MAHOMED ALI MIRZA. 
195 
Papists?” The Ambassador answered, that we ^had discarded from, 
our service the mummery of theirs; and that they believed in certain 
doctrines which were contrary to our faith, and particularly instanced 
that of transubstantiation. “ What?” exclaimed the King, “ when 
“ they eat a bit of bread they really believe it to be flesh! What dolts! 
“ You are in the right. I can comprehend eating bread in commemo- 
“ ration of the death of Jesus to be a> good doctrine; but that bread 
“ should turn into flesh is nonsense indeed.” - ; l . » 
At the beginning of April, Mahomed Ali Mirza, the Prince Gover¬ 
nor of Kermanshah arrived at Teheran. He came escorted by a very 
few men, and performed the journey in five days, which for a prince, the 
Persians allowed was a great undertaking. As this personage is likely 
to be a prominent character in the future history of Persia, I - will give 
an account of a visit which the Ambassador paid to him during his stay 
at Teheran, in consequence of a wish expressed to that purpose by the 
Prince himself. The Ambassador requested to be informed before¬ 
hand what were to be the ceremonies of the meeting, when he was 
informed by the Grand Vizier, (who negotiated on this occasion,) that 
the Prince resided in one of the King’s houses, and that as there is one 
part of the hall of audience where no man can sit, because it is the seat 
of the King, the Prince is obliged to place himself in the opposite 
corner; that therefore the Ambassador could not be placed upon the 
same Musnud^ as his Royal Highness, because he would be seated 
too near his person, and that would be out of all bounds of proper 
etiquette and respect. To which the Ambassador replied, that he 
could not visit Mahomed Ali Mirza, except upon the same terms that 
he had visited all the other princes—that in his visits to the latter he 
had always been seated upon the same musnud with them, and that he 
neither could nor would give up his right to the same distinction on 
the present occasion. After much resistance this was apparently 
granted ; and when every part of the etiquette was adjusted, he pro¬ 
ceeded with the gentlemen of his suite to the palace. The King had 
* The Musnud in Persia is a thick felt carpet, placed across the room, at the farthest ex¬ 
tremity from the door. 
C C 2 
