HYDRABAD AND BIDUR. 
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his money, jewels, and other available property, 
reserving to himself only his elephants, his horses, 
and his library ; saying, — “ Praise be to the merciful 
Alla, who has this day rescued me from the most 
imminent danger, who has preserved me from the 
destroying power of temptation. ” One Moolla 
Shumsh-ud-Deen, a very wise and holy Saiud, 
inquired of him the meaning of his extraordinary 
language, and the motive which had induced him to 
throw away his great wealth. The magnanimous 
chief thus replied : — “ When the king condescended 
to become the guest of one so utterly unworthy as 
myself ; when the queen -mother humbled herself by 
raising me to the exalted dignity of Brother in the 
royal household, my evil passions began to prevail 
against the influence of reason ; the struggle between 
inclination and judgment, between vice and virtue, 
was so great in my mind, that my countenance 
became disturbed even in the presence of his imperial 
majesty, who thereupon tenderly inquired the cause 
of my emotion. I was compelled to feign illness as 
an excuse for my behaviour ; and the king, advising 
me to take some repose, immediately returned to 
the royal palace. Having determined to release 
myself from the thraldom of the black pride which 
had entered my heart, I forthwith cast away my 
wealth as a principal temptation to evil.” The 
great man moreover added, that he looked upon all 
of which he was possessed as, in truth, the king’s, 
s 
