SUMMARY OF SCINDIA’s CHARACTER. 
229 
at Paniput. His habits were simple, his manners kind 
and frank, but sometimes blustering and coarse. He 
was beloved by his dependants, liberal to his troops 
in assignments of land or in orders upon villages, but 
quite the reverse in payments from his treasury or in 
personal donatives ; a characteristic, not only of Maha- 
dajee Scindia, but of the Mahrattas generally. His dis- 
position was not cruel, although his punishments were 
severe. He could not only write, but, what is rare 
among the Mahrattas, he was a good accountant, and 
understood revenue affairs. His districts in Malwa 
were well managed — a circumstance, however, which 
must be ascribed to a judicious selection of agents ; 
for Scindia, like most Mahratta chieftains, was too 
much engaged in politics or war to bestow the time 
and attention necessary to a good civil government. 
He died without male issue.” He was succeeded by 
his grand-nephew and adopted son, Dowlut Rao, then 
only thirteen years old, and this latter was the person 
with whom the present Duke of Wellington contested 
the memorable field of Assaye. 
x 
