First Indian Visitor Describes England and European Life // 1785 'Wonders of Vilayet' Primary Source

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This extract has been taken from the wonderful book: 'The Wonders of Vilayet: Being the Memoir, Originally in Persian, of a Visit to France and Britain in 1765' by Mirza Sheikh I'tesamuddin and translated by Kaiser Haq. Published by Peepal Tree Press Ltd. (2002)

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English: View from the whispering gallery in St Pauls Cathedral in London.
Deutsch: Blick von der Flüstergalerie in der St. Pauls Kathedrale in London.
Fecha10 de febrero de 2011FuenteTrabajo propioAutorAiwok

[scipioafricanus]

"...and three other countries I can't quite remember"
*Forgettable European nations of the 18th century felt that.*

[studiospeets]

Instead of "Dutch", I will now refer to my nationality as "hat wearing fishmonger".

[RJKYEG]

Imagine the History Channel having content of this quality.

[Napoleon]

I am an Indian and I lived in the UK 2017-8 (a year). It is so uncanny that Mirza Sheikh I'tesamuddin's descriptions of English buildings are so very similar to my impressions more than 200 years later! True, the buildings in India usually have large windows and doors and ceilings to allow for free passage of air that helps in keeping the buildings cool naturally.

[marvinbecker]

The first thing the guy does is roast the French

[BluJean]

>lands in europe
>sees wooden shoes
WHAT ARE THOOOOSEEEE?!

[inisipisTV]

I'm sure a lot here knew those "poor man's" wooden shoes he saw in France are called 'Sabot' and when disgruntled workers would throw these hard wooden shoes on some factory machinery, wrecking the machines, is where the word 'Sabotage' came from.

[nathanlevesque]

These are all monarchies, with the exception of tiny Holland, a land of the dutch people, which is governed by its windmills.

[nerosfreak]

gotta love how more than 200 years later everyone still thinks the same of the french

[rogeriopenna]

"the french are so poor..."

if he stayed 4 years longer in France, he would see in what that poorness of the lower classes would result.

[jonathanredacted]

I love how at the end he's like "England is very nice but *vacation is over* "

[vy-canis]

Some translation/explanation from the Urdu language.
0:06 Vilayet = west/abroad.
0:23 Hijra = islamic year/calendar.
1:26 Firangi = a foreigner/a person who is unknown to something.
7:37 Munchi = a secretory.
11:40 Tamasha = a show.
11:49 Emir = a king.
12:13 Habshi = a black person.
12:32 Shabash = well done.
15:09 Sahib = a mister.
15:25 Kadam = step.
21:43 Hazrat = use to address male with respect.
21:57 Bibi = use to address females with respect.

[MythologywithMike]

A whole YouTube channel dedicated to reading primary sources? A historian's dream come true! If you want some help finding Iroquoian sources let me know I'm writing a paper on them for grad school right now

[CarthagoMike]

_"The Spaniards have a reputation of being clever and hardworking."_
Oh, how times have changed.

[Altrantis]

On the poverty of the french lower class: This is not long before the french revolution.

[yamik]

The fact that he felt compelled to include a description of ice skating (14:56) goes to show how magical that scene must have felt when he first saw it. Like fairies on a pond, he says. It's like the scene from LotR where the party watches the elves sing and dance and are completely mesmerized.

[spasjt]

"All I can leave is a mark on the pages of time by which I may be remembered is this account of a few curious incidents."
On the contrary sir, your mark on the pages of time are now memorialized forever and are capable of being read by the entire human race. Your humility in describing your experience is most appreciated by all.

[bigcat]

"The French are a conceited race" honhonhon oui oui tres accurate

[musawarkhan]

12:35 "shabash" literally means well done or bravo. "waah waah" is another way of saying wow in amazement.

[distoriank]

9:29 I just realized they have translated 'Bazaaru Aurat' literally("the ladies of the bazaar''). It is slang for prostitutes.