194 
PERSIANS. 
were a match, not only for the Syro-Macedonsan princes, but even for 
the Romans. Of their manners we know little or nothing, but that 
to their valour and military skill they joined in a surprising degree all 
the luxury and dissipation of the ancient Persians. The modern Per- 
sians, like the Turks, plundering all the adjacent nations for beautiful 
females, are men of a good stature, shape, and complexion, but 
the Gawres, or ancient Persians, are homely, ill-shaped, and clumsy, 
with a rough skin and olive complexions. In some provinces not 
only the complexions, but the constitutions of the inhabitants, suffer 
greatly by the extreme heat of the climate. The Persian women are 
generally handsome and well-shaped, but much inferior to those of 
Georgia and Circassia. The men wear large turbans on their heads, 
some of them very rich, interwoven with gold and silver ; a vest girt 
with a sash, and over it a loose garment, something shorter, with 
sandals or slippers on their feet. When they ride, which they do 
every day, they wear pliant boots of yellow leather ; the furniture of 
their horses is extremely rich, and the stirrups are generally of silver; 
whether on horseback or on foot, they wear a broadsword, and a 
dagger in their sash. The dress of the women does not differ much 
from that of the men, only their vests are longer, and they wear 
stiffened caps on their heads, and their hair down. With respect to 
outward behaviour, says an intelligent traveller, “ the Persians 
differ from the nations of the East. Whilst a rude and insolent de- 
meanour 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. Their usual drink is water and sherbet, 
as in other Mahometan countries, wine being prohibited ; but of all 
Mahometan nations, they pay the least regard to this prohibition. 
Many of them drink wine publicly, and almost all of them in private, 
excepting those who have perfornied the pilgrimage to Mecca, and 
men of religion ; they are also very liable to be quarrelsome when inebri- 
ated, which is often attended with fatal consequences. They eat 
opium, but in much less quantities than the Turks; and indeed in every 
thing they say or do, eat or drink, they make a point to be as different 
from this nation as possible, whom they detest beyond measure, 
esteeming Jews and Christians superior to them, and much nearer to 
salvation. They are of the sect of Ali, whom they venerate to a high 
degree of blasphemy, and exalt even above the Almighty himself.” 
The Schafi of Persia, 
An officer in the service of Persia gives, in one of his letters, the 
following details respecting the Schah of Persia, and the town of 
Teheran, the residence of the court : — 
“ The present Schah, Feth Ali, is about fifty-five years of age. 
He is of high stature. His demeanour is full of majesty ; his counte- 
nance pale, and shining like marble ; but when he speaks on sub- 
jects which animate him, a glowing red mantles in his cheeks. His 
eyes are black and brilliant ; his eye-brows full, and finely arched. 
His long beard, of the finest black, comes down to his waist: (a long 
beard has for ages back been the distinguishing mark of the joyalty 
