34G 
[Nov.'l, 
Memoirs of Ferdoussit a Persian Poet, 
poet held in the court, did not permit 
Ferdoussi to have access to him. One 
day, however, he dexterously got into 
the company of Ansari, who iiad with 
him then the poets Adsjedi and Ferrakhi, 
Ills pupils. When xAiisari perceived him, 
he was surprised to see a man in the 
garb of a peasant, and said, “ Bly friend, 
poet‘s only ought to mix in the society of 
poet:^.’’—“ I have already,’’ replied Fer¬ 
doussi, “ began to make some progress 
in the art.” Then Ansari, having re¬ 
cited this verse, “ The brilliancy of your 
cheeks effaces that of the moon.” Asd- 
jedi said, “ The rose in the midst of the 
parterre lias nothing comparable to your 
charms;” and Ferrakhi added, Your 
eyelids pierce the cuirass, and penetrate 
even to the bottom of the heart,” Im- 
iuedititely Ferdoussi'took up the word, 
and ended the quatrain with tins verse: 
“ Like trie victorious lance of Kiou in 
the day of Pescheh.’’ All the parties 
present were charmed with this happy 
jmpromptu; and Ansari said, “You liave 
answered extremely well; have you read 
the history of the ancient kings?”— 
“ Yes,” answered Ferdoussi: “ I have 
■with me the history of the old monarchs 
of Persia.” Then Ansari proposed, in 
order to try him, some more difficult 
verses; and, having discovered his genius, 
excused himself for the manner in w hich 
Le had spoken before he knew him, and 
admitted him into his society. The sul¬ 
tan Mahmoud had long before solicited 
Ansari to put into verse the history of 
the ancient kings of Persia. The poet 
excused himiself always by pleading the. 
jnuliitude ofliis avocations; and perhaps 
be was conscious of not possessing talent 
sufficient for so grand a work. As yet 
he liad found no person capable of un- 
fiertaking it: at last l.e thought of pro¬ 
posing it to Ferdoussi, wlio willingly as- 
ieuted. Ansari hastened to communi¬ 
cate it to the sultan; he informed him 
of the uncommon talents of tlie young 
poet, and the hope wiiich he entertained 
of his ah’litv to execute it with success. 
Make him tnen compose,” says I\iah- 
mnud, “ some verses in honour of me.” 
Ansari executed the sultan’s order, and 
Ferdoussi extemooraneousiy composed 
this distich: “ When the ciiild has his 
lips yet moistened with tlie milk of his 
mother, the first word which he pro¬ 
nounces in his cradle is the name of 
Mal'.moud ” Tins distich much pleased 
Mahmoud ; and he no longer hesitated 
to impose upon Ferdoussi the task which 
had been offered He ordered him a 
lodging ill the interior of his palace, gave 
him a pension, and assigned Inm every 
requi>ite for his maintenance. Ferdoussi 
passed four years at Gazna, occupied in 
the composition Sch(ih na7)ieh. After¬ 
wards he obtained permission to return 
to Touss, his native place; and, after 
having passed ai'Other four years without 
interruption of his labour, returned to 
Gazna, and presented the sultan with 
four parts of his poem. Mahmoud was 
highly pleased, and Ferdoussi continued 
his labour with the same ardour. The 
sultan from time to time gave him other 
marks of his recollection of him, and 
satisfaction. Ferdoussi also composed 
some verses in honour of Khodja Ahmed 
ben llassan jMeimendi, who had the 
charge of supplying his necessities; but 
he did nothing to merit the good graces 
of Ayyar, one of the most intimate con¬ 
fidant's of Mahmoud. Ayyar became 
jealous, and, to avenge the slight of Fer¬ 
doussi, insinuated to the sultan that the 
poet was attached to the sect of tlie 
Kafedhires, schismatics who did not ac¬ 
knowledge Abubecr, Omar, and Othnian, 
for legitimate successors of Mahomet, 
Mahmoud was a bitter enemy of this 
sect, and held it in horror. He then 
began to change bis sentiments concern¬ 
ing Ferdoussi; and, having sent for iiim, 
severely reproached him, and said, “ I 
know you are a Kafedhite, and I will 
have you crushed under the feet of my 
elephants, as an example to the rest of 
your bretliren.” Ihe poet fell at the 
feet of the sultan, protesting that he vvas 
a Sunnite and orthodox ; and that lie had 
been calumniated with tlie sultan.” Tlie 
latter replied, “ Hie towm of Touss has 
alwavs given birth to the most zealous 
partizans of this impious doctrine; I 
much wish to pardon you, upon condition 
that you renounce your erro.r.s. rroai 
that time Feriloussi always lived in tear 
of the prejudices of the sultan; and 
Mahmoud never had a good opinion of 
him. Notw ithstanding, the poet, liaving 
concluded the Schah-nameh, presented 
it to Mahmoud: he flattered hioiself 
with being richly recompensed with ob¬ 
taining some estate and dignity, and 
being admitted to the intimacy ot ?>Iah- 
moud. The prejudice which iMahinoud 
had conceived against him, was the cause 
w hy he only gave liiin 60,000 pieces of 
silver, in the ratio of one [>iece for every 
verse of the Schah-nameh. Ferdoussi 
found this recompense very interior to 
what he thought he had a right to ex¬ 
pect : nevertheless, he took the 60.000 
diachm-, and, having gone to the batiis, 
gave 20,000 of them in payment to the 
master 
