LETTER L.

Exalted and blessed son, Muhammad A’azam, may God save and protect you. You have known the condition of my riding horses. The Emperor Jehángir (Aurungzebe’s grandfather) punished so severely his head groom that it proved absurd to give him the title of ‘Saf Shekan Khán’ (lit. the master of the breaker of the files of an army). (Verse) “It is quite contrary to the nature of a negro to call him a ‘káfūr’ (camphor).”* His Majesty (Sháh Jehán) used to say, “A senseless man spoils the business. We are helpless in making suitable appointments in times of diffi­culties and hardships of journey and of arrangement in an emergency.” You should select one from your grooms and (then) write to me. (Verse) “We must put up with every class of people; what is to be done with them? they are also people.”