CHARA 
they ever rose above the humblest 
mediocrity. 
» When travelling in pursuit of bu- 
siness, he frequently stepped aside, 
to visit what he terms the abodes of 
learned men; and as often as he 
speaks of character, it is generally 
from personal observation and ac- 
quaintance. In his: journey from, 
Chunar to Lucknow, mentioned 
above, he went by way of Juan- 
pore, and stopped there for some 
days; because, to use his own 
words, ** he understood it was be- 
éome the residence of the illustrious 
and) venerable Seid. Mahmed Ask- 
hessy,?? of whom he had heard so 
much. | ‘¢ I sent to desire leaye to 
 pay-him a respeétful visit. Being 
admitted to his presence, 1 spent 
two'hours with him. His conver- 
sation delighted me even beyond 
what I, expected; it was replete 
with the many~ excellencies for 
which he was celebrated; and | took 
my leave of him, fully satisfied, that 
fame, +i her encomiums, had fallen 
short of what I had seen and heard. 
To this day I remember his vener- 
able aspect, and enchanting conver- 
sation ; and they have made such an 
impression on my mind, that I must 
suspend the narrative of my own 
aétions, to give the reader a glimpse 
of: the talents and ‘virtues which 
adorned that distinguished man. 
** He was of a family of Seids, 
that ranked for many ages amongst 
the most respectable of that seét, in 
the city of Juanpore.” 
This Seid, of virtuous disposition 
and fine genius, wrote a book of 
practical morality, all the rules of 
which he extra¢éted from his own 
practice ; so that this book was a 
commentary on his life. Very dif- 
ferent this from the generality of 
C'iT E'R'S. 
moralists, whose principles and 
practice are completely at variance ; 
who preach up the utility of moral 
couduét, yet lead a life of sin. 
‘¢ His speech was such, that it 
seemed to flow from the fountain of 
wisdom ; and his advices and coun- 
sels were so many remedies against 
sickness and sorrow of heart ! 
“¢ He possessed a very extensive 
knowledge, graced with so much 
modesty, that he instruéted all who 
conversed with him, without mak~ 
ing them feel their own inferiority. 
He lived upon ‘a small income, 
without a wish to increase it. 
‘¢ It is true, he was not regularly 
initiated in the Sciences; but the 
richness of his mind, and the strength 
of his judgment, amply supplied that 
want. By the force of his own ge- 
nius, he had become a repository of 
all the arts and sciences, practical as 
well as abstraét. No wonder, then, 
that his house was resorted to by all 
the learned persons of that city and 
neighbourhood, and by numbers 
who travelled thither from distant 
countries, being learned themselves, 
or possessing a love of knowledge. 
‘¢ The natural turn of his mind 
was to candour and modesty; so 
that he was as forward to acknow- 
ledge the merit of others, as he was 
studious to conceal his own. He 
gave his time to reading leétures, 
which is the noblest of all occupa- 
tions—the noblest and most pleas- 
ing thing of all being to bring to 
light the treasures of hidden know- 
ledge. Whenever any one, in his 
presence, introduced a discourse in 
dispraise of a man’s charaéter, ei-. 
ther direétly or indireétly, he had 
too much politeness to stop and re~ 
primand him, but he would, with. 
great address, and peculiar felicity, 
: turn 
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