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behind at Heri, applied himself to the study of music, and made such rapid progress, that, before the summer, he was even able to compose some pieces. In the summer when the Mirza returned to Heri, he sang in his presence, and that to music of his own composition, to the great astonishment of Ali Shîr Beg, who complimented him on the occasion. He composed several pieces of music, one of which is denominated the Nuh-reng (or nine measure). The parts of this Nuh-reng, and of the Yeldai Naksh (or midwinter-night's air), have their modulations in tenor. He was a decided rival and opponent of Ali Shîr Beg, whence he suffered much trouble and molestation; and finally, being unable to maintain his ground, went to Irâk and Aderbaejân to Yakub Beg, by whom he was well received, and became his companion in all his parties. After the death of Yâkub Beg, he was obliged to leave those countries, and returned to Heri. He still retained his humour and his spirit of opposition, of which the following, among other instances, is related. One day at a chess-party, Ali Shîr Beg happening to stretch out his foot, it touched the hinder parts1 of Binai; on which Ali Shîr Beg said, in a joking way," It is a sad nuisance in Heri, that you cannot stretch out your foot without coming in contact with the backside of a poet."—" Nor draw it in again," said Binâi, "without coming in contact with a poet's backside." At last his sarcasms drove Binâi from Heri, and he went to Samarkand.2 As Ali Shîr Beg was the author and patron of many and useful inventions, every man who made any discovery or invention in his art or profession, in order to give it credit or currency, called it the Ali Shiri. Some carried their imitation of him to such an excess, that Ali Shîr Beg having tied a handkerchief round his head, on account of an ear-ache, that style of tying a handkerchief came to prevail, under the name of the Ali Shiri fashion. When Binâi left Heri for Samarkand, as he was setting out, he ordered rather an uncommon sort of pad for his ass, and called it the Ali Shiri. The Ali Shiri pad became common, and is now well known.

Seifi

Another was Seifi Bokhâri, who was a tolerable Mûlla. He used to point to the numerous volumes he had read, as a proof of his undoubted claim to the title. He Bokhari. composed a Diwân. There is another Diwân of his which he composed for the use of tradespeople. He wrote many fables, but left no Mesnevi, as may be gathered from the following verses:—

(Persian.) Although the Mesnevi be deemed the test of a poet's orthodoxy,

I take the Ghazel as my creed;

Five couplets that afford delight,

I hold better than many Khamsehs.3

He left a Persian Prosody, which is very brief in one respect, and prolix in another. It is brief as it has omitted to treat of several useful and difficult subjects; and prolix in as much as such subjects as are plain and clear, are treated of in their minutest par

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1 It is to be recollected, that the Asiatics sit on the ground, on a carpet, with their feet drawn up under them.

2 Here Dr Leyden's translation ends. One other fragment which he translated, will be found under the year 925.

3 A Khamseh is a collection of five poems written in the Mesnevi style. Several Persian poets have composed Khamsehs.

Abdalla

ticulars, down to their points and discriminating marks. He was addicted to wine, and troublesome in his cups. He was remarkable for the force with which he could inflict a blow with his fist.

Another was Abdalla Mesnevigoi (the Mesnevi writer), who was of Jâm. He was Mesnevigoi. the nephew of the Mûlla1 by his sister. He took the poetical name of Hâtefi. He wrote some Mesnevis in emulation of the Khamsehs. He also composed the Taimur-nameh in rivalry to the Heft-Paiker (or seven statues). Of his Mesnevis, the best known is the Leili-Mejnûn, though its excellence does not equal its reputation.

Mir Hus

Another was Mîr Hussain Maamâi (the Enigmatist). None perhaps ever equalled sain Maa- him in his conundrums and riddles. His whole time was spent in devising enigmas. He was a humble, unpretending, and, in his way, incomparable man.

mái.

Mulla Muhammed Badakhshi.

Yusef
Badîaaî.

Ahi.

Muham

med Salikh.

Shah Hus

Another was Mulla Muhammed Badakhshi, who was from Ishkemish. Ishkemish is not in Badakhshan,2 which makes it odd that he should have taken the poetical name of Badakhshi. His poems are not equal to those of the poets whose names I have mentioned. Though he has written a treatise on Enigmas, his enigmas are not particularly good; but he was a pleasant companionable man. He waited on me when I was at Samarkand.

Another was Yûsef Badîaaî, who was from the country of Ferghâna, and composed very respectable Kasîdehs.4

Another was Ahi, who wrote pretty good Ghazels. He latterly went and lived with Ebn Hussain Mirza. He composed a Diwân.

ones.

Another was Muhammed Salikh. He wrote sweet Ghazels, but their correctness is not equal to their sweetness. He also composed verses in the Tûrki tongue, and good He finally went to the Khan's court, and was received with every kind of favour. He wrote a Tûrki Mesnevi, which he addressed to Sheibâni Khan, in the measure of Remel-masadas-Majnûn, which is that of the Sabkheh (of Jâmi). It is very dull and flat. One soon gets tired of reading Muhammed Salikh's poems. One good couplet of his is the following::

Tembal (lubber) has gained the land of Ferghâna;

He converts Ferghâna into a Tembal-Khaneh (lubberland).

The country of Ferghâna is also called Tembal-Khaneh. I am not quite certain, however, that this couplet is to be found in his Mesnevi. He was wicked, tyrannical, and unfeeling.

Another was Shah Hussain Kâmi. His poems are very fair. He composed Ghasain Kami. zels, and also wrote a Diwân.

Hilali.

Another was Hilâli, who is still alive. His Ghazels are correct and elegant, but leave little impression behind. He also wrote a Diwân, and a Mesnevi entitled Shah

1 Jâmi. Jâm is a considerable city in Khorasan, from which that poet had his name.

2 It lies south of Kundez.

3 One of his couplets on the succession of good and bad fortune is striking; "The fortune of men

is like a sand-glass; one hour up, the next down."-See D'Herbelot, in his Article.

The Kasideh is a particular species of Ode.

This is a particular measure of Persian verse.

5 Also a kind of Ode.

7 The Sabkhet-ul-ubrar, or Rosary of the Virtuous, is a mystic poem of Jâmi's.

va-Dervish (the king and the Dervish), in the Khâfîf measure: although many verses in it are excellent, yet the general plan of this poem and its structure are exceptionable and vicious. Former poets who have treated of love stories, have made a man the lover and a woman the mistress. Hilâli has made the Dervish the lover, and the king the object of his passion. The upshot of the verses in which he describes the words and actions of the king is, that he makes the king a catamite, and an abandoned creature. So that the moral example afforded by this Mesnevi of his is, that of a young man, a king, acting the part of a prostitute and catamite, which surely is no commendable or decent thing. He had a most retentive memory, and remembered thirty or forty thousand couplets. It is said that his recollection of most of the verses of the different Khamsehs was of great service to him, in regard to prosody and rhyming. Another was Ahili, who could neither write nor read. His poems are excellent. Ahili. He also composed a Diwân.

Although there were many beautiful penmen,' yet the person who excelled all others Penmen. in the Nastâlik character was Sultan Ali Meshhidi. He copied many books for the Mirza and Ali Shîr Beg. He every day copied thirty couplets for the Mirza, and twenty for Ali Shîr Beg.

Behzad.

Of the painters or limners, the most eminent was Behzâd. He was a very elegant Painters. painter, but did not draw young beardless faces well. He made the neck too large. Bearded faces he painted extremely well.

zeffer.

Another was Shah Mozeffer. He took likenesses very beautifully, but he did not Shah Molive long, and died when he was rising to eminence.

hammed.

Of the musicians, there was none performed on the Kanûn3 in a style to be compared Musicians. with Khwâjeh Abdalla Merwârîd, as has been observed. Another was Kûl Muham- Kul Mumed Udî (the lutanist). He also performed well on the guitar. He added three strings to it. No vocal or instrumental performer ever composed so many and such excellent overtures.4

Another was Sheikhi Nâyi (the flute-player). He also played well on the lute and Sheikhi Niyi. guitar. From the age of twelve or thirteen, he played well on the flute. On one occasion he played an air beautifully before Badia-ez-zemân Mirza on the flute. Kûl Muhammed attempted, but was unable to play it on the guitar. He said, "The guitar is an imperfect instrument." Sheikhi immediately took the guitar out of Kûl Muhammed's hand, and played the same air completely and delightfully upon it. They tell of Sheikhi, that he was so accomplished in music, that on hearing any air whatever, he said, "Such a tune of such a person resembles this." He did not compose much. They preserve two or three of his airs.7

Ghecheki.

Another was Shah Kuli Ghecheki (the performer on the ghechek or guitar). He Shah Kuli was a native of Irâk, who came into Khorasân, and rose to fame by his excellence as a composer. He composed many tunes, preludes, and airs.9

1 In the eastern countries in which no printing is used, the art of penmanship is a source of much higher distinction than in Europe at the present day.

2 Ghebgheb also signifies the double-chin.

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Bir ai Peilewan Muham med Ba

said, the wrestler.

Bad a-ezzemán and Mozeffer Hussain

made joint

Another was Hussain Udi (the lutanist), who played with great taste on the lute, and composed elegantly. He could play, using only one string of his lute at a time. He had the fault of giving himself many airs when desired to play. On one occasion Sheibani Khan desired him to play. After giving much trouble he played very ill, and besides, did not bring his own instrument, but one that was good for nothing. Sheibâni Khan, on learning how matters stood, directed that, at that very party, he should receive a certain number of blows on the neck. This was one good deed that Sheibâni Khan did in his day; and indeed the affectation of such people deserves even more severe animadversion.

Gholâm Shadi was also a musical composer. He was the son of Shâdi the singer. Though a performer, yet he did not play so as to deserve to be ranked with the performers who have been mentioned. He composed sweet airs,' and some finished pieces ; there were few compositions of that day that could be compared to his. At last Sheibâni Khan sent him to Muhammed Amîn Khan Kara Khâni, since which, I have not heard of him.

Another was Mîr Azû. He was not a performer, but composed. Though his ductions are few, yet they are exquisite of their kind.

pro

Binai was likewise a composer. He left many excellent nekshes and sûts.3 Another peerless man was Pehlewân Muhammed Busaîd. He was unequalled as a wrestler. He was a poet too, and likewise composed various musical sûts and nekshes. He composed one beautiful (air or) neksh in the Chargâh key. He was an agreeable man in society. The degree of excellence which he reached in athletic exercises was quite wonderful.

When Sultan Hussain Mirza expired, Badîa-ez-zemân Mirza and Mozeffer Hussain Mirza were the only Mirzas at hand. As Mozeffer Hussain Mirza was his favourite son, and as Muhammed Berendûk Birlâs, the Emir and minister in chief credit, kings. was that prince's atkeh (or tutor), and as, besides, his mother Khadijeh Begum had the most influence of all the Mirza's wives, the greater part of the people who were about the Mirza gathered round Mozeffer Hussain Mirza, and looked up to him as his father's successor. Badîa-ez-zemân Mirza being alarmed at this, intended not to go to head-quarters. Mozeffer Mirza and Muhammed Beg, however, having mounted and gone to wait upon him, removed all uneasiness from his mind, and prevailed upon the Mirza to accompany them thither. Sultan Hussain Mirza was conveyed in a royal style, and with all due pomp, to Heri, where they interred him in his own college. At this time Zûlnûn Beg was likewise on the spot. Muhammed Berendûk Beg, Zûlnûn Beg, and other Amîrs, who had been with Sultan Hussain Mirza, and had accompanied the Mirzas, having now met and consulted together, finally resolved to

1 The terms used are sût and naksh.

2 Kar.

3 Particular kinds of musical pieces.

I have not been able to translate, with any degree of certainty, the musical terms used in the preceding pages. Perdeh, I understand to be a mode,—pishrou, a prelude,—neksh, kar, and sût, are tunes of various kinds. The same uncertainty prevails as to the musical instruments :-Aûd is applied to any stringed instrument. The kanun is an instrument with many strings, and is generally placed on the ground when it is played on. The ghechek resembles our guitar, but has a large round bulb. Nái is a pipe or flute.-See Kæmpfer's Amœnitates Exoticæ, p. 740.

place Badîa-ez-zemân Mirza, with Mozeffer Hussain Mirza, on the throne of Heri, as joint kings. At the court of Badîa-ez-zemân Mirza, Zûlnûn Beg was prime minister, and Muhammed Berendûk Beg held the same office in the court of Mozeffer Hussain Mirza. On the part of Badîa-ez-zemân Mirza, Sheikh Ali Toghai was Darogha of the city; as Yûsef Ali Gokultâsh was on the part of Mozeffer Mirza. This was a strange arrangement. A joint kingship was never before heard of. The well-known words of Sheikh Sâdi in the Gulistân are very applicable to it: "Ten Derwishes can sleep on one rug; but the same climate of the earth cannot contain two kings."

EVENTS OF THE YEAR 912.

2

marches for

In the month of Moharrem,' I set out for Khorasân, in order to oppose the invasion Baber of the Uzbeks, and advanced by way of Ghûrbend and Shibertû. As Jehangir Mirza Khorasan. had taken some disgust and fled from the country of Ghazni, I judged it proper, for the purpose of reducing the Aimâks to order, and to prevent the disaffected from rising in revolt, to separate from our baggage and camp-followers in Ushter-Sheher, (leaving Wali Khâzin and Doulet Kedem to guard and bring them on,) and to push forward with the great body of the army, in light array, with all practicable speed. That same day we reached the fort of Zohâk. Having proceeded thence by the Kotal or hill pass of Gûmbezek, and descended by Saekân, we surmounted the Dendan-Sheken pass,1 and encamped in the valley of Kehmerd. I sent on Sultan Muhammed Dûldâi, and Syed Afzel Khâb-bîn, with a letter to Sultan Hussain Mirza, to inform him of my approach from Kâbul.

5

6

3

Jehangir Mirza having lagged behind his men, when he came opposite to Bamiân, went to see it, accompanied by twenty-three attendants. On approaching the place he observed the tents of my household, which had been left behind, and thinking that I was along with them, set off full speed, returned back to his camp, and without suffering himself to be delayed by any consideration whatever, marched away, never looking behind him till he had reached the territory of Yeke-Auleng.7

sieges

Meanwhile Sheibâni Khan had laid siege to Balkh. Sultan Kalinjak commanded Sheibani in the place. Sheibâni Khan sent out two or three Sultans, with three or four thou- Khan besand men, to plunder the country of Badakhshân. At that time Mobârek Shah Vazir Balkh. had gone and joined Nâsir Mirza. Although formerly there had been some discussions and bad blood between them, they had now in concert collected an army, and were

1 Moharrem, A. H. 912, begins on 24th May 1506, the year in which the Khanate of Kipchak ceased, and the country was divided. The conquests of the Uzbeks in Mâweralnaher and Khorasan probably derived great support from the wandering tribes, driven on that occasion from their own settlements; just as the influx of barbarians into the Roman empire, in its decline, arose from a similar cause. 2 This place lies to the west of Kâbul.

3 Or Saeghân. These places are between Bamian and Kehmerd. Teeth-breakers.

The Dreamer.

6 Urûk.

7 Yeke-Auleng is situated about thirty or thirty-five miles west from Bamiân, among the hills. s Baber's brother.

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