The Members of his Council are Omrahs, or great Lords of that land; but the Council of the nation is composed of a number of persons, which the principal inhabitants of every city and town of that land have chosen amongst themselves, some one, and some two, and whose attachment and knowledge they have approved. So that those chosen men are entrusted with the concerns of the whole, and become the Advocates and Attorneys of those by whom they are sent. All these assemble in the Capital, where they immediately turn their attention towards the public accounts; and then occasionally examine whatever business happens to offer, or whatever is proposed by the Sovereign, and his Council, as objects likely in their opinion to become beneficial to themselves, to the senders, and to the people in general. They weigh and examine it carefully amongst themselves; and when it has been approved by them, it is from that moment willingly admitted and obeyed, as law, by all the inhabitants of the land; and in such a manner, that whatever those Attorneys have approved of as beneficial, and intimated accordingly to the senders, is immediately put in execution by them with all their might, and all their heart; nor is there an instance of their having ever covered themselves with any excuse or pretence whatever. An admirable institution this, extremely useful and beneficial; and an excellent rule which these people have contrived for themselves! It is so capable, so productive of order! Here in India, as well as in England, these people are guided by those institutions, and keep them amongst themselves, but only amongst themselves; for as yet in what concerns the welfare of the people of these coun­tries, and in all revenue matters, relative to these provinces, they trust to what rules and constitutions they have heard of here, and to whatever instructions they may have received from Mootsuddies*, and officers of their own appointing. These they have already committed to their books, and they have made of them so many rules to distinguish right from wrong; but the reason why such a custom has been instituted, and what might be its cause and ground, these are matters which they never dis­cover themselves, nor ever ask of others; or if they comprehend anything in them, they willingly counterfeit ignorance, without any one’s being able to guess what they mean by counterfeiting that ignorance. In short, as the gates of communication and intercourse are shut up betwixt the men of this land and those strangers, who are become their masters; and these latter con­stantly express an aversion to the society of Indians, and a disdain against conversing with them; hence both parties remain ignorant of each other’s state and circumstances. It is true that a small number indeed of natives are in the service of the Mem­bers of the Committee, and of the Collectors of the six Districts; but these are not such a sort of men as can expose their own requests, or represent what may conduce to the welfare and ease of the subjects; still less are they capable to point out such regulations as might conduce to the prosperity of the land, and of its inhabitants. And on the other hand, “not one of the English Gentlemen shews any inclination or any relish for the company of the Gentlemen of this country, or from listening to the con­versation, or to the stories of the natives; although nothing but conversation, is likely to put it in the power of some virtuous, well disposed man, to learn what aches these poor natives, and what might give them relief; and nothing but inter­course would enable him to transmit such useful hints to Government as might conduce to the welfare of the distressed inhabitants of this land.” It is therfore with a view to promote so desirable an end, that we have attempted in the following sheets to shew how managed the ancient Sovereigns of this country, those Princes so renowned for the equity of their Government, and what object they had in view, whenever they set up such and such practice, and such and such custom; what advantage they intended by each of them, and what benefit they had in fact received. We shall point out likewise what their late successors intend by certain institutions and rules of their own, set up of late under pretence of putting the ancient ones in force; and how these have disguised their own intentions in the eyes of the public, by masking their intentions. All those matters are exposed here to the best of our abilities and power; so that with a little attention one might obtain, in these humble leaves, a full knowledge on those unknown or misunderstood subjects. This at least is our aim and intention; and we hope that with the assistance of the Sovereign Bestower of Graces, good shall at some future period succeed evil, and that the afflicted people of God shall at last find pity in the heart of their Rulers, and come to enjoy some relief from their sufferings. In com­pliance, therefore, with the sentence of the Holy Writ, that who­ever induces others to good, promotes his own welfare, we shall endeavour to point out the right way; and may God grant that we may all see it! Amen.