Montesquieu (1689–1755). Persian Letters. 1901.
Letter LINargum, Persian Envoy in Muscovy, to Usbek, at Paris
T
By order of the king of kings I have now been five years in this country, where I have concluded several important transactions.
You know that the Czar is the only Christian prince whose interests are allied to those of Persia, because, like us, he is the enemy of the Turks.
His empire is larger than ours, for the distance between Moscow and the extremities of his dominions on the Chinese frontier measures a thousand leagues.
He is absolute master of the lives and goods of his subjects, who are all slaves, with the exception of four families. The vicar of the prophets, the king of kings, whose footstool is the sky, does not wield a scepter more puissant.
In view of the frightful climate of this country, one would never think that exile could be a punishment for a Muscovite: nevertheless, when a man of consequence is disgraced, he is banished to Siberia.
It is the law of our prophet which forbids us to drink wine, it is that of their prince which forbids the Muscovites.
They receive their guests in a style very unlike the Persians. When a stranger enters a house, the husband presents his wife to him, and he kisses her: this is counted an act of courtesy to the husband.
Although fathers, in arranging their daughters’ marriages, usually stipulate that the husband shall not whip them, yet you would hardly believe how dearly the Muscovite women like to be beaten; they are unable to understand how they can possess their husband’s love, if he does not thrash them in proper style. If he is slack in this matter, it is an unpardonable indication of coldness. Here is a letter which a Muscovite wife recently wrote to her mother:—
But the reigning prince wishes to change everything; he had a great quarrel with his subjects about their beards; the clergy and the monks defended their ignorance with equal obstinacy.
He is bent on the improvement of the arts, and leaves nothing undone to spread throughout Europe and Asia the fame of his nation, till now forgotten, and hardly even known to itself.
Restless, and always occupied, he wanders about his vast dominions, leaving everywhere tokens of his savage nature.
Then he quits them, as if they were too small to contain him, and goes to Europe exploring other provinces and new kingdoms.
I embrace you, my dear Usbek, and beg you to send me your news.
M