294 
PERSIAN MANNERS. 
responsible situation, than he does, who is to form the heir 
apparent, and his brethren, to future sovereignty. He lays the 
foundation in the royal mind, whence the leading actions of all 
state-ministers are derived. 
But to return to the habitation of my temporary host: the 
whole of the rooms were variously painted in arabesque, inter¬ 
spersed with looking-glass, gilding, and fretwork. In the great 
saloon of audience, were several pictures, in the high dry style of 
the native artists, consisting of scenes in the chace, portraits, &c. 
The elegance of the apartment gave a favourable impression of 
the polish of the owner; and I augured well for the future taste, 
at least, of the charming little creatures I had seen, who were 
under such judicious care. But, as I have implied before, the most 
effective part in the education of the present royal race of chil¬ 
dren in this country, is the privilege of being with their parents, 
at every opportunity of impressing them to advantage; and one 
such discourse as that which Abbas Mirza held with me in the 
poor hut at Sultania, to which his son and two young kinsmen 
listened with such wrapt attention, was worth a year of mere 
didactic tutelage from Aristotle himself. Teaching by example, 
is life to instruction. 
I had scarcely seated myself in the apartments destined for 
my accommodation, before the master of the house entered, and 
paid me the usual eloquent greetings of the country. His meta¬ 
phorical language possessed as many flowers, as the luxuriant 
hangings of his chambers; but, to adopt the same style, “ there 
is a fragrance in gracious welcome, which gives sweetness to the 
homeliest fare.” The complimentary style of Persian intercourse, 
is proverbial for its hyperbole. But there is almost always a 
graceful turn in their phrases, which prevents their evident flat- 
