the end of which time, A. D. 1722, the Afghans of minion, encroached on the northern provinces, Cabul and, Caudahar revolted, and, under their and added Georgia to its widely extended emchief, Meer-Mahmood, routed the Persians at pire. At the end of this time, the candidates Goolnabad, and invested the Persian capital, for royalty were reduced to two, Lutf Ali Khan Ispahan, which, after enduring the horrors of Zend, and Aga Mohammed Khan Kajar, the famine for seven months, was obliged to capitu- latter of whom prevailed, A. D. 1795, and founded late. Hussein, the last of the family of Ismael the Kajar, or reigning dynasty. This ruler was Sooffee, resigned his crown to the conqueror, and assassinated by his own attendants, whom he had Persia fell under the yoke of the Afghans. provoked by his severities, and he was succeeded

But the tenure of the Afghans also was brief in by his nephew, the late Shah Futtah Ali, who Persia. The crown prince, Tahmasp, with his reigned from A. D. 1797 to A.D. 1834. great general, Nadir-Kooli, after a struggle of At the death of this prince, who ceded most of eight years, 'exterminated the invaders, and re- the Caspian provinces, with Eriwan and the coungained the throne of Persia. The real power, try to the Araxes, to the Russians, after two disashowever, remained in the hands of Nadir, who trous wars, a struggle commenced for the crown dethroned Tahmasp, A. D. 1732, and placed his among his descendants ; but it was speedily terinfant son, Abbas 111., thereon, in whose name he minated, by the influence of England and Russia, governed as regent for four years, when the in favour of the present Shah Mohammed, grandyoung monarch dying, Nadir declareå the Seffa- son of Futtah Ali, by his son Abbas Mirza, who vean dynasty at an end, and himself assumed the died before his father, and while yet the crown crown under the title of Nadir Shah.

was in his view. This great man raised Persia, by his conquests, Who next will ascend the throne of Persia, to a high state of prosperity; but his barbarities or how long the reigning dynasty shall sit and avarice led to his destruction by the hands of thereon, the progress of time can alone unfold. his own subjects, A.D. 1747. Persia was now with Its situation between the two great Asiatic emout a ruler, and anarchy and confusion prevailed pires of England and Russia, and its manifest every where. The Uzbek states threw off the internal weakness would lead to a conclusion yoke, and Afghanistan became an independent that it will never regain its former rank in and powerful kingdom, while the crown was con- the scale of nations. Of this, however, the tested by several competitors, and the kingdom reader may be assured, that, whether the Perdistracted by civil wars.

sian rulers still hold rule on the earth, or their The successful competitor was Keerem-Khan, power is absorbed in either of these great emof the Zand family, who possessed himself of pires, all will be under the control of the supreme power, A. p. 1759, which he held under great Disposer of human events—God. By his the title of Wakeel, or Administrator, till his mandate death, A. D. 1779. At the death of Keerem-Khan,

All regions, revolutions, fortunes, fates, fresh disorders prevailed in Persia.

Of high, of low, of mind, and matter, roll During the period between 1779 and 1789, six Through the short channels of expiring time, chiefs ascended or claimed the sovereign autho

Or shoreless ocean of eternity,

In absolute subjection. rity; while Russia, in her insatiable thirst for do

YOUNG

THE FOLLOWING

DYNASTIES OF THE

ARE TAKEN FROM DR. HALES.

• Dr. Hales identifies Hushang with Chedorlaomer, from the circumstance Hushang's having been slain, according to Persian romances, by some fragments of rocks hurled against him by the giants, his mortal foes, in the province of Adherbigian. Chedorlaomer, he says, might have been slain, either when surprised by Abraham in his camp, in the mountainous country, near the springs of the Jordan; or afterwards, upon his return home, in some later engagement. He might, but this is merely supposition, and, besides, it is a question whether the history of Chedorlaomer is connected with that of the Persians: Elam not being Persia, properly so called. He adduces no other reason for the identification of this Scripture king with this hero of Persian romance and this is very unsatisfactory.