'A second journey through Persia, Armenia, and Asia Minor, to Constantinople, between the years 1810 and 1816. With a journal of the voyage by the Brazils and Bombay to the Persian Gulf. Together with an account of the proceedings of His Majesty's embassy under Sir Gore Ouseley, Bart. K.L.S. With two maps, and engravings from the designs of the author.' [‎211] (254/516)

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CHAPTER XIV.
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O ne of the most remarkable facts in the modern history of Asia, is
the introduction of European discipline in the armies of Persia. When
we have seen such discipline entirely destroyed in one Mahomedan
state, in spite of the efforts of the government to maintain it — when
the prejudices of the Mahomedan religion are considered, and particu
larly the doctrine of predestination which it inculcates, it must remain
a matter of surprise how it has commenced, maintained, and strengthened
itself in Persia. It had not indeed Janissaries to oppose it, as in Tur
key, but it was cried down by some of the Princes, and derided by many
of the Nobles; and if it had not been for the personal exertions of
Abbas Mirza, it must have fallen. Abbas Mirza, in fact, must be
looked upon as the origin, the support, and the chief promoter of it,
and consequently the benefactor of his country.
In one of his first interviews with the Ambassador, he described,
with great naivete, what were the first motives which induced him
to attempt its introduction among his troops. He said, that he soon
found out that it was in vain to fight the Russians without soldiers like
theirs; that their artillery could only be opposed by artillery; and that
all his efforts to make an impression upon them, with his undisciplined
rabble, had uniformly been unsuccessful. His first essays in discipline
were attended with little success, because he had, in the outset, to com
bat the prejudices of the Persian recruits themselves, who rejected the
idea of being assimilated in any manner to Firengees, and particularly to
Russians, whom their national hatred made them despise, or perhaps
their fear caused them to hate, more than all other Europeans. To
efface such impressions, the Prince said that he himself was obliged to
adopt a soldier's dress, and to submit to learn the military exercise from
a Russian; that he commenced with twenty or thirty men at a time,
whom he caused to be drilled in a separate court by themselves, in order
that they might not be exposed to the ridicule of the populace; and
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