Nile Green

In 1815 four Iranian gentlemen arrived in England, joining two already present. Their mission was to learn of the new foreign science in order to help their nation improve and to defend itself against Russia. Two of the men studied medicine, two military science, including surveying and mapmaking. One was apprenticed to a mechanic to learn of steam power. Mizra Salih wrote a diary in Persian which forms the basis for this book. Their Muslim religion disqualified any of the party from enrolling in Oxford or Cambridge. However Salih recognized the importance of printing and learned to operate a press and returned to Iran with a printing press and set of Persian type. The largest group learning, translating and printing in Asian languages at the time were the Evangelical Bible Society, determined to convert the new members of the Empire by exposing them to the Christian scriptures in their native languages. This is an interesting slice of history, although a bit dry in places as the author tries to ascertain which English individuals are represented by Salih's transliteration of names.… (meer)