Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Literary
February 27, 1767
The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle
Portsmouth, Greenland, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
A poet named Delah travels from Tartary to Ogtai Khan's court in China to beg for 500 balishes to pay his debts. The generous Khan gives him 1,000. When the minister protests, citing the poet's satire against him, the Khan orders the minister to give another 1,000 from his own purse to uphold the monarch's reputation for bounty.
Clipping
OCR Quality
94%
Excellent
Full Text
A Spirited Reprimand from a generous Eastern Monarch to his revengeful minister.
Poet whose name was Delah, attracted by the fame of Ogtai Khan's munificence, undertook a journey, on foot, from the remotest parts of Tartary, as far as to that Prince's court in China, for no other purpose than to throw himself at the foot of his throne, and implore his assistance to discharge a debt of five hundred balishes, under the weight of which he became dispirited, and was interrupted in his studies.--The generous Prince conversing with him, and discerning his extraordinary merit, entertained him very graciously, and ordered him a thousand.--His chief minister remonstrated, that this was rather prodigality than bounty to give double the sum demanded!-- Have you not considered, replied Ogtai Khan, that the poor man has travelled over the mountains and deserts, merely on the fame of our liberality? And, should we send him back with no more than what is just sufficient to pay his debts, by what means will he be able to defray the charges of his journey?" But your highness, (answered this minister) has not yet been informed, that he presumed to write a satire against me since his coming hither, because I was unwilling to allow him access with so impertinent a petition!'-For which reason (replied the Prince) you shall present him with another thousand out of your own private purse, that he may go back and tell his Countrymen, there is a monarch in this part of the world, who permits not his minister's resentments to be the measures of his bounty.
Poet whose name was Delah, attracted by the fame of Ogtai Khan's munificence, undertook a journey, on foot, from the remotest parts of Tartary, as far as to that Prince's court in China, for no other purpose than to throw himself at the foot of his throne, and implore his assistance to discharge a debt of five hundred balishes, under the weight of which he became dispirited, and was interrupted in his studies.--The generous Prince conversing with him, and discerning his extraordinary merit, entertained him very graciously, and ordered him a thousand.--His chief minister remonstrated, that this was rather prodigality than bounty to give double the sum demanded!-- Have you not considered, replied Ogtai Khan, that the poor man has travelled over the mountains and deserts, merely on the fame of our liberality? And, should we send him back with no more than what is just sufficient to pay his debts, by what means will he be able to defray the charges of his journey?" But your highness, (answered this minister) has not yet been informed, that he presumed to write a satire against me since his coming hither, because I was unwilling to allow him access with so impertinent a petition!'-For which reason (replied the Prince) you shall present him with another thousand out of your own private purse, that he may go back and tell his Countrymen, there is a monarch in this part of the world, who permits not his minister's resentments to be the measures of his bounty.
What sub-type of article is it?
Prose Fiction
Fable
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Generosity
Monarch
Poet
Debt
Satire
Minister
Bounty
Reprimand
Literary Details
Title
A Spirited Reprimand From A Generous Eastern Monarch To His Revengeful Minister.
Key Lines
Have You Not Considered, Replied Ogtai Khan, That The Poor Man Has Travelled Over The Mountains And Deserts, Merely On The Fame Of Our Liberality? And, Should We Send Him Back With No More Than What Is Just Sufficient To Pay His Debts, By What Means Will He Be Able To Defray The Charges Of His Journey?
For Which Reason (Replied The Prince) You Shall Present Him With Another Thousand Out Of Your Own Private Purse, That He May Go Back And Tell His Countrymen, There Is A Monarch In This Part Of The World, Who Permits Not His Minister's Resentments To Be The Measures Of His Bounty.