His worldly maxims are shrewd, and wonderfully modern at times. He expatiates on the advantages of a smooth tongue,

Worldly wisdom of the author. bids his son learn wisdom from fools, and cautions him against over-modesty, “for,” says he, “many men fail of their objects through bashfulness.” His remarks on truthfulness are delightful. “But do thou, O son,” says he, “be specious, but not a liar: make thyself famous as a speaker of truth, so that, if at some time thou shouldst tell a lie, men may accept it as true from thee.” He also cautions his son against making statements which, though true, are likely to be disbelieved, and cannot be easily proved; for, says he, “why should one make a state­ment, even if it be true, which it needs four months and the testimony of two hundred respectable witnesses to prove?”

His social maxims are generally sound. A host, says he, should never apologise to his guests for the entertainment Social maxims. which he offers them, as it only makes them ill at ease; nor should he ever find fault with his servants in their presence. He bids his son avoid playing games of chance for money, or with notorious gamblers; confirming his words with an oath; or lending money to friends, unless he is prepared to make the loan a gift. His advice as to drinking wine is tinged with a delicate irony. He admits that to drink wine at all is contrary to religion, “but I know,” he continues, “that you will not refrain from it for any words of mine, or hearken to what I say.” Therefore he confines himself to recommending his son not to drink in the morning, or at least not often, for thereby he will be tempted to omit his prayers, and will fill his head with fresh fumes of wine ere those of the previous evening's debauch be dissipated. He also counsels him to get drunk in his own house, so as to avoid scandal; not to drink on the eve of Friday, out of respect for the day, so that men, seeing this, may forgive his drinking on other evenings; and not to behave, when drunk, in a riotous and offensive manner. “To drink wine,” says he, “is a sin, and if you must sin, let it at least be pleasantly and gracefully. So let the wine which you drink be of the best, and likewise the music to which you listen; and if you jest with any one, do it well, so that, if you are to be punished in the next world, you may at least not be blamed and censured in this.” He also recommends that favours should be asked of stingy and avaricious persons only when they are drunk, and therefore in a more generous humour.

After interesting chapters on the purchase of slaves and horses, and the good and bad points of different kinds of each, and on hunting and falconry, the author passes to marriage. Love at first sight he considers to be absurd and impossible. He discusses the qualities which go to the making of a good wife, and emphasises the importance of allying oneself by marriage with powerful and influential families. Girls, in his opinion, should not be taught to read and write, but should not be “sold” to rich but undesirable suitors. Children should be beaten if they are idle or naughty, and liberally rewarded with pocket-money if they are industrious and well-behaved; and on no account should boys omit to learn the art of swimming. The wise man will be outwardly friendly and polite even to persons he dislikes, and will avoid putting him­self in the power of a friend, lest his friend should become hostile to him, and should use this power against him. He will refrain also from rejoicing over the death of an enemy, since only the assurance that he himself is secure against death could justify such exultation. Honesty is the merchant's best policy. Poets should be discriminating in their praise, and, even if they exaggerate, should not say that one who has never even had a knife in his belt “overthrows lions with his sword, and overturns Mount Bísitún * with his spear”; or that the steed of one who has never even ridden a donkey “resembles Duldul, Buráq, or Rakhsh.” * Satire should be indulged in but sparingly, “for the pitcher does not always return un­scathed from the water”; and the poet “should not lie over­much in his verse.” A flying foe should not be pursued or too hotly pressed, lest he turn at bay in desperation. If letters be written in Persian, they should be written with an admixture of Arabic, “for unmixed Persian is distasteful.” One should not be over-eager for the service of kings, and should avoid the society of soldiers.

In conclusion, I give the following extracts from the Specimens of the Qábús-náma. ninth chapter, “on Old Age and Youth,” as a specimen of the style of this interest­ing book.

“O son, though thou art young, be old in understanding. I do not bid thee not to play the youth, but be a youth self-controlled, not one of those worn-out * youths; for the young are ever high-spirited, as Aristotle says: ‘Youth is a kind of madness.’ Moreover, be not one of the foolish youths, for harm comes of folly, not of high spirits. Take thy pleasure of life, for when thou art old, thou wilt assuredly be unable so to do, even as a certain aged man said, ‘For many years I vainly sorrowed because, when I should grow old, the pretty ones would not care for me; but now that I am old, I do not care about them.’ And indeed, even though he be capable thereof, such dalliance ill beseems an old man. And even though thou art young, never forget God Almighty, nor deem thyself secure against Death for Death regards neither youth nor age, as 'Asjadí says:—

‘Gar bi-juwání u bi-pírístí,
Pír bi-murdí u juwán zístí.’

‘In youth or age did the question lie,
The young would live and the old would die.’