CONVERSATION ON REVENUE: 
193 
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sent for the Ambassador to converse with him. The Grand Vizier 
Mirza ShefFea was also present. After using many flattering expres¬ 
sions, His Majesty said to the Ambassador, “ That he had been in- 
“ formed by his Viziers, that in England we had a variety of modes of 
“ increasing the revenue of the country, of which they were totally 
“ ignorant in Persia.—Now tell me, what might be done here, as you 
“ do it in England ?” The Ambassador answered, “ That one of the 
“ things which he thought might be established in Persia, useful to His 
“ Majesty’s subjects, and beneficial to his treasury, was a post for the 
“ transmission of letters.” He then explained the nature of an English 
post, its advantages and its profits. “ Aye, aye,” said the King, “ I 
“ perfectly comprehend you.” Then turning to the Grand Vizier, he 
said, “ Now, Mirza Sheffea, I’ll tell you exactly how it is. You, for 
“ instance, have a correspondent at Ispahan. Of course you Can’t 
“ afford to give a messenger ten tomauns every time you have sonie- 
“ thing to say, which on urgent occasions you are now obliged to do; 
“ but if you had an opportunity of communicating with him every day, 
“ which the post would give you, you would write to him constantly, 
“ and your concerns would go on well. Now, that is the utility of the 
“ thing. As for the profit, it is thus. We will say, two hundred letters 
“ are to be sent to Ispahan, for each of which one real will be charged 
“ by the post. Now there are about ten stages from here to Ispahan. 
“ The men who carry the letters from stage to stage will be contented 
“ to receive a real a-piece; therefore giving ten to the carriers, 
“ 190 will remain clear profit to the Shah .—Ser Shah^, By 
“ the head of the King,” exclaimed his Majesty, “ this is excellent. 
But,” turning to the Ambassador, “ you have more expedients still. 
“ Tell me what is there besides the post, that we have not in Persia?” 
His Excellency would have been happy to drop the subject, for he felt 
that the information which would be drawn from him might be disagree- 
* The King always talks of himself in the third person, and frequently 
s,w-ears by his own head : also Be Jan Shah, by the King’s soul; Be Merg Shah, by the King’s 
death : and these expressions, in constant use by all Persians, will remind us of Joseph’s 
speech to his brethren, By the Life of Pharoah, &c. Genesis, xlii. 15 and 16. 
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