“Here is the only condition on which a ruler can live;

And this is, that he be master of the circumstances of the last of his subjects.”

If the English, in imitation of those to whom they have succeeded, vouchsafed to set apart some of their time for these laudable purposes, and at certain stated times, gave admission indiscriminately to all people, and heard their prayers by them­selves, with gentle manners, and personal enquiry into the circumstances of their suitors; it is certain that even so small a change would gain their hearts, and would render them fear­less and intrepid in exhibiting complaints, and representing matters against the very servants of their rulers; and although all this might not be brought to bear without some expense, and some trouble, on account of their being not accustomed to that practice, yet the benefits resulting from such an intercourse, would prove to be innumerable, and would be felt by both sides. May God grant that, as a favor to them and to us, there would result from that mutual commerce a nearer and more beneficial acquaintance with the inhabitants of this climate! For having once got acquainted with one individual, and tried his degree of ability, and his particular talent in business, they could station him accordingly, and oblige him as his rank or abilities might point out; and as they should come to know to what particular business he is fit, they might draw such services from him, as they should wish, or think convenient. Now all this is not attain­able, without personal intercourse, and without inquiring into the characters and tempers of men; still less without observing every one’s behaviour in a variety of circumstances, by changing The sixth cause is, that the English are engross­ing all the trade of the country, and depriving the inhabitants of their accus­tomed liveli­hood. the discourse, and hearing him speak on a variety of subjects, especially in this time and age, when there is so much envy and obloquy, and so much slander and artifice in every transaction.

The sixth cause is that the English have deprived the inhabitants of these countries of various branches of commerce and benefit, which they had ever enjoyed heretofore.

Our ancient Princes, who after the tumult of conquest, had conceived the project of making their homes of this country, were generous enough, after appropriating to the Crown the Munificence and generosity of the ancient Princes. conquered provinces, and the principal revenues and tributes, to establish a vast body of pensions, and Djaghirs*, for Altumghas and charity-lands, as well as to associate in the enjoy­ment of their conquest, most of their principal relations and prin­cipal followers, together with the most considerable men of the land itself; and at the same time they had left open to the subject various ways of revenues and livelihood, amounting to many corors a year, as a provision for the bulk of the inhabitants. Djaghirs, to the amount of lacs, and revenues, to the amount of mighty sums, were bestowed on Noblemen, whether Musul­men or Hindoos, and indeed upon any others indifferently, according to their stations and merits, with the hope of further preferment, in proportion to their abilities and exertions in the service. And in fact, nothing was more common than to see these Noblemen promoted to higher emoluments, after having exhibited further proofs of their zeal and activity; nor was this munificence restricted to their own nation. Old friends or new ones, old subjects or recent ones, all, of whatever religion, nation, or tribe and profession they might be, were made par­takers of their bounty; but old, decayed people amongst them, and the necessitous, together with the children of their old servants and followers, as well as the poor and needy, from whom prayers only and good wishes could be expected, were relieved with gifts of Altumghas, Amlacs, and such other lands, which were set apart for pious uses, and which they quietly enjoyed. As to the other ways of deriving incomes, for instance, from merchandising, and from the exercise of arts and trade, all these were left open for all the world; and although they were made to see various branches of revenue in those articles, they never turned their eyes that way, but left all that for the bulk of the people. Over and above that, thou­sands and hundreds of thousands of men*, horse and foot, were kept in constant pay, whether in the service of the Emperor, or of the Governors of provinces, and they all enjoyed an easy livelihood. Compare now those multitudes with even that small number of men that still get a livelihood by enjoying Djaghirs and Altumghas in the English dominions. Even these, in consequence of the inattention of the English to the concerns of us, poor Hindostanies, and in consequence of the power left to their dependants and to extortionary Zemindars; in conse­quence, I say, of the cruelty of their lease-takers, and of the hardness of heart and faithlessness of the subordinate rulers, even these poor people also are come to experience a variety of losses, injuries and damages. For it is notorious that abuses have crept into that branch of the administration too, as it has been already mentioned in the article of charity and legacy lands, and in that of that Atheist, Zehoor-ollah-beg; and thanks be to God that there happened to be over against that flinty-hearted man such a person as Governor Hushtin in this land, and that the sufferings endured by these poor people for the space of a whole year’s attendance, were rewarded at last by the Governor-General’s having the goodness to remove that load of evils which oppression strove to place upon their heads. On the other hand, out of that vast multitude of people, called musqueteers, whose numbers were heretofore counted by ten thousands in these provinces, only a small number of them have obtained a livelihood by inlisting as Talingas in the English service; and yet it was these two provinces that fed and paid regularly forty or fifty thousand horse, which were either in the Viceroy’s service immediately or mediately, in that of his sons or relations and officers, or in that of the principal Zemindars of the province. Thousands and thousands of mer­chants followed that numerous cavalry, and according to their respective means and callings, found a certain income in their connections with them, and in their turn afforded a livelihood to multitudes of others. Now matters go otherwise. Service for No liveli­hood left to the Natives; and yet it was these two provinces that kept in pay no less than fifty thousand cavalry, and twice as much infantry. troopers and cavalry, there is none at all; and of the various branches of trade, heretofore open to all, none is left free. They are all engrossed by the Company themselves, or by the English in general; as these, whether they enjoy the Company’s service, and of course have power and influence, or chance to be other­wise circumstanced, very seldom are without concerns in trade. But if, with all that, it happens that most of the superior military officers, whilst shewing a shyness for trade, are really merchants invested with high powers and authority, how can the poor subject pretend to derive a subsistence from merchandising? Would they dare it? On the other hand, thousands of artificers cannot earn enough to support their families, as has been shewn a little above, because their arts and callings are of no use to the English; nor can it be expected that the Nobility of this land, reduced as it is to that distress which we have already pointed out, should afford to take the works of these people off their hands, and to give them employment, as they used to do in former times, by keeping them always busy, sometimes in their own houses. It is even become a matter of wonder, and a subject of thanksgiving to the Divine Goodness, how these poor people can make a shift to live now, and how to this day most of them go on and endure, with their children and families.

Were the English to take into their service some thousands Advice to the English, to take into their service a body of Hindostany cavalry. of that cavalry, once commanded by such renowned Officers as Sheh-muéz-eddin-qhan and Ahmed-qhan, and the like, there is no doubt but these men would render them important services, in their wars against the cavalry of either the Marhattas or the Sykes, especially if care was taken to attach them to the service, and to excite their zeal and emulation; nor would these military services be the only advantages to be reaped by entertaining such a cavalry. There are some others that would arise collaterally to such an establishment, as for instance, a further facility of livelihood to the people in general, an addition of numbers to the farming tribe, and an increase of revenue to Government.

The seventh cause may be found in the overgrowing power The seventh cause is in the exorbitant powers left to Zemindars. of the Zemindars, and in their being trusted too much.