Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 42.25.6

42.25.6

You have asked me several times, Sir, whether in printing that History of India, I had not in view my own emolument, either in point of credit, or in point of pecuniary profit ? (such was, at least, the purport of several of your questions). And my answer has been yesternight, what it is to-day, what it has been in print about eighteen months ago, and what it was so early as four years ago. And it is as follows : — "I never have had in view either personal credit, or pecuniary benefit. Had I had the last, I should not have commenced printing the work in December, 1788, with only eight subscribers; nor would I to-day persist in forcing all obstacles, with no more than fifty-two ; out of which number some will not pay, and some are gone to Europe ; in all twelve persons. Now even the fifty-two Subscribers, or the two hundred Mohurs, would not repay so much as one-third of the expense of printing ; "for my personal labour is out of the question." This, Sir, is my answer as to pecuniary views; nor will it be less short and less peremptory with regard to personal credit. My only real aim, at first, was to bring up a great deal of information, which I conceived might greatly conduce to clear Governor Hastings's character. I had a notion of selecting and translating only such parts as concerned him directly, or indirectly, But as such a selection was liable to cavils, and still more to envy and detraction, I thought it better to translate and publish the whole.