Madam, to obey your commands, and to shew you by what strange
accident I became blind of the right eye, I must of necessity
give you the account of my life.

I was scarcely past my infancy, when the sultan my father (for
you must know I am a prince by birth) perceived that I was
endowed with good natural ability, and spared nothing proper for
improving it.

No sooner was I able to read and write, but I learned the Koraun
from beginning to end by heart, that admirable book, which
contains the foundation, the precepts, and the rules of our
religion; and that I might be thoroughly instructed in it, I read
the works of the most approved divines, by whose commentaries it
had been explained. I added to this study, that of all the
traditions collected from the mouth of our prophet, by the great
men that were contemporary with him. I was not satisfied with the
knowledge of all that had any relation to our religion, but made
also a particular search into our histories. I made myself
perfect in polite learning, in the works of poets, and
versification. I applied myself to geography, chronology, and to
speak the Arabian language in its purity; not forgetting in the
meantime all such exercises as were proper for a prince to
understand. But one thing which I was fond of, and succeeded in,
was penmanship; wherein I surpassed all the celebrated scribes of
our kingdom.

Fame did me more honour than I deserved, for she not only spread
the renown of my talents through all the dominions of the sultan