PERSIA. 35 



the most polished people of the East. While a rude and insolent 

 demeanour peculiarly marks the character of the Turkish nation 

 towards foreigners and Christians, the behaviour of the Persians 

 would, on the contrary, do honour to the most civilized nations. 

 They are kind, courteous, civil, and obliging to ail strangers, with- 

 out being guided by those religious prejudices so very prevalent in 

 every other Mahommedan nation ; they are fond of inquiring after 

 the manners and customs of Europe ; and, in return, very readily 

 afford any information in respect to their own country The practice 

 of hospitality is with them so grand a point, that a man thinks 

 himself highly ho oured if you will enter his house and partake of 

 what the family affords ; whereas going out of a house without 

 smoking a calean, or taking any other refreshment, is deemed, in 

 Persia, a high affront ; they say that every meal a stranger partakes 

 with them brings a blessing upon the house. 



The Persians, in their conversation, use extravagant and hyper- 

 bolica compliments on the most trifling occasions. This mode 

 of address, which in fact means nothing, is observed not only by those 

 of a higher rank, but even amongst the meanest artificers, the lowest 

 of whom will make no scruple, on your arrival, to offer you the city 

 of Shirauz and all its appurtenances, as a peishkush, or present. 

 This behaviour appears at first very remarkab'e to Europeans, but 

 after a short time becomes equally familiar Freedom of conversation 

 is a thing totally unknosvn in Persia, as, that walls have ears, is pro- 

 verbially in the mouth of every one. The fear of chains which bind 

 their bodies has also enslaved their minds ; and their conversation to 

 men of superior rank to themselves is marked with signs of the most 

 abject and slavish submission j while, on the contrary, they are as 

 haughty and overbearing to their inferiors. 



In their conversation the Persians aim much at elegance, and are 

 perpetually repeating verses and passages from the works of their 

 most favourite poets, Hafez, Sadi, and Jami ; a practice universally 

 prevalent from the highest to the 'owesl ; because those who have 

 not the advantage of reading or writing, or the other benefits arising 

 from education, by the help of their memories, which are very reten- 

 tive of whatever they have heard, are always ready to bear their part 

 in conversation. They also delight much in jokes and quaint expres- 

 sions, and are fond of playing upon each other ; which they sometimes 

 do with great elegance and irony. There is one thing much to be 

 admired in their conversations, which is the strict attention they 

 always pay to the person speaking, whom they never interrupt on any 

 account. They are in general a personable, and in many respects a 

 handsome people; their complexions, except those who are exposed 

 to the inclemencies of the weather, are as fair as Europeans. 



The brightness and sparkling in the eyes of the women, a very 

 striking beauty, are in a great measure owing to art, as they rub their 

 eye-trows and eye lids with the black powder of antimony, called 

 surma, which adds an incomparable brilliancy to their natural lustre. 



Mab.8 iagks.... When the parents of a young man have determined 

 upon marrying him, they look out among their kindred and acquaint- 

 ance for a suitab.e match; they then go to the house where the female 

 they intend to demand lives. If the father of the woman approves, 

 he immediately orders sweetmeats to be brought in ; which is taken 

 as a direct sign of compliance. After this the usual presents on the 

 part of the bridegroom are made, which, if the person be in middling; 



