مراسلات وأوراق عن بلاد فارس [و‎‎٥‎٠] (١٠٧/٨٧)

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the population, it has always been the aim of malcontents,
or pretenders to any position of authority, to get them on
their side ; for the same reason it has been the policy of
the reigning monarch to enlist as many as possible of them
individually in his service, and by fostering tribal jealousies
and dissensions amongst them in their homes, to prevent
their constituting so great a menace to the security of his
position as they otherwise would do were they united.
32. The religion of the entire population of Persia, with
the exception of the small and almost inappreciable pro
portion of Armenians and Guebers which reside
'feeling '. '* amon g st ^ is tlia t of the Mahommedan Faith,
and, in the case of the majority, of the Shiah
Division of the same.
Were it not for the Conservative intolerance of this
religion, which brings all the influence which it possesses
against the cause of progress, or the improvement of the
circumstances under which its believers exist, the more
intelligent portion of the population would undoubtedly
be readily r susceptible to all the influences of European
civilization; but its hold upon the people is far too strong
to be ever shaken, while any T attempt to openly combat
its influence would only be certain to provoke a violent
outburst of fanaticism such as would probably result in a
complete retrogression from any advance made by' the
exercise of tact and diplomacy'.
So much is the mass of the people under the influence
of their " Mullahs ’ or “Religious Teachers ” that these
may be said to be possessed of far more real, if less appa
rent, authority amongst them than their actual rulers;
and it is a notorious fact, however much they may' try' to
disown it, that these latter are in their hearts very much
afraid of them ; if only' for the reason that in every large
town there is a considerable rabble of those who have
nothing to lose and everything to gain by a riot, which is
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completely under the control of theMullas. These have only
to appeal to the fanaticism of the latter to create a more or
less serious disturbance at almost a moment’s notice ; and a
serious disturbance, once created in a country like Persia,
it is difficult to say where it will end, or what steps it
may become necessary to take to quell it.
33. The attitude of the general population of Persia
towards the Christians residing amongst them can hardly
be described as more favourable than that of an
Attitude unwillinq toleration of their presence, except in
toward* , * , . , • i , i
Christian*. ^* ie case more highly educated or liberal
minded, many of whom have visited Europe
and can thus appreciate the benefits of European civiliza
tion ; but even these would in any crisis be so influenced
by the mass of their compatriots that they would pro
bably do all they could to disguise such sentiments.
This is particularly the case with the city population,
as being those who are more under the influence of the
Mullahs, and who are brought more in contact w'ith
Christians ; for though—being more orderly and civilized
in their demeanour than the other Mahommedan races
with which our national relations have mostly brought
us in contact—they' are not so openly aggressive in their
bearing as are these latter, their disgust and hatred is not
the less deeply rooted because it is not shewn, or because it is
disguised under the veil of politeness and sociable manners.
It is, of course, to the interest of the Mullahs to
encourage these feelings from professional reasons, as
they are aware that an extended intercourse with
Europeans would introduce more liberal and enlightened
ideas into the country, and thus lower their influence,
which depends upon their own self-assumption and the
ignorance of those they impose upon, just as is the case
in India with the Brahmins, who are the most deter
mined opponents of our rule.
In the smaller villages, and those considerably removed