Tra7;els into ^/;^Xevan 
T. 
Part 
The Geogra- The fame Terfian Geography, makes the Degree to be two and twenty 
phcrs degree. Farfanges, or Farafanges, and a fèventh Part: I think I have faid eifè- 
where that a Farfange or Parafange makes a French League. 
CHAP. VIII. 
The Per flans 
are vain and 
voluptuous. 
'The Continuation of the Obfervations /?/Ifpahan. 
Of the Nature of the Perfians, 
Jf'ihe Courr A ^ ^^^^ ^P^^^ nothing but Turhjh, but a Dialed 
ourc. j-^ TurkijJi fo different from what is fpoken at Confiamino^k, that ( one 
may fay, j it is a quite different Language. The reafon why they fpeak 
TurkiJIi there and not Terfian, is not onely becaufe the Turkijh Language hath 
been introduced by the different Powers of Turks and Tartars, who conque- 
red Perfia ; but alfo becaufe that Language ( which commonly none fpeak but 
thofe that belong to the Court, jdiftinguifhes them from the reft of the People, 
and gives them a certain Pre eminence and Authority which they affed to 
The nature of have on all occafions, as being extremely vain glorious and proud. This gives 
t e Perfians. opportunity to lay fomewhat of the Nature of the Perfians. 
By what I could find in them, it may be confidently (aid, that they are 
extremely vain, and much given to Luxury, which puts them to vaft expen- 
ces, not onely in Apparel and Furniture, but alfo in Servants whom they en- 
tertain in great Numbers ; and in their Table too, which (according to their 
Power,) they fill with Diverfity of Difhes. In theCountrey they carry about 
with them an infinite deal of baggage, becaufè they will have all their Con- 
veniencies as if they were in the City ; and their Tents are not inferiour in 
magnificence to the Tents of any other Nations, which makes moll: of them 
to be beggarly, poor and deftitute of Money. 
Perfons of Quality lead a very idle Life in Perfia ; in the Morning they^ 
come to Court, but atNoon return home, where they fpend the reft of the 
day in fmoaking Tobacco : If they pay a Vifitto any of their Friends, all their 
Exercile is, fmoaking of Tobacco, and that is the greateft part of their Con- 
verfation. They take their Tobacco in a pretty fingular manner ; they draw 
thç Smoak of it through Water, by means of a large Velfel full of Water 
which they hold betwixt the bowl and" end of the Pipe, through which the 
Smoak paifes; that Velfel is commonly of glals ; when they goavifiting, they 
fail not to have their Veffel and Pipe carried along with them : They play 
there alio at Draughts and Chels; wherein the Armenians imitate them much. 
There are a great many in Perfia, who underftand the Mathematicks, and 
they are generally curious of Sciences. They have all the Parts of Philofo- 
phy and Mathematicks, and there have been good Authors of that Nation 
who have written of them, as well as of Ethicks and Morality. But with thelè 
laudable Curiofities, they are fomewhat importune and uneafie, for their Cu- 
riofity is in Ibme manner infupportable ; they flop at the meaneft thing, to 
do that which they call Tamacha, ( that's to fay,j to confider and admire it, 
and if they perceive that you have any little knack, they take a pretext from 
that to examine all you have. 
They make Aftrolahes very well ; and have not that averfion which the 
Nothatmgthe TurkshzNQ to the figures of Animals; on the contrary rhey commonly ufe 
them upon their Works, both of painting, carving and fculpture ; but their 
Pictures for the moft part are as lalcivious and obfcene as can be imagined; and 
indeed, they (as well as the Turks J zvq much addided to impurity, and Spe- 
cially to that abominable Crime, which in France is punifhed by fire. 
The Perfians 
are Mathtma. 
ticians, and 
Phylofophers, 
Figures of A- 
nimals. 
They are laf- 
civious. 
They 
