Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-07-12
The Shah of Persia.
His Bad Manners and Big Diamonds
How He Looks, Eats, and Behaves.


His Bad Manners and Big Diamonds
How He Looks, Eats, and Behaves.
In an interesting letter to the New
York Times, DR.. William H. Russell
(the historian of Bull RUM gives some
personal information about the Shah of
Persia which will not tend to raise that
potentate in the opinion of cultured So
ciety. 1t seems that the distinguished
Oriental monarch is net only proud, but
unpunctual, ill-mannered, and rather
immoral. AS matter of choice, he pre-
fers to eat with his fingers, and cannot
be persuaded that anybody in the world
is the equal of His Sublime Highness.
Yet rumor has not been up to the mark
in describing the incredible richness of
his jewels. Mr.. Russell says "No
one was prepared to see, mOrtalibuS
ocutiS, diamond nearly twice the size
of the Koh-i-noor, or Mountain of
Light" (now in the possession of the
Queen of England, once Runjeet Sing,
the Lion of Lahore's greatest glory),
stuck in front of mans sword belt,
and five diamonds, each larger than that
jewel of jewels, en- echeLon upon his
coat, from waist to shoulder. These
stones are scarcely cut, and do not show
as they ought, but they are of surpass-
ing purity. The Shah's sword-belt is
treasure house in itself. The sheath
is studded with rubies, emeralds, and
diamonds, which shame their setting of
purest gold. The front of his coat is
garnished with rows of brilliants in
stead of lace. The collar and sleeves
are crusted with them, and his orders
are of the most precious jewels. His
spurs flash like sunbeams. All this on
the person of man who has nothing
noble in mien or face, although he is
above the average height of the Indian
Mussulman noblesse."
As to the personal appearance of the
monarch, we are afraid that his picture
has fattered him. For the keen-sighted
journalist says: "He is not much at
his ease with European barbarians, and
it is ludicrous to see him standing alone
in crowd with clear space round him
and no one to talk to, for he balances
first ON one leg and then on another,
like a hen on hot griddle,' and does
not know what to do with them or his
hands. When he turns his back and
the spectator calmly surveys his ex-
terror, freed from the distracting infu-
ences of his diamonds, the Shah does
not present an imposing appearance.
| admit that the backs of most people
fail to impress one, but his Majesty s
tailor has rendered his rsUers quite alb
normally ridiculous by making his frock
coat with multitude of fine plaits like
those of Highlander's kilt or of a
lady of Queen Besss time over the
hips, and SO all round. His face is sell
dom animated, and there is something
incongruous in the position of his re-
spectacle gold spectacles, a la Theirs,
on his aquiline nose, under q Persian
cap, and, over all these, diamonds"
His personal habits would not render
him an acceptable visitor in cultivated
circles, whatever "shoddy" might think
of him. At least so the writer seems
to suggest in the following paragraph :
"In spite of his Jewels and external
splendor, the Shah-in-Shah is, accord
ing to European notions, savage in
many respects-proud, wilful, sensual,
and arbitrary. If punctuality be the
politeness of princes, as it is said to be,
the Shah would, in consequence of his
utter Indifference to engagements, be
the world. He kept the parade at Pots
dam. ordered by the Kaiser, waiting a
couple of hours. He kept the Queen
for half an hour at the railway station
waiting for him. He would not go to
breakfast when it was announced, at the
time of invitation, but walked about in
the garden, and then, seeing an arbor
which pleased him, desired to have his
breakfast brought there. When he sat
at dinner yesterday he put his fingers
in his plate and ate with them, and if
he came on piece of some dish which
he did not like, he took it out of his
mouth and threw it down-not on the
ground, but on the Queens (Empress's)
dress"
AS to the morality of the royal visitor
from Ispahan, our readers will regret to
learn that d" there has been some trouble
in teaching the Shah and his followers
that women are to be treated with re-
spect, even though they go about with
their faces uncovered, and one of the
most useful lessons they will carry back
from Europe is that which will teach
them to consider theirwives their equals,
and not their slaves-if they learn it.
There is great it,, for they do not at
all approve of all they see here"
On the whole, therefore, our people
have no great reason to regret the
Shahs determination not to come to the
United States. Our manners and morals
will be the better for receiving no ex-
cuse for their disregard through the ex-
ample of monarch. A single wife,
knives and forks, and business punctu-
ality, are institutions which we are not
as yet prepared to part with. o.
..., Young Men and Marriage.