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INTRODUCTION OF EUROPEAN DISCIPLINE. 
that it was not until he had ordered his nobles to follow his example, 
and handle a musket, that he found his scheme making any progress. 
So far he had succeeded in teaching a few of his men the platoon exer¬ 
cise, to march abreast, to turn about at the word of command, and to 
beat a drum ; but he wanted officers, and he very probably would have 
got no further, if the French Embassy from Bonaparte had not arrived 
in Persia at that time, when the officers attached to it were put 
into commands of large bodies, and they advanced his views to the 
utmost of his expectations. What were but the rudiments of military 
science appeared to him its perfection ; and notwithstanding he after¬ 
wards discovered how little his first levies had learnt, yet still in recol¬ 
lection of the pleasure which their appearance had given him, he ever 
after entertained a greater partiality for them than for his other troops. 
The English mission which succeeded the French, also supplied 
him with officers, and his first wish was to raise a corps of artillery, 
which was done by Lieutenant Lindsay, an officer of the Madras army, 
in a manner truly astonishing. The effect that the sight of it produced 
upon us at Ojan has been already described. The zeal of this officer 
was only to be equalled by the encouragement of the Prince, who, 
putting himself above all prejudices, resisting the jealousy of his officers, 
and the cabal of courtiers, liberally adopted every method proposed, and 
supported Lieutenant Lindsay against every difficulty that was thrown 
in his way. He gave him full power to punish his recruits in any manner 
he chose, and gave him unlimited controul over his troop. It was only 
upon the article of shaving off beards, that the Prince was inexorable; 
nor would the sacrifice of them have ever taken place if it had not 
happened, that on firing the guns before the Prince, a powder horn 
exploded in the hand of a gunner, who by good luck had been gifted 
with a long beard, which in one instant was blown away from his chin. 
Lieutenant Lindsay, who did not lose this opportunity to prove his 
argument on the encumbrance of beards to soldiers, immediately pro¬ 
duced the scorched and mutilated gunner before the Prince, who was 
so struck with his woeful appearance, that the abolition of military 
beards was instantly decided upon. 
