PRAISE and Thanksgiving to God.*— (Verse)— “that what I asked has been granted by him.”
When the commands obeyed by the world, brilliant as the light of the sun, exalted as the Heavens, of that great personage (the name of this great personage is not given, it being in the opinion of the author sufficiently known) whose heart is the abode of purity and sincerity, were issued to this gatherer of crumbs from the table of the wise and learned, that he should reduce to writing in a plain easy style the History of the Kingdom of Mysore, and with his pen describe faithfully the whole of the wars and conquests, (made by the rulers of that country); notwithstanding certain contingencies and worldly troubles (<Arabic>),* and the scanty means and mean abilities of this ruined man; the difficulties which beset him in obtaining the means of subsistence and the fatigue of a long journey; all strongly operated to prevent his attempting so great an undertaking and threw the stone of indecision at the glass of the firmness of his determination; and his mind the finder or inventor of signs, or symbols,* with the tongue of humility in detailing such high and praiseworthy qualities and actions, said “what power has a speechless ant that he should be able to move a mountain? or what strength has a fly that he should take such a burden on his shoulders?” being, still, however, obedient to the commands and bound to the orders of the great personage before mentioned, without attempting the difficult task of composing flowery and ornamented periods, a few lines have been written describing the conquests and other events of the reign (of Tipú Sultán), his excellent qualities and singularly good disposition. Stories of his liberality, the relation of occurrences displaying his kind and forgiving temper, his generosity to his friends, his zeal for the propagation of the religion of Islám, and for the destruction of infidels and infidelity. In writing these details the purity of the author’s pearl-stringing pen, has not been sullied by the dirt of misrepresentation or falsehood, such being the practice of hired sycophants of low character, or of foolish rhapsodical writers only. (The Author after using the third person, now speaks in the first— but, to continue as he began). The hope and trust of the Author, therefore, from the princely sons and dependants of the Sultán is, that they will look on his book with the eyes of impartiality and approbation, and give him the meed of praise in proportion to his claims and merits, which (meed) is the harvest of the life, and the chief source of gratification and delight to the poor and needy scholar. And as the History of the Nawáb Hydur Alí Khán Bahadúr, and a commentary on the reign and actions of Tipú Sultán, are both included in this work, for that reason the Author has sought and found the year of its completion in the word (<Arabic>) Towáríkh (which is the plural of <Arabic>* a date of a month or year, and a term generally applied to history,) that is to say, it was the year 1217, Hijri. (A. D. 1802); and it was on the 9th of the month of Rujub ul Morujub, that he turned the reins of the horse-like pen from his career on the race-course of the paper to the end, that his soul might be released from the toils of anxiety, hard study, and deep reflection, and that at length the object of his desires (rest, or the completion of the work) might shew him her lovely face
From this commences the accomplishment of the Author’s desires, by the aid of the Lord of all existence.