468 
spoken: they enjoy a fair portion 
of liberty; and if they are infe- 
ricr to the natives of cities in 
beauty of person and softness of 
manner, they are superior to 
them in industry, in chastity, and 
many other virtues. We meet, 
indeed, with frequent examples 
among this class, of an elevation 
of sentiment, and an heroic cou- 
rage, which nothing but the free- 
dom of their condition could in- 
spire. 
In speaking generally of the 
inhabitants of Persia, we may de- 
soribe them as a handsome, ac- 
tive, and robust race of men, of 
lively imagination, quick appre- 
hension, and of agreeable and 
prepossessing manners. Asa na- 
tion they may be termed brave : 
though the valour they have dis- 
played, like that of every other 
people in a similar condition 
of society, has, in a great de- 
gree, depended upon the cha- 
racter of their leaders, and the 
nature of those objects for which 
they have fought. Their vices are 
still more prominent than their 
virtues. Compelled by the na- 
ture of their government, to have 
recourse, on every occasion, to 
art or violence, they are alter- 
nately submissive and tyrannical. 
_ Many of their more serious defects 
of character may be attributed to 
the same cause: and there is, 
perhaps, no country in which so 
much of the immorality of its in- 
habitants can be referred to a bad 
system of internal administration 
as Persia. This reflection, though 
it mitigates the sense we entertain 
of the depravity of individuals, 
leaves but little hope of their 
amendment ; for it is evident that 
can alone be effected by the cons 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1815, 
currence of many radical changes 
with a complete alteration in their 
political condition; an event which 
neither their past history nor pre- 
sent statecan lead us to anticipate. 
ACCOUNT OF THE BOSJESMANS. 
(From Lichtenstein’s Travels in 
Southern Africa.) 
Several Bosjesmans had arrived 
at the camp, with whom the Ge- 
neral was engaged in an amicable 
intercourse, presenting them with 
food and other trifling presents. 
They were all strikingly low in 
stature, and seemed as if half fa- 
mished. One of them, and by no 
means the least of the party, was 
measured, and found to be only 
four feet three inches high; he 
appeared between forty and fifty 
years of age. The women were 
still less, and ugly in the extreme. 
The colour of their skin waslighter 
than that of the Hottentots ;some 
among them were even less yellow 
than the Spaniards at Teneriffe ; 
at the same time it must be ob- 
served, that the genuine colour of 
the skin can seldom be accurately 
distinguished on account of the 
grease with which it is smeared 
over. The physiognomy of the 
Bosjesmans has the same charac- 
teristic features as that of the Hot- 
tentots but their eyes are infinite- 
ly more wild and animated, and 
their whole countenance far more 
expressive, exhibiting stronger 
symptoms of suspicion and appre- 
hension : all their actions indicate 
strong passion much more forcibly. 
This difference originates -un- 
doubtedly in the constant exer- 
tions of mind and body, occasion- 
ed by the wretched life they lead. 
