egregious egotist,"
or "great boaster."

[199] A novice in the language would say, "Here a distinction seems to
be drawn between the words _zaban_ and _jibh_. Both signify 'tongue,'
but the former applies to men and the latter to animals." To this
profound bit of criticism I should reply--Not so fast, Mr. Novice; a
distinction there is, but that is not it. The word _zaban_ in Persian
and _Hindustani_ means both the fleshy member of the body, called the
tongue, and also language or speech, just like our word "tongue," which
has both significations. In the former sense it applies alike to man
and beast; in the latter it is mere truism to say that it applies to
man only. _Jibh_, in _Hindi_ and _Hindustani_, means the tongue only
in the sense of the member of the body, never in the sense of speech;
hence it is equally applicable to man or brute. Ask any physician
who has practised in India the _Hindustani_ for "show the tongue,"
he will tell you _jibh dikla,o_, or _zaban dikla,o_; and if he was a
man of discernment, he would use _jibh_ with a _Hindu_, and _zaban_
with a _Musalman_; but I believe he would be perfectly understood,
whichever word he used to either party.

[200] The case is _Hatim's_ philanthropy in respect to the old woodman,
which on the part of any other than _Hatim_ might seem super-human.

[201] It is related by grave historians, that _Hatim_ actually built
an alms-house of this description. On _Hatim_'s death, his younger
brother, who succeeded him, endeavoured to act the generous in the
above manner. His mother dissuaded him, saying, "Think not, my son,
of imitating _Hatim_: it is an effort thou canst not accomplish;"
and in order to prove what she said, the mother assumed the garb of
a _fakir_, and acted as above related. When she came to the first
door the second time, and received her son's lecture on the sin of
avarice; she suddenly threw off her disguise, and said, "I told thee,
my son, not to think of imitating _Hatim_. By _him_ I have been served
three times running, in this very manner, without ever a question
being asked."

[202] This and the following _jeu de mots_ cannot be easily explained
to a person who does not understand a little Arabic or Persian.

[203] The original is, "as yet _Dilli_ is a long way off," a proverb
like that of the Campbells--"It is a far cry to Loch Awe."

[204] The expression in the original is so _plain_ as to need no
translation.

[205] Some would-be knowin