D. | G. | Serial. | TITLES OF THE ANECDOTES. |
Introduction to the third part: | |||
f193a | f234b | Doxology, dedicatory note with a panegyric on his patron, Muḥammad b. Abí S‘ad al-Junaydí called Qiwámu’d-Dín, entitled the Niẓámu’l-Mulk, the Wazír of the Sultan Iltutmish of India, who ruled in Dehli A. H. 607—633 = A. D. 1211—1236. | |
” | ” | An exordium to the first chapter, the old Greek conception of the influence of the Humours on the temperament of Man, and the causes of diversity in human nature. | |
” | ” | 1541 | Drinking as the best test of the temperament of mankind, and the influence of wine on different people. (The Ṭabá’i‘u’l-Ḥayawán of al-Jáḥiẓ as the source, see above, pp. 96—7). |
f194a | f235a | 1542 | al-Jáḥiẓ’s surprise at the waxing eloquence of ‘Abdu’llah ‘Umayy (?) after he had taken excessive wine, at a banquet given by the sons of ‘Abdu’l-Malik Riyáshí (?). (See above, p. 97). |
” | ” | 1543 | An observation on the mentality of short-statured persons, taken from the Kitábu’l-Firása, and supported by the experience of Núshírwán about a dwarf which is related on the authority of the Ta’ríkh-i-Akásira. (See above, pp. 100; 56, 60). |
” | ” | 1544 | The temperament of Altún-Tásh, the Chamberlain of the Amír Ismá‘íl the Sámánid, exhibited in a striking contrast to that of ‘Umar II, on a similar occasion of grievance. |
f194b | f235b | 1545 | A philosopher, when questioned about the art of judging character from features, advises a person not to make himself doubly ugly, and quotes the retort of Plato to a stupid disciple of his, who had taunted him for his ugliness. (The Kitábu’l-Firása is mentioned in this connection). |
” | ” | 1546 | The perverted Ník-shinás meets his retribution by the command of Kay-Khusraw. |
” | ” | 1547 | Diogenes, the philosopher, praises an old stupid person for having dyed his beard, and when questioned by his disciples says that grey hair and foolishness are incompatible; the dyeing of his beard eliminated one incongruity, hence his praise. |
” | ” | 1548 | Alexander the Great cannot tolerate that his namesake should be an uncivilised boor. |
” | ” | 1549 | The story of the four travellers, and the mental test applied by an Indian princess to detect the one who stole a precious pearl from one of his fellow-travellers. (An instance of experimental psychology, as practised in ancient India, drawn from a work of Jáná, an Indian philosopher). |
D. | G. | Serial. | TITLES OF THE ANECDOTES. |
f195b | f236b | 1550 | Argument about the heredity of Temperament in mankind. |
” | ” | 1551 | The offspring of a noble father, named Zakí (?), and a wicked mother, called Núsh (?), displays his mixed nature by turns. |
f196a | ” | 1552 | A striking contrast of the temperament of ‘Adí and ‘Abdu’llah, the two sons of Ḥátim of Ṭayy, and the experiences of their mother while they were sucklings. (Anecdote repeated, see above, II. xxiii. 1500). |
The chapter ends with a panegyric on the above-mentioned Wazír. |