3. Diwanu’r Rasa’il ”The duties of the president of this bureau, who tnav be regarded as one of the principal Secretaries of State, was to draw up the imperial mandates, diplomas, letters patent, and political correspondence generally, and after these had been approved by the sovereign, or the wazir, to seal them in red wax with the pontifical seal bearing the Caliph’s device. He also revised and corrected official letters, and sealed them himself. He attended the public audience, where the Caliph heard the complaints or petitions of the people, and took down the royal decision on the paper presented by the suitor; often in such a copy was given to the complainant while the original was kepUin the state archives. From the nature of the work transacted in this office, and the style of writing, which was and has always been elaborately elegant, the secretaries and cierks were necessarily selected from among men of talent and education belonging to the higher classes of society”.
