A History of the Mahrattas v1.c5.s2.7

v1.c5.s2.7

‘I got through your first three chapters sooner than I had hoped ; I read them with great pleasure. You have acquired a much more calm, matured historical style than you had at first, and have absolutely none of the faults that I used to attribute to you. You will find my remarks chiefly censures, and chiefly in petty details ; but to be useful, they must be censures. . . . I think, however, you should have introduced more of the manners of the Mahrattas, more to put the people and their leaders before the eyes of the reader, and to enable him to understand their motives and modes of action. This can only be done by a picture of the Mahrattas as they now stand, and it may be a question whether that does not come more naturally when you reach the present period ; but, on the whole I think that, as you are writing for Europe, you should make people acquainted with your actors before you begin your play.’