‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎225r] (456/722)

looking negro, dressed as a fakir, or beggar, with an artificial bump, and
with his. face painted white. This character related facetious stories, threw
himself into droll attitudes, and sang humorous songs. Amongst other
things, he was a mimic ;^and when he undertook to ridicule the inhabitants
of Isfahan, he put our Shiraz audience into ecstacies of delight and laughter.
He imitated the drawling manner of speaking, and the sort of nonchalance
so characteristic of . the Isfahanis. The people of Shiraz (who regard
themselves as the prime of Persians, and their language as the most pure,
and their pronunciation as the most correct) are never so well amused as
when the people and the dialect of Isfahan are ridiculed. Those of Isfahan,
on the other hand, boast, and with much reason, of their superior cleverness
and learning; though, with these advantages, indeed they are said to mix
roguery and low cunning. The exhibition finished by the singing of ahoy,
the most renowned of the vocal performers at Shiraz, and one of the
prince s own hand. His powers were great, descending from the very
highest to the very lowest notes; and the tremulations of his voice, in which
the great acme of his art appeared to consist, were continued so long.and so
violently, that his face was convulsed with pain and exertion. In order
to aid the modulations, he kept a piece of paper in his hand, with which
he did not cease to fan his mouth.”
Morier thus describes a Persian dinner:—■
(c The concert over, we collected our legs under us (which, till this time,
we had kept extended at ease) to make room for the < sufras/ or tablecloths,
which were now spread before us. On these were first placed trays of sweet
viands, light, sugared cakes and sherbet of various descriptions. After these,
dishes of plain rice were put, each before two guests, then ( pilaus/ and after
them a succession and variety which would have sufficed ten companies
of our number. On a very moderate calculation there were two hun
dred dishes, exclusive of the sherbets. All these were served up in bowls
and dishes of fine china; and in the bowls of sherbet were placed the
long spoons made of pear tree, and each of which contained about the
measure of six common table spoons ; and with these every guest helped
himself. The Persians bent themselves down to the dishes, and ate in
general most heartily and indiscriminately of everything, sweet and sour,
meat and fish, fruit and vegetable. They are very fond of ice, which they
eat constantly and in great quantities—a taste which becomes almost
necessary to qualify the sweetmeats, which they devour so profusely. The
minister, Nasr Ullah Khan, had a bowl of common ice constantly before
him, which he kept eating when the other dishes were carried away.
They are equally fond of spices and of every other stimulant; and highly
recommended one of their sherbets, a composition of sugar, cinnamon, and
other strong ingredients. As the envoy sat next to the minister, and I
next to the envoy, we very frequently shared the marks of his peculiar
attention and politeness, which consisted in large handfuls of certain
favourite dishes. These he tore off by main strength and put before us.
Sometimes a full grasp of lamb, mixed with a sauce of prunes, pistachio
nuts, and raisins; at another time, a whole partridge, disguised by a rich
brown sauce; and then, with the same band, be scooped out a bit of
melon, which he gave into our palms, or a great piece of omelette, thickly
swimming in fat ingredients. The dishes lie promiscuously before the
guest, who all eat without any particular notice of one another. The
silence, indeed, with which the whole is transacted is one of the most