New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-15
NfDTR SHAH.
The Romance of a Persian Soldier
of Fortune.


The old order changeth. and the very land whose
boast has been that its laws immutable is
unable 10 withstand the spirit of the twentieth
century. more oppOrtune moment for the ap-
learance Of an historical romance with Per-
sian subject could hardly have been arranged
When the eighteenth century opened Nadr Kuu
a little boy, whose father a maker of
siiecpskin caps and coats in Khorasan. No one
could have had less promising start in life but
iine and occasion brought all things to Nadir's
hand He a born master of men, with a |
genius for success. II he was captured and i'm
lrisoned he would manage by some means TO 4
effect his escape. Having entered the service OF 4
the governor OF his province, he rapidly attained
high military rank only 20 be degraded and I
punished, whereupon he put himself at the head |
q a hand OF robbers, and made himself first a |
terror. then necessity TO his sovereign. The !
sreptre Of Persia was in weak hands in those
days, and there Was abundant opportunity for |
tie bold and masterful adyenturer TO show his |
Calbre. FIRST the Afghans made an invasion |
and had 10 be taught lesson. and when Nadir /
was attending TO this matter his master was
ceding provinces 10 the Turks, so he came back |
and recovered the lost provinces defeated the /
Turks. and incidentally deprived his decrepit |
sovereign Of his throne. There was an infant |
heir, hut in Oriental hyperbole he died early and
What was more natural than that the crown OF 1
Persia should be offered to the brilliant COM |
rrander who had restored the national prestige |
IIlnbed the empires foes and elevated his coun-
Try 10 the foremost place among the powers OF 4
tHe East? So the coat makers son became |
Naor shah and continued his game OF con- |
guest, gaining great fame. wealth and power
When Turk and Afghan had yielded submis- /
sion Aadir cast his eyes toward the treasures OF
India and overwhelming his enemies. sacked |
Delhi and Agra and Lahore. and took back TO |
Persia one hundred millions Of loot wrested from
tie enfeebled grasp OF degenerate Moguls to- |
s'iher with the world-famed Peacock throne and |
The koh-i-noor. Even such success could not /
satisfy him. and after Bokhara and Khiva had /
saccumbed 10 his arms and the Russian yoke |
MAS thrown of, the invincible conqueror was /
Supposed to be planning campaign against Con- |
stantnople. His ambition was Unsuitable, and /
in generalship he so far surpassed the soldiers /
4 his time as 10 long for fresh worlds 10 con- |
q .er. But he remained withal an Oriental des- |
90, capricious, cruel and ayaricious, ruling by
lar and compelling obedience by the dread of /
as name. His tyranny and injustice and savage |
Latred Of his own people finally undermined the 4
. ST vestige Of respect for his authority and Ia /
t4s asSassinated by some Of his own MOBILES /
HON lie was believed 10 have marked for re- |
l.oIal Such is the incredible tale Of q soldier |
a. fortune who in a few brief years raised him |
Z from obscurity TO the dizziest heights OF /
! man ambition His career spanned the great
81 yicissitudes OF human endeayor. and in its |
Lights and shadows and dazzling contrasts /
Ems far more akin fiction than TO sober
story. And so Sir Mortimer Durand has
treated il. Though the history OF Nadr comes
L. not from a remote past-he died in 17i7-
tie meagre records of so irregular a career, the
absence OF documentary evidence. the conflict I
ing views Of partsans and the ineXactitude Of
The Oriental point Of view, all unite throw OBJ
stacles in the path OF the historian The writer.
therefore prefers 10 present his portrait frankly
fiction. though retaining the outlines Of vera
oous history. Nor viii the reader regret the
decision, for the canvas has life and color and
EViG imagery which could scarcely be attained |
by a sober chronicle.
The romance opens in the Persian camp after
the great victories over the Mogu. and the Shah !
Is called upon TO inspect and distribute the
presents sent by the vanquished-an elephant
covered with cloth OF gold incrusted with |
precious stones. horses richly caparisoned and a
hundred slaves OF either Among the latter
is Raiput woman of SURPRISING beauty and
elegance OF carriage. who at once takes the eye
OF this masterfu and discriminating lover. !
Sitara tells the story OF her life TO her royal |
suitor, and her intelligence, her force OF char
acter and her obvious sincerity combine with !
her charm and beauty 20 complete the conquest
Of the great soldiers affections. "As many hun
dreds Of years before Esther the JeweSs found