every body’s hatred upon you.  You ought to consider the world as a creditor, to whom you owe moderation, compassion, and forbearance.  Thirdly, Not to say a word when you are reproached; for, as the proverb says, he that keeps silence is out of danger.  In this case particularly you ought to practise it.  You also know what one of our poets says upon this subject, That silence is the ornament and safeguard of life; and that our speech ought not to be like a storm of rain that spoils all.  Never did any man yet repent of having spoken too little, though many have been sorry that they spoke too much.  Fourthly, To drink no wine, for that is the source of all vices.  Fifthly, To be frugal in your way of living; if you do not squander your estate away, it will maintain you in time of necessity.  I do not mean you should be either too liberal or too niggardly; for though you have but little, if you husband it well, and lay it out upon proper occasions, you will have many friends; but if, on the contrary, you have great riches, and make a bad use of them, the world will forsake you, and leave you to yourself.

In short, Noureddin Ali continued, till the last moment of his breath, to give good advice to his son, by whom he was magnificently interred.

Bedreddin Hassan of Balsora, for so he was called because born in that town, was so overwhelmed with grief for the death of his father, that instead of a month’s time to mourn, according to custom, he kept himself closely shut up in tears and solitude about two months without seeing any body, or so much as going abroad to pay his duty to the sultan of Balsora, who, being displeased at his neglect, and regarding it as a slight put upon his court and person, suffered his passion to prevail, and in his fury called for the new grand vizier, (for he had created a new one as soon as Noureddin died,) commanded him to go to the house of the deceased, and seize upon it, with all his other houses, lands, and effects, without leaving any thing for Bedreddin Hassan, and to bring him prisoner along with him.  The new grand vizier, accompanied by a great many messengers belonging to the palace, justices and other officers, went immediately to execute his commission; but one of Bedreddin’s slaves, happening accidentally to come into the crowd, no sooner understood the vizier’s errand, than he ran in all haste to give his master warning.  He found him sitting in the porch of his house, as melancholy as if his father had been but newly dead.  He fell down at his feet quite out of breath; and, after he had kissed the hem of his garment, cried out, My lord, save yourself immediately.  Bedreddin, lifting up his head, said, What is the matter? what news dost thou bring?  My lord, said he, there is no time to be lost; the sultan, horribly incensed against you, has sent people to take all you have, and to seize your person.