Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 48

AUTHOR'S PREFACE
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a Government which is rightly determined to be neither
unjust nor oppressive be able always to find within the
borders of this immense empire means sufficient to enable
it to meet the heavy expenses of its administration ' ?
But, after all, God alone can foretell the destiny of Govern-
ments
!
During
I must return to the contents of my work.
long sojourn in India I never let slip any opportunity
My
of collecting materials and particulars of all sorts.
information has been drawn partly from the books which
are held in highest estimation amongst the people of India
and partly from such scattered records as fell by chance
into my hands and contained facts upon which I could
thoroughly rely. But in regard to the majority of the
materials which I now offer to the public I am chiefly
But
my
my own researches, having lived in close
familiar intercourse with persons of every caste and
condition of life. Probably many Europeans settled in
India would have been more capable than myself of per-
forming the same task but I may be permitted to doubt
whether there has been any person more favourably
situated for gleaning information or more zealous in his
pursuit of knowledge. I had no sooner arrived amongst
the natives of India than I recognized the absolute necessity
Accordingly I made it my
of gaining their confidence.
constant rule to live as they did. I adopted their style of
clothing, and I studied their customs and methods of life
I even went so far as
in order to be exactly like them.
to avoid any display of repugnance to the majority of their
dependent on
and
;
By such circumspect conduct I was
peculiar prejudices.
able to ensure a free and hearty welcome from people of
all castes and conditions, and was often favoured of their
own accord with the most curious and interesting par-
ticulars about themselves.
In publishing these records of my researches I have no
I have noted down just
wisli to aspire to literary fame.
what I saw, just what I heard, just what I read. I have
aimed only at simplicity and accuracy. If I have here
and there ventured to give a few opinions and conjectures
Within these few lines the Abbe, with extraordinary insight, has
embodied the great problem of British administration in India. Ed.
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