“Seek out the man fearing God, and appoint him over the subject;

For he knows his business, and will prove the architect of their happiness.

Ill means he to thee, that ruins thy people,

Or seeks thy profit in oppressing thy subject.

To intrust such people with power is an enormous fault;

And an enormous fault to lodge a command in those hands, against which all raise their hands to Heaven.

Cherish the virtuous man, and leave the evil-doer;

For if thou do’st cherish the bad, thou art an enemy to thine ownself.”

Thanks be to God that the Fodjdary office having been transferred to the English, one thorn has been thereby removed from the sides of the people of God.

The tenth cause is, that the English are too partial to The tenth cause is the partiality of the English to their own countrymen, and also to the meanest of their dependants. their own countrymen, and even to their dependants.

As the people of this country have all of them become subjects to the English, and they have no other protector, and no other supporter or comforter besides, but God Almighty; as they have no other masters, from whom they should expect mercy and forgiveness; it is incumbent upon those new rulers of theirs, that in whatever concerns distributive justice and the welfare of the people of this land, they studiously emulate the scrupulous equity and the innate impartiality of our ancient Emperors, without betraying any partiality to their own countrymen, or to their dependants, nor to those Hindostanies in high offices under them. On the contrary, they must at all times steadily make justice their main object; as such a conduct shall do honor to their national character in this world; shall gladden the hearts of the high as well as the low; give satisfaction to the Almighty Scrutator of Secrets; prepare a sure con­solation for their old age, and prove a resource in adversity; strengthen their numerous conquests; procure them new ones; establish their dominion solidly; and extend their renown all over the world. Saady says:

“God Almighty is bountiful to him that renders justice.

Pe beneficent, be forgiving, and never be uneasy about your reward.”

The under-officers and dependants of this department ought to be chosen amongst the very meekest, amongst the foremost of those that seek the pleasure of their Maker, know the importance of religion, have high notions of fidelity and integrity, despise recommendations, and detest bribery and corruption. They must perpetually tremble for their own honor and character, keep them always in view, and pay no regard to any thing, but God’s pleasure, and the commands of their masters. Attention must be had, whenever men of this sort shall be found out, that they receive such a liberal salary from the generosity of Govern­ment, as may free their minds from anxieties about their own welfare, and that of their families and children; such a liberal provision as will leave their hearts free and at liberty to secure the garment of their honesty and integrity from being sullied by the dirt of bribery, and the mire of corruption. Thanks be to God! that this department also having been transferred to the English Gentlemen, the nails of the Indian Darogahs of Justice have been curtailed, and the people of God have gained some release and some repose from their enormous sufferings.

The eleventh cause is the establishment of what is called The eleventh cause is the Supreme Court of Judi­cature estab­lished in Calcutta. the Supreme Court of Judicature.

It is hardly possible not to connive at misdemeanours, and not to forgive trespasses; for man by his nature is liable to forgetfulness and neglect; and should punition and retribution be always intended, and always administered, few persons would be free or exempted from the misery of punishment.

“Nothing but dust is to be seen over this immense plain;

Let us cover our eyes, and pass over it, as quickly as we can*.”

In inflicting punishment and retribution, it is important to adhere to the modes in use in a country, and highly proper to pay a regard to the honor of every one, be he the meanest individual; for men easily submit, and willingly acquiesce, to whatever they find usual and established in their country; nor do they ever conceive fears and apprehensions on that head. But when they see any supplice unaccustomed, they think that every thing is upside down, and that the world will soon be at an end. This is the idea which people have conceived of the actions and customs of the Supreme Royal Court. That tribunal has power over all the English, from the highest to the lowest, but sits in judgment by seasons and stated times. A whole life is needful to Customs of that Court submitted to in England, but reputed enormous hardships in India attend their long, very long proceedings; and till a decision is given, there is no comprehending what is going on, and what is likely to follow, nor what is the probable end of the business. On the first complaint lodged by any one, be it ascertained or not, the defendant is obliged to find security to double the amount of the demand; and if he cannot afford such a security, the poor man must go to prison; and if he cannot find bail, or the com­plaint is not withdrawn or hushed down, he must remain in prison ten or twelve years together, whether he be guilty or not guilty. Add to these miseries, that to translate a petition in the English language, the translator exacts as many eshreffies (or double guineas) as there are lines translated; and over and above all those evils and miseries, so unworthily heaped over the heads of the poor Hindostanies, it is to be lamented that, on the first summons of that Court to answer to a complaint, whether proved or not, whether real or frivolous, and even to give evi­dence on so small a matter as his having once heard of the affair in question, or his having been somehow acquainted with it, (although in fact he should be no witness at all), a poor man must directly forsake his family and children, leave them in misery, want, and distress, and run down for a whole month’s journey to a spot where both air and water are bad*; and if before his arrival the term of the Court be over, or its Chief be gone out to some other country for a change of air, then the poor man must, without reason, and without subsistence, endure whole months at Calcutta. Nor is that all. There are other troubles and other miseries to be undergone at that tribunal, such as no one in Hindostan has even seen, or so much as heard of; the least of which is, that the English laws and statutes are so enormously voluminous, that were a man to spend his whole life on them, still the attaining a full knowledge would be impossible. After all these miseries, how painful it must be to a man, to be in the dark about the event, and all the while in a cruel suspense about his fate; constantly bereft of his family and beloved children; and without being able to guess at what is to become of himself at last?

Preserve us, O God Almighty! with the whole multitude of your servants from such evils and miseries, if Thou really art the granter of requests*.

The twelfth cause is found in the English indulging too The twelfth cause is, that the English decide in pri­vate what ought to be decided only in public. much in certain abusive customs of theirs. For instance, they trust too much, on one hand, to the representations of their dependants, making nothing of appointing them enquirers, especially whenever one has a complaint against any one of them, or against any of their associates; and, on the other hand, they pronounce in private upon matters relative to punishments, to murder, to the honour of families, to the pudicity of women, or to much property. Now in such delicate cases it is next to impossible for the oppressed to have redress, or for the injured to recover their property. It becomes therefore proper that, in cases of so much importance, the Governor-General and the Com­mittee, as well as the Members of the Provincial Councils, should make themselves present to the oppressed, face to face. It is even to be wished that such matters should be examined in public audiences, and that after having patiently heard what the suitor has to say, examined thoroughly the tales of the plaintiff and defendant, compared the circumstances of the oppressed with the commands of God, and with the rules of distributive justice, and made the utmost efforts for discovering the lining of coats, and for probing the depth of secrets, then that they determine the matter in their own high wisdom, without shewing favour to one side, and frowns to the other; then only ought they to pronounce over its merit, by giving right to whom right is due. And may God Almighty, out of His Divine goodness, grant such days both to them and to us!

“And now, after having said so much, we recommend you to God, and are gone.

But should there be no inclination in any ear to listen to our message.

Then the messengers have done their duty, and there lies no reproach against them.

Nor is any thing obligatory on us, but the task of pointing out the right way with the finger.”

Let us now return our acknowledgments to God Almighty for all His numberless favours, and let us pay to His Divine beneficence, in particular, some inadequate praises, for His having vouchsafed to carry to an end this valuable book, by making use of so inconsiderable an instrument as the slit-tongued reed*, and the very humble ministry of this most inconsiderable of mankind, that is, Gh8lam-hosséin, son of Hedáiet-aaly-qhan, grandson of Séyd-allim-ollah, and great-grandson of Séyd-fáiz-ollah-Tebateba, who descended in a direct line from the branch of Hassen, (on all whom may God’s forgiveness and mercy rest for ever, through the intercession of His Messen­ger, and that of His Messenger’s venerable heir*, as well as through the merits of their pure and innocent offspring, on all whom may peace and forgiveness rest for ever, to the end of time!) If by the favour of the Omnipotent Lord of all benefits, this fragile portion, allotted to my share of life, should chance to last some time longer, it is my intention to complete my narrative by continuing the history of the several reigns of Mahmed-shah, and Ahmed-shah, and Aalemghir the second, as well as by adding to the chain such events as are relative to his son, by carrying the links from the twenty-third year of Mahmed-shah’s, (which corresponds with the year one thousand one hundred and fifty-three of the Prophet’s retreat, on whom be peace for ever!) down to the present times.

From God is assistance to be hoped for, and favour; in truth, He is most merciful*.

This has been closed the twenty-first day of the month of Moharrem, in the year one thousand one hundred and ninety-fifth* since the venerabe retreat of that Holy Being, on whom may grace and mercy rest for ever!