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2- CuAHfvR MAQALA. EXORDIUM
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vouchsafe to him and to,the other kings of that line a full portion
of dominion "and domain, throne and fortune, fame and success,
command and prohibition, by His Favoyr and universal Grace !
SECTION I.
It is an old custom and ancient convention, which custom is
maintained and observed, that an author (r) or compiler, in the
introduction to his discourse and preface of his book, should
commemorate somewhat of his patron's praise, and record some
prayer on behalf of the object of his eulogy. But I, a loyal
servant, instead of praise and prayer 'for this princq will mkke
mention in this book of the favours ordained and vouchsafed
by God Most High and Most Holy to this King of kingly parent-
age, that, these'being submitted to his world-illuminating judgement,
he may betak'e himself to the expression of his thanks for
them. For in the uncreated Scripture and unmade Word God
says, "
Verily ifye be 1 "
thankful I will give you c'ncrease for the
;
gratitude of the servant is an alchemy tfor the favours of the
Munificent Lord. Briefly, then, it behoves thi,s great King and
puissant Lord to know that to-day, upon the whole of this globe
of dust, and within the circle of this green parasol 2
, there is no
king in more ample circumstances than this monarch, nor any
potentate enjoying more abundant good than this -
sovereign. He
his
hath the gift of youth and the blessing of constant health ;
father and mother are alive ; congenial brothers are on his 'right
hand and on his left. And what father is like his sire, the
ever-victorious and heaven-aided
mighty, divinely-strengthened,
FakhrrCd-Dawla wad-Diu s
, Lord of Iran, King of the Mountains
(may God prolong his existence and continue to the heights
his exaltation!), who is the most puissant Lord of the age and
the most excellent Prince of the time in judgement, statecraft,
l
knowledge, courtesy, swordsmanship, strength of arm, treasure
Supported by ten thousand "men bearing spears
and equipment !
and handling reins he hath made himself a shield before his sons,
so that not even the zephyr may blow roughly on one of his
servants. In her chaste seclu.sion and unassailable abode is a
prayerful lady (may God perpetuate her exaltation !) whose every
invocation, breathed upwards at earliest dawn to the Court of
God, works with the far-flung host and wheeling army. Where
Prince Shamsrfd-Dawla wdd-
again is a brother like -the royal
Dm 4
, Light of Islam and the Muslims (may his, victories be .
1
Qur'dn, xiv, 7.
2 The variant