to Napoleon was doubtless favourable; for in 1807 General Gardanne went ambassador to the court of Teheran. In diplomacy, the General was no match for Sir John Malcolm, whose arguments were doubtless powerfully backed by the strong position Great Britain had assumed in India, and by the naval supremacy which gave her undisputed command of the Persian Gulf; whilst France, then all-conquering on the European continent, had had her maritime pinions clipped close by Nelson, and was far too distant to lend efficacious aid to the Shah. Whatever the cause, the last members of the French embassy left Persia in 1809, their mission having totally failed, and thirty years elapsed before diplomatic relations were renewed. In the interim occurred many changes. A quarter of a century of peace allowed the two great powers whose position and possessions place them amongst Persia's nearest neighbours, time and opportunity to approach, and, in the case of one of them, to overstep her frontier. Russia, forcing her way through the Caucasian tribes, for whose definitive subjection she still strives in vain, had advanced to within less than a week's march of Teheran, and, when she retired, had kept Georgia, thus planting a foot in Persia. In India, England had pushed north and west; the Punjaub was soon to be hers, in Affghanistan her influence was powerfully felt. The trade with Persia was almost wholly in her hands, and this the French government, ever jealous of our maritime and commercial superiority, beheld with some envy and displeasure. The ingenious and tasteful manufactures of France might, it was thought, find a market in Persia, as well as the more solid products of British industry. The circumstances attending the siege of Herat by the Persians, in 1839, having led to the withdrawal of our ambassador at Teheran, the government of Louis Philippe deemed the moment favourable for resuming diplomatic intercourse with Persia, and negotiating a treaty. And as, in the thirty years during which France had lost sight of Persia, it was reasonable to suppose that changes had taken place, diminishing the value of the

information procured for the Emperor Napoleon, the mission was composed not only of diplomatists, but of military and scientific men. It comprised, besides its chief and his experienced secretaries, two military officers, a geologist, two interpreters, a physician, and two artists, who were also skilled archæologists. It is to these last, the painter and architect attached to the embassy, but who remained in Persia long after its departure, that we owe and exclusively to the former, as far as relates to the literary execution of the work-the interesting volumes that suggest the present paper. For reasons unassigned, the abundant notes taken during rambles that terminated at the end of 1841, were not cast into the form of a connected narrative until 1850; and it was not until the following year that, upon the highly flattering report of a committee of the French Academy, at whose request the artists had been attached to the embassy, the work was published, under the auspices of the French government.

Visitors to the exhibition of pictures by living artists, held at Paris in the spring of 1853, will remember two paintings, interesting in subject and meritorious in execution-a View of the Turkish Quarter at Constantinople, and the Entrance of the Great Mosque in the Square of Shah Abbas at Ispahan-by M. Flandin, one of the two gentlemen who enjoyed the distinction of being recommended by the Academy of Fine Arts, and deputed by their government to explore the whole of Persia, note their observations, and sketch antiquities and remarkable objects. Count de Sercey's mission met little more success than that of General Gardanne; its stay in Persia was brief; but, after it left, Messieurs Flandin and Coste remained nearly two years in the country, fulfilling, often with great risk and suffering, the task allotted to them. With the exception of the province of Khuzistan (the south-western corner of Persia), into which extraordinary difficulties, and the exhaustion of their funds, prevented their penetrating, they visited every part of the Shah's dominions, and allowed no interesting locality to escape their investigations. The book in which they

give an account of their wanderings and adventures is one of the most amusing we remember to have read relating to Persia. Its thousand close pages comprise an agreeable medley of antiquarian researches, sketches of society and customs, glances at Persian history, both ancient and modern, characteristic traits, and personal incidents. The time that has since elapsed may diminish the interest of some of the notices of political events, and of the sketches of persons now dead, or forgotten, scattered through the book; but these portions derive attraction from M. Flandin's pleasant style, and from the novel details he has collected on the spot. Thus, on his way through Turkey in Asia, he made acquaintance at Erzroum with Hafiz Pacha, the general whom Ibrahim Pacha defeated with such grievous loss at that celebrated battle of Nezib which gave Syria to Egypt, until British arms and diplomacy dispossessed Mehemet Ali of it in 1840. At half an hour's march from the gates of Erzroum, a company of infantry and a crowd of officers of all ranks met the French embassy, and with them came, as an offering to the ambassador from Hafiz Pacha, a fine grey Arabian horse-the same, it was said, which by its fleetness saved his life when he was overcome by the Egyptian. Three or four days passed at Erzroum gave the members of the embassy opportunities of appreciating the fine qualities of the Pacha, whose misfortune at Nezib was owing to the badness of his troops-Turkish recruits, hastily raised and wholly inexperienced. Hafiz himself, a Circassian by birth, displayed the utmost bravery, and left the field only when all was manifestly and irretrievably lost, and when his cavalry's flank was turned by the enemy, to whom his infantry went over. Then he fled, escorted by five or six faithful officers, and threw himself into the mountains of Kourdistan. Attacked by a numerous band of Kourds, he and his little escort defended, themselves valiantly, escaping at last with life, but with the loss of all besides. The Pacha's tent, gorgeous with gold and silk, full of rich carpets and objects of great value,

and containing treasures of various kinds, was spoiled by the Egyptians, and his military reputation was gone. He related his misfortunes with great philosophy, except when he spoke of his disgrace as a soldier; then his brow darkened, and the old Circassian spirit flashed in his eye. In the East, men in power quickly retrieve, not always by the most equitable means, loss of fortune; and judging by the splendid hospitality of Hafiz Pacha, he had abundant means at his command. The bill of fare he drew up for the embassy, which proposed passing four or five days at Erzroum, was curious by its prodigality. It consisted of six oxen, a dozen sheep, a thousand eggs, sixty fowls, a hundred pounds of coffee, sundry jars of wine; fruit, butter, honey, and tobacco in a like lavish measure. And on their departure he presented the members of the mission with sixteen horses and sixteen Damascus sabres, and sent twenty thousand piastres (£200) to be distributed amongst their attendants. The money was positively refused; the horses and arms they could not decline without offending the generous and warm-hearted donor.

Having explored, at a recent date, in company with a German traveller, the road from Trebizond to Tabriz,* we will not linger upon that line of country, but plunge at once into the heart of Persia, merely noting an observation made by M. Flandin upon several occasions during his passage through Turkey in Asia, and to which recent discussions concerning the condition of the Christian subjects of the Porte give inferest. The travellers were struck by the remarkable difference in the aspect of the Mussulman and the Christian villages-the former miserable and dirty, the latter clean and apparently prosperous. At Mollah-Suleiman, a village peopled entirely by Armenian Catholics, the party of Frenchmen were received with joyful hospitality, and regaled with the best the place afforded; with cream, honey, and coffee, and the inevitable tchibouk. Whilst thus fostering their guests, the villagers confided to them their troubles and griev

vines, precious packages had been rudely handled, and some slight damage had been done. This was the case with a costly Sèvres tea-service, intended for Karaman Mirza. The injury could not be repaired; and doubtless it was trifling, for the ambassador decided to send the china as it was. It was refused. "A roseleaf," replied the prince, whose metaphors were decidedly superior to his manners, "sent by a friend, had in his eye the value of the revenue of the universe; but the leaf must not be faded." There was nothing to be made out of so captious a personage, whose uncle did all in his power to atone for his ungraciousness, getting up hunting and hawking parties for the entertainment of the strangers, and showing them much hospitality. And M. Flandin was indebted to him for the most signal and rarest favour a Mussulman can confer upon a Christian-that, namely, of admission into the recesses of his harem-a favour which, had it become known, would have entailed upon Prince MalekKhassem disgrace at court, and the indignation of the population of Tabriz. But the prince was remarkably free from Oriental prejudices, and a great lover of art, and had conceived a friendship for the French painter, to whom he allotted as a studio the divan in which he gave his daily audiences. M. Flandin had been but a short time amongst the Persians before observing their decided taste for the arts, and especially for painting, contrasting strongly with Turkish contempt for the productions of the pencil. Not only in the palaces of the wealthy but in ordinary private houses he constantly met with pictures, and he declares the Persians to have a strong feeling for art, and the capacity of becoming excellent painters. Their colouring

has singular vigour, but in their perspective they completely break down. Small paintings of flowers or ornaments they execute admirably, but as soon as they attempt subjects on a large scale, their want of study and science becomes manifest, and they produce effects at which a European cannot but smile.* Prince Khassem gave M. Flandin every facility for studying the various costumes of the country, and took great pleasure in being with him when he painted. In the conversations they then held, he displayed such enlightened ideas, and such tolerance in religious matters, and in all that concerned intercourse between Christians and Mussulmans, that the artist was one day emboldened to ask him for an opportunity of painting a woman in the dress of the harem. The prince smiled at the eagerness and confidence with which he made so unheard-of a request, but after a moment's reflection he promised to comply with it. Two or three days passed without M. Flandin's hearing anything more of the matter, or daring to repeat his petition.

"One night I received a message from the prince, who invited me to go and sup with him. His physician, an old white-bearded Frank, whose origin and science were alike unknown to us, but who was a good sort of man, and the Shahzadeh's intimate confidant, came to conduct me to the place of rendezvous. The night was very dark; we were preceded by a ferrash, carrying a white linen lantern, in which burned an enormous bougie, whose light denounced us from afar to the fury of the wandering dogs, but enabled us pretty well to avoid the heaps of snow, swept off the roofs of the houses, that encumbered the street. Thus we threaded a number of dark and deserted lanes,

and walked round the walls of the Ark, that part of the town which contains the seraglios of the princes and the barracks of the troops. Then, instead of going to the great gate of the palace, we stooped and passed through a postern opening upon a little back court, dark and silent. Our guide extinguished his lantern, and the doctor, making sign to me to follow, knocked gently at a small door, which was cautiously opened. Here was mystery enough, and perhaps some danger; but the originality of the adventure delighted me, and I did as I was bid, at risk of whatever might happen. We passed through a dark apartment and a long winding corridor, ascended a few steps, crossed a second apartment, imperfectly lighted, but in which I was able to discern a great number of pictures representing women dancing or playing, subjects I had as yet nowhere seen. I concluded I was in the part of the house which is never opened to foreigners-that is to say, in the zenanah or women's apartments. I continued to follow the hakim, who seemed perfectly to know his way, and soon we reached one of those great door curtains called perdehs which rose suddenly before me. I

was dazzled by the blaze of light that filled a spacious saloon, all glittering with gold, paintings, and mirrors. In the centre of the room a score of women, surprised by my apparition, shrieked with terror and sought to hide their faces. Prince Malek-Khassem, whom I did not at first distinguish, was lying at the farther end of the apartment on carpets and cushions, and burst into a hearty laugh at my stupefaction, which, to say the truth, was not less than that of the ladies. The Shahzadeh invited me to approach him, and said that, desirous of gratifying the wish I had expressed, but unable to dispose of other persons' property, the only thing he could do was to receive me in his own Anderoûn."

The houris of this terrestrial paradise soon recovered from their alarm, which was replaced by curiosity. Whilst M. Flandin, his amiable entertainer, another member of the Persian royal family, and the Frank doctor, partook of an elegant supper,

the music and dancing continued. The dancers had little cymbals like castanets, but made of ringing metal, fastened to their fingers, and with them marked the time. They at first appeared to dance out of complaisance for their lord and master, but soon they became heated and animated, their movements increased in vivacity, and the orchestra, which consisted of two tambourines, a mandoline, and of a sort of three-stringed violin played by a blind man, played faster and more vigorously, until excitement and exhaustion threw the dancers into a singular sort of nervous paroxysm.

M. Flandin, however, was best pleased when they remained in a state of indolent repose, in which he had better opportunity of observing their dress and appearance, with a view to future artistic delineations. Such opportunities are rare in a country where women walk abroad but little, and, when they do, are closely veiled and muffled. It is probable that during his whole residence and wanderings in Persia, he never saw so many women's faces as were upon that evening assembled before him, and submitted to his inquisitive gaze. He made the most of his good fortune, and gives a minute account of the costume and attractions of the inmates of the complaisant Shahzadeh's harem. The cosmetic appliances of the fair Persians appear, from the following passage, to be both numerous and curious:

"The Persian ladies, judging from those of the anderoun in which I found myself, have very small mouths, beautiful teeth, features generally soft and delicate, and large well-cut eyes. They are accustomed to paint the internal edge of the eyelids black, and to prolong in the corners the black line which they draw, with a very fine brush, along the root of the lashes. The most elegant and refined amongst them wear patches and use rouge. They all dye their hands orange colour with henna, a dye brought on purpose from India, making themselves thus a sort of glove, reaching to the wrist. The soles of the feet are similarly tinted, imitating a shoe, and the nails are painted with carmine. Their hair is naturally very fine, and of a blue black; but in order