314 
ANECDOTE OF MIRZA SFIEFFY. 
gold as the machine of Archimedes ; and, from seeking to amass 
it for his prince, he has habitually learnt to love it for itself. 
Hence, presents are, as “ light to his eyesthey are never 
repelled; but his mental sight is too strong to allow such matter 
to blind it. Excepting another cotemporary politician, who, long 
“ seated in the West,” first on the right hand of a wild republic, 
then at the side of a rigorous despotism, and lastly, by the throne 
of a limited monarchy, preserved his place with all; perhaps there 
is hardly another man, who, like Mirza Sheffy, could have main¬ 
tained his station steadily, under the sceptre of two princes so 
perfectly different in the principles of their sway, as Aga Ma¬ 
homed Khan, and Futteh Ali Shah. Indeed, whatever may be 
the shades, which habitual avidity has thrown over the daily acts 
of this minister, he understands the business of his office, and 
performs it diligently ; and, being considered the second man in 
the kingdom, (who has proved the loyal object of his wealth 
by having made the Shah his heir !) he is treated, by all ranks, 
with a degree of deference, hardly inferior to that of royalty 
itself. A little anecdote that was told to me the other day, of 
this minister, will show the master-passion, and the humour with 
which he sometimes turns it into sport. His station near the 
sovereign gives him a kind of reflecting consequence, that makes 
a nod or a smile from him, so full of a similar quality, that it 
may shed honour ad infinitum downwards; graduating dignity, 
according to its distance from the original fountain of favour. 
First one happy courtier, and then another, had received these 
marks of peculiar grace; and, in consequence, became the little 
centre of a temporary adulation from hundreds; many of whom 
envied the favour they sought to conciliate, even at second, or 
third hand. Amongst the latter order of suitors, was a rich, but 
