Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 3.5.7

3.5.7

Aureng-Zebe sent twice for the ambassadors. He hoped, like my Agah, to increase his stock of knowledge by their conversation; but his chief anxiety was to be made acquainted with the state of Mahometanism in their country. He expressed a desire to see the mule's skin, which somehow or other remained afterward in the fortress in possession of the officers; much to my disappointment, for it was promised me in return for my good services, and I had counted upon one day presenting it to one of our Virtuosi in Europe, I strongly recommended the ambassadors to show the great horn to the King, as well as the skin : but this might have subjected them to the very embarrassing question : how it happened, that in the ransacking of Sourate they lost the civet, and yet retained the horn ? The Ethiopian embassy was still in Dehli, when Aureng-Zebe assembled his privy-council, together with the learned men of his court, for the purpose of selecting a suitable preceptor for his third son, Sultan Ekbar, whom he designs for his successor. He evinced upon this occasion the utmost solicitude that this young Prince should receive such an education as might justify the hope of his becoming a great man. No person can be more alive than Aureng-Zebe to the necessity of storing the minds of Princes, destined to rule nations, with useful knowledge. As they surpass others in power and elevation, so ought they, he says, to be pre-eminent in wisdom and virtue.