Page:History of India Vol 5.djvu/397

 AUKAJSTGZIB VEKSED IN THE KORAN 339 of Mecca and Medina. He also writes an excellent Per- sian hand, and besides being a very elegant stylist in prose, lie has acquired proficiency in versification. In obedience to the words of God, " Poets deal in false- hoods," however, he abstains from writing poetry, nor does he care to hear verses except those which contain a moral. The emperor has given a very liberal education to his fortunate and noble children, who have attained the zenith of perfection by virtue of his attention and care and have made marvellous progress in rectitude, devotion, and piety, and in learning the manners and customs of princes and great men. Through his in- struction they have memorized the Book of God, obtained proficiency in the sciences and in polite lit- erature, acquired the art of writing the various Arabic scripts, and learned the Turkish and Persian languages. In like manner, the ladies of the household have learned the fundamental and necessary tenets of relig- ion in obedience to his command, and all devote their time to the adoration and worship of the Deity, to reading the sacred Koran, and to the performance of virtuous and pious acts. The excellence of character and the purity of morals of this holy monarch are beyond all expression. As long as nature nourishes the tree of existence and keeps the garden of the world fresh, so long may the plant of the prosperity of this preserver of the garden of dignity and honour continue fruitful and abundant! ' The austere side of Aurangzib's character is illus-