After this little digression, which the ingratitude, and wicked­ness of the times had thrown in our way, we shall return to our narrative. The Viceroy and the General after having appointed Mr. Veris (Verelst) Governor of Calcutta, and General Usmut (Smith) Commander-in-Chief of all the forces, departed to their country. It was about the time when Mahmed-reza-qhan received from the Emperor, who resided still at Ilah-abad, and was of late become fond of the company and conversation of the English, the titles of Lord of Lords, the Foremost of the State, and the Conspicuous of the Empire*, with the privilege of being carried in a Naleky. Through the same recommendation Shytab-ráy obtained for himself the titles of the Perfect of the State, and of the Valiant, and Victorious in War; to which were added the honours and insignia of the Mahi. He was now cutting a capital figure at Azim-abad, where he passed his days with honour, ease, pleasure, and profit.

This Minister on the new Governor’s installation made a voyage to Calcutta, whither I thought proper to accompany him, his good manners and civilities having made a conquest of my heart. Mr. Veris in several visits received Shytab-ráy hand­somely, and dismissed him with regard and honour. The administration was settled in this manner, that Shytab-ráy and Mahmed-reza-qhan, and Djessaret-qhan, Bahadyr, should order all matters relative to Government and Revenue in the best manner they should devise for the Company’s benefit; but that twice a week everything they should have settled, should be imparted at full length to the respective Englishmen, their associates, who should sign in those two days whatever should have been latterly transacted; and that every receipt and expenditure of each District, after having been so signed by the Englishmen of those parts, should be transmitted by each Nâib or Deputy to the Company’s Registers of Calcutta at the end of each year. The affairs of distributive justice were left to the Daroga or Superintendent of that department, with power to hear and determine in small matters, equitably and to the best of his judgment; but affairs of importance were to be decided in the Nâib’s presence, and in that of the Englishman, his col­league, for two days in each week, which days should be different from the usual justice days. In consequence of such an arrangement, business went on; and the English commenced acquiring a knowledge of the usages and customs of the country. For it was a standing rule with them, that whatever remarkable they heard from any man versed in business, or even from any other individual, was immediately set in writing in a kind of book composed of a few blank leaves, which most of them carry about, and which they put together afterwards, and bind like a book for their future use. Matters went on in that manner, until Mr. Rumbold having in the year one thousand one hundred and eighty-three quitted Bengal to repair to his country, was succeeded by Mr. Alexander, was was Mr. Sykes at Moorshood-abad by Mr. Beecher.

It was under the latter’s administration that a famine made its appearance all over the country. It made its approaches with all its terrors, added to a severe mortality, and to a small-pox, that spared no age and no sex. Sóif-ed-döwlah himself fell sick of that distemper, and succumbed under its violence; as did his kinsman, Ashref-aaly-qhan. Foteh-ollab-qhan, brother-in-law to Mahmed-reza-qhan, underwent the same fate, which also swept away his consort. This lady was sister to the consorts of Mahmed-reza-qhan and of Hadji-ismail-qhan, (all three being daughters of Rabia-begum, who was herself daughter of Hadji-ahmed’s). The famine and small-pox having made their appearance at one and the same time in Muharrem, that is, at the commencement of the year one thousand one hundred and eighty-four, they both rose to such a height, and raged so violently for A. D. 1769-70. full three months together, that vast multitudes were swept away; nor can their number be known but to Him that knows everything that is hidden or invisible. Whole villages and whole towns were swept away by these two scourges, and they suddenly disappeared from the face of earth. It was in such calamitous times, that is, in the month of Zilhidj, of the year 1185, that Mubarec-ed-döwlah, third son of Mir-djaafer-qhan’s, was designed Nazem of Bengal; and on Mahmed-reza-qhan’s recommendation, Aaly-hibrahim-qhan was appointed Divan or Superintendent of the new Prince’s household, which constitutes the whole of what is called the Nizamet or Government of Bengal, and had then a revenue of twenty-four lacs from the Company’s treasury. The new Minister, who was a man of an approved character, did not fail to exhibit many talents joined to a thorough inclination to do good and to oblige. Some further changes likewise took place in the new Prince’s house and family. For Mahmed-reza-qhan, who is a man of strange proceedings, and still stranger inclinations, after having been for a course of years in close connection and in complete intimacy with Menny-begum, mother to Séif-ed-döwlah, wanted now to pull down that Princess, whose lofty spirit and extensive influence had given him much umbrage; and that too after having entered with her into certain stipulations and treaties solemnly sworn to. All this change of hands took place for the sake of similar intimacies and similar connections and treaties which had arisen of late between him and Babboo-begum, Mubarec-ed-döwla’s mother, another Princess whom he wanted to raise upon her ruins. This new favourite having shewn at his instigation a mind to quarrel with Menny-begum, the two Princesses became so inimical to each other that they avoided each other’s sight. But Menny-begum, whose extent of understanding nothing can be compared to, but the immense stock which she is known to be possessed of in jewels and money, thought proper to take notice of such an alteration; and although deeply ?? by such underhand dealings, she thought it beneath her dignity to descend to an explanation; and she passed the whole over with a disdainful silence. Nevertheless, Babboo-begum’s authority and sway were but of short duration.

It was observed at this period that the English of some rank spent their time merrily and in pleasures, and lived upon terms of much friendship and intimacy with the noblemen and other persons of distinction, natives of this country. They were endeav­ouring to engage them in conversation, especially upon the politics of the country; and so soon as an Englishman could pick up any thing relative to the laws or business of this land, he would immediately set it down in writing, and lay it up in store for the use of another Englishman; nor had they any other view in taking notice of a Moghul or a native, or in courting an acquaintance with him. No wonder then, if some persons, who in these times of half knowledge, had come by mere chance to the helm of affairs and Government, should prove fearful, lest others by imparting more knowledge and affording more lights, might bring them under the imputation of neglect or infidelity, and thereby lessen their importance in the estimation of the English. No wonder, if they made haste to initiate them in those whatever little arts of opp ession and rapine, which they had themselves employed through thick and thin, and through wet and dry; or which had been devised by vile men, and set up as standing rules and established customs. It was upon such customs that they gave lessons to the English, doubtless to the end that not a jot of former tyranny might be abated, or lost by disuse. An affair of Moorly-dur’s decision came one day to be debated in an assembly, where I remember to have been present. Two men disputed against each other. When sentence came to be pronounced, the one that had proved faithless and guilty, was fined into a sum of money, by way of fine and amend; but the other man, who had the right on his side, was likewise made to pay some money, by way of thanksgiving. Mr. Rumbold, who did not want sense, and was then like his other countrymen, who in those beginnings of their dominion were more careful and more inclined to conciliate the hearts of the natives than they are at present; Mr. Rumbold, I say, could not help expressing his surprise at the decision, and said: “That to take a fine from the man who was in the wrong, and had behaved in a surly, impertinent manner, is a proper way of punishing him; it is punishing his infidelity in kind. But what I cannot understand,” added he, “is that a fine should be levied also on him who had the right on his side, and was guiltless. This seems to be very strange. What can be the meaning of that?” This was answered by Moorly-dur and the other vile flatterers, who having observed the advantage arising from the thanksgiving, added, “That this business had been transacted according to the rules and customs of the land. That there was no innovation of theirs in it; nor had they set up any new invention of their own.” The gentleman expressed his astonishment and detestation, but remained silent; for the money arising from the practices of that vile multitude of time-servers has always a sweet savour. Can it be expected then that a nation that has been brought to such a head by worldy-minded-men, and shews no other view or intent than that of adding to its acquisitions, will for any length of time abstain from such practices with such temptations and such examples under its eyes? Even to this day, when the veil has been withdrawn from the whole matter, and intirely set aside, there never comes out of the hands of the English any such transaction or matter, as may reflect an ill renown on their own countrymen directly. It is the Indians that are made use of for such purposes; and it is only in consequence of the behaviour of their dependants in the management of revenue matters and in the distribution of justice; and in consequence of the incapacity and baseness of the Hindians themselves; that some corruption and some oppression has crept even amongst the English in office. I am inclined to believe that, if ever these foreigners come to conceive an inclination to alleviate the sufferings of the people of this land, and to attend to their supplications, probably the oppressed would find some release from the tyranny and hardships under which they now labour. For it is observed that not one of those that shewed so much zeal for the Company’s benefit, but in fact had sought only their own welfare, ever thought proper to bestow a moment in inform­ing the English of the reasons of some minute institutions; of the necessity of munificence and good-will towards the natives; of the foundation of ancient customs; and for what purpose such and such an institution was set up, or what benefit might be derived from it. Matters have come to such a pass, that the Books and Memorandums composed by the English upon such interested reports as those of which we have given an example, have come to be trusted as so many vouchers; whereas they are only some faint idea of the exterior and bark, but not of the pith or real reason, of those institutions. Meanwhile as these strangers are men of penetration and extreme keeness of mind; and they have been sent by God Almighty to chastise this guilty, criminal race of Hindostanees, over some of whose deluded Sovereigns they have been made to prevail by breaking this race of proud Pharaohs and improvident short-sighted Princes by the strong hand of those new comers; so they are come at last to undervalue the Hindostanees, and to make no account of the natives from the highest to the lowest; and they carry their contempt so far, as to employ none but their ownselves in every department and in every article of business, esteeming themselves better than all others put together. It is true that they have commenced disputes and altercations with the rulers of their own appointing, and with their officers and dependants; but it is no less true that in the moment of inquiring about the infidellites, transactions and concussions of the latter, they have stopped short, to pass over the whole, with dissimulation and connivance. Nevertheless, this very inquiry is become one of the tokens of the Supreme Disposer’s dispensations. For these men brought to the helm of affairs, and to the summit of power, by the mere partiality of the English, had in the little time which their bor­rowed authority had lasted, assumed so much pride and state; they were puffed with so much arrogance, and betrayed so much contempt for the rules of benevolence, and meekness and decence, that their behaviour is past belief. Neither the forgiven Mehabet-djung*, nor the illustrious Shudjah-ed-döwlah, although both born in the heighth of power and exercising it in the fullness of authority, ever came up to one-tenth of the haughtiness of these envious men; nor did they ever use their dependants with so much superciliousness and arrogance, as did these new men. It is observable of these envious men, that whenever they come to spy any one enjoying some regard and Severe hints against Mahmed-reza-
qhan. consideration amongst the English, they get up immediately, and never give themselves any rest, until they have depreciated and discredited his merit; having made it a point to break the spirits, and to lower the characters of every one of those who can pretend to derive any native lustre from their noble descent, or from their rational and virtuous lives; and it is a fact, that every one of those new men singling out for ruin and disgrace some man of an ancient pedigree, allowed himself no rest, until he had carried his point, and had hunted his game down. In consequence of which envious persecution, it is come to pass, that at last all Hindostanees whatever have gradually lost the consider­ation and regard they enjoyed hitherto, and have fallen promis­cuously in disgrace and contempt; but in such a manner, however, as that the very perpetrators of these machinations have met themselves with a reward adequate to their own wicked intentions, and have fallen in a greater contempt and disgrace’ than those very men they had been pursuing with so much eagerness. Nor has any thing befallen them, but what they richly deserved, and was of their own seeking; nor are they indebted for their own disgrace, to any but to their own hand and heart*. Such are Thy dispensations, O Almighty God!