She is ill-tempered, haughty, and profligate.]
An European lady, who visited the zunana of the King, Nuseer-od Deen
Hyder, on the anniversary of his coronation, on the 18th of October,
1828, writes thus to a female friend:--"But the present King's wives
were superbly dressed, and looked like creatures of the Arabian
Tales. Indeed, one (Taj Mahal) was so beautiful, that I could think
of nothing but Lalla Rookh in her bridal attire. I never saw any one
so lovely, either black or white. Her features were perfect, and such
eyes and eye-lashes I never, beheld before. She is the favourite
Queen at present, and has only been married a month or two, her age,
about fourteen; and such a little creature, with the smallest hands
and feet, and the most timid, modest look imaginable. You would have
been charmed with her, she was so graceful and fawn-like. Her dress
was of gold and scarlet brocade, and her hair was literally strewed
with pearls, which hung down upon her neck in long single strings,
terminating in large pearls, which mixed with and hung as low as her
hair, which was curled on each side her head in long ringlets, like
Charles the Second's beauties. On her forehead she wore a small gold
circlet, from which depended and hung, half way down, large pearls
interspersed with emeralds. Above this was a paradise plume, from
which strings of pearls were carried over the head, as we turn our
hair.
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