194 
CONVERSATION ON REVENUE. 
able to the Grand Vizier; but the King being very urgent, he in¬ 
formed His Majesty, that one of the great sources of our revenue, 
(but which was resorted to only on particular emergencies,) was the 
Income Tax, the principles of which he explained, endeavouring to 
impress upon the King’s mind that it was intended to bear more upon 
the rich than the poor; a principle which the English government 
kept constantly in view, when the exigencies of the state required the 
levying of new taxes. “ What do you say to that ?” said the King to 
his Grand Vizier: “ These English are extraordinary people !” The 
Ambassador, in continuation, said, We have also taxes, that are more 
“ particularly levied upon the rich. If a man keeps more than a certain 
“ number of horses, he is taxed in a progressive ratio for every super- 
“ numerary horse; the same for servants, for carriages, &c.” “ Did 
“ you hear that, Mirza Sheffea,” exclaimed the King. “ I am your 
“ sacrijice ; I am ready to pay whatever your Majesty pleases,” said the 
Vizier. “ That’s right,” returned the King; “ but there is a great 
deaf of policy as well as profit in what the Ambassador says: for in- 
stance, a Governor General of India makes an immense fortune, and 
“ returns (home richer than a Shahzadeh (a King’s son). He sets up 
“ great state, and eclipses all the Princes; it is of course very proper 
“ that he should be made to pay for such advantages.” The King then 
requested the Ambassador to make a written note of the different details 
which he had already given in conversation, and hoped that he might 
be enabled to realise them in Persia. 
'Upon another occasion, the King asked the Ambassador what had 
become of the Pope. “ I hear you no longer acknowledge his supre- 
“ macy. How long is it since you have been yaghi, or in rebellion 
“ against him?” His Excellency then explained, and gave an outline of 
the history of Henry the Eighth. “ Ah,” said the King, “ he must 
“ have been a clever King indeed! he did just what I would have done. 
“ But what difference is there between your religion and that of the 
Every Persian, speaking to his Sovereign, generally prefaces his speech 
by this expression, Korhanet shtivutn. 
