Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 17.7.7

17.7.7

There were over against me two learned men of the first rank, who had just arrived from Iran (or Persia), and who having been presented to the Prince had been so graciously received by him, that there was no doubt of his intending to give them some office adequate to their eminent merit. These were Aga-abdollah, the Prince of the learned ones of Iran, who understood all sciences, and especially those of the speculative kind; and the learned and pious Seyd-mahmed-turbety. These two learned men were fond of conversing with me; and they passed every day some hours in my corner, putting up fervent prayers for the Prince's preservation; but as there is no parrying the shafts of fate, the wound continued to look worse and worse, until at the beginning of the night on the 25th of Djemadi the first, some delirium made its appearance. The Prince spoke some incoherent words, as if he had been a Gentoo. This strange appearance struck Sheh-mahmed-djehanyar, who although one of his principal military Commanders, was skilled in physic; for that art had been hereditary in his family, so as to be transmitted to him from his father; and as he was now assisting the physicians, he cast a look at me, at the very moment I was turning my eyes towards him. Not a word was uttered on either side ; but he went away.