Whilst so considerable a revolution was taking place at Lucknow, another, full as considerable, was taking place at Calcutta. After Shudjah-ed-dowlah’s demise, Governor Hushtin had appointed Mr. Middleton to reside in Assef-ed-dowlah’s Court, in the capacity of Agent for the Company, that is, to over­look and superintend the new Prince’s actions and conduct; and he had resided but a short time at that Court, when there arrived Arrival of General Clavering and of two others from Europe. at Calcutta three persons, appointed both by the King of the English and by the Company, to examine Governor Hushtin’s late conduct. These were General Clavering, Colonel Monson, and Mr. Francis, who came directly on the part of the Council of London, which is the Capital of Inghilter (for such is the name of the country inhabited by the English)*. These three men, for a variety of reasons, mentioned in the preceding sheets, acquired, at the very beginning, an ascendant over Governor Hushtin in the Council, by overruling his opinion in every thing; and they made it a point, in direct opposition to his mind, to displace all the persons he had put in office, and to substitute others. Mr. Middleton was of the former number, on the sole Djan Bris­tow appointed at the Court of Lucknow instead of Mr. Middleton. reason of his having been appointed by the Governor. In his stead the three persons in question, but especially General Clavering, appointed Mr. Djan Bristow. As this was a very sensible young man, he soon discovered how idiot and incapable were both Assef-ed-dowlah himself and his Minister; in conse­quence of which discovery he extended his influence in such a manner that he soon became the omnipotent disposer of every thing in Assef-ed-dowlah’s dominions. M8qhtar-ed-dowlah, the Prime Minister, together with all the persons he had put in office, were all imprudent, ignorant men, as I intend to explain in the sequel, having chanced to arrive at Lucknow at that very time. Djan Bristow discovered, in the twinkling of an eye, what kind of men they were: a set of people whose characters there is no describing, as bearing no similitude to any thing of the human kind; with the shape of men, indeed, but with the incli­nations, temper, and understanding of brutes, below which even some of them might have been very properly ranked! Djan Bristow, who was soon informed of every detail of their admin­istration, engaged M8qhtar-ed-dowlah to a conference, in which, mixing some compliments with insinuations of his needing a protection for some parts of his conduct which might come to light, he so far worked upon that imbecile Minister’s fears, that he engaged him to make over and cede to the Company the whole Province of Benares, which paid to Government only twenty-five lacs, but yielded seventy to Radja Belvent-sing, its Zemindar. Nor did this senseless man probably give any other share to his imbecile master in this affair, than that of communi­cating to him his own apprehensions and pusillanimity; and no wonder indeed, since this master was become no better than a mere beast of burthen, both to the Englishman and to the Minister. The donation was signed in due form, and sent to Calcutta with expedition. The Governor, as an Englishman, could not be but extremely pleased to hear of a gift that annexed to the English dominions such a country as Benares; but on the other hand, as he had himself gone to that city expressly for such a purpose, and had in vain requested several times such a cession from Shudjah-ed-dowlah, who as often had declined listening to it under a variety of excuses, he could not see without concern that such a mighty affair should have been brought about in so little time by so young a man as Djan Bristow, who in dignity and station was like a drop of water in the ocean when compared to him. His concern was heightened by this particular circumstance, that this young man was attached to the General’s party, and would necessarily by such a transaction acquire the highest merit with the Company at home, and with the men in power in London. What is very singular, and gives an insight into that improvidence so characteristic in M8qhtar-ed-dowlah’s turn of mind, is, that he finished at once such a mighty affair, without once thinking of stipulating with the Council of Calcutta some conditions of protection to himself, in any future emergency! For it is certain that he had it in his power to make such a merit of that service of his, even in Europe, as might have brought the principal rulers of those parts to con­clude with him a treaty that would have secured his influence, as well as his personal safety, against all attempts. The conse­quence of such a treaty would have been, that no man would have dared to say an angry word to him, so far from thinking of putting him to death; and even in the supposition that he might still have been made away with, his death would have been resented with torrents of blood by a set of men, who would have revenged it at all events, and even by transferring the dominion of those countries from Shudjah-ed-dowlah’s posterity to that of the Minister’s. But Heaven being bent on ruining and destroy­ing the inhabitants of these climes, it happens that it is always the most imbecile and ignorant of men that chance to get at the helm; or if that helm be sometimes managed by men of sense, abilities, and experience, they become quite different from them­selves, the moment they have got into that station, where they only seem intent on doing what they ought to abstain from, and in keeping at a distance from what they ought to perform.

In this manner then, Benares, with all its advantages, was severed from Shudjah-ed-dowlah’s dominions, and annexed for ever to the English possessions of Azim-abad and Bengal; and in this manner did Djan Bristow work himself into so much influence, that nothing went forwards, and nothing could be trans­acted in the A8d, the Rohilcund, and the Anterbid, without his own management or special consent. Assef-ed-dowlah himself, glad to have found a man who so willingly undertook to free him from the burthen of governing, was heard to say several times in an audible voice and in full Court, that Djan Bristow was his brother. “I have left,” added he, “the dis­posal of all affairs to his hands. Let every one be obedient to whatever he shall command.” To get rid still more of all cares, he took offence at some of his father’s ancient Command­ers, and picked up a quarrel with the troops he had disciplined and trained; and fancying that the money spent in keeping up Senseless conduct of Assef-ed-dowlah. those troops was so much treasure uselessly squandered away, he took measures to get rid of them all, that is, to get rid of his own wings and feathers. This event was brought about in a strange manner.

Shudjah-ed-dowlah had formed a corps of four or five thousand men, composed entirely of gentlemen of ruined families from about Shah-djehan-abad and its environs, to whom he allowed a high pay of fifteen rupees per month, after having put them under the command of Seyd-aaly, an able officer, who accoutred and disciplined them in the English manner. They had only match-locks; but frequent training had rendered them so expert at these, that they fired with them as fast as the others did with flint-muskets; and as that corps applied itself diligently to their duty, and it contained even some men of dis­tinction, He disbands his father’s disciplined troops, and discards his best officers. the Prince shewed them a particular regard, and seemed to prefer them to his other troops. Assef-ed-dowlah, who seemed bent on discarding every one of those officers that had distinguished themselves in his father’s service, and who made it his affair to strip himself of his own wings and feathers, resolved in secret to break this valuable corps. He sent for the whole of them, and ordered them to encamp at some distance from the rest of the army. As soon as they were encamped, an order came to them to return their field-pieces to the park of artillery, and with this order they complied, reserving only one or two pieces at most upon their flanks. An order then came to return these two pieces also, together with their muskets and accoutrements. On this order, the men apprehended that nothing less was meant than to disarm them first, and then to break and disperse them, without paying them their arrears. On this discovery, they answered, that they were ready to return both the two pieces of cannon and their muskets, but that their arrears must be discharged previously. The Navvab was incensed at this answer, and turning towards M8qhtar-ed-dowlah, he observed that these people were insolent, and deserved immediate chastisement. The Minister answered, that they were His Highness’s servant, and seemed to be in the right, as they requested no more than their due, adding, that he did not believe they harboured any other design. Assef-ed-dowlah, displeased at this apology, answered: “Then I must go myself, if you do not choose to go.” The Minister reflecting that, whilst the Prince was resolved to fight them in person, it would be improper in himself not to follow his master; and concluding that a refusal would cast a reflection upon his character, and do much mischief, submitted to the order, although with visible reluctance; and putting himself at the head of his own troops and of several bodies that joined him, he marched against those poor people. The latter, without being daunted by the sight, ranged themselves in battle, and although their Commander was dead, and they were destitute of Officers, they stood their ground and fought so bravely, that they had repulsed and beaten M8qhtar-ed-dowlah infallibly, had they been properly commanded, or had they been assisted, though ever so little, by some other corps. But the Minister had such a superiority in numbers, artillery, and ammunition, that he prevailed at last, but not without losing an infinity of men, in killed and wounded. The others, now reduced to a very small number, and these too des­titute of ammunition, fled, and dispersed every one his own way. A vast number of men, every one Assef-ed-dowlah’s servants, and every one ready to shed their blood for his sake, were use­lessly left on the field of this bloody battle, and that senseless man, instead of weeping for the loss, rejoiced at the event, as if his arms had that day gained a great advantage.