Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 2.3

2.3

It is, therefore, in that view, that this most defective of mankind, and this humblest individual in the creation, namely, Ghulam-hossein, son to Hedaiet-aly-khan, grandson to Seid-aalim-ollah, and great-grandson to Seyd-faïz-ollah, the Tebatebaite, of the race of Hassen, (on all whom may God's mercy rest for ever, through the merits of his Prophet, and of his Saint, has thought proper, in the victorious month of Sufur, of the year, 1194 of the retreat of the Prophet, (on whom, as well as on his offspring, be salutation and grace for ever !) to undertake this work, his intention being to furnish to some intelligent man the means of giving the public at some distant time hereafter, an idea of the preceding reigns ; and to prevent his being stopped short, as by a chasm, on discovering that links are wanting from the chain of past events : for it is certain, that to this day no one has thought of filling up the chasm, by writing the history of India since Aoreng-zib's demise. It is then, to put such a clue in his power, that I have imposed on myself this task : trusting therefore to my personal knowledge, and to what I have been gathering from persons of eminent rank and credit, I have strung the whole together in a plain unornamented style, where my errors shall be the more excusable, as I cite perpetually my authorities ;