MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE. THIS, perhaps, is the most interesting, and certainly, in some instances, the most curious class of letters in my whole correspondence. The effect upon the mind must be singular and striking, to have the productions of so many various characters brought successively in review before it, with such preliminary hints as are necessary, to explain the circumstances which occasioned their letters being written. 1.-CHRISTOPHE, king of HAITI. A gentleman of my acquaintance, who had visited St Domingo, informed me, that Christophe, who had established himself as king of that country, was extremely anxious to promote the happiness of his subjects; and had expressed a wish of entering into correspondence with the President of the British Board of Agriculture, and the Author of the Code of Health. I was thence induced to send a copy of that work to the new Sovereign, with a letter; to which, in due course, I received the following answer : Au Palais de Sans Souci, 26. Avril 1818, Le Roi, Au tres Honorable Sir John Sinclair, Baronet. MONSIEUR, J'ai reçu, avec la lettre que vous m'avez fait le plaisir de m'écrire, le Code de Santé et de Longevité, ouvrage donc vous êtes l'auteur, de même que des nottes intéressantes, dont je ferai mon profit, lorsque je serai à meme d'executer divers projets sur les differentes branches qu'elles traitent. Je ne manquerai pas de vous écrire pour vous prier de m'aider de vos lumieres. Recever, Monsieur, avec mes remercimens, les assurances de ma parfaite consideration, (Signed) CHRISTOPHE *. 2. THE PERSIAN AMBASSADOR. The Persians, though fallen from their former greatness, and from the state of their government and religion, not likely to recover their political importance, are an intelligent and polished people. I had frequent conversations with the Ambassador who had been sent to our Court, and found him intelligent and well informed. He visited Scotland, and made a short stay at Edinburgh, when we discussed the subject of health, for the restoration of which, he contended, that the SIR, • Translation. Palace of Sans Souci, 26th April 1818, 15th Year of Independence. I have received, along with the letter which you have done me the favour to write to me, the Code of Health and Longevity, a work of which you are the author, as well as of the interesting notes, of which I shall take advantage as soon as I have it in my power to execute various projects connected with the different branches of which they treat. I shall not fail to write to you, to request you to aid me with your suggestions. Accept, Sir, together with my thanks, the assurances of my perfect regard. (Signed) CHRISTOPHE. Persian physicians were greatly superior to the English. During a visit he paid to the Duke of Hamilton, I sent him some thoughts upon that subject, to which I received the following answer, dated Hamilton Palace, November 7. 1819: "The Persian Ambassador presents his compliments to Sir John Sinclair, and begs leave to say, that he will send him, as soon as he returns to "Tehzaun," a chest of medicines, together with various treatises by some learned Hachems, (physicians); also a popular work upon the different complaints and diseases now common in Persia, with the modes of cure thereof. A particular case, relative to a lunatic patient, well merits the attention of the medical world; and he hopes the information derived from that source, will be an acceptable addition to the Pyramid of Codes." I regret to add, that I never received either the chest of medicines, or the work alluded to. It would be very desirable, however, that any British minister who may be sent to the Court of Persia, should ascertain how far the Ambassador's eulogiums on the skill of Persian physicians are well founded. The case he mentions, of an extraordinary cure being performed on a lunatic patient, deserves peculiar attention. 3. THE MIRZA ABU TALEB KHAN. This native of Persia devoted no less a period than about five years, (from the year 1799 to the year 1803, both inclusive), to travelling through Asia, Africa, and Europe. He wrote an account of his travels in Persian, which was translated into English, by Charles Stewart, Esq. Professor of Oriental Languages at the East India College, in Hertfordshire. It was printed in 1814. The following paragraph is an extract from it: |