Ch.XXVI, p.600, f.1
Lord Curzon, who regards this event as being "most unfairly mistaken for a
revolutionary and anarchical conspiracy," writes as follows: "From the
facts that Babism in its earliest years found itself in conflict with the
civil powers, and that an attempt was made by Babis upon the life of the
Shah, it has been wrongly inferred that the movement was political in
origin and Nihilist in character. It does not appear from a study of the
writings either of the Bab or his successors, that there is any foundation
for such a suspicion. The persecution of the government very early drove
the adherents of the new creed into an attitude of rebellion; and in the
exasperation produced by the struggle, and by the ferocious brutality with
which the rights of conquest were exercised by the victors, it was not
surprising if fanatical hands were found ready to strike the sovereign
down. At the present time the Babis are equally loyal with any other
subjects of the Crown. Nor does there appear to be any greater justice in
the charges of socialism, communism, and immorality, that have so freely
been levelled at the youthful persuasion. Certainly no such idea as
communism in the European sense, i.e., a forcible redistribution of
property, or as socialism in the nineteenth century sense i.e., the defeat
of capital by labour, ever entered the brain of the Bab or his disciples.
The only communism known to and recommended by him was that of the New
Testament and the early Christian Church, viz the sharing of goods in
common by members of the faith, and the exercise of almsgiving, and an
ample charity. The charge of immorality seems to have arisen partly from
the malignant inventions of opponents, partly from the much greater freedom
claimed for women by the Bab, which in the Oriental mind is scarcely
dissociable from profligacy of conduct.... Broadly regarded, Babism may
be defined as a creed of charity, and almost of common humanity. Brotherly
love, kindness to children, courtesy combined with dignity, sociability,
hospitality, freedom from bigotry, friendliness even to Christians, are
included in its tenets. That every Babi recognises or observes these
precepts would be a foolish assertion; but let a prophet, if his gospel be
in question, be Judged by his own preaching." (Lord Curzon's "Persia and
the Persian Question," pp. 501-2.)