150 L'leut.-Colonel Briogs' Translation of the 



" after you have confidence in me from my behaviour in the course of two 

 " or three years,* I am to be more at liberty, and to be allowed to go about 

 " if I choose. I am not to be unnecessarily restrained. I promise to abstain 

 " from all political intrigues ; but iu case I should be falsely accused on this 

 " head, let the facts be investigated fiiirly. Do not act on loose assertions. 



" 6th of August 1769. 



" P.S. The time of restraint is not to be fixed for two or three years. 

 " Let the restrictions be taken off whenever my conduct has removed all 

 " suspicion. 



" Let the time not be fixed." 



Having secured himself, as far as appeared necessary to him, against his 

 uncle's intrigues, Madhu Rao turned his thoughts to the civil administration 

 of his country, for which he had hitherto had no leisure. The picture exhibited 

 by Captain Grant Duff in his history of the Mahrattas, of tlie exertions of 

 this young prince and his able coadjutor Ram Sastui, to reform the judicial 

 system, and of his finance ministers to improve that of his revenue, is as 

 creditable to them as it is pleasing for us to reflect upon. 



Of the able judge Ram Sastri, he observes : " The prince's endeavours 

 " were aided by the celebrated Ram Sastiu, a name which stands alone on 

 " Mahratta records as an upright and pure judge, and wliose character, 

 " admirable under any circumstances, is wonderful amidst such selfisli- 

 " ness, venality, and corruption, as are almost universal in a Mahratta 

 " court." 



Madhu Rao became the pupil of this excellent man, and was at one time 

 so abstracted in theological studies as to alarm his faithful preceptor, who 

 in a manner suflSciently indicative of his disapprobation, begged to be 

 allowed to retire iiom office to Benares, in case his pupil the prince of the 

 realm, neglected his duties to his subjects and the state by following the 

 practices of a priest. Madhu Rao acknowledged the justness of the rebuke, 

 and gave up that deep application to study to which he was becoming 

 inclined. 



In the finance dejiartment he had discovered many abuses, which he was 

 gradually correcting when he received intimation that Hyder had made 



* The words in italics have a pen run through them in the original, and this fact shews 

 how Ragoba's mind vacillated on the point of any stated time for the restrictions. 



