Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 42.29.5

42.29.5

Let us then drop that invidious subject. Independently of that, it is also highly disagreeable; the more so, as I have lately seen two pages of a translation of the Seir-el-Mutaqherin, made in India, and of twelve made in Europe; and although it would be deemed vanity to talk here of my own, yet, as I cannot after all divest my ownself of consciousness, I shall only desire you to remember the saying of a certain Earl of Warwick of old, called the King-maker, who was a tall, stout man, and an old warrior. A friend of his was whispering into his ear, that a certain man, highly discontented, had thoughts of assassinating him. At that very moment the man chanced to pass by in the street. The Earl, who only cast a look at him, said immediately: This man will never kill me. These two translators, then, will never kill me; and I appeal, Sir, to your own future knowledge in five years hence. So positive a prediction in my own behalf is very daring, will you say. Sir, it is; but still it is out of my power to divest myself of consciousness. However, here is another prediction, still stronger, and full as precise. Please, Sir, to mark my words. You have, (and undoubtedly you spoke both by echo and by report, as well as upon your own judgment), you have spoken slightly of my large pamphlet of 90 pages, and have added that a Governor-General had nothing to do with a quarrel of mine with Mahmed-reza-qhan, or in other words, that such a pamphlet would never kill any man. I inform you.