Storia do Mogor 15.2
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 15.2
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- English
15.2.1
I can find no reference to Manucci in Tavernier ; and Mr. W. Foster informs me that there is no mention of him in the travels of Jean de Thevenot, who in 1666-67 travelled through Gujarat and Gulkhandah, visiting Surat and Machhlipatnam. Manucci mentions Tavernier once in passing in rather disparaging terms ; but it does not seem that the two men ever met. He speaks of 'Monsu Tavirnier's' presence at Dihli in 1665 (Part V., f. 75), and his recourse to a French doctor (not named, perhaps François de la Palisse), to help him in the sale of his jewels to Aurangzeb, who was far from being so liberal a buyer as Shahjahan. Tavernier holds out a promise to get the doctor a new wife in France, whereupon the man tries to poison his Portuguese consort. In 1666 her sister, the renegade wife of 'Ali Mardan Khan, rescues her, and removes her to Lahor, but afterwards poisons her there herself.
15.2.2
There was, however, another traveller, a fellow-townsman, who encountered Manucci, and is mentioned by him. The year must have been 1679. This man, Angelo Legrenzi, published a book, 'Il Pellegrino nell' Asia . . . ,' 240 pp., 12mo., Venetia, 1705. Manucci mentions him (Part V., f. 185) in these terms: 'When I was at the court of Shah 'Alam in Aurangabad, there arrived a Venetian physician called Angello Legrenzi. He had come from Aleppo, having quitted the service of the Most Serene Republic, and at the age of thirty-five had set out to seek his fortune afresh. He was possessed with various ideas, and concealed in his mind many thoughts. He came to see me, and presented to me a recommendatory letter from Father Ivo, Capuchin, of Surat. I received him most courteously, offering him the use of my house, also to his companion, one Signor Protasio, a noble German. I was greatly pleased at his coming, seeing myself thus quit of several patients who came bothering me every day. Forthwith I appointed him my coadjutor, to secure him more respect, and introduced him into the presence of the head physician, Muhammad Muqim, with a view to his getting an appointment from the prince and an adequate salary, and thus not being hindered from practising. The worthy "patrician," seeing I treated him so well, was highly pleased, but he would not follow my advice. He displayed great eagerness to enter the prince's service and get a salary.
15.2.3
'To show his ability and that he was not a surgeon but a physician, he wrote a small tract dealing with the four principal kinds of fever, their causes, and the remedies for dispelling them. Seeing that he had no faith in my word, still less in that of other friends, I again took him to the Hakim, to whom he presented the book and explained its contents. Muhammad Muqim was content to let him talk, and by his face seemed to approve of what he was saying. To all appearance Legrenzi was satisfied, believing that he had done a good stroke by presenting the work, and that he would be thereby thought more of at the court. 'However, knowing the contrary, I told him he might be very thankful if he met with any success. When dismissing him, the Hakim said he might renew his visits. I continued to help him with a horse and servants, who every day accompanied him, since the Hakim lived half a league from my house. This going and coming went on for a year without the Hakim ever sending him a single patient, although he still spoke to him, but my "patrician" had no idea what that meant.
15.2.4
'Finally, to disenchant him, Muhammad Muqim one day directed his servant, who acted as interpreter — an Armenian called Giuseppe (Joseph) — to sit down close to him. My "patrician" was aggrieved thereby, and on reaching home told me. I knew not what else to say except that he must have patience. The following day he went back and wasted his time, seated there for over three hours. At last the Hakim asked if he knew what God was. At this question Legrenzi was stunned and said nothing, perceiving that such a demand was equivalent to dismissal; thus was his joy turned into sorrow. Therefore he went back by the road he had come, lamenting his strange fortune, and resuming his old place which he had quitted, where he was well received. Signor Protasio remained with me, as he had no money to meet his journey; a year afterwards he started, I helping him as well as I could, and I never heard of him again.' It is a mere surmise, but it seems to me very possible that Manucci had seen Legrenzi's book of 1705 before he wrote the above passage taken from Part V., and that it is his retort courteous for Legrenzi's somewhat uncivil depreciation. Or as an Italian writer, P. Amat di S. Filippo ('Studii sulla Storia della Geografia . . .' I., 440) says: 'This judgment [of Legrenzi on Manucci] is, however, not devoid of prejudice, both being followers of Esculapius';
15.2.5
and again, speaking of the 'Storia,' he says, 'From these [the Memoirs] it can be seen (at least as regards education) that the finding of Legrenzi ought not to be accepted blindly.' Let us turn now to Legrenzi's story in 'Il Pellegrino,' Libro Terzo, 192-310 (India), Of the city of Aurangabad, 220-227. On p. 223 the passage begins thus: 'Besides these paid artillerymen the prince entertains several medical men, or rather surgeons, for they practise not only physic but surgery; I do not say in cases of importance—on the contrary, only in more humble operations, such as letting of blood, cupping, blistering and such-like. Among these gentlemen I had the luck to find a fellow-countryman, named Nicolo Manucci, a person with great credit among the nobles, with the handsomest salary I have heard as given in this country—that is, three hundred rupees a month. Such a happy encounter consoled me much, being aware of how rare it is to find Italians there, much less a Venetian. It is impossible to describe how often we embraced, how lively were our demonstrations of affection, how long our talks and interrogations. For he had been away from home nearly thirty years, and was extremely anxious to learn about his connections, even when not known to me, about the condition of Venice city, and other particulars.
15.2.6
'Our civilities over and the many inquiries ended, he began in a few days to converse seriously with me to find out my plans, and openly asked me if I wanted to enter the prince's service, where he assured me that I should meet with more than ordinary fortune, he meanwhile offering himself for recommendations and good offices with Shah 'Alam. I gave him cordial thanks for his kind feelings in my favour, but answered him that I absolutely refused to engage myself outside my native land, having come to India to see the country and its chief sights, intending thereafter to return home to my relations and connections. 'Not satisfied with this answer, my friend invited me to reflect on future contingencies at the death of the king; for the prince, as eldest son, would ascend the throne, thereby opening to me the way to benefits not less great than glorious. To sum up, all this made no impression on me, and I answered that I absolutely refused to fetter my liberty, above all with princes, who possess neither sense nor good faith.
15.2.7
'At these remarks my friend was more upset than before, desirous as he was, by whatever means he could, to induce me to rest beside him and supply him with a little light in medicine, devoid as he was of letters, and even any knowledge of the arts. I consoled him, however, on that head by saying that I would remain with him for some months, then take my departure at the decline of the season. Then arose rumours of the prince's departure for Dihli before the end of the rains. I had intended, on leaving Surat, to proceed to Gulkhandah, and thence to Goa. But it seemed to me preferable to give up that project, and to embrace the opportunity of staying on and following the route of my friend, so as to see that royal city with all else that might offer itself.'
15.2.8
On p. 230 he says that it was on July 25, 1679, that Shah 'Alam started for the north, which is possibly correct, though the year 1680 is more probable. But the journey is said to have been to Agrah in thirty-four days, and after a stay of four days, on to Dihli in six days. There, as he says, Manucci was greeted by a throng of friends ; and after a stay of two months Legrenzi returned to Surat. Then follows an account of Agrah, of Dihli, and other chapters, till the subject of India ends on p. 310. Now, I am convinced that all this journey is fictitious; it bears internal evidence, I think, that the man was never either at Agrah or Dihli, and what he knew of them was mere hearsay. Nor did Shah 'Alam, when recalled from the Dakhin for the Rajputanah campaign, go anywhere near Agrah or Dihli. As to the two versions of what happened at Aurangabad, either or both must be embroidered ; and, as just shown, Legrenzi is not above a little fiction when necessary. There is a notice of Legrenzi and his book in ' Studii Biografici e Bibliografici sulla Storia della Geografia in India,' by S. Amat de S. Filippo (Roma, 1882), p. 445.