ed on earth; these obviously stand in need of many
things, to provide for their human dignity, their happiness and ease. Now
is it more practicable for them to acquire these things from their
contemporaries, or should they, in each successive generation, borrow
nothing, but instead independently create one or another of the
instrumentalities which are necessary to human existence?

Should some maintain that those laws, principles and fundamentals of
progress on the highest levels of a fully developed society, which are
current in other countries, are not suited to the condition and the
traditional needs of Persia's people, and that on this account it is
necessary that within Iran, the nations' planners should exert their
utmost efforts to bring about reforms appropriate to Persia--let them first
explain what harm could come from such foreign importations.

If the country were built up, the roads repaired, the lot of the helpless
improved by various means, the poor rehabilitated, the masses set on the
path to progress, the avenues of public wealth increased, the scope of
education widened, the government properly organized, and the free
exercise of the individual's rights, and the security of his person and
property, his dignity and good name, assured--would all this be at odds
with the character of the Persian people? Whatever is in conflict with
these measures has already been proved injurious, in every country, and
does not concern one locality more than another.

These superstitions result in their entirety from lack of wisdom and
understanding, and insufficient observation and analysis. Indeed, the
majority of the reactionaries and the procrastinators are only concealing
their own selfish interests under a barrage of idle words, and confusing
the minds of the helpless masses with public statements which bear no
relation to their well-concealed objectives.

O people of Persia! The heart is a divine trust; cleanse it from the stain
of self-love, adorn it with the coronal of pure intent, until the sacred
honor, the abiding greatness of this illustrious nation may shine out like
the true morning in an auspicious heaven. This handful of days on earth
will slip away like shadows and be over. Strive then that God may shed His
grace upon you, that you may leave a favorable remembrance in the hearts
and on the lips of those to come. "And grant that I be spoken of with
honor by posterity."(75)

Happy the soul that shall f