro­digious memory, that it is doubted whether in this last qualifica­tion he ever had his equal. His knowledge was so universal, that there was no proposing to him a question in any point of spiritual science or of practical knowledge, but he would answer it directly. What subtility could be pointed out in the whole circle of science, which he did not unfold, and amongst the mazes and depths of Astrology, in what part was he not thoroughly versed? In fact he was a wonder and a prodigy of his age. The Emperor Mahmed-shah, fully apprised of his merit, sent him several messages by the channel of Emir-qhan, and some other Grandees of his capital, requesting his being pleased to accept the office of Vezir, and to augment thereby the splendour of his Court. But as that worthy man thought it a shame to submit to the inconveniencies of this world, he declined the proposal; for being a man of penetration, he knew that the secret foundations of the Empire were tottering, and likely soon to fall down; and therfore he paid no regard to the request; else, whenever the government of a kingdom is the business, and the correction of a whole Empire is the question, men of those superior talents will never refuse to undergo the burthen of a reformation; nor will they think themselves exempt from contributing to the good of mankind; so far from this, that they will think such a burthen to be obligatory on their character. To stretch too far the threads of this narrative on his virtues and excellencies, would be super­fluous in this place. His poesies, glowing everywhere with the sentiments of his heart, shall always bear a sufficient testi­mony of his eminent merit, and will afford a full information to those that never knew him personally. It was remarked of this illustrious man that he came several times to Azim-abad on his way to his own country of Iran, and always found himself opposed by fate. This is as much as we can say of him; for to mention his arrival and his several voyages with the obstacles he met with, would require much time, and answer very little purpose. Aaly-verdy-qhan, and his two sons-in-law, wrote him repeatedly, in the most respectful terms, supplicating the happiness of seeing him in their dominions. At each time he returned a polite answer, in which he excused himself; but the truth is, he never had any liking to their persons, or any inclination to live in their Courts. From Azim-abad he returned to Banaress, where for several reasons he took up his abode, and where he lived a long time, until finding himself grown feebler and incapable of travelling, he ordered a mausoleum to be raised for himself; and in the year of the Hedjra 1180, his soul winged its flight towards a corner of the Divine Mercy; and his body was buried in the monument which he had himself provided. One day* as he was looking at his tomb-stone, he had a mind to write some words with his own hand upon it, and these were engraved, with two or three verses of his composition; nor will it prove amiss to remember them here. At the top is the blessed name of God; after which are the words: O Beneficent, your culprit stands before you; receive Mahmed-el-medoo-beaalli the Djilanian, son to Abu-taaleb, and grandson to Abdollah, the Pious. But the very day of his death he wrote this notice of himself in the following verses at the bottom of the stone:—

“The dark night of my existence is illuminated by the approach of enjoyment;

To-morrow is judgment day for me, but it proves a lighted flambeau to my tomb.

At the two sides of these verses, he added the following ones:

“Should you ask me what I have been doing in this world, I would answer,

I have been attending to the language of love, and know nothing else:

Nothing else, but that I have just heard here the inviting voice of my Love.

Fatigued from his journey, and sensible of the pains it has cost him,

Hezin comes to repose his weary head on this pillow of tranquillity.”

May God’s mercy be upon him!

The second of those eminent personages, that came from foreign parts, is His Highness Sheh-mahmed-hassen, who is equal to the second Protomartyr, Sheh-zin-eddin-aaly. To mention his illustrious pedigree, would prove as superfluous a task as it would be to point out the sun, a new thing, in the middle of a flaming day. He had not his equal in the knowledge of the Arabic language, in jurisprudence, and in the sense of the Coran, and of its commentaries. As to the metaphysical and profane sciences, he was little versed in them, nor did they attract much of his regard; but he was not a stranger to them neither. His inclination turned him towards theology, and sacred knowledge, expressing little inclination towards profane sciences; but he had no aversion to them, nor did he forbid them to his disciple; for he used to say that the ancient masters were partaged in their opinions, on that subject, and I acknowledge, would he add, my insufficiency in those two articles, and “at a loss how to determine between the two parties, betwixt their right or wrong opinions. God only knows which is best.” The Afghans having taken possession of Iran, and thrown every­thing into confusion, he retired with his parents and family to the holy tombs of Kerbela and Nedjef,* and took up his abode there; but forced by poverty, he came from thence to Shah-djehan-abad, where he attached himself to Ab8l-mans8r-qhan. From thence he sent money to his family, and had it brought to him in Hindostan; and meanwhile he was proposed to inspect the education of the young Mirza-djelal-eddin-háider since Shudjah-ed-döulah, son to that General. But as Ab8l-mans8r-qhan came soon after to depart this life, and Sudjah-ed-döulah, turning giddy with the fumes of profligacy and absolute power, did not choose to listen to him any more, he quitted his Court, and retired to Azim-abad, where he was taken notice of by one of the Iranians of that city,* who perceiving his poverty, made him accept a sum of money to be employed in trade on common risks. The man, little acquainted with merchandise, and little inclined to commerce, put the money in the hands of a third person, and took up his abode in the mausoleum of Saadet-qhan, father-in-law to Ab8l-mans8r-qhan. Meanwhile his agent in trade came from Gorock-p8r with a quantity of Sac8-timber;* and as Radja Ram-naráin, who in appearance shewed him much regard, but in fact hated him heartily, was then building a palace, he was requested to purchase the whole quantity of timber at the common price, and to pay the money at once. Accordingly, the Radjah’s officers went, measured the timber, set their mark upon it, and for a length of time left it there, without further notice. The poor man sent the Radja word, requesting him either to take up the timber and pay for it according to the terms agreed upon, or to release it intirely, that any other might pur­chase it. The Radja, proud of his power and superior rank, made a very strange and very improper answer; and it was in these terms: “I fear neither the West nor the East, as you seem to imagine; nor have I bought your timber, but out of com­passion; and you had better think so yourself.” The Sheh confounded at the message, answered in a note, that he had not been able to understand His Excellency’s message, “but as to what you have been pleased” added he, “to write of your having no fears.”