particularly unfortunate that the only printing establishment in Iceland should be thus exclusively appropriated; and as a matter of general policy, it may be doubted whether, under any circumstances, such a corporate institution ought thus to monopolize the literary growth of the country. As guides and protectors to the progress of knowledge, institutions are good:when they become arbitrary rulers, their influence but retards the course of mental improvement, and proves baneful to the very energies which gave them birth. Such is the present state of mental cultivation among this singular people. The disparity of their physical and moral circumstances forms an interesting feature equally in the history of literature, and in that of the human species. While the calamities of internal warfare, and the oppression of tyrannical govern ments, have clouded with ignorance and barbarity countries on which the sun of nature sheds its brightest beams, the possession of peace, of political liberty, and well ordered Jaws, has given both intellectual and moral exaltation to a community, which has its abode at the very confines of the habitable world. as a mark of respect to the King of Persia, ordered the guard to sheath swords. There were troops on both sides, and cannon in several parts; and, when we reached the first court, two very thick lines of soldiers were ranged to form an avenue for us. They were disciplined and dressed something after our manner, and went through their exercise, as we passed. About thirty paces from the imperial gate, the takht-e-ravan stopped: we then dismounted; and the Envoy and I, advancing uncovered to it, took out the King's letter and the dish of presents. We proceeded through dark passages, until we came to a small room, where were seated Norooz Khan (a relation of the royal family; and Isk Agassi, or Master of the Ceremonies) and Mahomed Hussein Khan Mervee, a favourite of the King, and a deputy Lord Chamberlain, with other noblemen, who were waiting to entertain us. Our presentation was to take place in the Khalvet Khoneh, or private Hall of Audience, for it was then the Ashooreh of the month of Moharrem,---a time of mourning, when all matters of ceremony or of business are suspended at court. The King of Persia, therefore, paid a signal respect to his Britannic Majesty, in fixing the audience of his Envoy so immediately after his arrival, and more particularly at a season when public affairs are so generally intermitted. After we had sat here about half an hour, smoked and drank coffee, the Master of the Ceremonies informed us that the King was ready, and we proceeded again. We entered the great court of the Dewan Khonéh, (the Hall of Public Audience), on all sides of which stood officers of the household, and in the centre walk were files of the new raised troops, disciplined after the European manner, who went through the the platoon as we passed, while the little Persian drummers beat their drums. The line presented arms to the Envoy, and the officers saluted. In the middle of the Dewan Khonéh was the famous throne built at Yezd, of the marble of the place, on which the King sits in public, but to which we did not approach sufficiently near for any accurate observation. We ascended two steps on the left, and then passed under arched ways inta another spacious court filled in the same manner; but the men were mostly sitting down, and did not rise as we approached. We crossed the centre of this court, and came to a small and mean door, which led us through a dark and intricate passage. When we were arrived at the end of it, we found a door still more wretched, and worse indeed than that of any English stable. Here Norooz Khan paused, and marshaled us in order; the Envoy first, with the King's letter; I followed next with the presents, and then, at the distance of a few paces, the rest of the gentlemen. The door was opened, and we were ushered into a court laid out in canals and playing fountains, and at intervals lined by men richly dressed, who were all the grandees of the kingdom. At the extremity of a room, open in front by large windows, was the King in person. When we were opposite to him, the Master of the Ceremonies stopped, and we all made low bows; we approached most slowly again, and at another angle stopped and bowed again. Then we were taken immediately fronting the King, where again we bowed most profoundly. Our conductor then said aloud, "Most mighty Monarch, Director of the World, "Sir Harford Jones, Baronet, Embassador from your Majesty's brother, the King of England, hav ing brought a letter and some presents, requests to approach the dust of your Majesty's feet, (Hag pace moharek bashed, literally), that the dust of your feet may be fortunate.” The King, from the room, said in a loud voice, "Khosh Amedeed, you are welcome." We then took off our slippers, and went into the royal presence. When we were entered, the Envoy walked up towards the throne with the letter; Mirza Sheffeea, the prime minister, met him half way, and, taking it from him, carried it up and placed it before the King; he then came back, and received the presents from my hands, and laid them in the same place. The Envoy then commenced a writwhich at first startled his Majesty, ten speech to the King in English, but seemed to please him much, as resident at Shiraz, came forward and soon as Jaffer Ali Khan, the English read it in Persian. The original was as follows: "May it please your Majesty, "The King my Master, willing to renew and strengthen those ties of friendship and alliance which subsisted between the Kings of Persi and of England, has deputed me to the foot of your Majesty's throne, with the expression of these His Royal wishes and intentions. To have been charged with such a commission, I shall always consider as the most distinguished and honourable event of my life; and, when I thus deliver to your Majesty the letter of my most gracious and Royal Master, I feel confident in being honoured with your Majesty's protection and favour. 66 May the Great Disposer of all events grant your Majesty an increase of honour and prosperity, and may the friendship and interests of England and Persia henceforward become inseparable." The King then answered in return, turn, that the states had been long allied, and he hoped that the friendship would increase daily. This the prime minister explained. The King then said, "How does the King of England, my Brother? Damaughist chauk est? How is his health?" He then asked, if this were the son of the former King, with whose subjects he had had communications; and when he was told that the same King was still reigning, he exclaimed, "the French have told lies in that also!" (for they had spread the report that the King of England was dead.) The Envoy was then conducted to a gilt and painted chair placed for him, an honour never paid before to any mission. I stood on his right; Jaffer Ali Khan on his left; Mirza Sheffcea, the prime minister, next to me; Hajee Mahomed Hossein Khan, the Ameen-edDoulah, and Mirza Reza Kooli, another of the ministers, succeeded; and the Master of the Ceremonies closed the line. The other gentlemen stood in a row behind. The King informed the Envoy, that the choice which his Brother the King of England had made of him as a Minister in Persia was agreeable and acceptable to him. He then inquired about the Envoy's journey, and asked some very familiar and affable questions. The gentlemen of the mission were then separately introduced by their names and situations: the King then said, " Khosh Amedeed," and we made very low bows. We returned with nearly the same ceremonies as we entered the palace, except that, in the outer court, the Envoy was further honoured with a salute from three pieces of beard and mustachios, which are kept very black; and it is only when he talks and smiles that his mouth is discovered. His voice has once been fine, and is still harmonious, though now hollow, and obviously that of a man who has led a free life. He appeared much pleased at finding that the Envoy could talk to him in Persian, as he did indeed after the first introductory speech; and when he was told that Sir Har ford read and studied much, he asked many questions on literary subjects, for he professes to be a protector of learning and of learned men. He was seated on a species of throne, called the takht-e-taoos, or the throne of the peacock, which is raised three feet from the ground, and appears an oblong square of eight feet broad and twelve long. We could see the bust only of his Majesty, as the rest of his body was hidden by an elevated railing, the upper work of the throne, at the corners of which were placed seve ral ornaments of vases and toys. The back is much raised; on each side are two square pillars, on which are perched birds, probably intend→ ed for peacocks, studded with precious stones of every description, and holding each a ruby in their beaks. The highest part of the throne is composed of an oval ornament of jewelry, from which emanate a great number of diamond rays. Unfortunately, we were so far distant from the throne, and so little favoured by the light, that we could not discover much of its ge neral materials. We were told, how ever, that it is covered with gold plates, enriched by that fine enamel work so common in the ornamental furniture of Persia. It is said to have cost one hundred thousand tomauns. We saw the whole court to disadvantage during our first visit. It was then the days of mourning, and the King himself did not at that time wear his magnificent and celebrated ornaments of precious stones. He appeared in a catebee of a very dark ground, embroidered with large gold flowers, and trimmed with a dark fur over the shoulders, down the breast and on the sleeves. On his head he wore a species of cylindrical crown covered with pearl and precious stones, and surmounted by a light feather of diamonds. He rested on a pillow embossed on every part with pearl, and terminated at each extremity by a thick tassel of pearl. On the left of the throne was a basin of water in which small fountains played; and on its borders were placed vases set with precious stones. On the right, stood six of the King's sons richly dressed: they were of different sizes and ages; the eldest of them (brother by the same mother to the Prince of Shiraz) was the Viceroy of Teheran, and possessed much authority in the state. On the left, behind the basin, stood five pages, most elegantly dressed in velvets and silks. One held a crown, similar to that which the King wore on his head; the second held a splendid sword; the third a shield and a mace of gold and pearls; the fourth a bow and arrows set with jewels; and the fifth a crachoir similarly ornamented. When the audience was finished, the King desired one of his Ministers to inquire from Jaffer Ali Khan (the English agent) what the foreigners said of him, and whether they praised and admired his appearance. The room in which we were introduced to the King was painted and gilded in every part. On the left from the window is a large painting of a combat between the Persians and Russians, in which the King appears at full length on a white horse, 'and makes the most conspicuous figure in the whole composition. The Persians of course are victorious, and are very busily employed in kill April 1812. ing the Russians, who seem to be falling a sufficiently easy prey; at a farther end of the scene is the Russian army drawn up in a hollow square, and firing their cannon and muskets without doing much ap parent execution. Facing this great picture, is another of equal dimensions, which represents the Shah in the chace, having just pierced a deer with a javelin. In other parts are portraits of women, probably the King's favourites, who are dancing according to the fashion of the country. Amusements of the Court. On the 24th, the Envoy was invit ed to an entertainment, which the King gave. We proceeded to the palace, and having gone through the great gate, leading into the Ark, or more immediate residence of the King, we dismounted at the gate which opens into the Maidan and the first great court of the pas lace. Opposite to this gate is another; in an open room at the summit of which, the King was seated. We walked across the court, and were led through many passages, and ascended many intricate flights of steps, until we reached the roof of the buildings on the right of the Shah. Over this roof, which in many places was of difficult access, we scrambled, until we came to a little tent prepared for us, which was pitched on the summit of a door-way, close to the King's room. The court, in which the different exhibitions were to take place, appeared to us to be near two hundred feet square. On each side of the great gate were sixteen arched compartments, each of which opened into a small room. In the centre was a high pole, with a truck at the 1 the top, and small projections for the convenience of ascending in it. This pole is for the purpose of horse exercises, and shooting at the mark. Close under the room in which the Shah was seated, was a başin of water, on the other side of which were erected the poles and ropes of a rope-dancer. In a circle round these, were fire-works placed in various forms and quantities. Four figures of paper and linen dressed like Europeans were erected on high, and surrounded with fireworks. At a distance were elephants of paper, stuck all over with rockets; on all the walls were rock ets; and, in short, fire-works were placed in every direction. Opposite to the Shah in two lines were the new raised troops, with drummers standing in a row at the furthermost extremity. In the centre of these was the Nasakchee Bashee, who appeared as the director of the entertainment. He had a stick in his hand, and wore on his head a gika, a distinguishing ornament borne by particular people only, to whom the King grants the liberty. The first ceremony was the introduction of the presents from the different provinces. That from Prince Hossein Ali Mirza, Governor of Shiraz, came first. The Master of the Ceremonies walked up, having with him the, conductor of the present, and an attendant, who, when the name and titles of the donor had been proclaimed, read aloud from a paper the list of the articles. The present from Prince Hossein Ali Mirza, consisted of a very long train of large trays placed on men's heads, on which were shawls, stuffs of all sorts, pearls, &c.; then many trays filled with sugar, and sweetmeats; after that many mules laden with fruit, &c. &c. &c. The next present was from Mahomed, Ali Khan, Prince of Hamadan, the eldest born of the King's sons, but who had been deprived by his father of the succession, because the Georgian slave who bore him was of an extraction less noble than that of the mothers of the younger Princes. His present accorded with the cha racter which is assigned to him; it consisted of pistols and spears, a string of one hundred camels, and as many mules. After this came the present from the Prince of Yezd, another of the King's sons, which consisted of shawls and the silken stuffs, the manufacture of his own town. Then followed that of the Prince of Mesched; and last of all, and the most valuable, was that from Hajee Mohamed Hossein Khan, Ameen-ed-Doulah. It consisted of fifty mules, each covered with a fine Cashmire shawl, and each carrying a load of one thousand tomauns. The other offerings had been lodged in the Sandeck Khona, (li, terally, Trunk Office). This was conveyed in a different direction to the Treasury. Each present, like the first, contained a portion of sugar and sweetmeats. When all the train had passed in procession, one by one before the King, the amusements commenced. First came the rope-dancer; a boy about twelve years old, ascended the rope, and paced it backwards and forwards. The same rope was continued to the roof of the room in which the King was seated, making first an angle of forty degrees, and then, in a second flight, an angle of fifty degrees, with its horizontal extension. The boy balancing himself with his pole, walked up the first steadily, and with very little more difficulty ascended the second, while the music below animated him in his progross. He then, with the same steadiness descended, walking backwards, and safely reached the hori zontal |