732, 
manner, it was natural in him to 
receive my visits with that parti- 
cular distinction which he shewed 
me? it 
* T have already observed; that 
general Goddart’s income, at-Chu- 
nar, was much below his expendi- 
ture: in consequence of. this, he 
now determined to relinquish. his sie 
tuation,:and get ‘permission to enter 
into the service of Azof ud Dewlah, 
having heard that :that prince, dis- 
satisfied with: his old troops, had 
dismissed them, and intended to raise 
a new army, the discipline of which 
he wished:to' commit. to the charge 
of an English officer of rank... .My 
friend conceivéd,' that such an em-. 
ployment would be more suitable to 
his: turn of niind; than the station 
he held) at Chunar; and that it 
would likewise prove more profita- 
ble, both to himself and me. » But 
as he had no acquaintance with 
Mr. Bristow, who was then minis- 
ter at Lucknow, he did not think it 
proper to make any personal appli- 
cation to him on the ‘subject... On 
his asking my opinion of the matter, 
I proposed thatihe should give mea 
letter. to. andther Englishman, a 
friend of Mr. Bristow’s, to. whom, 
by that means, [should find. aready 
introduction ;»and thereby, ) be. able: 
to sound him im regard to the object 
in view,» without; mentioning his: 
name. , Of thisshe: approved ; and, 
giving to me theiletter to. the gen- 
tleman at:.Lucknow, ‘he wished me 
a successful journey.” 
After; ‘however, obtaining « the 
consent of Mr. Bristow..to® this: 
measure, all the views of the genesi 
ral and Golam were defeated,’ by! 
the appointment of Mr. Middleton; 
as resident,.in the room of Mr. 
Bristow. Though this was an in- 
timate acquaintance of the general, 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1803. 
from whose friendship ‘he ‘expected. 
much, he totally disapproved of the 
measure. “On the failure: of this 
scheme, and the appointment! of 
general*Goddard. to join the army 
in the Deccan, \all connexion be- 
tween hii and our author! was 
broken off. Atoa more early pe- 
riod. of his life, he had. been em- 
ployed in the courts of Aliverdi 
Khan, and: that -of his nephews, in 
consequential situations; and, after | 
having received various disappoint- 
ments and reverses of fortune, he 
settled, at last, at Patna, where, on 
a sum of. money left by his ‘friends, 
he was enabled.:to ‘support his fae 
mily comfortably. . 1t was theres 
also, that, during a period of quiet, 
and retirement, he’ tells us‘he com=) 
posed the Seir Mutakhareen. In 
the same city, in the earlier part of 
his life, he witnessed the massacre 
of the English, a cruelty which he 
reprobated, but which he could not 
prevent. He conferred, however, 
some obligations on: Mr. Fullarton, 
the only person who escaped from 
that bloody catastrophe. 
The military: and civil transacs 
tions of his time; which occupy the 
most considerable part of these vo- 
lumes, have not precluded the au- 
thor inserting: large biographical 
anecdotes, which impart greater vas 
riety and interest to his work. | He 
has spoken frequently of the cha- 
racter of authors, and discussed the 
merits of their) writings ; in) this, 
however, his candour and benevos 
lence of mind appear to far greater 
advantage’ than his; literary attain- 
ments, » from the praises which he 
bestows on the contemptible . reve- 
ries of fanatics, we can draw no fa 
vourable opinion of Mogul litera- 
ture at this period ; nor does'it ap- 
pear, that inany era of the empire, 
they 
