he seems content to prostitute his own more enlightened and progressive views to the prejudices of a bigoted and fanatical priesthood.  He seems to have a generous desire to see the country opened up to the civilizing improvements of the West, and to give the people an opportunity of emancipating themselves from their present deplorable condition; but the mollahs set their faces firmly against all reform, and the Shah evidently lacks the strength of will to override their opposition.  It was owing to this criminal weakness on his part that Baron Eeuter’s scheme of railways and commercial regeneration for the country proved a failure.  Persia is undoubtedly the worst priest-ridden country in the world; the mollaha influence everything and everybody, from the monarch downward, to such an extent that no progress is possible.  Barring outside interference, Persia will remain in its present wretched condition until the advent of a monarch with sufficient force of character to deliver the ipeople from the incubus of their present power and influence:  nothing short of a general massacre, however, will be likely to accomplish complete deliverance.  Without compromising his dignity as “Shah-iri-shah,” “The Asylum of the Universe,” etc., when dealing with his own subjects, Nasr-e-deen Shall has profited by the experiences of his European tour to the extent of recognizing, with becoming toleration, the democratic independence of Ferenghis, whose deportment betrays the fact that they are not dazed by the contemplation of his greatness.  The other evening myself and a friend encountered the Shah and his crowd of attendants on one of the streets leading to the winter palace; he was returning to the palace in state after a visit of ceremony to some dignitary.  First came a squad of foot-runners in quaint scarlet coats, knee-breeches, white stockings, and low shoes, and with a most fantastic head-dress, not unlike a peacock’s tail on dress-parade; each runner carried a silver staff; they, were clearing the street and shouting their warning for everybody to hide their faces.  Behind them came a portion of the Shah’s Khajar bodyguard, well mounted, and dressed in a gray uniform, braided with black:  each of these also carries a silver staff, and besides sword and dagger, has a gun slung at his back in a red ’baize case.  Next came the royal carriage, containing the Shah:  the carriage is somewhat like a sheriffs coach of “ye olden tyme,” and is drawn by six superb grays; mounted on the off horses are three postilions in gorgeous scarlet liveries.  Immediately behind the Shah’s carriage, came the higher dignitaries on horseback, and lastly a confused crowd of three or four hundred horsemen.  As the royal procession approached, the Persians-one and all-either hid themselves, or backed themselves up against the wall, and remained with heads bowed half-way to the ground until it passed.  Seeing that we had no intention of striking this very submissive