to the very meanest of
your subjects, the poor Durweish; the opportunity arrived, and you
condescended to let down a line of rope to assist your poor subject in the
ascent to your presence. With equal condescension you have seated me by
your side; and I, the poor Durweish, feel a due sense of the honour
conferred on me. Had I been anxious to gain admittance to the Protector of
the World, many would have been the difficulties to surmount; your castle
is well guarded, your gates innumerable to be passed ere this place could
be reached, and who would have aided the poor Durweish's wishes? But your
Majesty had the will, and the power to effect that will; whilst I, who had
neither, might have exerted myself for ages without effect. Such then, O
King! is the way God draws those whom He wills unto Him. He sees into the
hidden recesses of the human heart, and knows every working of mortal
minds; He has no difficulty to surmount; for to whom in His mercy He
grants evidence of His love, He draws them to Himself in heart, in soul,
in mind, with infinitely less effort than thou hast exerted to draw my
mortal body within thy palace. It is God who in love and mercy throws the
line to man; happy that soul who accepts the offered means, by which he
may ascend!"'

Meer Nizaam ood deen[13] lived many years at Lucknow, where he was much
esteemed by the religious men of the time; some who survived him have
frequently entertained me with anecdotes of that respected Durweish. Out
of the many I have heard detailed by them, I have selected for this place
a few of the most interesting:--

A certain King of Delhi (whose name has escaped my recollection) having
heard of the remarkable piety of this Durweish, expressed a great desire
to see him, and the message was conveyed by a confidential person,
instructed to say to the holy man, that his presence was solicited as a
favour at Court. The person intrusted with the royal message, remarked to
Meer Nizaam, when he had agreed to accompany him, that his mean apparel
was not suited to appear in the presence of majesty, and offered to
provide him with a superior dress.

The Durweish looked steadily in the face of the proposer, and addressed
him, 'Friend! know you not, that clad in these very garments you deride, I
make my daily prayers to Him who is the Creator and Lord of the whole
earth, and all that therein is? If I am not ashamed to appear in the
presence of my God thus habited, canst thou think