1 io Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [May, 



matter of some curiosity, when we remember the anxiety of 

 Akbar's successors to destroy the monuments of his apostacy 

 from Islam, L e D i e u ' s translation of the Ifir-dt ul Quds is not 

 in our Library. We have only his text and translation of the life 

 of Peter (No. 37 in our Catalogue). 



The following is a translation of J. Xavier's preface. 

 Allaliu AJcbar ! 

 Mir-dt ul Quels, in which an account is given of the wonderful history of 

 I'shu' Kiristus, and of his heavenly teaching and his miracles. 



Words intended to be spoken at the time of prostration 

 (zaminbos*) before His Majesty. 



When the extraordinary accounts of the Messiah spread over 

 the surface of the earth, A b g a r, king of Edessa, desired to see 

 him. He therefore sent a messenger to him with an invitation to 

 come to his kingdom, the half of which was at his service. He 

 also sent a skilful painter who was to take the likeness of Christ, 

 so that the king might at least have a portrait of the Saviour, 

 should he not be willing to come to Edessa. The messenger saw 

 Christ and brought him the invitation. 



When he heard that Christ found it inconvenient to go to Edessa, 

 the painter ' collected his strength,' called his whole genius into play, 

 and drew a likeness which surpassed his expectations. But when on 

 the following day, he compared the portrait with the features of the 

 Messiah, he was ashamed of his work. He then set about to alter 

 it, and his feeling of shame left him, and he glorified God. The 

 second and third days he studied the features deeper ; but he only- 

 got more ashamed than he had been before. He renewed his 

 attempts. All, however, was in vain : whatever he completed 

 to day, he had to reject the following day, till he despaired of his 

 art, and grew thoroughly ashamed and sorry. 



But Jesus had compassion on him, and asked him, at the time 

 of his departure, to give him a cloth. The painter did so, and 

 Christ drew it over his face and returned it to him. To his great 

 joy, the painter saw that the saintly features of the Messiah had 



* Vide Kin translation, p. 213,. note 2. The story of king Abgar of Edessa 

 was intended to furnish a parallel between J. Xavier and the painter; but 

 there is a lusus verborum in the names Abgwr and Akbar, which the Oriental 

 mind understands to appreciate. 



