rs 
1804.]  Extraéts from the Port-folio of a Man of Letters. 
value. It was not expeéted from the paf 
five obedience of the Eaft, and an Orien- 
tal remonftrance was never heard, at leaft 
by us, in fo fublime atone.’” There are 
alfo frequent touches of beautiful nature 
and picturefque fketches. . We ihall now 
detail fome of the moft curious para- 
graphs : 
He opens with affuring the Emperor 
that he has ever been ready with his fer- 
vices as a loyal fervant, and every thought 
he has, is conftantly exerted for the prof- 
 perity of the empire. That his prede- 
ceflors were kings of high character: 
Alexander II. he thus characterifes. ** For 
thirty-two years he {pread the bleffed tha- 
dow of protection over the world; and 
having acquired all the marks of fortune 
and profperity became the very current 
term for excellence and fign of reputation 
on earth. Wherefoever he turned his eye 
he faw victory in prefent, and profperity 
in future.” 
He then accufes the Emperor that he has 
alienated many of thefe conquefts, and 
depopulated the country by exceffive tax- 
ation. ‘“* The farmers are plundered and 
the revenue is defrauded, and the confe- 
quence is a deficit in the contributions ; 
and for a Jak, or one hundred thoufand 
rupees, one thoufand is now collected, and 
the flrong places are all deftroyed, and the 
fortrefles reduced to fand-heaps. When- 
ever poverty has entered the palaces of 
kings, the ftate and condition of the nobles 
may eafily be conceived. At this moment 
the Sepoys are in rebellion, the merchants 
complaining, the Mufulmauns weeping, 
and the Hindvos burning, and many in 
want of their nightly bread beat their 
cheeks till they are red. You exact a 
poll-tax from the fick and needy ; you 
rob the indigent of his platter; and the 
poor man of his cup.” - 
_ Here he finely defcribes the Divinity. 
€ Jf the authentic Word of God, if the 
heavenly book be held in any efteem, God 
is the Lord both of true believers and the 
wild uncivilized Arab, and nct of Mul- 
fulmauns only; and that there is but a 
point of difference between the infidel and 
the believer, is moft evident. Though 
the colouring vary, the true painter that 
_ mixes it is one, and heis God! Where 
there isa mofque, it isto himthat we pray; 
and where there is a temple of idols, for love 
of him the bells are fhaken. If we find 
fault with the religious faith of any man, 
we contradict the letrer of the heavenly 
book ; if we deface the picture, we com- 
mit an offence againft the painter.’’ 
155 
To this remarkable paflage the Rajah 
adds a diftich, which contains the moft in- 
genious idea poflible, to account for the 
origin and the appearance of evil in this, 
world. 
<¢ Diftich.—Whether it be beauty or 
deformity that you look .on, put net the 
hand of obliteration on it. Defeét of pro. 
portion is an infcrutable myftery.”’ , 
He continues his elevatedjftrain of re- 
monftrance againit the poll-tax. He fays, 
‘* In whatever light you confider a poll_ 
tax, nothing can juftify it. The proof of 
a jult government and a good police, is 
where a beautiful: woman decked with 
gold and jewels, can travel from country 
to country unmolefted and in perfe@ fecu- 
rity. At this time the cities are piven up 
to plunder, what then mutt be the condi- 
tion of the deferts ?”° 
Mott ingenioufly the Rajah concludes, 
by advifing the Emperor to begin kis ca~ 
pitation-tax by the Rajah Ramfing, be- 
cauie he is the head of the Hindoo tribes, 
Atter him he fays, ‘* Totake it from me 
your friend, your prompt obedient fervant 
and well-wither, will be a matter of le{s 
difficuliy ; but to torment ants and flies 
is unwortly of a man of courage.” And 
finally, with marvellous intrepidity he 
concludes, ‘* It will appear wonderful 
hereafter to potterity, that thofe who have 
eat your Majefly’s alt, and whofe bufinefs 
and duty it was, as guardians and tutors, 
to exhibit patterns of virtue, fhould have 
neglected to inftruét your Majefty in the 
principles of truth, which is the effence of 
the foul !”’ 
ORIGINAL LETTERS of SIR JOHN VAN- 
BURGH fo JACOB TONSON. 
1719. 
‘« T have the misfortune of lofing, for 
I now fee little hopes of ever getting it, 
near 2,000]. due to me for many years 
fervice, plague and trouble at Blenheim, 
which that wicked: woman of ¢¢ Marl. 
borough”’ is fo far from paying me, that 
the Duke being fued by fome of the work- 
men for work done there, fhe has tried 
to turn the debt upon me, for which, I 
think, fhe ought to be hanged. 
We flayed two nights in Woodtftock, 
but there was an order to the fervants, 
under her Grace’s own hand, not to let 
me enter Blenheim ; and left that fhould 
not mortify me enough, fhe, having {ome 
how learned that my wife was of the com- 
pany, fent an exprefs the night before we 
came there, with orders, if fhe came with 
the Caftle-Howard ladies, the fervants 
fhould not fuffer her to fee either houfe, 
ta garden, 
