DISCUSSIONS ON ETIQUETTE. 
171 
that he should deliver the King of England’s letter into the Shah’s own 
hands — that on account of his superior diplomatic rank, he should be 
treated with greater honours than had been shown to all preceding mi¬ 
nisters—and that he should receive the first visit from the Grand Vizier. 
The Persians resisted the first demand, saying it was contrary to their 
usage—to the second they answered, that with regard to greater honours, 
they had on former occasions exhausted all which they had to give; but 
that now, the most they could do was to place the Ambassador’s chair 
nearer to the throne than had been practised in preceding audiences of 
ministers. As for the last, they refused positively to accede to it. 
In order to carry his principal point, the Ambassador was obliged to 
compromise his first visit to the King to a private audience. Attended by 
me, and his escort of Indian cavalry, we proceeded to the palace, where 
we were received by the master of ceremonies of the Khelwet, or private 
apartments, who conducted us to the Presence. The King was seated in 
a small upper room, and when we had perceived him, we made our obei¬ 
sances with all due respect, until we were stopt at about thirty paces in 
front of him, where we left our shoes and walked on the bare stones until 
we were close to His Majesty. Here the King said, “ KhosJi Amedeed,'^ 
You are welcome ; and “ Biah hallah^'' Come up ; when we mounted a 
narrow flight of steps that led at once into the room. He was seated on 
an embroidered carpet, spread on the ground in a corner. Opposite to 
him stood the Grand Vizier Mirza Sheffea and Ameen-ad-Dowlah; and 
on one side four pages richly dressed, one bearing his crown, a second 
his sword, a third his bow and arrows, and the fourth his shield and 
battle-axe. The Ambassador was conducted by the Grand Vizier, and 
stooping down presented the letter to the King, who pointed to a spot 
about two or three inches from him, where he placed it. After that 
he presented the diamond ring with which he was charged as a present 
from the King of England, using appropriate expressions on the occa¬ 
sion, to which the King answered, by pointing to the letter and saying, 
“ This is better than a mountain of diamonds.” His Majesty then de¬ 
sired the Ambassador to seat himself, which he did on the ground; and 
after that ensued a conversation, in which the King, with great dignity 
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