But let us cease to anticipate the reader’s reflections by our own; and let us return to our own narrative. As the Monarchy of Haider-abad was put an end to in the person of Abool-hassen, who was the last of the C8t8b-shahian’s family, it shall not be unacceptable to our readers to hear some further particulars of that unhappy Prince in this place. They shall be amazed to hear how he rose, how he acquired a kingdom, how Providence drew for him from its inexhaustible treasury the sweets of high dignities and the glories of so exalted a rank, with all the happiness attending absolute dominion and length of reign; and the by-stander’s imagination will be confounded on observing how he was, by an event almost unparalleled in history, placed upon the throne of Haider-abad. This is the more proper, as otherwise the lovers of history would have reason to complain, that after having raised their curiosity to a pitch by recounting the singular conversation that passed between the dethroned King and the Generalissimo, conversation in which that Prince spoke mysteriously of his former Fakyr’s garb, and of his present Royal attire, I left them to their own surprise and astonishment, without having so much as attempted to afford ease to their feelings by solving the knots of an enigma, so uncommon and so amazing. Abd8llah-c8t8b-shah, who reigned about sixty years, having no son, and God Almighty having given him only three daughters, he bestowed one of them on Séyd Nizam-eddin-ahmed, the Husséinian*, who was an undoubted Séyd of the illuminated city of Medina, being of the race of that oracle of learning, Emir-ynaïet-eddin-mans8r, the Shirazian, (whose spirit may God have sanctified!); for the num­ber of learned men, produced by that illustrious family, cannot be unknown to those that love history. The most eminent Romantik, but yet historical, account of Ab8l-has­sen, the last King of Hai­der-abad. amongst them, are that Prince of philosophers, Emir-sadr-eddin-mohammed-destghi, the Shirazian, and Sëyd Mubarec-shah, as well as Mir-asyl-eddin, and Mir-djemal-eddin-muhdess, without mentioning so many others. He was born in the illuminated city of Medina, from whence he came to Shiraz, in Iran, and settled in that theatre of learning. Having acquired an estate and some lands in the territory of that city, he lived with dignity and splendour for a number of years, when he thought proper to return to Hedjaz*; and it is in that country that his son, Sëyd aaly-qhan was born. After that he quitted Arabia and went to Hindia, where he took up his abode at Haider-abad, in Decan; where in time he became the King’s son-in-law, as we have already mentioned. This Prince, observing abilities and talents in him, gave him the management of several parts of the admin­istration, and raised him to high dignities and employments. Some years after, there came another illustrious Sëyd, from Arabia, a Sëyd Soltan, a learned man, who had studied under the former Sëyd’s father, the learned and venerable Sëyd Ahmed. King C8t8b-shah took this Séyd also in favour, raised him to dignities and honours, and betrothed his second daughter to him; and he seemed to take a pleasure in producing him to the world. Unfortunately a jealousy arose between the two Seyds; that is, between Séyd Nizam-eddin-ahmed, who was already become the King’s son-in-law, and Séyd Soltan, who was designed for that honour. Once it happened that the King asked the latter whether he had any knowledge of the ancestors of Sëyd Ahmed? The other answered that he had, and that he was a learned man, son to a learned man, and grandson to a learned man; which last had been his own master and teacher (to Sëyd Soltan). As this answer, which after all was nothing but truth, was pronounced with a certain air, it made an impression on Sëyd Ahmed, who from that moment became averse to him; and this aversion was kept up by a number of tale-tellers, who took care to furnish fresh fuel to it every day. Inso­much that they became enemies to each other; and their enmity was upon the increase, when preparations commenced for the nuptials of the late King’s second daughter, already betrothed, Sëyd Soltan espoused the Princess; and rejoicing and feasting became universal all over the city, where every market, as well as every door and gate, exhibited a scene of festivity and decoration, that surprised and charmed the beholder. On the very night when Sëyd Soltan was to be carried to his bride*, another offensive expression dropped from his mouth, and an improper action took place; which so displeased Sëyd Ahmed, that he went to C8t8b-Shah, and with a solemn oath told him that if the marriage should take place, he would himself quit his Court, from which he hoped he would dismiss him.—He had at the same time taken measures for quitting Haider-abad. In vain did the old King, in vain did his Ministers endeavour to pacify him, and to bring the two Sëyds to terms of decency and mutual forbearance; their efforts proved fruitless, and their endeavours, abortive. But as Seyd-ahmed’s influence had taken root this longwhile both at Court and within the sanctuary, and C8t8b-shah’s principal consort had openly espoused his concerns, together with all the ladies of the Seraglio, and all the King’s private friends were also on his side, the old King was con­founded at this general opposition, and found himself at a loss how to act, even after consulting his Ministers and favourites. At last they fell upon this expedient, that the Princess should be bestowed, not on the man to whom she had been betrothed, and who had come to carry her to his home, but on Abool-hassen, a young nobleman, very nearly related to the King on the mother’s side. But this Abool-hassen having from his tenderest youth conceived such an inclination for the company of Fakirs, as to assume their very garb and manners, and this new kind of life having communicated to his words and actions a strange levity which had rendered him disagreeable to the King, he had fallen He proves disagreeable to the King. into a total neglect; nor could he be prevailed to drop so much as a look upon his person. Hence the young man finding no resource in the world, still more strongly addicted himself to that strange way of life; and he was now living under the roof of a Fakir called Seyd-radj8, whom he had chosen for his saint and director, and whose lessons he was actually hearing, when the King’s messengers after much search found him out, and announced to him his good fortune. They carried him to a bath, dressed him with elegance and magnificence, put a crown of pearl upon his head, and mounting him upon a superb horse, that carried a saddle enriched with jewel-work, enamelled, they carried him to the Palace, where the bride, the costly presents, and the high dignities that had been prepared for Seyd Soltan, were at once bestowed upon him; insomuch that the festivity and nup­tials that had commenced in another’s name, were continued in his. The bride was put in his hands; he was acknowledged Prince of the blood; and from that moment fortune became so favourable, that he rose in estimation, and was thought equal to any dignity and any office in the State. But by this time Seyd Ahmed was become so proud of his own high extraction, as well as of his having espoused the eldest Princess, and he had become so haughty and overbearing, as to make no account of any Lords of the Court, nor of any Grandees of the State, save Seyd Morteza who drew his pedigree from the Kings of Mazenderan*, and was become a man of consequence in the kingdoms of Decan, and one of the principal Commanders of the troops. Such haughty pretensions naturally estranged all the Ministers from him; but above all they lost him the hearts of the ladies of the seraglio, by whose assistance he had always carried his point. No wonder then, if all the hearts should naturally turn towards Abool-hassen, now Soltan Abool-hassen, who, without familiarising himself with any one, behaved with so much con­descension and so much sweetness of temper to all, that people were quite at their ease in his company, where they were always treated with a brotherly civility, and an easy politeness. Soltan C8t8b-shah dying at this very time, and dissensions arising at Court, as well as disputes in the city about a successor to the Crown, Seyd Ahmed shewed himself in arms in the palace, with a number of troops, ready to oppose any pretender; and on the other hand the Soltana Zer-o-mah*, the principal consort, shewed herself with a sabre in her hand, at the head of a number of Tartarian and Habeshinian female slaves, armed. The Grandees of the Kingdom meanwhile disagreeing likewise, tumult and war were making their appearance in every part of the city; and God knows how far the flames of civil dissension might have spread, had not Seyd Morteza, the principal General of the troops, vigorously interposed. By his mediation, and the able management of his two agents, Madina and Enganna, two brother Brahmans, who had his confidence, all the Grandees and Ministers agreed to confer the Crown on Soltan Abool-hassen, and to reject Seyd Ahmed, who was vanquished and driven away. But the tumults and dissensions did not end here. Seyd Morteza, proud of his eminent station, and still more so of his having been so instrumental in placing Abdool-hassen on the throne, had assumed an air of independence in all his discourses and actions which the new King bore for some time, but which at last had become intolerable; and the fire of a civil war was going to blaze again, when Madina, the Brahman, who had now become the new King’s confidant and Prime Minister, found means to gain over to his side all the Commanders and officers who had hitherto supported Séyd Morteza; so that this General, finding himself at once deprived of both wings and feathers, thought proper to submit to controul. These important services made such an impression on the new King, that he bestowed the casket of the Vezirship on Madina, and entrusted his brother, Euganna, with the details and offices which his elder brother had left vacant by his promotion. And it is from thence that must be dated that Minister’s influence, and his master’s gratitude. And it is here that ends our history.