1888.] 
87 
H. Beveridge —Father Jerome Xavier. 
Mauris novam atque insolentem, et ad credendnm perdifficilem : Hum 
Deus filium habeat ? Curavit mecum disputare quern habet tem- 
porum notatorem et observatorem ; Clirouicum quidam nominant; quera 
cum paucis convictum repressissem, jussit adesse doctiorem, qui haer- 
eutem adjuvaret. Ad quartum luuae importata sunt musica instrumenta 
quibus plurimum delectatur, et diversa simulacra quorum unum Solis 
erat, quod diebus singulis primo diluculo veneratur. Sed secum repu- 
tans, me posse objicere, Solem non Deum esse, sed rem creatam Deique 
opus, curavit auferri ; confestimque ex oculis evanuit idolum. Allata est 
postea Salvatoris nostri ad columnam alligati imago, quam vertici (quod 
Solis simulacro non fecerat) imposuit in signum quoddam reverential et 
cultus. Grati illi fuerunt de S. Paulo et Constantino Magno ad Christi 
fidem conversis sermones. 
“ Narravit viginti prope annos fluxisse, quum 30 infantes, priusquam 
voces primas formarent, certo loco concludi fecerit, adhibitis custodibus, 
ne nutrices in earum gremio lactentes ad loquendum pusiones provocan- 
tes propriam et nativam linguam edocerent; ut hoc experimento dis- 
ceret, quo idiomate jam adultiores facti uterentur; quod illius gentis 
ritus et leges sequi vellet, cujus lingua loquerentur; sed vanas has 
fuisse suas cogitationes et studia, quod nullus eorum distincte et intel- 
ligenter verba formaverit; quare eo tempore nullam aliam a sua legem 
admississe. 
“ Post multam tergiversationem et contradicentium conatus, potes- 
tatem nobis fecit Cambaiae templum erigendi ; idem pro Sindo tentatum 
impetrari non potuit, ob acres et vehementes quas experti sum us adver- 
santium reclamationes.” 
“ The king is gifted with a wonderful memory so that, although he 
can neither read nor write, he knows whatever he has heard learned men 
discoursing about, or whatever has been read to him. He sleeps little 
and lightly, and spends a good part of the night in hearing history read 
to him. If any stranger comes to Court, he at once sends for him, and 
minutely interrogates him as to what he has seen, and by what road he 
has travelled. At about midnight he retires for half an hour for his devo¬ 
tions, and then his learned men assemble and dispute with one another. 
One night I chanced upon them, and found them discussing the point 
so new and incredible to Muhammadans, “ Can God have a son ?” The 
king set his chronologist* to dispute with me, and when I soon van¬ 
quished him, he ordered a more learned man to help the non-plussed one. 
On the fourth day of the moon, musical instruments, in which he much 
delights, were brought in, and also some images and among them the 
# Perhaps Mir Fathullah of Shiraz. 
