Father Arsenius frequently introduced oriental visitors, especially Turks and Persians, to Mezzofanti. Ahmed Fethi Pasha, with his Secretary, Sami Effendi, was presented to him on his way to London in 1836. After a long interview he declared to Father Arsenius, that "Mezzofanti was not only perfectly at home in the vocabulary, the structure, and the pronunciation,' both of Turkish and of Persian, but thoroughly aud profoundly versed (possedeva per eccellenza) in both literatures—being master of the great classic prose writers and poets of both, and their literary history." He received the same assurances as to both languages, at various times, from Redschid Pasha, Ali Pasha, Fuad Effendi, and Shekib Effendi.

A native Syrian whom M. Antoine d'Abbadie met in Rome in 1839, assured him that " Mezzofanti's knowledge of Arabic and fluency in speaking it were both equally admirable."