4& ' PERSIA. 



by the delicacy of his wit, ?md the elegance of his verses ; that the 

 most powerful monarchs of the east sought in vain to draw him from 

 the enjoyment of literary retirement, and to purchase the praises of 

 his muse by all the honours and splendor of a court ; and that his 

 works were not only the admiration of the jovial and the gay, but the 

 ihairual of mystic piety to the superstitious Mahommedan ; the oracle 

 which, like the Sorter Virgiliane, determined the councils of the 

 wise, and prognosticated the fate of armies and of states. Seventeen 

 odes have already been translated into English by Mr. Not, with which 

 he has published the originals, for the purpose of promoting the study 

 of the Persian language. The 21st ode has also appeared in an Eng- 

 lish dress, by the elegant pen of sir William Jones. 



The tomb of this celebrated and deservedly admired poet stands 

 about two miles distant from the walls of the city of Shirauz on the 

 north-east side. It is placed in a large garden, and under the shade of 

 some cypress trees of extraordinary size and beauty ; it is composed 

 of fine white marble from Tauris, eight feet in length and four in 

 breadth. This was built by Kherim Khan, and covers the original one. 

 On the top and sides of the tomb are select pieces from. the poet's own 

 works, most beautifully cut in the Persian Nustaleek character. Dur- 

 ing the spring and summer season the inhabitants visit here, and amuse 

 themselves with smoking, playing at chess and other games, reading 

 also the works of Hafez, who is in greater esteem with them than any 

 other of their poets ; and they venerate him almost to adoration, never 

 speaking of him but in the highest terms of rapture and enthusiasm. 

 A most elegant copy of his works is kept upon the tomb, for the pur- 

 pose, and the inspection of all who go there. The principal youth of 

 the city assemble here ; and show every possible mark of respect for 

 their favourite poet, making plentiful libations of the delicious wine of 

 Shirauz to his memory. Close by the garden runs the stream of Roc- 

 nabad, so celebrated in the works of Hafez, and within a small distance 

 is the sweet bower of Moseliay. 



At present learning is at a very low ebb among the Persians, 

 Their boasted skill in astronomy is now reduced to a mere smattering 

 in that science, and terminates in judicial astrology ; so that no 

 people in the world are more superstitious than the Persians. The 

 learned profession in greatest esteem among them is that of medicine; 

 which is at perpetual variance with astrology, because every dose 

 must be in the lucky hour fixed by the astrologer; which often de- 

 feats the ends of the prescriptions. It is said, however, that the Per- 

 sian physicians are acute and sagacious. Their drugs are excellent, 

 and they are no strangers to the practices of Galen and Avicenna. 

 The plague is but little known in this country ; and almost equally 

 rare are many other diseases that are fatal in other places ; such as 

 the gout, the stone, the small-pox, consumptions and apop'exies. The 

 Persian practice of physic is therefore pretty much circumscribed* 

 and they are very ignorant in surgery, which is exercised by barbers, 

 whose chief knowledge of it is in letting blood; for they trust the 

 healing of green wounds to the excellency of the air, and the good 

 habit of the patient's body. 



Language.. ..The common people, especially towards the southern 

 coasts of the Caspian sea, speak the Turkish and the Arabic ; pro- 

 bably introduced into Persia under the caliphate, when learning flour- 

 ished in those countries. Many of the learned Persians have written 

 in the Arabic, and people of quality have adopted it as a modish Ian- 



