ZEYN ALASNAM AND THE KING OF THE GENII. 315

sustain with fortitude the evils that threatened him. The king
was not disconcerted at this prediction, “My son,” said he, .
‘Cwill have no reason to complain, since he will possess courage ;
it is good for princes to experience misfortune. Adversity puri-
fies virtue.”

The young prince was brought up with all the care imaginable ;
masters of every sort were provided, as soon as he was of an age
to profit by their instractions. It was, in short, the purpose of
his father to give to the world a prince completely accomplished,
when the good king was very suddenly attacked by aa incurable
disease. Perceiving himself on his death-bed, he called his son
to his side, whom he recommended, among other things, to make
himself beloved rather than feared by his people; never to lend
an ear to flatterers; and to be equally slow in rewarding as in
punishing, since it frequently happened that kings, seduced by
false appearances, heaped benefits on the bad, and oppressed
the good.

Prince Zeyn, immediately on the king’s death, clothed himself
in mourning, which he continued to wear for seven days. On
the eighth, he ascended the throne, and began to taste all the
sweets of empire. The pleasure of sovereign power soon took
firm possession of his mind. He thought only of the duties
which his subjects owed him, without reflecting on the importa
ones which they had a right to claim in return, He gave him-
self little concern about the affairs of government, but plunged
into all sorts of dissipation with a set of young men, on whom he
conferred all the first offices of the state.

The queen his mother, who was a princess of great wisdom,
attempted to check the courses of her son, by representing to
him that unless he soon changed his conduct, he would not
only dissipate his riches, but completely alienate the affection
of his people, and bring on a revolution, which might cost him
both his crown and life. Her remonstrances had weight with
him. He dismissed his vicious companions from all share in
the ministry, and supplied their places by sage old men, who
knew how to keep his subjects within their duty.

In the meantime, finding all his riches dissipated, he began
to repent that he had made no better use of them. He fell into
a profound melancholy ; when one night an old man appeared
to him in a dream, and advancing towards him with a smiling