Manchurian Books

I was so fortunate as to see a pair of lions, but at
such a distance, that I cannot say whether they exceeded in beauty
and size those in European menageries. Among the birds, the
pelicans were so polite as to make their respects to us by scraping.
21st May. Today we saw the ruins of the palace of Khuszew
Anushirwan at Ctesiphon. Ctesiphon was formerly the capital of the
Parthian, and afterwards of the new Persian empire: it was
destroyed by the Arabs in the seventeenth century. Nearly opposite,
on the right bank of the Tigris, lay Seleucia, one of the most
celebrated towns of Babylon, and which, at the time of its
prosperity, had a free independent government and a population of
600,000 souls. The chief portion were Greeks.
One obtained two views of Ctesiphon in passing, in consequence of
the river winding considerably--almost running back again several
miles. I made a trip there from Baghdad, and therefore reserve my
account of it.
The old caliphate appears in marvellous magnificence and extent from
a distance, but unfortunately loses this on nearer approach.


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