MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 
mediate dependants, of whatever 
nation or religion, but the case is 
different with people who are un- 
der their authority, without being 
personally connected with them. 
The countries which are com- 
pletely subdued, as Cashmeer and 
the provinces on the Indus, suffer 
much from the rapacity of indivi- 
duals, and if they do not often 
undergo the extremes of tyranny, 
it is only because wanton cruelty 
and insolence are no part of the 
Afghaun character. 
Their independence and pre- 
tensions to equality make them 
view the elevation of their neigh- 
bours with jealousy, and commu- 
nicates a deep tinge of envy to 
their disposition. The idea that 
they are neglected and passed over, 
while their equals are attended to, 
will lead them to renounce a 
friendship of long standing, or a 
party to which they have been 
zealously attached. Unless, how- 
ever, they meet with particular 
wrongs or insults, they are said 
to be faithful in friendship once 
formed, and mindful of favours, 
if not effaced by subsequent slights. 
I can answer for this peculiarity 
in their character, that they will 
do any thing that is wanted of 
them with much more zeal, if a 
present is made to them in ad- 
vance, than if it is withheld in the 
hope of quickening them by ex- 
pectancy. 
It may be foreseen from their 
customs, which make private re- 
venge a duty, that'they will long 
retain the remembrance of in- 
juries; but this is true only of 
such serious injuries as they are 
bound in honour to retaliate ; in 
affairs of less consequence, they 
477 
are neither irritable nor impla~ 
cable. 
I know no people in Asia who 
have fewer vices, or are less vo- 
luptuous or debauched ; but this 
is most remarkable in the west ; 
the people of towns are acquiring 
a taste for debauchery, and those 
in the north-east of the country, 
are already far from being pure. 
TheAfghauns themselvescomplain 
of the corruption of manners, and 
of the decline of sincerity and 
good faith, and say that their na- 
tion is assimilating to the Per- 
sians. Their sentiments and con- 
duct towards that nation, greatly 
resemble those which we discover- 
ed some years ago towards the 
French. Their national antipathy, 
and a strong sense of their own 
superiority, do not prevent their 
imitating Persian manners, while 
they declaim against the practice, 
as depraving their own. They 
are fully sensible of the advan- 
tage which Persia has over them 
at present, from the comparative 
union and vigour of her councils, 
and they regard the increase of 
her power with some degree of 
apprehension, which is diminished 
by their inattention to the future, 
and by their confidence in them- 
selves. To sum up the character 
of the Afghauns in a few words ; 
their vices are revenge, envy, 
avarice, rapacity, and obstinacy ; 
on the other hand they are fond 
of liberty, faithful to their friends, 
kind to their dependants, hospi- 
table, brave, hardy, frugal,’ la- 
borious, and prudent ; and they 
are less disposed than the nations 
in their neighbourhood to false- 
hood, intrigue, and deceit. 
