'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎84] (115/582)

84
VISITS AT KERMANSHAH,
gave loose to every sort of debauchery which could be indulged
in as pleasure. Music, wine, lascivious dances, women, and, in
short, all that was deemed voluptuous, was yielded to; so that
the Bacchanalia of ancient Rome seemed to be revived by these
Eastern libertines.
During the late Ramadan, nearly a thousand pounds sterling
was expended, among this knot of philosophers, for women only ;
by which, however, they procured those of the first distinction in
the place, both wives and daughters of those high in office and in
wealth. That such things are practicable and practised, is beyond
a doubt; and, indeed, when the very separate state in which the
women live from the men, their liberty of going out and coming
in when they please, except in royal harems where they are guarded
by eunuchs, and the impossibility of recognizing one woman from
another in their street-dresses, be considered,- one cannot but sub
scribe to the opinion of Lady Mary Wortley Montague,' that as far
as the safety of intrigue is implied by liberty, the women of Turkey
have more than those of Europe.' The separate purses of the
husband and the wife, and the stated allowances of the latter,
contribute very powerfully to their infidelity. Shut out from that
open intercourse with men which the females of Europe enjoy
and denied the benefit of education, the only pleasures they know
are those of the passions, a love of novelty in suitors for their
favours, and a fondness for finery in dress. As, however, they
seldom entertain any decided preference for particular individuals
and would find it generally difficult to indulge their choice, all
affairs of this nature are conducted by inferior agents, and money
18 i 0I w, Stan i by whlch the clail:ns of the solicitors are mea-
sured. When the sum 1 s once fixed, the rest is easily accomplished;
and whole nights are passed by supposed faithful wives in the
arms of others, without their being missed by their husbands
since it is not the fashion of the country for married people to'
share constantly the same bed. Three thousand piastres, or