'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.' [‎635] (700/786)

THE HISTORY OF PERSIA.
ever refused, even by the monarch himself, if he has been the
object of their intemperance. The character of these military nobles
may be said to change with the state of their country : when that is
settled for any long period, they lose a great deal of their native
honesty and violence. Educated at the capital, where, in youth,
they are generally kept as hostages for the good conduct of their
fathers; and compelled to constant attendance on the king after
they have attained manhood; they become in time courtier's, and
are not, except in being more haughty, materially different from
the other nobles and principal officers of the country. We can
neither praise them, nor any other of the higher ranks in Persia,
for their strictness in either moral or religious duties: to the for
mer, they do not even pretend to give much attention; and though
they are careful as to the observance of all the forms of the latter,
they often appear indifferent as to the substance, and are in the
habit of discussing the tenets and dogmas of their faith with a
freedom that sometimes borders upon impiety*.
• In Persia, religion is a favourite topic of conversation, and particularly when
a stranger of an opposite faith to that of Mahomed is of the party. It is not unusual
to hear this subject treated in a manner which proves, at least, that there is the utmost
latitude of speech. I have frequently listened to these discussions with some sur
prise. t heard a person of high rank one day exclaim, in a mixed company, in which
some priests were maintaining the sacred nature of the claims of the descendants of
the prophet: " This is all very well for superstitious fools who know no better: but I
" have travelled and read, and have more than once met with a dog of a Syud, and
' an an S el of a Jew speech produced a very hearty laugh at the expense of
the holy man who had commenced the conversation. I find in one of my manuscripts
a very ludicrous instance of the open impiety of a nobleman of rank now living in
Khorassan. He heard a moollah describe, in the pulpit, the manner in which the