His Majesty enquires into the excellent customs of past ages, and without looking to the men of the past in particular, he takes up that which is proper, though he have to pay a high price for it. He bestows his fostering care upen men of various classes, and seeks for occasions to make presents. Thus, when His Majesty was informed of the feasts of the Jamsheds, and the festivals of the Pársí priests, he adopted them, and used them as opportunities of conferring benefits. The following are the most important feasts. 1. The New Year's day feast.* It commences on the day when the Sun in his splendour moves to Aries, and lasts till the nineteenth day of the month [Farwardín]. Two days of this period are considered great festivals, when much money and numerous other things are given away as presents: the first day of the month of Farwardín, and the nineteenth, which is the time of the Sharaf. Again, His Majesty followed the custom of the ancient Pársís, who held banquets on those days the names of which coincided with the name of a month.* The following are the days which have the same name as a month: 19th Farwardín; 3rd Urdíbihisht; 6th Khúrdád; 13th Tír; 7th Amurdád; 4th Shahríwar; 16th Mihr; 10th A´bán; 9th A´zar; 8th, 15th, 23rd, Dai: 2nd Bahman; 5th Isfandármuz. Feasts, are actually and ideally, held on each of these days. People in their happiness raise the strain of inward joy. In the beginning of each pahr the naqqárahs (vide p. 51, l. 1.) are beaten, when the singers and musicians fall in. On the first of the above feasts coloured lamps are used for three nights: on the second for one night, and the joy is general.

I have given a few particulars in the first Book (A´ín 18).