ON THE

PRESENT POLITICAL STATE

OF

INDIA;

EMBRACING

OBSERVATIONS ON THE CHARACTER OF THE NATIVES, ON THE
CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURTS, THE ADMINISTRATION

OF JUSTICE, THE STATE OF THE LAND-TENURE,

THE CONDITION OF THE PEASANTRY,

AND THE

INTERNAL POLICE OF OUR EASTERN DOMINIONS;

INTENDED CHIEFLY AS

A MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION IN THEIR DUTIES,

FOR THE

YOUNGER SERVANTS OF THE COMPANY.

BY

ALEXANDER FRASER TYTLER,

LATE ASSISTANT-JUDGE IN THE 24 PERGUNNAHS, BENGAL ESTABLISHMENT.

Omnium autem rerum, nec optius est quidquam ad opes tuendas, quàm
diligi, nec alienius quàm timeri.

Non jam sunt mediocres hominum libidines, non paucæ insidiæ ac toleran-
dæ nihil agitant nisi cædem, nisi incendia, nisi rapinas.

:

SECOND EDITION.

VOL. I.

Cic.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR BLACK, PARBURY,

& ALLEN,

BOOKSELLERS TO THE HONOURABLE EAST-INDIA COMPANY,

LEADENHALL STREET.

ADVERTISEMENT.

Ir was the intention of the Author not to have published a second impression, until, by the addition of much new matter after his return to India, and by altering in many places the faulty arrangement of his materials he might be able to render his Work more worthy of the public support-But the state of his health demands that he should leave England immediately and he has only time to make those many corrections, which his absence abroad, at the time of printing the first Edition, have unfortunately rendered necessary. He is sorry that he cannot make a better return to the Public for the very flattering reception which they have given his work.

London, Nov. 28th, 1815.