The Shah passed his hand lightly over his shaven chin, and said, with a touch of humour and royal assurance: 'See, I shave; let them talk; they can do nothing.' It is wrong to suppose that the people of Persia are dead to all desire for progress, and that their religion is a bar to such desire.

It is not so.

Many of the Moullas, it is true, are opposed to education and progress.

One frankly said of the people in reference to education, 'They will read the Koran for themselves, and what will be left for us to do ?' The country is advancing in general improvement, slowly, but yet moving forward; not standing still or sliding back, as some say.

The Moulla struggles in 1891-92 to gain the upper hand produced a feeling of unquiet, and the most was made of all grievances, so as to fan the flames of discontent.