A striking feature in Bābur’s character is his unlikeness to other Asiatic princes. Instead of the stately, systematic artificial character that seems to belong to the throne in Asia, we find him natural, lively, affectionate, simple, retaining on the throne all the best feelings and affections of common life. Change a few circumstances arising from his religion and country, and in reading the trans­actions of his life, we might imagine that we had got among the adventurous knights of Froissart. This, as well as the simplicity of his language, he owed to his being a Tūrk. That style which wraps up a worthless meaning in a mist of words, and the etiquette which annihilates the courtier in the presence of his prince, were still, fortunately for Bābur, foreign to the Tūrki race, among whom he was born and educated.

Upon the whole, if we review with impartiality the history of Asia, we shall find few princes who are entitled to rank higher than Bābur in genius and accomplish­ments. His grandson Akber may perhaps be placed above him for profound and benevolent policy. The crooked a??tifice of Aurangzīb is not entitled to the same distinction. The merit of Chingiz Khan, and of Tamerlane, terminates in their splendid conquests, which far excelled the achieve­ments of Bābur; but in activity of mind, in the gay equanimity and unbroken spirit with which he bore the extremes of good and bad fortune, in the possession of the manly and social virtues, so seldom the portion of princes, in his love of letters, and his success in the cultiva­tion of them, we shall probably find no other Asiatic prince who can justly be placed beside him.