It was in this year that I completed, under my tutor Evliyá Efendí, the study of the Korán, according to the seven various readings by Shátebí, and commenced a course according to the ten readings. By the advice of my father, Dervísh Mohammed Aghá, on the sacred night of Kadr, when several thousand individuals were assembled in the mosque of Ayá Sofia, I took my place on the seat of the Moazzins, and after the prayer Teravih, began to repeat from memory the whole of the Korán. When I had finished the Súra Ena’ám, Guzbegjí Mohammed Aghá and the Salihdár Melek Ahmed, came up to the seat, and putting on my head, in the presence of thousands, a tūrban wrought with gold, informed me that the emperor desired to see me. They then took me by the hand and led me into the mahfil of the emperor. On beholding the dignified countenance of Sultán Murád I bowed and kissed the ground. The emperor received me very graciously, and after the salutations, asked me in how many hours I could repeat the whole of the Korán. I said, if it please God, if I proceed at a quick rate I can repeat it in seven hours, but if I do it moderately, without much variation of the voice, I can accomplish it in eight hours. The Sultán then said, “Please God! he may be admitted into the number of my intimate associates in the room of the deceased Músá.” He then gave me two or three handfuls of gold, which altogether amounted to 623 pieces. Though I was then only a youth of twenty-five, I was sufficiently well educated, and my manners were polished, having been accustomed to associate with vezírs and muftís, in whose presence I had more than once repeated the As’har and the Na’t of the sacred volume. Murád left the mosque in the usual style with flambeaux and lanterns. I mounted a horse, and entered the imperial seráï by the cypress gate. The emperor next repaired to the Khás oda, and recommending me to the chief, directed him to invest me with the kaftán, in the chamber of the Kílárjí báshí. He then retired to the inner harem. Next morning he surrendered me to the Kílárjí báshí Safíd Aghá, and a room was assigned to me in the apartments of the Kílár. The Túrshíjí báshí was appointed my governor (lálá). My masters were: of writing, the Gógúm báshí; of music, Dervísh Omar; of grammar, Gejí Mohammed Efendí; and of reading the Korán, my old master Evliyá Efendí. Khorús Imám was my companion in the reciting of the Korán, and Táyeh Zádeh Khandán, Ferrokh Oghlí Asaf Beg, Mo’án Oghlí, Gejejí Soleïmán, and Amber Mustafá were my fellow Mu’azzíns. A great part of my time was spent in the Meshk-kháneh or gymnasium, near the private bath, in practising music. One day they invested me with an embroidered dress, put an amber-scented tuft of artificial hair upon my head, and wishing me a thousand blessings, told me I had the crown of happiness on my head. Sometimes also they put on me a fur cap like that worn by my companions. The Salihdár Melek Ahmed Páshá never lost sight of