‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎222r] (450/722)

time, harden his nature; and those entrusted with the education of the
princes of this country, as if apprehensive that an indulgence in tender feel
ings should interfere _ with the performance of their future duties, take
them, when almost infants, to witness scenes at which men would shudder.
These early lessons appear to have been almost uniformly successful; for we
have hardly one instance in the history of Persia of a king of that country
evincing any uncommon degree of humanity; while there are many to
prove that the habit of shedding blood often becomes a passion, by a brutal
indulgence in which human beings appear to lose that rank and character
which belong to their species.
“ The sovereigns of Persia are sometimes compelled to devise the means
of secretly destroying those powerful subjects whose allegiance they suspect,
but whom they fear openly to accuse or to attack. Policy, and indeed self-
preservation, may justify such proceedings; but the necessity of having
recourse to them cannot prevent their baneful influence on the mind, nor
alter that impression which they are calculated to make.
“ The character of the princes of the blood in Persia can never be correctly
known. They always act under great restraint. Their manners are, in
general, kind and prepossessing, as their principal object is to attach to their
persons those with whom they associate, and to gain a popularity that
may promote their future advancement. Though the situation of these
princes should impress them with the necessity of great prudence, if not
of dissimulation, the flattery of those by whom they are surrounded, and
the arrogance of high birth, very frequently counteract these salutary
impressions; and when entrusted with the exercise of authority, they often
display as much violence as if their brows were already encircled with that
crown which is to vest them with despotic and uncontrolled power.
“The ministers and chief officers of the court of Persia are almost always
men of polished manners, well skilled in the business of their respective
departments, of pleasant conversation, subdued temper, and very acute
observation ; but these agreeable and useful qualities are, in general, all
that they possess. Nor is virtue or liberal knowledge to be expected in
men whose lives are wasted in attention to forms ; whose means of subsist
ence are derived from the most corrupt sources; whose occupation is
intrigues that have always the same objects, that of preserving themselves
or of ruining others; who cannot, without danger, speak any language but
that of flattery and deceit; and who are, in short, condemned by their con
dition to be venal, artful, and false. There have, no doubt, been many
ministers of Persia whom it would be injustice to class in this general
description ; but even those most distinguished for their virtues and their
talents have been fotced, in some degree, to accommodate their piinciphs
to their station ; and unless where the confidence of their sovereign has
placed them beyond the fear of rivals, necessity has compelled them to
practise habits of subserviency and dissimulation, which are at variance
with that truth and integrity that can alone constitute a claim to the
respect which all are disposed to grant to good and great men.
“ The characters of the governors of provinces and of cities may be said
to be in a considerable degree formed on that of the reigning sovereign ;
but the system of the government must always dispose this class to abuse
the brief authority with which they are vested. They are, however, from
the situation in which they are placed, in general more manly and open,
both in their manner and conduct, than the ministers and courtiers; and