Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-08-29
DAILY EVENING STAR.
THE PAESEES

known, Parsees, has placed at the dispO-
sal of the Bombay Government lac of
rupees to found school Of Design, has
elected from the Mobile advertiser the
following remarks respecting that inter-
esting people:
All who have read "Lalla Rookh" are
aware that the Parsees are descendants
of the ancient Persians, who were subju-
gated by the Moslems. Reduced to the
alternative of renouncing their ancient
faith, or of leaving their native land. many
Of them embraced the latter, and their
descendants are now scattered over all
the maritime regions Of India and China.
They are enlightened, industrious and
er1terprising, and some of the most i'm
portant commercial transactions of the
Fast are conducted by Parsees. In Bonn
bay, especially, they hold conspicuous
place ID society. The better classes are
well educated, many of them speaking
English and French with great fuency.
In their dignified and courteous bearing,
they still give evidence of the noble stock
from which they sprang.
We have seldom seen finer specimen
of humankind than venerable Parsee,
whom we met with at Bombay few
years since. He was priest and poet,
of high rank, and evidently regarded with
the greatest reverence by his countrymen.
Although more than eighty years OF age,
with flowing locks as white as snow, his
step was still vigorous, and the lustre of
his dark eyes, undimmed by age, bespoke
a soul within not unworthy of country
man of Hated.
The sacred fire still burns increasingly
in the temples of the Ghebers. They are
devoted to their religion, and defend it,
not with the blind zeal of the Brahmin,
or tie cool indifference of the Buddhist,
but with the polished weapons of ingenui-
ty and learning. Indeed, it is the least
irrational, as it is certainly the most
pOctical and picturesque of all idolatry.
Few sights are more impressive than that
presented On the beach, without the walls
Of Bombay, every morning. For mile
or more, it is lined with whiterobed Par
sees, standing or kneeling in attitudes of
silent devotion, watching the fire.inged
waves, in expectancy of the rising sun.
And when the sun does come in all the
fiery splendor of that tropical cline, the
alteration is intense, motionless, and SEEM
lngly heartfelt, for few moments after
which the worshippers dispense, with
subdued and quiet demeanor.
No traveller, who has shared the prince
ly hospitality of the weather. Parsees,
can forget their splendid, yet unique man.
sions, glittering with magnificent Candida
bra. and other ornaments of glass, in
which they excel. Their entertainments
are often elegant, and lacking in nothing
except the society of women. They do
not tolerate polygamy, and the Parsee
ladies are not subjected to the rigorous
segregation from society of their Maho-
metan neighbors, though of course there
is something of that reserve in this
respect, which pervades nearly all Oriental
nations. They do not usually appear in
the presence of foreigners, though a pair
OF sparkling eyes may sometimes be de-
tected peeping through the lattice-work
that conceals them.
a little incident, of the truth of which
we are cogniZant, will illustrate their
freedom in this particular. A friend Of
ours IA very handsome fellow by the way
had been dining at the suburban villa OF
aflre-worshiper. The next morning he
Tecels ed note, written in good English
In a delicate female hand, inviting him to
apersonal interview in the afternoon, at
the same house where he had dined the
day before, with the further request, that
ne would say nothing about the invita-
ton. Oh course he accepted it, and at
the appointed time made his appearance
and was introduced into the presence of
three or four Parsee ladies. The writer
of the note, beautiful young widow
(eyidently person of some distinction, j
with some embarrassment, but much
grace, apologized for The liberty she had
taken, and explained it by saving that
she was relative and inmate Of the fam
lily OF his host Of the day previous, had
seen him at the entertainment, and hayino,
q great desire to converse with an Ameri-
can, had taken this method Of satisfying
her curiosity.
IN interesting conversation Of an hour
or more tnsued, in the course of which
the lady spoke unreservedly of her own
history and the customs Of her own peo-
PIE, and asked her guest variety of
questions concerning himself and mis-
country. At the close of the interview,
she presented him with handsome Gia-
nond ring. and added, with that hatter-
ing confidence which is so irresistible " hen
coming IRON q pretty woman, that she
relied upon his honor that be would say
nothing to his companions, or any other
person, atout the visit or the elf; until
his return home-that it was an unusual
'eedom which she had induiSed in, and
would bring reproach upon herself and
the either ladies Of her household, who
were present, If it were talked of. Our
fIlHIN I-nnt htc L..