Account of the Amír Abú-Ahmad-’bn-Yamín-Addoulah.

The cream of our descriptions and the flower of our words, in pourtraying the qualities and dis­playing the brilliancy of this Prince, reminds us of the poet’s words (Verse)

“The generosity of that Prince is as the blessings given by the dawn;”
“The generosity of this Prince is as the blessings given by the midday.”

Heaven had adorned him with specially good morals and with inclinations to high dignities. Of this the virtues of his disposition, his pure and gloriously conspicuous nature, were a cutting evi­dence and clear proof. His mind, in nobleness, was parallel to the sign Pisces and on a level with the sky, and from the chamber of education, the canopy of care, and the guardianship of the Sultán’s training, he came forth pure as gold tried by the touchstone of fire, and walked proud as the moon on her throne of increasing light, and arrived at the door of exaltation through the influx of merits. He profited much in the exercises of swords and spears, and was gemmed with generous morals, when he emerged from the shaping of childhood to the age of youth, and an hero’s strength was founded in him. The Sultán, as the consummation of his rearing and training, by the full effect of manhood and the duties of paternity, demanded for him, from amongst the princely children of Abú-Nasr-Feriguni, a noble lady, adorned with brilliant qualities and accomplish­ments, and appointed him Receiver-Governor of Juzján, a seat of the family of Ferigúní, who in greatness resembled the Creator, in graciousness Heaven, and in bounty the Jihún. He distin­guished then his son, with the viceroyalty hereof, who proceeded thereunto, and, with his showers of liberality and comprehensive justice, revivified the subjects of those regions, so that hearts became strong by his virtues, and all with pure affection and sincere friendship, presented the service of allegiance. And the Sultán, when he saw the indications of his bent, and the lights of his glory increasing day by day, augmented his proofs of favour, his kind preference, and his eagerness to raise the degrees of his position, and the steps of his rank, and increased his kindness and benevo­lence, with special regard and peculiar benevolence. The remaining adventures of the two brothers shall be mentioned in their own place, please Heaven!*