250 A brief notice of the Persian poets. [July 



commencing with these words, ' say, God is one God,^ 

 is equal to a third part of the Koran in rewards." 



Assir Uddin Akhsanji. 



Akhsanjf was an inhabitant of the town of Fargha- 

 nah in Transoxania, and was much esteemed as a poet ; 

 though it docs not appear that any of his compositions, 

 beyond a few lines quoted by the author of the Tazh'i- 

 rat Us Shoara, are extant. 



Aballah Mahomed Bin Abubekr Osman Imdmt. 



This poet was the panegyrist of the Sultan and Vi- 

 zier of Kerman ; his works are esteemed. He resided 

 at Herat and died in the time of Abaka Khan, son of 

 Hulako Khan^, in the seventh century of the Hejira. 



Anseri. 



Anseri flourished in the reign of Mahmud Ghaznavi, 

 during part of the 4th and 5th centuries of the Hejira. 



When Firdousi came from Toos into Persia, Anseri 

 together with Furrokhi and Asjadi, two celebrated 

 poets were seated on the bank of a river and seeing 

 Firdousi approach, in a mean garb, agreed among them- 

 selves to recite the three first lines of a stanza, a line 

 each ; the fourth and last ;vas to be demanded from 

 Firdousi in order to put his talent as a poet to the test, 

 and moreover in case of his failure to rid themselves 

 ofhis company. 



Anseri was the first to address his future master in 

 the art, which he did in the following uncourteous man- 

 ner ; " Friend, it is not customary for any but poets to 

 associate with poets." Firdoudsi modestly replied^ 



