211 
CHAPTER XIV. 
One of the most remarkable facts in the modern history of Asia, is 
the introduction of European discipline in the armies of Persia. When 
we have seen such discipline entirely destroyed in one Mahomedan 
state, in spite of the efforts of the government to maintain it — when 
the prejudices of the Mahomedan religion are considered, and particu¬ 
larly the doctrine of predestination which it inculcates, it must remain 
a matter of surprise how it has commenced, maintained, and strengthened 
itself in Persia. It had not indeed Janissaries to oppose it, as in Tur¬ 
key, but it was cried down by some of the Princes, and derided by many 
of the Nobles; and if it had not been for the personal exertions of 
Abbas Mirza, it must have fallen. Abbas Mirza, in fact, must be 
looked upon as the origin, the support, and the chief promoter of it, 
and consequently the benefactor of his country. 
In one of his first interviews with the Ambassador, he described, 
with great naivete, what were the first motives which induced him 
to attempt its introduction among his troops. He said, that he soon 
found out that it was in vain to fight the Russians without soldiers like 
theirs; that their artillery could only be opposed by artillery; and that 
all his efforts to make an impression upon them, with his undisciplined 
rabble, had uniformly been unsuccessful. His first essays in discipline 
were attended with little success, because he had, in the outset, to com¬ 
bat the prejudices of the Persian recruits themselves, who rejected the 
idea of being assimilated in any manner to Firengees, and particularly to 
Russians, whom their national hatred made them despise, or perhaps 
their fear caused them to hate, more than all other Europeans. To 
efface such impressions, the Prince said that he himself was obliged to 
adopt a soldier’s dress, and to submit to learn the military exercise from 
a Russian; that he commenced with twenty or thirty men at a time, 
whom he caused to be drilled in a separate court by themselves, in order 
that they might not be exposed to the ridicule of the populace; and 
E E 2 
