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 Tabríz, 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. With this knowledge he was loth to answer any questions put to
him… 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.”
- Shoghi Effendi (‘Introduction to Dawn-Breakers’)
