'The History of Persia, from the most early period to the present time: containing an account of the religion, government, usages and character of the inhabitants of that kingdom. By Colonel Sir John Malcolm, KCB, KLS Late minister plenipotentiary to the court of Persia from the supreme government of India. In two volumes.' [‎45] (70/786)

THE HISTORY OF PERSIA.
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debased and worthless character of some of these monarchs, that the chap.xvii.
mind is almost reconciled to those dreadful scenes amid which they
perished.
In countries where the government is despotic, the opinion of
the people is seldom heard; but it appears often in action. It is
always in extremes, and generally formed by contrast. We can
well conceive, that at a moment when weakness, cruelty, and
debauchery, seemed the chief qualities of the sovereign, and
when the nobles of the empire were only remarkable for their
effeminate vices and their cowardice, that a fallen and suffering
nation like Persia should have turned its eyes, with admiration
and hope, on such a character as N^dir Shah. The lowness of
his birth, the coarseness of his manners, and the guilty but daring
actions of his early life, were all calculated to favour these impres
sions, as they placed him in complete opposition to those rulers and
nobles to whom they attributed all their misfortunes.
Several of the events of the life of N^dir Shah have been already
related; but it will be necessary to preface the account of his reign*
* The life of Nadir Shah, like that of Timour, has been given by a flatterer.
Meerza Mehdy, his confidential secretary, who attended him in all his expeditions,
has written an account of his actions; and his work has been translated by Sir
William Jones. The general credit to which this volume is entitled, is not destroyed
by its being written in a strain of eulogy. The author survived his sovereign; and
the free manner in which he has detailed those actions which disgraced his latter years,
may be received as a proof of the authenticity of other parts of his history. But we
have, in the works of Jonas Hanway, a very elaborate life of this tyrant; and the per
sonal knowledge this author had of many of the facts which he records, gives it parti
cular value. We have also a Memoir of Mdir written by Mr. Fraser, from Persian
manuscripts he obtained in India. In addition to all these authentic materials, I