IN presenting this translation of the History of Tipú Sultán to the public, it may be proper to observe, that I do not consider myself responsible for any details contained in the work.

It will be seen that I have followed the rules I proposed to myself in the translation of the History of Hydur Alí— first, in the liberties I have considered it necessary to take with the lan­guage of the original, as to the construction of the sentences, &c. and secondly, in allowing the native historian to tell his tale without the comment of conflicting authorities, or a reference to the state­ments of persons, not so likely as himself to be well acquainted with the facts.

It will be evident to any one who reads this book, that although Tipú was an able man, and a brave soldier, still, that he was much inferior to his father in the characteristic qualities of a great man.

Unlike his father, he was a bigoted Mussulman, and like most of that class unprincipled and quite unscrupulous as to the means he employed to attain his ends in the propagation of his religion— with these bad qualities, his dark, suspicious, faith­less character alienated those who were at first his most attached friends; and at the time Seringa­puttun was taken, he appears to have had scarcely one left.

The story that he was betrayed by Mír Sádik, his Dewán, to the English, or perhaps to some of the other confederated powers besieging Seringa­puttun, does not appear improbable, although unsupported by any evidence; but, as he was a great tyrant, there can be no doubt that his minis­ters were glad to get rid of him on any terms.

Tipú’s character, cannot be better exemplified, than by the cases of Muhammad Alí, Com­mandant, and Gházi Khán Bede. These officers had been all their lives the most devoted and trust worthy of his father’s servants, and indeed his father owed his life to them on more than one occasion, as will be seen in his history. They had been also the chief instruments of his father’s ele­vation to the rank and power he attained, and moreover the chief means of his own accession to the throne of the Khodádád kingdom.

In return for all these meritorious services, he no sooner found himself secure in the possession of his father’s authority, than he put the first to death from jealousy, because he was too just and honourable a man for the service of such a tyrant; and both were executed under circumstances of great cruelty.

It is true, Muhammad Alí, Commandant, was a violent man, that he wanted sense and entirely misunderstood his new master’s character; but Gházi Khán Bede, to all appearance, was sacrificed to mere suspicion, and put out of the way only because the Sultán chose to listen to his enemies, or because he coveted the possession of his wealth.

But our sympathy is peculiarly enlisted on the part of the gallant Muhammad Alí, Commandant, when we learn from this work, that he was sacri­ficed to his honourable zeal in resisting the infrac­tion of the terms of a capitulation, he, as the agent of the Sultán, had negotiated with General Mathews, at Nuggur. It is well known that the whole of the terms of that capitulation were shame­fully violated by Tipú, and the unfortunate prisoners treated with the utmost brutality;— and lastly, that General Mathews, his brother, and many offi­cers, and soldiers were poisoned and privately mur­dered in prison by his orders.

It may be objected by some, that Muhammad Alí did not resist the infraction of the capitulation in their cases;— from the man’s character, however, I have no doubt but that he did, though of course ineffectually; and I think this opinion is corrobo­rated by the charge made against him by the Sul­tán, “that he was in communication and in league with the English of Bombay, and about to seek their protection.”

By this, and other instances in these volumes, it will be seen, that Muhammadans seldom or ever keep faith with Idolators, (among whom they reckon Christians,) when they consider themselves sufficiently strong to break it with impunity. They consider, I believe erroneously, that they have the sanction of their religion for this diabolical prin­ciple, but it is clear that Hydur Alí, Tipú Sultán, the Afghan Prince at Kabul, Muhammad Akbur, indeed, the Mussulmans in general, in all periods, (with some rare exceptions) have acted in strict conformity to this most villanous rule.

In reference to the spelling of the Indian names and words in this work, I have to remark, that the system of Sir W. Jones is followed agreeably to the rules of the Royal Asiatic Society; as for instance, the name of the Sultán is written Tipú, instead of Tippoo, the old mode of writing his name, and indeed the pronunciation of the word by Europeans.

I have not, however followed the mode adopted by some Oriental scholars in other words, as the pronunciation of the Arabic language totally rejects the infringement of one of its most common rules, <Arabic> under the sign <Arabic>.

The word Nuggur, ought perhaps to be written Nugur, but I continue the old English mode of spelling this word, because it has been so written in all works I have seen, mentioning towns of that name.

In conclusion, I trust I may be permitted to assume to myself, the merit of having made my translation as concise as possible, without any con­siderable deviation from the text;— and, having done this, in humble imitation of the style of my author, I beg leave to express a hope, that when my readers find errors, or inelegancies, in the language of this work, they will cast the eye of indulgence over them, and correct them with the pen of liberality and forbearance.