The Arabian Nights (Volume 2) (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1815. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... 253 THE HISTORY OF THE AMOURS OF CAMARALZAMAN, PRINCE OF THE ISLE OF THE CHILDREN OF KIIALEDAN, AND OF BADOURA, PRINCESS OF CHINA. About twenty days sail from the coast of Persia, sire, there is, in the open sea, an island, which is called the Isle of the Children of Khaledan. This island is dirided into several large provinces, with many large flourishing and well-peopled towns scattered over them, and forms altogether a very powerful kingdom. It was formerly governed by a king, named Sehahzaman, who had four wives, as was the custom; all daughters of kings, and sixty concubines. Schahzaman esteemed himself the happiest sovereign on the whole face of the earth, on account of the tranquillity and prosperity of his reign. One thing alone affected his happiness; he was already far advanced in years, and he had no children, notwithstanding he had so great a number of wives. He could not account in any way for this circumstance; and in the moments of his affliction he considered it as. the greatest misfortune that could befal him, to die without leaving a successor to the throne, who wa- descended from him. He, for a considerable time, concealed the tormenting anxiety that preyed upon liitn; and he suffered so much the more as he endeaoured to assume an air of cheerfulness. At length lie broke silence; and one day having complained of VOL. ii. 2 c his misfortune in the bitterest terms of sorrow, in a private conversation he had with his grand vizier, he asked him if he knew of any means to remedy so great an evil. " If what your majesty requires," replied this wise minister, "depended on the common interference of human wisdom, you might soon have the gratification you so ardently desire; but I confess, my experience and knowledge is not equal to solve what you as...