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golden gods, elephants carrying marquees of princes and princesses, armies counted by the myriad, rivers with yellow sands, and gales fragrant with spices. And the poets and orators, when anything surpassingly grand and sumptuous was to be figured to the imagination, have always had recourse to this magnificent region; "richer than the Indies," being the most approved commonplace of proud comparison, and the last towering superlative being an allusion to the "mines of Golconda." Now, when it has been found that very considerable territorial acquisitions in this most gorgeous portion of the mundane system, brought us not a pennyworth of ascertainable advantage; that each announcement of still ampler acquisitions has been virtually an edict for the imposition of new taxes in England; that the ultimate enlargement of the Indian state into imperial bulk, has but created a more devouring monster than any that gorges whole cities and camps in the mythology of that country; it is no wonder if modern India is become to this nation the most nauseous of all historical subjects.

The mortification thus attending a possession which, under the mock superficial show of everything splendid and prosperous, is making itself felt as a deadly grievance, receives no alleviation from the nation's moral self-complacency. Nobody has ever been struck with the parallel between our wars in Hindoostan and the wars of the Maccabees. It was beyond any one's gravity to vapour about "altars and firesides," in explanation of our reasons for quarrelling and fighting with Subahs and Sultans, several thousand miles on the other side the Cape of Good Hope. And even after making an allowance, very far beyond the laws of Christian morality, for what would be called " generous ambition," "honourable aggrandizement," and so forth; and after disclaiming, as relative to the Eastern sovereigns, the doctrine of divine right, in a much greater degree than it has recently been the fashion to do respecting the old occupants of Western musnuds; still the national conscience (if we may be allowed such a phrase) has not been so exactly on a bed of roses as to enjoy with unmingled delight the serenade of victory. The nation has at no time clearly understood, or cared to understand, the principles of Anglo-Indian policy; but it has had one constant persuasion of their being

ANGLO-INDIAN POLICY.

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such as no man could venture to defend in a practical exemplification, on a reduced scale, in the transactions immediately within our cognizance and experience. And besides the exceptionable quality of the general system, there have been, during the course of our triumphs and acquisitions, a vast number of reports, more or less distinct, of flagrant acts of rapacity and cruelty committed, and with impunity, by individuals; and yet so effectually kept back from full exposure, so dubiously given to view through alternate gleams and shadows, as to excite a suspicion that, in a region where there are the means of so perplexing and darkening evidence,-there may be a sufficient darkness for the workers of iniquity to hide themselves,-there may be, consequently, a mass of unknown iniquity perpetrated. And this suspicion will rest, permanently, on some of the earlier periods of our progress in India, whatever may be our conviction of the amended morality, or more effectual responsibility of our later agents in that country. The amendment, supposing it ever so great, has not yet prevailed long enough, nor made its effects sufficiently notorious, to modify materially the collective character of our Indian history, which is not looked back upon by the more conscientious part of the nation, without some invincible sentiment much of the nature of shame.

CHARACTER OF TIPPOO SAIB.

The most prominent characteristic displayed in these oriental letters, is a total abdication of all morality. The illustrious writer made not the least scruple, as his editor observes, to avow the most flagitious principles to his generals and ministers, and frequently to found his orders to them on those principles. With perfect coolness he directs them to practise the basest forms of falsehood, treachery, or cruelty; and it is in the point of fertility of villanous expedients, that he comes nearest to redeeming himself from the Colonel's imputation of want of talent. He really shines out a genius on this side.

Zealous Mahometanism is another strong feature. He displays an active unremitting hatred, or, as he himself

expresses it, a "zeal boiling over," against all dissentients from the church of the prophet, whether pagan idolaters or Nazarenes-but especially the latter, to whom he never alludes without some genuine cordial expression of rancour. He valued himself highly on having formed a corps of proselytes to the faith, some of them made so by tempting promises, and some by threats and actual violence. In his memoirs he relates with great exultation the origin of this division of his army, which was first formed of the most serviceable portion of 60,000 Christians, whom he laid a successful plan to seize, all in one hour, men, women, and children, when assembled in their places of worship, in the country about Goa, and of whom the greatest number commuted their religion probably for their lives. His selfapplause, however, does not, here or elsewhere, put out his devotion. The previous capture of a town which facilitated the execution of this plan, was "by the divine favour, and through the aid of the asylum of prophecy [Mahomet], and with the help of the conquering lion of God [the Caliph Ali]."

Of all his opponents the English were the objects of his extremest hatred; and in his earnestness to destroy them, he was capable of foregoing, in a considerable degree, his resentments and revenge against the rest. Their total extermination, for effecting which any and all means were accounted right, is proved by these letters to have been the grand object of his life,-an object that stimulated him. so fiercely, as to deprive him of much of the caution which he should have observed with respect to the avowal.

SIR JOHN CARR.*

AN old acquaintance of the most renowned of all English knights, seeing him lying in the counterfeited semblance of death in the field of Shrewsbury, is represented to have said, that he could "better have spared a better man." The gallant and facetious personage whose sixth travelling adventure is here narrated, is grown into such familiarity, and, as it should seem, favour, with the public, that though he is by no means held the foremost man of his class,though great liberties have been taken with his literary character, in courts of law and courts of criticism,--though good plenty of jeers and sarcasms have been expended on him from much less dignified and authoritative quarters, -and though he constantly exacts largely on the purses of those who wish to know what he has been about, yet he is more in request than divers of his contemporaries, who at less expense would instruct us more, and therefore ought not to please us less.

THE MAID OF SARAGOSSA.

A variety of amusing description and anecdote, 'about smoking, treating in ice-houses, dancing, and evening parties, is followed by an account of our knight's being introduced to the company of Augustina, the celebrated amazon of Saragossa; and we might give credit to a spirit less prompt to brisk fermentation than Sir John's, for the sentiments with which he professes to have seen and heard her. We may as well transcribe part of his description:

"Augustina appeared to be of the age about twenty-three when I saw her. She was neatly dressed in the black mantilla. Her complexion was a light olive, her countenance soft and pleasing, and her manners, which were perfectly feminine, were

Descriptive Travels in the Southern and Eastern Parts of Spain, and the Balearic Isles, in the year 1809. By Sir John Carr, K.C. 4to. 1811.

easy and engaging. Upon the sleeve of one of her arms she wore three embroidered badges of distinction, commemorative of three distinguished acts of her intrepidity. General Doyle told me that she never talked of her own brilliant exploits, but always spoke with animation of those she saw displayed by others in those memorable sieges. The day before I was introduced to this extraordinary female, she had been entertained at a dinner given by Admiral Purvis on board his flag ship. The particulars I received from an officer who was present. As she received a pension from government, and also the pay of an artilleryman, the Admiral considered her as a military character, and, much to his credit received her with the honours of that profession. Upon her reaching the deck, the marines were drawn up and manoeuvred before her: she appeared quite at home, regarded them with a steady eye, and spoke in terms of admiration of their neatness and soldier-like appearance. Upon examining the guns she observed one of them, with the satisfaction with which other women would speak of a cap, 'my gun,' alluding to one with which she had effected considerable havoc among the French at Saragossa, 'was not so nice and clean as this.' She was drinking her coffee when the evening gun was fired: its discharge seemed to electrify her with delight: she sprang out of the cabin upon the deck and attentively listened to the reverberation of its sound. In the evening she joined in the dance with the rest of the company, and displayed a good ear for music, and considerable natural gracefulness. The sailors, as it may be supposed, were uncommonly pleased with her. Some were heard to say, with a hearty oath, 'I hope they will do something for her, she ought to have plenty of prize money; she is of the right sort.""

General Doyle read to her, while Sir John was present, several letters written to him under great emergency and distress by General Palafox, her former commander: the effect is thus described.

"The face of Augustina, which, as I have observed, is remarkable for its sweetness, assumed a mingled expression of commiseration for her hero, and revenge against his enemies. Her eyes, naturally soft, flashed with peculiar fire and animation: tears rolled down her cheeks; and clasping her hands as the last word 'adieu' was repeated, she exclaimed, 'Oh those base invaders of my country, those oppressors of its best of patriots: should the fate of war place any of them within my power, I will instantly deliver up their throats to the knife.' General Doyle was much impressed with the manner in which she uttered this fierce denunciation, a manner that can leave but

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