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 seven years of age, and, counting from the death of Kereem Khan, which occurred in 1779, he had ruled over a great part or the whole of Persia for a period of eighteen years and ten months.

In reviewing this monarch's life and character, due allowance must be made for the circumstances under which he was placed, and for the character of the people he had to deal with. He was the hereditary chieftain of one of the most powerful tribes of Persia, and the first object of his existence was the exaltation of the Kajars. His earliest and his strongest impressions were all associated with hatred of the rival tribe of Zend, and so little were such feelings obliterated by all the kindness which he and his father's family had received from Kereem Khan that, when he had finally planted his foot upon the necks of his hereditary enemies, he caused the remains of Kereem to be exhumed and placed under the portal of his palace at Tehran, so that he might have the satisfaction of treading upon them every time he passed it. With Richard of York, he would have liked to see his sword shed purple tears for all that wished the downfall of his house. Nadir Shah had put his grandfather to death; and Nadir's nephew, Adel Shah, had inflicted the most cruel injury upon himself. The last offence would, in the minds of most persons, be likely to rankle the longest; but if we can form an opinion from the fact that Aga Mahomed caused the bones of Nadir to be brought to Tehran and laid beside the remains of Kereem Khan, while those of Adel Shah were permitted to rest in peace in the holy city of Meshed, it would appear that he hated the memory of the great enemy of his family more than that of the person who had