Fathers of families, as a general rule, make a suitable provision for all their offspring, whether born in lawful wedlock, or illegitimate. All classes own willing allegiance to their lawful sovereign, and men conduct themselves towards each other with good nature and with the outward forms of respect. On the other hand, one cannot live amongst Persians without becoming aware of the absence from their character of many of the qualities that make human life most pleasant, and of the presence, in their stead, of many of the habits and vices that are held elsewhere to disgrace humanity. If there be any beauty in truth, in honesty in dealings between man and man, in uprightness and independence of character, in wedded love, in family life and family affection, in readiness to sacrifice fortune or life, if necessary, for the public good, in tolerance towards others in points relating to religion, in fair play towards others, in gratitude for past kindness, in modesty, in a consistent endeavour to provide for the well-being of posterity such beauty it would be vain to expect to meet with in Persia. ***** Two hundred and fifty-three monarchs have in succession mounted the Persian throne,[1] and the theory of the Persian constitution is to the effect that theKing is the state, and that all men live for the king. The authority of the Shah, however, is kept in check by the precepts of the Koran ; by the courts established for the administration of justice, according to the Sherra, or written law ; and by those in which decisions are given
- ↑ See Chardin.
