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A Persian Man and Woman in their proper Habits.
An Account of PERSIA.
PERSIA is a famous kingdom of Asia,
called by the inhabitants Farsistan, and the Empire of the Sophy [www.bibliomania.com states that this
name came from Sufi, Sàfavi, or Safi,
the name of
the
dynasty which reigned over Persia for more than two
centuries (1449–1722, nominally to 1736). The first king of the family
was Isma’il, whose surname of Sufi or Safi is generally supposed to
have been taken from Shaikh Safi-ud-din, the
first of his more recent ancestors to become famous, and who belonged
to the class of Sufis or philosophic devotees.].
It is bounded by the Caspian Sea, India, Persian Gulph, and Arabia
Deserta. The air of this country is temperate towards the north,
but very hot in the summer towards the south. Their grain is
barley, millet, lentil, pease, beans, and oats; and all their provinces
produce cotton, which grows upon bushes; their fruits are excellent,
and they have vines in abundance, but in obedience to Mahomet's
commands drink no wine, but sell it all to the Arminians [sic]. They
are suffered to make a syrup of sweet wine, to which they add an acid, and it serves them for their common drink. They have a great number of mulberry trees for silk worms, silk being the principal manufacture in this country. The people are of a middle stature, well set and thick, and of a tawny complexion; are neat and sharp, have good judgment, are civil to strangers, and very free of their compliments. --- Thus a Persian that desires his friend to come to his house usually says, "I entreat you to honour my house with your presence: I so devote myself to your desires, that the apple of my eye shall be a path to your feet," &c. They are just in their dealings; and their commodities are rich silks, carpets, tissues, gold, silver, seal skins, goat skins, alabaster, metals, myrrh, fruits, &c. --- Their religion is Mahometanism, and their language has a great tincture of the Arabic. Ispahan is the capital city. The kingdom is hereditary, and government so despotic, that the Sophy, or King, makes his will his law, and disposes as he pleases both of the lives and estates of his subjects, who are very obedient, and never speak of their sovereign but with extraordinary respect.
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are suffered to make a syrup of sweet wine, to which they add an acid, and it serves them for their common drink. They have a great number of mulberry trees for silk worms, silk being the principal manufacture in this country. The people are of a middle stature, well set and thick, and of a tawny complexion; are neat and sharp, have good judgment, are civil to strangers, and very free of their compliments. --- Thus a Persian that desires his friend to come to his house usually says, "I entreat you to honour my house with your presence: I so devote myself to your desires, that the apple of my eye shall be a path to your feet," &c. They are just in their dealings; and their commodities are rich silks, carpets, tissues, gold, silver, seal skins, goat skins, alabaster, metals, myrrh, fruits, &c. --- Their religion is Mahometanism, and their language has a great tincture of the Arabic. Ispahan is the capital city. The kingdom is hereditary, and government so despotic, that the Sophy, or King, makes his will his law, and disposes as he pleases both of the lives and estates of his subjects, who are very obedient, and never speak of their sovereign but with extraordinary respect.