Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 1.2.5

1.2.5

I hope it is admitted on all hands, that small accidental stories, and unpremeditated expressions on an important event, will better point out the national turn of mind, however dormant, than any professed reasoning. The unfortunate affair at Benares with Cheyt-Sing, was repeatedly reported at Moorshoodabad with such woeful circumstances, as seemed to partage the whole Nation; numbers were deeply affected (and to be affected for an European governor, or indeed for any European at all, is a very novel matter in India) and they used to say : " Pity ! a great pity ! the father of the Hindostanies is gone, — we shall never see such another man." But others, and this was the majority, left the person out of the question ; and minded only the crisis. " What ! are we not men as well as " Cheyt-Sing's People ? and what could prevent me from giving " a slap to one or two of his chairmen ? (the Governor's) they " would have dropped his palanquin, as by a signal, and any " man could have killed him with ease. I saw him at Barwa : " he had not an armed man by him ; and his chairmen were " but a dozen of people ; and this would have at once produced " a revolution — You talk to me of the Brigade at Behrampore ; " it is a name only — there are not two thousand men in it ;