433 



tion slender when compared with recent publications on landed 

 property in India, by gentlemen of superior attainments; none 

 throw more light on that thesis than colonel Wilks's History of 

 Mysoor; to which I must refer for full information, as the gene- 

 rality of my readers would probably not deem it a very interest- 

 ing subject; although it is one which from the higher powers 

 seems to require a minute investigation, and the maturest delibe- 

 ration. The result of the Mysoor Researches proves the difficulty 

 attending such inquiries. After several excellent discussions on 

 landed property, the author conducts us to regions remote from 

 the first impressions of the northern conquerors of India, in Tri- 

 chinopoly and Tanjorc, sometimes united and sometimes separate, 

 " the latter principally containing the town of Cambacemim, the 

 ancient capital of the Chola race; one of the oldest Hindoo dynas- 

 ties of which any traces have hitherto been discovered in those 

 lower regions, and from which the whole coast in later times took 

 its name. Tanjore in .1675 fell into the hands of Eccojee, brother 

 of Sevajee, the celebrated founder of the Mahratta empire. 



" Throughout all its revolutions this country remained under 

 a Hindoo government, with the exception of the very short period 

 that it was possessed by Mahomed Ally; and the whole province 

 exhibits at this day every character that constitutes a highly re- 

 spectable proprietary right. A late report says, that immemorial 

 usage has established, both in Tanjore and Trichinopoly, that the 

 occupants, whether distinguished by the names of Meerassdar or 

 Mahajanums, have the right of selling, bestowing, deriving, and 

 bequeathing their lands in the manner which to them is most 

 agreeable." The landed property is in the. hands of men who feel 



VOL. II. 3 K 



