THE CUTTUB MINAR. 227 



cularly of the arches. The mosque seems to have 

 been abandoned in this unfinished state, from causes 

 at this time entirely unknown; perhaps the original 

 designer of the fabrick found human life too short to 

 see it accomplished during his existence. It may not 

 appear a matter of much surprize that the wealth of 

 one man should be found inadequate to so arduous 

 an undertaking, however opulent and exalted in life 

 his situation may have been. The tomb of Cuttub 

 Shaw, at whose expence the Minar is said to have 

 been built, is to be seen a few hundred yards to the 

 westward of it : the tomb is rather inconsiderable and 

 of mean appearance, when compared with the many 

 more magnificent mausoleums that are to be met 

 with in the extensive ruins of Delhi. 



Cuttub Shaw came to the throne of Delhi in the 

 Mussulman year 602, corresponding with the Christian 

 aera 1205, anc * died in the Mussulman year 607, or 

 Christian aera 1210, a reign of only five years ; and 

 certainly a period not sufficient to erect so large a 

 building as a mosque, to correspond in magnitude 

 and grandeur with the Minar and other parts of the 

 structure that were began upon, adjoining to it. 



I t h 1 n pl it may with some degree of reason be in- 

 ferred that a stop was put to the building of the 

 mosque at the decease of Cuttub Shaw, and from 

 which period we may date the Minar to have been 

 completed ; conformably with this inference, it is as- 

 certained that the Minar has flood at least 580 years. 

 Excepting the unavoidable and irresistible elfects of 

 lightning, from the goodness of the materials, and the 



Y 4 excellent 



