asked Captain Blisset many questions concerning his own Ambassador's conduct whilst in England, and appeared highly pleased with the account which our traveller had thus the opportunity of giving of his friend. He immediately ordered him to be called, and, when he appeared, said to him, "Well done, well done, Abul Hassan, you have made my face white in a foreign country, and I will make your's white in this; you are one of the noblest of the families in my kingdom, and shall be raised to the highest dignity I can confer." At which words, Abul Hassan knelt down, after the Persian manner, and actually touched the floor with his forehead. At the conclusion of the audience, Captain Blisset received a present from the King, of a most valuable shawl, and a diamond ring; and William a purse, contain. ing ten golden coins, each valued at about three pounds sterling.

During the remainder of our travellers stay at Teheran, they passed most of their time with their countrymen. Every morning they rode outside of the town, though no place is less attractive, perhaps, than the scenery around. Each of the five gates leads to what the Persians call the desert, a very appropriate name; for, though it is partially cultivated, yet, as there are neither hedges, railing, or dykes, the whole has the appearance of a waste. A tree is a scarce object also, and this must appear

curious, from the district, immediately conti guous, being one of the most wooded countries in the world.

It was in one of their morning rides, about seven o'clock, that they saw, at a short distance from the road side, a party of well dressed Persians, seated on a carpet, and drinking together; it being the custom, amongst the Persians, when they commit a debauch, to begin in the morning, by which means they carry on their excess till night. How strongly does this eastern custom illustrate that passage in the bible, in which the displeasure of the Almighty is declared against those who give themselves up to intoxication; and which it would be well, said Captain Blisset to William, for some of your countrymen to engrave upon their memories, when they are tempted to this detestable vice of drunkenness, Wo unto

them that rise early in the morning that they may follow strong drink, that continue until night, until wine inflame them. Therefore, hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure, and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth therein, shall descend into it."

After a residence of a few days at Teheran, Captain Blisset having expressed his wish to be permitted to take leave, the Persian Monarch, with great kindness, directed his Prime Mi nister to give the necessary orders for our

travellers' accommodation on the road; and accordingly they set out on their journey, southwards, for Bagdad; formerly one of the principal cities of Persia, which stands upon the river Tigris, and is situated in thirty-four degrees north latitude, and forty-five east longitude. In the immediate neighbourhood of Bagdad lies Babylon, so celebrated, in ancient times, for its size, riches, and population.They travelled on horseback, escorted by a small body of cavalry, and, in five days, during which the face of the country in no respect different from that passed through in the journey to Teheran, they arrived at the city of Bagdad, which is in a state of great decay, and offered no inducement to them to delay their journey to the site of the ancient Babylon, where they soon arrived.

The ruins of extensive cities always excite an interest proportioned to their former im. portance, but few excite more than those of Babylon, as must every spot of ground whose history is connected with holy writ. Even at the time of its greatest wealth and splendour, the Prophet Isaiah foretold its full and utter destruction; it then, we read, could boast of its hundred gates of brass; its walls forty-six miles in extent, seventy-five feet high, and thirty-two thick; its tower, which rose six hundred and ninety-three feet; its castle two miles and a half in circumference, and defended

by towers one hundred and ten feet high ; and a noble bridge over the Euphrates, six hundred and twenty-four feet long! What remains of all these mighty works, of all this pomp and grandeur, but one extensive ruin, whilst scarcely any thing is left even to commemorate their past existence.

Heaps of broken down walls lie on all sides, some of which are still fifty or sixty feet high, which prove the great mass of building that lies overturned there; nor can its original form now be ascertained, for the neighbouring people, being accustomed to take the materials towards the erection of their dwellings, the operation of extracting the bricks, has caused great, confusion, and contributed much to increase the difficulty of decyphering the original design of these mounds; as, in search of them, the workmen pierce into it in every direction, hollowing out deep ravines, and pits, and throwing up the rubbish in heaps on the surface. In some places they have bored into the solid mass, forming winding caverns and subterraneous passages, which, from their being left without adequate support, frequently bury the workmen in the rubbish. In all these excavations, walls of burnt brick, laid in lime mortar of a very good quality, are seen; and, in addition, fragments of alabaster vessels, fine earthenware, warble, and great quantities of varnished tiles, the glazing and colouring of which are sur. prisingly fresh.