liassa, and Nipal,I could not avoid giving my friends, ample credit
for their superior ski! 1.
Besides Soopodn Ghoomboo, who was his constant companion, I
found the Regent attended this day, Monday, the ISth of October* by
0'young Lama from Luddauk. After the accustomed ceremonies and
compliments had passed, we poured out copious1 libations of warm tea;
and a most miscellaneous conversation immediately ensued-.
- The Regent, who appeared ever anxious to"receive and to c o m p licate
information, on all points of local, civil; and natural history, first
directed his inquiries to the military force, the wealth, and’extent of
the British empire. He professed himself deeply inrerested e^i^M t%
the war,: of which he had heard so much, and whichp by unhappily
interruptinjg "the general intercourse; of nations, had augtoented the
ptïte;! and occasioned a scarcity of «very article of^Tpre%i tradèi' I
gratified him, as well as I was able, by recounting threading causes of
the war between England, and America, which once constituted a part
of the English dominions. I endeavoured also to give him a clear idea
of the circumstances, which compelled us to engage-in a war; with
France; a war which had involved the Carnatic in confusion, inter*
rupted the communication between India and Europe, and covered the
seas with hostile fleets. |
. They could not avoid expressing their surprise, that. a. matter of
mere local moment, should have thus embroiled-the remotest regions,
and spread distrust and enmity, over such a wide extent, of the habitable
world. However, I assured him, that Bengal still enjoyed profound
tranquillity; and indeed I felt happy in being able confidently
t0»-prei*unGe,’ frojti the mfo#fflMB^I'h.a'pSI|a!fely received;, that there
appeared the fadnest^prespad^ qi|$an speedy, restoration bfr.universal
: In discussing/the<co'mmerc&!q®difl|5EerU?,countries, and the numerous
.articles of convenience, asswePMfe .osf'luxury, wjp&feftond hatioiudeBives
from its intercourse-with.another,-the'bold.spiritfqBenterpriSfecCha’t aria*
mates-Aei'Englishnatio ^'..claimed nheiRegeijb^.par%ul^c^dmiratibh.
Yet^at -the\samei.t8pi&,tthjtj.he' allowed duephbnbuijl td>hunmndauiit,ed
pej^e¥erahee,\i-heH54o^d,ditnob. but, attrib.ute«|th^/rnpj,iy.e,uthat, Impelled
■ so snumerous. a -class,--ofVEnglisbmerv, to^le^y^itheirjp,(atetry|a%d'«their
■ friends, and encounter the danger oh inelement! ditnafekyand rudei inhospitable
menf to some great internal define tilm their- own^Untr^liAt
the same time hes-was convinced, frop whathe.'hadll^eajrd tand seen,;t-hat
there was nob,perhaps,' existing-; a'mor©ipgenibusppdple^iMylia w»rJid;
In order to aGCOunt for that restlessness of disposition, which) disperses
nay countrymen, oyfer-the whQle'surfaeejqfithd,globe, I wasled to/expa*
tiate at- some. length, on the system oftdpeati;bp^ prevailing amongsb
us. This, I told him, was calculated perpetually to awaken genius; add
call forth peculiar talents, which might othciwise havencsledrfonetfen
in a torpid state,-unexerted and unknown;- bW ^hi®^kSfe^bhtfe.
roused;-and improved, would-not sufl^'fchbir.'pQssesSorSi'to sit down in
listless and inglorious inactivity. Hence it wasathaintunerous, branches)
of respectable families» prompted b y quriosity^nnt les^s- t-hari by a desire
of wealth, spread themselves over every region of the urdvOr-Se: I added;
that bur Sovereign, renowned fqfthis love of sciendedand-iencoufager
ment of useful research, had, at various times, commanded ships* tajbe