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A Persian Man and Woman in their proper Habits.


Persian couple

An Account of PERSIA.

PERSIA is a famous kingdom of Asia, called by the inhabitants Farsistan, and the Empire of the Sophy [www.bibliomania.com states that this name came from Sufi, Sàfavi, or Safi, the name of the dynasty which reigned over Persia for more than two centuries (1449–1722, nominally to 1736). The first king of the family was Isma’il, whose surname of Sufi or Safi is generally supposed to have been taken from Shaikh Safi-ud-din, the first of his more recent ancestors to become famous, and who belonged to the class of Sufis or philosophic devotees.].  It is bounded by the Caspian Sea, India, Persian Gulph, and Arabia Deserta.  The air of this country is temperate towards the north, but very hot in the summer towards the south.  Their grain is barley, millet, lentil, pease, beans, and oats; and all their provinces produce cotton, which grows upon bushes; their fruits are excellent, and they have vines in abundance, but in obedience to Mahomet's commands drink no wine, but sell it all to the Arminians [sic].  They

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are suffered to make a syrup of sweet wine, to which they add an acid, and it serves them for their common drink.  They have a great number of mulberry trees for silk worms, silk being the principal manufacture in this country.  The people are of a middle stature, well set and thick, and of a tawny complexion; are neat and sharp, have good judgment, are civil to strangers, and very free of their compliments.  ---  Thus  a Persian that desires his friend to come to his house usually says, "I entreat you to honour my house with your presence: I so devote myself to your desires, that the apple of my eye shall be a path to your feet," &c. They are just in their dealings; and their commodities are rich silks, carpets, tissues, gold, silver, seal skins, goat skins, alabaster, metals, myrrh, fruits, &c. --- Their religion is Mahometanism, and their language has a great tincture of the Arabic.  Ispahan is the capital city.  The kingdom is hereditary, and government so despotic, that the Sophy, or King, makes his will his law, and disposes as he pleases both of the lives and estates of his subjects, who are very obedient, and never speak of their sovereign but with extraordinary respect.


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A Museum for Young Gentlemen and Ladies - late 1790s