:

might be fulfilled. But Marathon, Thermopyla, and Salamis were not fought in vain the torrent of Asiatic semi-barbarism was stemmed, and the civilisation of Europe stood secure. Five hundred years elapsed, and Persia again arose to grasp at the sovereignty of Asia, and dream of claiming at least the entire East for the resuscitated law of Zoroaster. Sternly, relentlessly she prosecuted the work of conquest and proselytism for four hundred years; and then she fell to rise no more.

It is remarkable that the Zoroastrians contributed almost nothing to the progress of human thought. No book has ever proceeded from the followers of Ormazd which "posterity will. not willingly let die." The barbaric magnificence of the Sasanian monarchs, like that of the Archæmenian kings, passed and left no memorial. The nation of Armenia, closely kindred to Persia, after its conversion to Christianity in the fourth century, built up a national literature, which the Armenians to this day proudly point to, and try to emulate. The Christian Syrians also, to the west, who were continually mingling with the Persians, possessed numerous and excellent writers, and strove, but strove in vain, to arouse the mind of the Zoroastrians to independent thought. The wild Arabs of the desert ere long proved themselves to be as powerful with the pen as with the sword. The mind of Persia awoke, but not until Zoroastrianism had passed away; for its graceful literature is wholly Mohammadan. Save the Zend Avesta itself-which is interesting and important, assuredly, for no literary merit,-Zoroastrian literature is of no account. The Pehlvi books that have come down to us, the Bundeshne, the Dinkard, the Wajarkard, &c., escape the condemnation of inanity only when they are wholly unintelligible. The Persian books of the Zoroastrians, the Ardai Viraf Nameh, Zartusht Nameh, &c., are filled with the most childish legends. Almost the only names of learned men to which we can point among our Indian Parsis, are Neriosangh, who translated the Zend Yaçna into Sanskrit, probably about the middle of the fifteenth century, and Mulla Firúz, a learned chief priest in Bombay, who died about twentythree years ago. In addition to a knowledge of Zend and Pehlvi, the latter wrote Persian poetry with some success.

How is this extraordinary dearth of intellect to be explained? We hardly know. It may in part be accounted for by the fact we have tried to establish, namely, that the restored Zoroastrianism of the Sasanian kings was chiefly a State engine, which never powerfully affected the popular mind. Zend even was wholly unintelligible to the people; yet, doubtless, under Ardashir and Shapur,

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the worshipper of Ormazd was taught to mutter the mystic prayers which on the esplanade of Bombay our Parsis offer at this day-in equal ignorance of their signification, and with an equally deadening effect on the higher sensibilities of the mind. But we must pause. There remains still untouched the entire

subject of Parsi faith and rites. This, possibly, we may one day attempt. But while our great explorers are still in the midst of their labours-while Westergaard's work is but half, and Spiegel's but one-third accomplished, we had rather wait before essaying so high and arduous a theme.

And now one word in conclusion. We have spoken much of the past of the Parsis: who shall venture to predict their future? Yet, for wise and gracious purposes, we trust, have our Parsi brethren been brought, in the providence of God, to the land of Hapta Hendu.* While the remnant of their co-religionists in Persia will infallibly be absorbed in the mass of the semi-civilised Moslem, and form, like all Moslem communities, but a dead weight on the onward march of things, our Indian Parsis are marked out, we hope, for a different and far happier lot. Daily coming in contact with European influences, our earnest hope is that they will not merely themselves be vitally affected by them, but help to transmit the quickening stream to their Hindu neighbours-repaying thus the old debt of kindness which the fugitives of Iran owe to the hospitality of India. Would it be a fond dream even to think that ere long, submitting to a far higher than the "new law" of Zoroaster, they may recompense the Moslem of Persia, at once their kinsmen and oppressors, for all the injuries of the past, by imparting to them the knowledge of that faith and that " new commandment" of love, which, when they penetrate the heart, not only prepare for heaven, but change earth into heaven's likeness? India, we rejoice to believe, will march at the head of Asiatic kingdoms, teaching the awakened East to emulate the West in all that forms the glory and defence of nations. And who shall be the leaders of India-the foremost of her sons in the career of improvement? We think the Parsis might be so-as a small, compact, conspicuous band, like the "Immortals" of their ancient kings. Will they rise to this high calling? Earnestly do we put the question to those younger men among them, (it is needless to mention well-known names,) who to the distinction of wealth and station are adding the far nobler honour of active well-doing. Will they-yea or nay? Not polemically nor tauntingly-God

"The land of the seven rivers," the Zend name of India.

forbid but with all affectionate solicitude, we tell them that it is high time to remember that civilisation in the nineteenth century is coincident with Christianity. It is high time to turn from the paling light of the "Golden Star," to walk in the cloudless shining of the Sun of Righteousness. Else, the priceless honour now within their grasp, will to the Parsis, as a community, be lost for ever. India will still advance; she will rise to claim her place as a member of the family of civilised and Christian nations; but the vanguard of the regenerated and rejoicing East will not be the "remnant of Elam."*

ART. IV. THE FIRST WARS AND TREATIES OF THE WESTERN PRESIDENCY.

Records of the Government of Bombay, from 1726 to 1740.

A MERCANTILE Company transformed into one of the great powers of the earth, and driven by the force of circumstances to the conquest of an empire, is, like other effects which we do not trace to their causes, regarded as a phenomenon. This is merely because historians have been able to collect only a few facts relative to its earliest days, and those facts separated by frequent and large lacunæ. But an object of the present narrative is to show that the growth of English dominion, although fostered by a superhuman arm, was regulated by fixed and natural laws, even by laws similar to those which regulate the development of the human mind. The East India Company was trained and gradu

* Many have written and some have written well-on the subject of Parsi antiquities, whom, in our brief review, we have not been able to notice. Writers connected with Bombay might have required especial notice—for example, Mr. W. Erskine and the Rev. Dr. Wilson. The papers of the former are, for the time when they were written, admirable; and the work of the latter on the Parsi religion is marked by research and learning. The Parsis themselves have begun to write on questions connected with Zoroastrian antiquity; we doubt not they will soon do so still more largely and successfully.

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ally brought to maturity by a process parallel to that through which a little inmate of the nursery may have passed when first starting on the race for fame. The possessor of a wooden sword, a penny trumpet, and a diminutive drum, glows already with military ardour as a gay regiment passes by him, and the spark is fanned into a flame by hard knocks at school, struggles in manly games, and perhaps town and gown rows at the University, until he submits to the preliminaries of drill, enters on a real campaign, and in due time appears as a distinguished officer. So with respect to the East India Company: if its servants had been allowed to live peaceably in its nursery of Surat, without provocatives being offered to their military propensities, there would have been no more probability of their becoming a political power than there is at present of any Steam Navigation or Railway Company becoming one; and at the breaking up of the Moghul Empire they might have been found, like ancient Britons when the Roman legions were withdrawn, incapable of defending themselves against distant rovers or predatory neighbours. But they were very soon taught the necessity of self-dependence,-of looking to none but themselves for an assertion of their rights.

The clamours of a ferocious mob endeavouring to beat down their Factory gates first induced them to keep a small establishment of peons as a domestic police; the oppressions which they endured under Native Governments then convinced them that a fortified Factory and an insular stronghold were required; next, because their trade would otherwise have been at the mercy of pirates, they built, equipped, and armed a fleet of grabs and gallivats; lastly, their very existence depended, not only on their maintenance of standing armies, but on their ability to cripple the strength of adversaries by invasions of their territories. We do not, indeed, assert that they have in every single instance been thus involuntarily led to aggression, or deny that they have more than once wilfully disturbed the comity of nations; but we maintain that they never contemplated the seizure of a province, much less of the Indian Continent, until compelled by the force of circumstances; and that the Anglo-Indian is the only empire in the world which has not owed its origin to a lust of conquest. And it is highly instructive to observe that the events of the Company's history form a regular chain, which was none of their forging. In welding the links together they were unconscious agents of Him who, holding nations in his balance, puts down one that He may set up another. The perils in which the Company were involved by the aggressions of Native Chiefs were now rapidly approaching that

point at which it becomes obvious that one of two contending parties must be sacrificed for the safety of the other; and of all those who were preparing vengeance for themselves, none seemed so pertinacious as Angria. Although he had in 1728 made a proposition for a pacific settlement of disputes, he captured the Company's galley " King William" in the following year, and took prisoner Captain McNeale. This unfortunate officer, having made afterwards a fruitless attempt to escape, was loaded with irons, and so severely beaten that his life was despaired of. Only after many years was he released, with some other European prisoners; and then his ransom cost him five hundred rupees, which, however, were repaid him by Government in consideration for his severe sufferings. In 1730 a hope was indulged that, by an alliance with the Bhonslays of Sawunt Waree, the common enemy Angria might be effectually punished; but this proved visionary, although a treaty was actually made and ratified. Soon after this the death of Kanhojee Angria must have occurred.*

Kanhojee left two legitimate sons, between whom his territories were divided; Sukojee, the elder, obtaining Colaba as his share, and the southern coast falling to Sumbhajee, the younger. The former made friendly advances towards the English Government, and the twenty-first of June 1733 being considered a fortunate day, two of his envoys presented themselves before the President in Council with proposals of peace; but death frustrated his good intentions. Manajee, an illegitimate son of the late Kanhojee, then took Colaba by escalade, with the assistance of the Portuguese, and successfully resisted all Sumbhajee's efforts to displace him. Forming an alliance with Sahoojee, the Maratha Raja, or rather with Bajee Rao, the Peshwa, whose power was becoming absolute, he endeavoured to gain the fort. of Anjeenwell, under the guns of which lay the fleet belonging to the Siddee of Jinjeera. To prevent such a tion, and check the growth of his power, the Government of Bombay sent Captain McNeale, who had recently gained his liberty, and Lieutenant Inchbird, with the "Victoria," "Bombay," and " Princess" galleys, to the Siddee's assistance; but for some reason not assigned, they did not sail until the following March;

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* Consultation Book of the Bombay Government, 10th February 1728, 1729, and April 1735. The Treaty is dated 12th January 1730. Grant Ďuff surmised that Kanhojee Angria died in 1728, but added in a note, "I am not certain of this date, as I have not observed it in the English Records." Kanhojee is mentioned in the treaty with the Bhouslay as still alive, and therefore this surmise must be incorrect.