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Kay's Originals Vol. 2

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. . 301 the Ambassador, at this period, is from the pen of Lord Radstock, in a letter addressed to a lady of high rank :- “Aboul Hassan is in person above the common stature ; and this is in no small degree increased by a high cap covered with a shawl, and heels a full inch and a half high. He is about thirty-five years of age. His features are perfectly regular ; his eyes have a peculiar softness in them, though sometimes animated to the highest degree ; his nose aquiline ; his teeth the most regular and beautiful imaginable ; and his profile as fine as the pencil could trace. His countenance is open and full of candour ; and, when in its natural state, is no less mild and dignified. When conversing and highly pleased, it has a sweetness that nothing can exceed ; and when animated by argument, it bespeaks a soul replete with energy, and a depth of understanding rarely to be met with. His manners are truly captivating, graceful, and as engaging as can be conceived, whilst, at the same time, they are such as ever to command respect, and remind ewii his very intimates that he is the representative of a great monarch. I have visited the Ambassador every day since his arrival, excepting one, when in the evening he told Mr. James Morier that ‘his heart was sick, as he had not seen his friend Lord Radstock during the whole day.’ * * A few days ago he gave us a grand dinner, at which were present Lord Winchilsea, Lord Teignmouth, General Grenville, Sir Gore Ouseley, Mr. Vaughan, and four or five others. Sir Gore Ouseley sat at the head of the table and the Mirza on his left, it being the side near the fire, Nothing could surpass the grace and ease with which he did the honours of the entertainment. * * * * He drank but one glass of wine at dinner, and none after, although he acknowledged he liked wine ; and we kept our seats little short of three hours. This act of his forbearance and abstinency, from religious motives, might have served as a lesson to his Christian guests ; but here candour bids me own, they seemed by no means inclined to follow so excellent an example, though certainly nothing like excess was committed. * * * When the conversation was serious, the Mirza’s attention, questions, and replies, alike bespoke a refined and superior Understanding ; and when jocose, he displayed his perfect knowledge of repartee, and was all life and merriment, * * I accompanied his Excellency the other night to the opera for the second time. The Ambassador was received at the King’s door, and with the same ceremony as if he had been of the blood royal. This marked attention pleased him much ; and he expressed his gratitude with seeming warmth. He appeared to be but little struck with the beauty or grandeur of the Theatre ; and, to my surprise, held the dancing very iheap. He laughed heartily at the folly of bringing forward Peter the Great and his Empress as dancing to divert the throng. ‘What !’ exclaimed he, ‘is it possible that a mighty monarch and his queen should expose themselves thus 2 how absurd ! how out of nature ! how perfectly ridiculous ! ’ Soon after, he jokingly said, ‘ When I get back to my own country, and the King shall ask me, What did the English do to divert you 0 I will answer, Sire, they brought before me your Majesty’s great enemies, the Emperor and Empress of Russia, and made them dance for my amusement ! ’ This he repeated with the highest glee, aa if conscious of saying a witty thing. At the end of the comic opera, at which he often laughed heartily, I asked him which he liked hest, the serious or the comic opera? Without a moment’s hesitation he replied, ‘ The serious, when I am inclined to cry ; and the comic, when I am inclined to laugh.’ “ I forgot to mention a laughable observation made the other night during the grand ballet. He asked Sir G. Ouseley what the Empress was going to do with the great chest and the casket which her slaves were carrying ? Sir G. Ouseley replied, that she waa going to endeavour to bribe the Pasha to sign a truce and withdraw his troops. ‘ Is that it !’ cries the Mirza, ‘then I’ll answer for her success ; for those fellows, the Turks, would even sell their father could they gain a piastre by it.’ He appears to despise and detest the Turks. He told the Tnrkirrh Ambassador the other morning, when I was present, that he would carry him to the Opera, where he should first see the Grand Vizer dance and then sell his counw. The stupid Turk bowed, and seemed thankful, receiving the speech as a compliment. The mind of the. Ambassador seems to be ever on the stretch, and illled with interesting and important objects only. His mission is consequently the primary one ; his next is the attainment of useful knowledge. His questions and answera are endless, when food for an inquisitive mind presents it.vel$ ; but they am ever to the purpose, scarcely anything frivolous eseapea him, though at times, particularly at table, no one seems to enjoy pleasantq more, even to playfulness. The objects which hitherto seem to have made the strongest impressions on the .hfirza’s mind, are * * * *
Volume 9 Page 402
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