Behind the Veil in Persia and Turkish Arabia: An Account of an Englishwoman's Eight Years' Residence Amongst the Women of the EastHume-Griffith, M. E.
Philosophy
Behind the Veil in Persia and Turkish Arabia: An Account of an Englishwoman's Eight Years' Residence Amongst the Women of the East
Hume-Griffith, M. E.
Arabian Peninsula -- Social life and customs; Iran -- Social life and customs
H.R.H. Princess Hamadane Sultane was in many ways quite unlike the
majority of Persian ladies. She was a strong-minded, clever woman, and
was very anxious that her children should be brought up in European
fashion. These children certainly had a very good time compared
with other Persian children, as their mother refused to let them
become little women before they had passed out of childhood's days,
and although they were then nine and ten years old were generally
playing with their dolls or other toys brought from Paris for their
amusement. The princess very much wished her children to learn English,
but I suggested that she should learn it herself first and then teach
it to her children. To this she gladly consented, and so twice a
week I used to go up and give her lessons. She quickly got over the
A B C stage, as she had some slight knowledge of French, and took
a great delight in picking out the words of an easy English reader,
and in a very short time she greeted me in very quaint broken English:
"Good morning; I hope you are well." Unfortunately, I had to leave my
interesting pupil at this stage, as we were leaving Persia for England,
and I never saw her again; but I have heard that she continued her
English lessons for some time. I do not think I ever knew any one
with so many dresses as this princess had; every time I saw her she
appeared in a different costume, and always in rich silks, satins, or
brocades. I asked her once if she knew how many gowns she possessed,
and she confessed that she had no idea, and added that it would not be
at all right for me to see her more than once in the same dress! And
I certainly never did, although I was visiting her twice weekly for
some months.
This good lady exercised a very great influence over her husband
(a most unusual thing in Persia), partly, perhaps, on account of
her social position and also because she possessed a large amount of
property in her own right. Before she came to live with her husband in
Yezd she said she would only come with the understanding that she was
to be the only wife, and I believe the prince kept to the agreement as
long as she was with him. But he must have found it very hard, for I
have heard that before his wife came no girl dared be out after dusk,
so afraid were they of the prince and his courtiers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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