The only known record of the Báb's having been seen by a
European belongs to the period of His persecution when an English physician
resident in Tabriz, Dr. Cormick, was called in by the Persian authorities to
pronounce on the Báb's mental condition. The doctor's letter,
addressed to a fellow practitioner in an American mission in Persia, is given
in Professor E. G. Browne's "Materials for the Study of the Bábí
Religion." "You ask me," writes the doctor, "for some
particulars of my interview with the founder of the sect known as Bábís.
Nothing of any importance transpired in this interview, as the Báb was aware of
my having been sent with two other Persian doctors to see whether he was of
sane mind or merely a madman, to decide the question whether he was to be put
to death or not. ... He was a very mild and delicate-looking man, rather small
in stature and very fair for a Persian, with a melodious soft voice, which
struck me much. Being a Siyyid, he was dressed in the habit of that sect, as
were also his two companions. In fact his whole look and deportment went far to
dispose one in his favour. Of his doctrine I heard nothing from his own lips, although
the idea was that there existed in his religion a certain approach to
Christianity. He was seen by some Armenian carpenters, who were sent to make
some repairs in his prison, reading the Bible, and he took no pains to conceal
it, but on the contrary told them of it. Most assuredly the Musulman fanaticism
does not exist in his religion, as applied to Christians, nor is there that
restraint of females that now exists.
- George Townshend (Introduction to the Dawn-Breakers, ‘The Dawn-Breakers')
- George Townshend (Introduction to the Dawn-Breakers, ‘The Dawn-Breakers')
