1836.] 



Persian poets. 



75 



Sultan to perform this task, but had repeatedly excused himself on 

 plea of his age, his numerous avocations as a minister of state, &c. 

 and finally declined in favour of his juvenile competitor, the subject of 

 this sketch, whom he most disinterestedly recommended to Mahmud, 

 as the only person competent to this great undertaking. 



Firdousi was accordingly introduced to the Sultan, who reprov- 

 ed him for not having presented himself before, and desired the 

 young aspirant to produce a specimen of his skill. Firdousi imme- 

 diately improvised several couplets, from which the following are 

 extracted 



y'LU ^4.) &A*s ^^jUfi ^\I>w b fj^jt 



ps^jk'A Ull jA ^a4ssA-h j>&'A^2*. ^Am 



reigned about 315 years. 4. That of the Sassanians, which commenced with ArdasHr 

 Babegdn (son of Sassan, a herdsman, bat of the royal blood of the Kaianians), who is 

 supposed to have flourished in the 3d century of the Christian era, and which terminat- 

 ed with Yezdegerd Parviz, about 651 A. B. 



( dj " Anseri was appointed by the Sultan io superintend literature ; and no work could 

 be brought before Mahmud, without being previously submitted for his approbation.' * 

 Briggs's Ferishta, vol. I. page 91. 



For a short account of Anseri, and of his reception of Firdousi, on his first arrival, 

 ride No. U of this Journal— page 250. 



