ISPAHAN. 
167 
Majesty, and therefore is a very good specimen of the style and work¬ 
manship of the present day; and in this view it merits description. 
It is indeed considered so perfect in its establishment, that if the King 
were to arrive at Ispahan without a moment’s notice, not one, the smallest 
domestic article, would be wanting for the convenience of his suite, and 
the whole palace would present all the comforts which could be found 
after a residence of many years. From the garden of th eChehel Sitoon an 
intricate passage leads under an octagonal tower into this new palace, and 
opens into an oblong square laid out into flower beds, straight walks and 
basins of water, and surrounded on all its sides by chambers for women 
of an inferior rank. Proceeding on the left side of this court, a door 
opens into a species of green-house called the Narangistoon, in which 
there are only young orange trees. From this there is but one step 
into the principal court of the building, one whole side of which is 
occupied by the King’s apartments or drawing-rooms. The front 
room is adorned by two portraits of his Majesty, on one side seated on 
his throne, and on the other in the act of killing a deer in a chase on 
horseback. There are also other pictures, of which the most remark¬ 
able are those representing Ti moor or Tamerlane, Jenghiz Khan, 
and Jem she ed. The walls are very richly painted with bouquets of 
flowers, birds and other animals. The arch, which occupies the side 
facing the great window, is a beautiful composition of glass and 
painting, and was the neatest specimen of decorative art which I had 
then seen in Persia. The ceiling is highly ornamented ; gilded flowers 
and bright looking glasses glisten on every side, and give great liveli¬ 
ness and gaiety to the whole. Behind this is another room equally 
well painted; the upper windows are here most artfully constructed 
of plaster, which is pierced into small holes in a great variety of 
figures and flowers resembling the open work of lace, and admitting a 
pleasing light. In this room also there are portraits, one of which, that 
of a European, is called the Shah Zade Freng , or European Prince, 
Fie is represented in our dress of the sixteenth century, in which 
