The Persian Travels Book V 



he order'd their eyes to be digg'd out of their heads. Sha-SaJTs cruelty went 

 yet farther, for he lpar'd not his Eldeft Son Sha Abbas , the lawful Heir to 

 his Throne, ordering one of his Eunuchs to move an Iron before his eyes,no man 

 being able to tell the reafon.But the Eunuch compaflionating the young Prince,did 

 indeed move an Iron, but not a red hot Iron before his Eyes,and teaching him 

 to counterfeit himfelf blind, preferv'd his light till his Father lay upon his 

 death-bed : at which time his Father was very penitent, for having put out the 

 eyes of his Eldeft Son, to whom the Throne of right belong'd. The Eunuch 

 feeing the King lb fadly afflicted and ready to give up the ghoft, affur'd hira 

 that he would reftore the Prince to his fight, and to comfort him at his death, 

 brought the Prince with perfect eyes to the bed fide. The fight of which pro- 

 long'd the Kings life till next day ; and gave him time to command all the Gran- 

 'dees of the Court to obey Sha Abbas his Eldeft Son, as his lawful Succefibr and 

 their King. 



Bat to return to thefe blind Princes 3 There were feveral at Ifpaban when I was 

 there : and I knew one particularly , who is ftill alive, and is a perfon of ex- 

 cellent natural parts. As blind as he is, he is a great lover of Curiofities, and has 

 built him a Houfe in Ijpahan, which is worthy a mans fight. He is overjoy 'd 

 when any perfon brings him any rarities out of Europe, feeling them in his 

 hands, and caufing his Eunuchs, which are very apprthenfive, to tell him the 

 meaning of every thing. He is a great admirer of Clock-work and Watches, 

 and can tell by his finger when a Watch is right in the Cafe.. To know what 

 a Clock it is, he has little points fet up in the Dial-plate, and a half hand, to 

 the end he may not be deceiv'd which part of the hand points to the 

 hour. By means of certain figures which he makes of foft wax, and lets in or- 

 der upon a Table, lie will call up an accompt very exactly. Several other good 

 qualities I admir'd in him • and it griev'd me to fee a man redue'd to that 

 miferable Condition , only becaufe he was of the blood Royal of Per- 



Though the Employments of the Kingdom generally fall from Father to Son, 

 yet the King if he pleafes may bequeath the Governments of Provinces or any 

 other dignities to any of his Goalams which are his Slaves, if he find them ca- 

 pable, and thinks they may be fit for his fervice. The Father to leave the Em- 

 ployment to his Family, labours by degrees to introduce his Son, and to obtain 

 the Survivorfhip for him. But if the Father dye, and leaves the Survivorlhip to 

 an Infant, there is generally a perfon of Age and Experience fent along with him. 

 Some there are alio that obtain employments by prefenting the Favourites at 

 Court. 



The State of Per/la is diftinguilh'd like molt of the European States, into three 

 Bodies. The flrft is that of the Sword, which anfwers to the Nobility, and com- 

 prehends the Kings houfhold, the /G*» j, and all the Souldiery. The fécond is that 

 of the Quill, comprehending allthofe that belong to the Law and the Courts of 

 Juftice. The third is composed of Merchants, Handicrafts-men and La- 

 bourers, 



fia. 



CHAP. 



v 



