years; and am I insensible, at my age, of the duty I owe to my God? Give me thy hand, innocent boy,' he continued, that I may swear repentance upon it.' He did so. His followers were all alike struck with the scene. 'You have been our leader in guilt,' said they to their chief, be the same in the path of virtue;' and they instantly, at his order, made restitution of their spoil, and vowed repentance on my hand."

more.

On this matter I will only say two things One is, that it is possible for even liars to admire such stories as this, without ceasing to be liars: and the other is, that so far as the Persians are a people given to falsehood, do not you say that it is owing to any thing particular in their character as men; but rather consider how the bad habit has grown upon them in consequence of the continual jeopardy in which life and property stands, and which has made the weak consider falsehood as being often their only protection against the cruelty and oppression of the strong.

Now then, Henry. Your time is out. The sun is setting. Are all your questions spent? H. Not quite, Sir: but as my time is out,

and it is Frank's turn next, I will tell him some questions I wanted to put.

J. You can keep some for my turn too, Henry, if you like.

H. So I will, dear, if there are then any more that I want to ask.

F. But, Uncle, you have not said any thing about the civility of the Persians, which I mentioned.

U. O. Never mind: it is your turn next time, and then you can have it all your own way.

320

CHAPTER XXII.

CHARACTER AND EDUCATION.

Uncle Oliver. Here we are! Now for it, Frank! I hope you have been considering your questions?

Frank. Yes, Sir, I have. I wish first to know if the Persians are so civil as I have read?

U. O. You cannot have read any thing which says too much of the civility of the Persians. I met with nothing comparable to it in any other country. I have said something of this more than once already, and need not dwell much upon it now. The Persians are a people who in all ages have been inclined to look up with a feeling almost like idolatry to those above them

to kings, princes and nobles. They are also very ceremonious; and while every man is careful to render abundant honour to those above him, he is still more careful to claim with great strictness from those below him, all the honour and attention to which he thinks himself en

titled; nor does he forget to be very careful to prevent any of his equals from obtaining more consideration than himself, while he strives to get as much to his own share as he can. For example:-if two equals are riding together, and have both to alight at the same place, they are studious to dismount exactly at the same moment; because they consider that were one to reach the ground before the other has left his horse, he would put himself below the other. Henry. How silly all this is!

U. O. I grant you, Harry. Now it so happens that as all the Persians are constantly saying to those above them the finest things they can invent, as they, like other Eastern people, are fond of figurative language, and as, above all, they are great readers and hearers of poetry, which is full of such language,-it happens that they almost constantly use phrases much too big for the occasion, but the real meaning of which is well understood by those who hear them. The case is different, however, when they come to use such complimentary terms to a traveller from Europe. He is used to take things in their plain meaning; and when he finds that by all the high-flown compliments which a Persian

offers, little or nothing is meant, he is apt to be vexed and disappointed: and, likely enough, he puts down in his book that the Persians are an insincere and deceitful people, in whom no confidence must be placed.

H. And isn't that right?

U. O. Not entirely. When a Persian tells you that the whole country rejoices at your arrival, that he is himself the humblest of your slaves, that he makes you a present of his house and all it contains, and that the city and all the people in it are perfectly at your service, he means nothing of all this: his only meaning is to be civil to you, and to put you in a good humour. Most assuredly, if you ventured to act upon any thing of this sort which is said to you, it would not be long before you learnt what it really meant.

F. But it must be very provoking, I think.

U. O. It may be so to those who do not understand that such phrases mean nothing except an intention to show civility and respect. The Persian would have more right to be provoked if the traveller took him at his word; although certainly I do not approve of complimentary phrases which have no meaning in