fully aware of their sensitiveness, I inquired
one evening of a Zezidee who was present, in
what estimation his people hold the Evil One,
wishing merely to elicit information. But he
manifested such indications of annoyance and
kindling anger, that I desisted from questioning
him, and endeavoured to obtain some facts on
the subject from the Armenians of the village
where I was staying. The secrets of the
religious system of the Zezidees are, however, so
studiously concealed, that it is but very
imperfectly known to others. One remarkable fact in
the system is, that if a circle be described about
them either by marking the ground with a stick
or walking around them, they conceive the
circle to involve some magical charm, and are
very reluctant to leave it until it is broken.
They are also superstitious in drinking wine
about spilling a drop on the ground.

The Persians attribute the frequent
earthquakes in their country to the fact that the earth
stands upon a great bull, which, being now and
then stung by a fly, shakes his head, and thus
causes a shock to his burden.

The custom of trying a fall—that is to say, of
opening the Koran where it will, and taking the
first passage that meets the eye for counsel in
time of difficulty—is a common practice. They
place such implicit faith in it, that they will not
take medicine during sickness if the fall is
unfortunate. They observe happy hours, and
consult astrologers respecting them. Even the king
has an astrologer, and the priesthood do not
reprove the custom of taking advice from him.
Superstitions become often grave matters of
state, upon which important affairs may depend.
I remember a French ambassador having been
conducted in state to the capital, during an
awful snow-storm, because it had been declared
by the astrologers to be his "happy hour." It
is the fashion, and a very old one, to keep a pig
in the stable of valuable horses, that the evil
eye may fall upon him, or demons may play their
pranks with him rather than with the horses.
When a great man is travelling, a sheep or a
cow, according to his rank, is killed at the
entrance of every village through which he passes.
The throat of the animal is cut, and the blood
allowed to flow across the path so that his horse
may step upon it. Perhaps even the head of the
slaughtered animal is thrown across the road as
he goes by. It is hoped that the Fates may be
thus propitiated, and that any evil which might
have otherwise overtaken him will be by these
means averted and attracted to the beast. It is
not always a cow or a sheep that is selected to
take upon itself the evil which might befal a
great man. At the marriage of a wealthy and
powerful khan, I have heard that a beggar threw
himself from a great height, and broke one of
his limbs for the same purpose. The khan
pensioned him handsomely.

If a Persian sneezes when he is about to do
anything, he will not do it. The sneeze is
looked upon as a warning.

The principles and practice of physic are
much the same in Persia now as during the dark
ages in Europe. Thus barren women are fed on
sparrow soup. The lungs of foxes are given for
consumption, rose-leaves for melancholy. The
general average of longevity is from ten to
fifteen years less than in England.

Ignorant, savage, intolerant, superstitious, as
they are, the Persians are extraordinarily
ceremonious. They have even an art of getting up
and an art of sitting down, which must in no
case be infringed. The Persians do not sit
cross-legged like the Turks. They sit upon their
knees. To sit cross-legged is considered boorish,
unless permission is first asked from the
company. On getting up, it is necessary to rise
without making any use of the hands.

In no country are visits so strictly regulated
and so intolerable a nuisance as in Persia. A
man calls upon you to pass the morning as if
life had no other object than visiting, and as long
as time was got rid of, it did not matter how.

In conversation, they speak low and soft to
superiors and equals. Loudly and haughtily to
inferiors. The person employed to negotiate
with Pasley, Sir John Malcolm's secretary,
begged to be excused roaring at him in public,
declaring that he was obliged to do so by his
official rank.

Their talk, which is at first amusing, soon
grows wearisome when one gets accustomed to
it, and it is dreadfully troublesome in business.
Their chief object in talking appears always to
clothe nothing in fine phrases and round-about
language. They have a remarkable faculty of
finding excuses, and always take the best
answer they can invent wholly irrespective of its
truth or falsehood. Their talk is sententious,
but usually dull and common-place enough.
Only fancy the feelings of a sane man in being
talked to constantly like this:

Is your health good?

Is your palate lusty?

Are you in fat keeping?

Thanks unto God.

By your auspices.

Only let your condition be prosperous, and I
am of course very well.

Your coming is delightful.

Your arrival is gladsome.

You are the joy of my eyes.

Peace be with you.

May God give you strength.

Your coming is welcome.

May God grant you increase.

May God give you the kingdom of heaven.

May God bless your garment to you.

May God bless your house.

Sometimes, however, they strike upon a quaint
and original idea.

"If I make shoes to last," said a cobbler to
me, " how am I to live?"

And sometimes they hit upon a pretty thought.

"It is impossible," said a Persian khan,
alluding to a friend whom he was told had
slandered him—" it is impossible that one I love so
much should speak ill of me."

"What do you mean," said I once to an ex-
ambassador, who had passed a long time in