Note 226 — SCHOOL OF MANNERS.

This verse expresses the same idea as the following hemistich of the Arabic poem, called Borda, and composed by Sharf-eddin-al Búsíri:

لولاه لما تخرج الدنيا من العدم

“Without him the world would never have come forth from nothingness.” This is one of the celebrated traditions respecting Muhammed, contained in the following words:

لولاک ما حلقت الافلاک

“If it had not been for thee (Muhammed), the worlds would never have been created.” This encomiastic expression has been reproduced in several other poems, Arabic, Persian, and Hindostani. See upon this subject, “Les aventures de Kamrup,” p. 146-147, and “Les OEuvres de Wali,” p. 51-52, traduites de l’Hindoustani, par M. Garcin de Tassy.