doctor who came in the train of Sir Harford
Jones. In those days the only Feringhis known to the Persians were the
English, the Russians, and the French; and it no doubt was a matter of
genuine surprise to the Persian ambassador to find when he arrived at
Constantinople that the Franks consisted of many nations with as many
kings. The Persians were particularly concerned to find out the truth
about 'the infidel Boonapoort,' whose career they much admired from its
supposed resemblance to that of their own hero Nadir Shah. Nor is there
less humour in Hajji Baba's attempt to make progress in the study of
their language by writing down the words that he heard most frequently
in the conversation of the French envoys, viz. sacre, Paris, and
l'Empereur. That the Persian Court was thoroughly alive to the jealous
and interested struggle of the two Powers, England and France, to
acquire political ascendency at Tehran, is sufficiently evident from the
history of the period, but is admirably illustrated by the diplomatic
argument placed in chapter lxxvi in the mouth of Fath Ali Shah. Finally,
can a pupil of Party Government, and much more a member of the House of
Commons, read without a delicious emotion this description of the system
under which is conducted the government of the greatest empire in the
world?--

'Then they have certain houses full of madmen, who meet half the year
round for the purpose of quarrelling. If one set says white, the other
cries black; and they throw more words away in settling a common
question than would suffice one of our _muftis_ during a whole reign.
In short, nothing can be settled in the state, be it only whether a
rebellious Aga is to have his head cut off and his property
confiscated, or some such trifle, until these people have wrangled.'

Such are among the many merits of this admirable, and, I would fain add,
immortal book. Even were the Persians be blotted out of existence as
a nation, even though Tehran, and Meshed, and Shiraz were to share
the fate of Persepolis and Susa, it would yet remain as a portrait of
unrivalled humour and accuracy of a people who, though now in
their decadence, have played an immense and still play a not wholly
insignificant part in the complex drama of Asiatic politics. It is the
picture of a people, light-hearted, nimble-witted, and volatile, but
subtle, hypocritical, and insincere; metaphysicians and casuists,
courtiers and rogues, gentlemen and