THE title page of the volume containing the various accounts of the Universe; and the Book of Books* describing the condition* of all the different Tribes or Nations* of the world; are, the praise of the King of all Kingdoms; the Standard of whose might and Majesty is planted on the field of his works, and under the shadow of whose aid and protection all the contending armies on the face of the earth are enrolled.

The Shuhneh,* Magistrate or Provost Martial, who executes his universal orders, regulates with the scourge of wisdom and justice, in eternal moderation and proportion, the opposite natures or qualities of the various kinds of sentient beings;* The Herald of his decrees, by the proclamation to the four quarters of the world, that, to “him belongs Sovereignty, the one God! the all power­ful God!”*— draws forth or compels from the tongue of every one high and low the acknowledgement of belief in his unity; and the generous call or invita­tion to his plenteous table, adorns with the orna­ment of faith the ear of every living creature.— Verses from the Gulistan— “So wide has he spread his bounteous feast— That the Simorgh* eats his share in the Mountain of Kaf.”*

And the Preface to the Book of the Creation, and the title of the volume of Wisdom and Knowledge, are the praises of that Commander (Muham­mad), whose authority, [the words]— “we do not send thee except from compassion or mercy to mankind,”* became to the sinners of the earth, the glad tidings of salvation; and the sword of whose claim, and mission, like the life destroying lighten­ing came and burned up the harvest of the pride and insolence of idolators and infidels. May the blessings of God ever remain on him, his family, friends and dependents.

But, from the conquerors in the realms of litera­ture,* and from the presidents or leaders of the Councils of the learned, it will not be hidden, that when the Almighty in any time or period desires that the individuals of his Creation, (that is, his Servants), shall repose on the couch* of ease and safety; he qualifies and makes acceptable to him­self, a fortunate individual, a man of strong mind, and places the symbol of obedience* to him on the shoulders of the age, and the nations of the earth far and near are maintained in the supply of their wants and the accomplishment of their desires by the impression and influence of his name and power.

This proposition is established, in the cases of Shums ul Moolk, Ameer ud Dowla, Nawaub Hydur Alí Khan Bahadúr, Hydur Jung,— and Oomdut ool Moolk, Mubaruk ud Dowla, Tippoo Sooltaun, Alí Khan Bahadúr, Huzubbur Jung;* both fortunate and illustrious men, who from the commencement of 1167, Hijri, (A.D. 1753), to the end of 1213, Hijri (1798-9,) reigned over their kingdom (Mysore) and fostered and cherished man­kind by their prudence, justice, and liberality;— and during this period as will be detailed hereafter, held the whole of the Balaghaut* Province and part of the Payenghaut under their authority and controul,— and, for some time the revolving Heavens like confidential servants girded their loins ready to perform the service required of them by these great men; and for a certain number of days, the five Nobuts, (times or modes of beating the kettle-drums) of rejoicing or congratulation* for the increase of the Khodadad, or God given kingdom, were beaten before the gate of their prosperity; and these great men, by the aid of their good fortune, with the sword of chastisement, cast down the heads of the chief infidels of this Souba, and the fear of the sabre, wielded by the strength of these lion like men, compelled the seditious and intriguing chiefs of the Balaghaut to throw down their shields, and show their teeth.*

In fine, towards the conclusion of the reign of these prosperous Chiefs, they became the asylum of the weak, the safeguard of the rich and poor, and the refuge of the Tribes of the Earth.

They favoured and honoured the professors of the Trades and Arts; and the fame of the bravery of these protectors of the poor, and their encourage­ment of the brave, resounded through Hindostan, and the Dukkun; the praise of the justice and liberality of these generous and truly wise men was likewise spread through all the nations of the earth.

Still, however, a detailed* history of the kingdom God given, (Mysore), and the reigns of these great and able men, in one continued series; and, a descriptive commentary,* on the lives of these Princes, illumined by the light of truth, has hitherto been unattempted by any one.

For this reason, this student in the school of ignorance, whose name is Meer Hussain Alí, Kir­mani, the son of Syud Abdul Kadir Kirmani, (who served both these Princes, and remained in the service of Tippoo Sultaun in a highly honourable rank, about five years, that is from the year 1196, to 1201, Hijri, but of which no further men­tion is now necessary), having spent two or three years in a search for information, respecting the forefathers of this illustrious family, which was with great difficulty obtained, he reduced it to writing, and formed it into a book; and, the detail of the months and years being added, he has named his work, the Neshauni Hyduri,* and has left it as a memorial inscribed on the page of time. And he has laboured with such care and caution, that he is certain nothing, but fact and truth, has found an entrance into his work; and some circumstances, to which the author himself was an eye-witness, are stated without hesitation or the shadow of a doubt; simply as they occurred— in order, also, to bind together the leaves of this newly written book, he has turned over the pages of months and years, and the leaves of night and day; and he has, moreover, adorned the garden of its columns and chapters with chosen words teeming with meaning, and watered and refreshed it with the streams of per­spicuity and truth.*

Although this book, agreeably to the saying of the learned, that “every beginning has an ending,” is finished; yet, according to the opinion of the author, it is still incomplete: but when men of exalted understanding, candid* linguists, learned his­torians, wise and liberal encouragers of learning shall look over his pages with the eyes of scrutiny and see the painful task he has made agreeable to himself; and that he has not foolishly thrown away his precious time, but has clothed the bride of fugitive recollections with the marriage garment of junction* and union, and seated her on the nuptial* throne of the coloured pages of his book; and lastly shall review his work with the eyes of truth and approbation, it will then (and then only), by their approval and sanction be completed. What he hopes from the truly learned, the generous con­cealers of errors, is, that, if they at any time should peruse this book, they will not dwell on the want of arrangement, or of elegance, in the language and sentences, but, by the favour of correction, lay an obligation on him, which he is ever ready to acknowledge.*