The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c16.198

v4.c16.198

Some light is thrown on the character of Akbar by his "Happy Sayings", recorded by Abu-'l-Fazl. Most of these are unexceptionable as religious or moral aphorisms; but some few display ignorance, and some are such as might be expected from one who could amuse himself to the end of his life with the childish pastime of pigeon-flying, and could immure wretched infants with dumb nurses in order to discover the "divine language". Occasional drinking bouts indicate that the vice which killed two of his sons, and would certainly, but for the blessing of a robust constitution, have killed the third, was to some extent inherited; but Akbar was never a slave to drink and in his later years was temperate.