1© Travels through Turhm, 



him acquainted with its refourccs, population, triumphs ant 

 powtr. \\'q received from him fome iutcrcfting details re- 

 specting the manners, religion and government of the Pcr- 

 •lians, as well as a circumihmtial hiftory of the trouble* 

 which had defolated that unhopp.v country fince the de- 

 Ahronenicnt of Shah Huflein, an<l par^icuia,i!iy fince the death 

 of Nadir Shah. 



On the 4lh of Ocioher we ohta^ncd from 4hc mini iter an 

 audience to take leave ; and, fome days after, his pvincipai 

 .fccrctar\- cave us a letter addrelfed to the Prcnch Fepiiblic, ?. 

 *opy of which 1 iuuncdialcly difpatched, rcferv.ing the ori.- 

 ginal, which 1 have fince prcfcnled to the directory. 



We now made hade to complete our obfervAticns and to 

 return to Bagdad, a? we alrcatly forefaw the ftorm which UilJ 

 involves that country in all the horrors of a civil war. We 

 .quitted Tchcrpn on tiic 1.5th of Oclober, and purfued the 

 road to llpahan. We had made an ample collection 0/ 

 .objefts of natural -liiftory, and of medals. \\'e liad acquired 

 alfo very correct information reipccling the population, re- 

 venues and forces, of Perlia; the late revolution, and the ftate 

 .,of its commerce. Our travels, iiowever, would have beeij 

 incomplete, had we not feen the ancient capital of the em- 

 pire, and the feat of tlie fophis. We rejnaincd a month ajL 

 ifpahan, and on the Slit of December arrived at Bagdad. 



Some European travellers have travcrfed I*eriia, and have 

 given us accounts more or lefs correct of that enipire. They 

 have made us acquainted w.ith the iiiduiiry and commerce 

 of the Perfiajnis ; given us long details refpetling the religion 

 and foUow^ers of Mahomet; and have dcfcrib,ed the palace 

 and gardens of Sbah Abba? and his iuccolK);-s, as well as tlie 

 public edifices of Ifpahan. But the Lillory of the troubles 

 of Pcrfia fince the death of Nadir Shah ; the changes in 

 manners, agriculture and ii\du(try, whicli nuill; have beerji 

 cHeCted there by intcftine wars, that continued for more 

 llian fixtv vcars; the formation of a new empire, more 



}>owerfu! than Pcrfia itfelf, which extends frorji Candahar to 

 1 



Cafliitijre, 



