.ISPAHAN. 
135 
arrives from the southward is in the finest style of grandeur ; and one 
may excuse the Persian, who, in his exultation at the sight, exclaims, 
that his Isfahan is nisfehjehan.* 
In forming his idea of this city, let not the reader bring it into com¬ 
parison with any of the capitals of Europe. Here are no long and 
broad streets, no architectural beauties, and few monuments of pri¬ 
vate wealth, or public munificence. At Ispahan, indeed, (and it 
is nearly the same in all despotic countries,) the interior of houses 
is much better than their exterior would indicate. Indeed, where 
scarcely any thing of the house is to be seen from the street, 
but a dead wall, as is the case with the generality of Persian houses, 
there is not much: room for exterior ornament. This constant succes¬ 
sion of walls, unenlivened by windows, gives a character of mystery 
to their dull streets, which is greatly heightened by now and then 
observing the women through the small apertures made in the wall, 
stealing a look at the passengers below. 
The entrances to the houses from the street are generally mean and 
low. A poor man’s door is scarcely three feet in height; and this is a 
precautionary measure to hinder the servants of the great from enter¬ 
ing it on horseback, which, when any act of oppression is going on, 
they would make no scruple to do. But the habitation of a man in 
power is known by his gate, which is generally elevated in proportion 
to the vanity of its owner. A lofty gate is one of the insignia of 
royalty; such is the Allah Capi at Ispahan, and Bab Homapan, or the 
Sublime Porte at Constantinople. This must have been the same in 
ancient days. The gates of Jerusalem, Zion, &c. are often mentioned 
in the Scripture with the same notion of grandeur annexed to them. 
Such an ornament to a dwelling so much attracts the public eye, that 
it is carefully avoided by those who fear to be accounted rich, lest it 
should excite the cupidity of their Governors. The merchants of Is¬ 
pahan, for instance, some of whom are very rich, have purposely mean 
entrances to their houses, whilst their interiors are ornamented with 
* Ispahan—half the world. 
