which was ascribed to the rapacity of a former On entering the serauce, I found the hosts with their spouses, busily occupied in the celebration of a marriage. Whether it was owing to the rare occurrence of this species of ceremony (for they are a people as void of restraint or form as any under the sun), or whether previous difficulties had till now obstructed the union, I will not pretend to determine; but the joy and merriment which circulated in their assembly, could not be surpassed. The men were collected in a body, drinking arrack and beating a tom-tom*; and the women, in a separate coterie, were chewing betle, and speaking very loud and quick. Though this jubilee had engrossed a great share of their attention, they gave me a good supper, and a comfortable lodging.

On the 22d, I arrived at the Kurrah ManickPour,eight cosses and an half. In my way, I halted during the heat of the day at the serauce of Shahzadpour, which, together with the town, is said to have been built by the Shaistah Khan †, mentioned in my last letter. This nobleman, according to Bernier, was highly celebrated for his eloquence, and elegant style of writing,

* A small druma.

+ He was the maternal uncle of Aurungzebe.

which it is thought contributed to promote the early success of Aurungzebe. The serauce of Shahzadpour, built chiefly of brick and mortar, has spacious and commodious apartments, but, from want of repair, one angle of it has fallen into ruins. It is seriously to be lamented, that edifices founded on principles of such public spirit, or motives equally beneficial to the state, and whose uses are so universally felt, should be suffered to moulder into decay. It would seem, that when the larger serauces were first founded, certain portions of land, or other established funds, were set apart for keeping them in necessary order: but such has been the distracted state of Hindostan for these later periods, and such the oppressions, or perhaps poverty of its rulers, that these grants have either been resumed, or diverted into other channels. In stigmatizing any specific class of men, I believe I have committed an error; for on a more dispassionate view, a large share of censure falls on the people at large. In India, ostentation, selflove, vanity, or whatever term may be best fitted to the passion whose effects I mean to describe, has usurped as powerful a sway over the minds of the people, as in any circle of the globe; and it is exemplified in various shapes, but in none more than in the foundation of public works. On observing once, a Hindoo of some distinc

tion superintending the construction of a place of worship, I asked him why, in a country famed for its charitable benefactions, so many old edifices allotted to the purposes of religion and hospitality were permitted to fall to the ground, which, had they been repaired, large sums of money would have been saved, and many a valuable monument of antiquity rescued from oblivion? He candidly told me, that, were he to expend his whole estate on repairs, the work would still retain the name of its original founder; but by the erection of a new one, it would be transmitted to posterity in his own. By this register of fame, it should seem that the entire credit of constructing a pagoda, pond, or serauce, will be given to him who first raised the fabric, and no account taken of the occasional embellisher of such structures.-This digression hath prevented me from sooner informing you, that to-day I lost my road; instead of simply going to Manickpour, my place of destination, I went to Kurrah Manickpour, where I passed a very unpleasant night. The air was intensely cold, and my servants, who pursued the right road, carried with them my baggage and my purse. The good woman at the serauce, old, though very active, kindly provided a supper at the risk of not being paid, for I had advised her of the miscarriage; but she could procure

no succedaneum for a quilt, so that I was kept shiveringly awake the whole night.

ADJOINING to the village of Kurrah Manickpour, on a hill, are the remains of a considerable fort. Amongst the ruins I observed some mutilated fragments of Hindoo sculpture, of the same style as that seen on a curious monument of ancient date in the neighbourhood of Benares. Festoons of flowers are sculptured on this monument, which for the simple elegancy of the design and taste, as well as the exact nicety of the execution, may, in my opinion, vie with the works of European masters. The Hindoos of this day have a slender knowledge of the rules of proportion, and none of perspective. They are just imitators, and correct workmen; but they possess merely the glimmerings of genius*.

On the 23d,-crossed the Ganges at Gootree, two miles below Kurrah Manickpour, and arrived at Mustaphabad,—a stage of nine cosses. Almas Ali Khan is the manager or renter of a large tract of country lying on the south of the Ganges, which appears in a less desolate state than any other part of the Vizier's dominions which I have seen.

From the ruins of Kurrah

* This observation is verified at a village opposite the city of Benares, at the gardens of Ramnagur, where Cheyt Sing has erected a large range of costly buildings, in some of which, stone figures are placed, of very awkward dimensions and dull expression.

fort, the Ganges is seen winding beautifully round the bottom of the hill, and on the northern shore, immediately opposite, stands the village of Manickpour. I found my servants at Mustaphabad, to whom I referred the hospitable hostess, who had been obliged to accompany me so far, for payment of the last night's

score.

12 cosses.

On the 24th,—at Bareily, a fortified town,The country from the last station is much covered with jungle*, and where the prospect opened, but little cultivation appeared, except in the districts of Almas, which are but comparatively well conditioned. I have seen only a land of desolation, exhibiting the scattered vestiges of former prosperity.

The

ON the 25th,-at Doolindy,-8 cosses. principal town of a district, rented by one of the Vizier's favourite Hindoos, who has laid out a large garden at this place, in which are two neat summer-houses.

On the 26th,at Saseindy,-10 cosses. There is little else to note than the wild appearance of a barren country; the reverse of what I expect ed to see in the vicinity of a capital city.

On the 27th,-at Lucknow,-8 cosses. I took a lodging in the Assroff serauce; and to prevent

*All forest wood in India, is termed jungle.