'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎104r] (212/610)

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verance and energy to carry it through. The habit of “ laissez
f(lire^ is ingrained in them, they are adepts at procrastination
and “ far da inshallah ” (to-morrow please God) is a favourite
and exasperating retort.
They are sharp and quick witted and their mental acumen
has made them originators of religions and philosophies.
Their keen sense of humour, vivacity and versatility make
them good company and they frequently possess consideiahle
personal charm.
The altitude of the plateau renders them nervous and emo
tional, and a Persian crowd is easily swayed by demagogues
and agitators.
Old fashioned Tories, like the ’Ain-ud-Dauleh, were led by
their vanity to consider anything Persian better than anything
foreign, but this point of view is dying out. As a rule, how
ever, while deploring the corrupt qualities of the Persian
character, from which the speaker of course professes himself
singularly exempt, members of the landowning and official class
secretly would prefer to continue to fish in troubled waters
rather than see the administration purged and reformed.
Young men with better education and ideals lack the prac
tical ability and experience to give effect to them, and it is
noteworthy that several of the active leaders of the Persian
revolution were Armenians and Caucasians while Persian
landowners played the part of figureheads (“natars”). The
need, which is generally admitted, of employing Europeans as
advisers and administrative organisers affords further evidence
of this practical inexperience and inability, and lack of authority
over each other.
The peasantry resemble the townspeople in mental qualities
and intelligence. They are cheerful, friendly and free with
their promises, but disappear with no intention of fulfilling
them.
They have a keen eye to business and are either “ mazlum ”,
oppressed, or “ zalim ”, oppressor. They pour out complaints
about Persian Cossacks or gendarmerie who requisition supplies
at current or low rates, and in turn take advantage of a Euro
pean, unless backed by authority, and hold up supplies to
extract extortionate prices. In their ignorance they have
no idea of fair dealing.
They are hardworldng, patient and schooled to obedience,
and, provided their crops do not fail and they are well fed and
not too ruthlessly fleeced, they crave peace and quiet and of
their own initiative desire no innovation.