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28 to the palace, by which they invited the emperor over to their principles, and they required every inhabitant of the city to assist them in resisting innovation with their persons and fortunes. No further attempt was made by the emperor; but he continued, during the remainder of his life, to promote the tenets of the Shiahs, and to pass a great deal of his time in arguing with the doctors of the opposite sect, though to no purpose: and indeed, if the promulgation of new principles depended entirely on argument and reason, why should the prince of prophets and chief of messengers, on whom, as well as on his posterity, be salutation and peace, have received authority to fight from the Lord of the creation? he who was confessedly the most eloquent man of his time, whether in Arabia or in Iran.

Five years had already elapsed since the emperor's accession to the throne, and it was the third year since he was encamped on the Ravi, close to the city of Lahore, when some alteration was perceived in his mind. It was about the middle of Muharrem, in the year 1124 of the Hegira, one day that he took it into his head to give orders for killing all the dogs in camp, as well as those in the city of Lahore. As such an order, from so sensible a prince, could not but appear very strange, people were willing to account for it