Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v3.c42.s2.t1.165

v3.c42.s2.t1.165

The regent had two sons, the elder, Madho Singh, legitimate; the younger, Gordhandas, illegitimate; but he was regarded with more affection, and endowed with almost equal authority with the declared successor to the regency. Madho Singh was about forty-six at the period we speak of. A physiognomist would discover in his aspect no feature indicative of genius, though he might detect amidst traits which denoted indolence, a supercilious tone of character, the effect of indulgence. This was fostered in a great degree by the late Maharao, who supported the regent’s son against his own in all their dissensions, even from their infancy, which had increased the natural arrogance developed by power being too early entrusted to him : for when the regent, as before related, quitted the capital for the camp, Madho Singh was nominated to the office of Faujdar, the hereditary post of his father, and left as his locum tenens at Kotah. This office, which included the command and pay of all the [561] troops, left unlimited funds at his disposal ; and as the checks which restrained every other officer in the State were inoperative upon his sons, who dared to inform against the future regent ? Accordingly, he indulged his taste in a manner which engendered dislike to him : his gardens, his horses, his boats, were in a style of extravagance calculated to provoke the envy of the sons of his sovereign ; while his suite eclipsed that of the prince himself. In short, he little regarded the prudent counsel of his father, who, in their metaphorical language, used to express his fears “ that when he was a hundred years old ” (i.e. dead), the fabric which cost a life in rearing would fall to pieces.