tiation, for it was soon followed by the grant of Bengal and Orissa to him. He now brought about the murder of Abul Fazl, his father's great minister. He had always regarded the latter with feelings of dislike and aversion, and only waited for a favourable opportunity to sweep the object of detestation from his path. In order, however, to soothe him, and to effect a reconciliation between the parties, Akbar even consented to temporarily disgrace his faithful and upright servant, and accordingly recalled him from the command which he then held of the army in the Deccan. That important post was at once conferred on Selim. But although this was succeeded by renewed and profuse professions of fidelity and love, the prince never ceased to cherish the design of a terrible vengeance, under which the man whom he believed to stand between him and his father should perish, and that father's heart be cruelly wrung. As Abul Fazl, attended only by aninsignificant escort, was returning to Gwalior from the Deccan, he was suddenly assailed by a large body of men, who had been placed in ambush by the road side by Narsing Deo, Rajah of Orcha in Bundelcund, at the instigation of Prince Selim, and although the doomed man struggled desperately and with great courage for life, he and most of his attendants were cut off, and his head, having been severed from his mutilated body, was sent to the murderer-prince. Akbar was cut to the heart by this catastrophe. He shut himself up, wept bitterly over the fall of his able and cherished minister, refused food and sleep for two days and nights; when, finally rousing himself, he despatched a force against Narsing Deo, with orders to seize him and his family, and carry fire and sword through his unfortunate country. Akbar does not appear to have known of his son's share in this melancholy transaction; but the latter, in his own memoirs (translated by Major Price), acknowledges and defends the crime on the flimsy plea that the murdered minister had persuaded Akbar to renounce the koran, and deny the divine mission of Mahomed. On his accession to the throne, one of his first acts was to promote the murderer Narsing

Deo (who had escaped the clutches of Akbar's battalions) to a high position in the state, and he always treated him with confidence and favour.

The last days of the great emperor, which were now drawing to a close, were darkened by the disputes and wranglings of his son Prince Selim and his (Selim's) son, Prince Khosru. Many attempts were made by him for the reconciliation of father and son, but these were followed by very shortlived results. Akbar had already lost his second son, Prince Murad, and he now received intelligence of the demise of his third son, Prince Dâniál, who had fallen a victim to his intemperate habits. Akbar had been ill for some time, when, in the middle of September 1605, his disorder gathered strength with ominous rapidity. The instant it was perceived that the dissolution of the emperor was at hand, the court became a scene of intrigues and conspiracies. The Prince Selim had been declared his successor by the dying monarch; but as his reputation had been somewhat damaged by his late insubordinate conduct towards his father, attempts were made to secure the throne for his son Prince Khosru. Rajah Man Sing, who was the latter's maternal uncle, and Azeez, the first of Akbar's generals, who was his father-in-law, were the chief leaders in this complot. Selim, thinking that his life was in danger, forbore visiting his father, who, divining the cause, repeatedly declared him his successor, and directed that the province of Bengal would be given to Prince Khosru. In consequence of this conduct of the emperor, most of those who had originally allied themselves with Rajah Man Sing and Azeez ranged themselves on the side of Selim, who further succeeded, by flattering overtures, to induce those leaders of the opposite faction to relinquish their designs in his favour. Having thus cleared his way, he visited his dying father. Akbar, calling around him the chief nobles of his court, exhorted them to unity and obedience, directed Selim to gird on his (Akbar's) sabre, and, after repeating the Mahomedan confession of faith, expired in the arms of his attendants, in September A. D. 1605, in the sixtyafter a prosperous

fourth

year of his

age,

and beneficent reign of half a century. His father's prayer, when breaking the pod of musk amongst his followers, was fully granted. Akbar was buried near Agra, where his mausoleum is to be seen at this day.

Akbar the Great is described as a strongly built and handsome man, of a complexion almost European, and of peculiarly suave and captivating manners. Though intemperate in youth, he eschewed wine and all intoxicating liquors later in life, became abstemious, and even satisfied himself with very little sleep. Of great courage and fortitude, he was always ready to take the field whenever his presence was required there, and his ambition induced him to extend his dominions further than any Mahomedan sovereign had done before him.

His toleration of other creeds besides his own was a distinguishing feature in his reign. This no doubt sprang as much from that sagacity and foresight for which, amongst his many noble qualities, he was so celebrated, as from any laxity in his theological opinions. But his enemies did not hesitate to attribute it to the latitudinarianism which the emperor had imbibed under the tuition of Abul Fazl and his brother Faizi. It was under the influence of the latter that instructions were issued by Akbar for a systematic inquiry to be conducted into every branch of Brahminical lore. Translations were accordingly made into Persian of two works on algebra, arithmetic, and geometry, the Bija Ganita Lilawati from the Sanscrit of Bhaskara Acharya, one of the Vedas, the two historical and heroic poems, the Maha Bharat and Ramayana, and a curious history of Cashmere during the 4000 years previous to its conquest by Akbar. Schools were encouraged, in which both Hindoo and Mahomedan learning were taught; Christian priests were induced to come from Goa, and undertake the education of a few youths destined to be employed in translating into Persian the productions of Greek literature. In company with Faizi, Abul Fazl, and other learned men attached to the court, the emperor frequently spent entire nights in philosophical discussions. Specimens of these are given in the Dabistan,

a learned Persian work on the various religions of Asia. An amusing account of another debate is given in the Akbar Nameh, the contending parties being a Catholic priest and a body of Mahomedan moullahs. In the report of this discussion, a decided advantage is given, strange to say, to the Christian. It is difficult, at this time, to point to the party from whom the proposition emanated of establishing the truth of the opposing creeds by the ministers attached to them walking through a blazing fire, depending on the God of truth to bring them in safety through the terrible ordeal. The emperor, however, put a stop to this absurdity, by reproving the moullahs for their violence (from which it is conjectured that the insane proposition sprang from them), and by expressing his own opinion that God could only be adequately worshipped by following reason, not yielding implicit faith to any alleged revelation. He requested and received two similar missions in the course of his reign, and he instructed one of the missionaries, Jeronymó Xavier, to remain at Agra and translate the Gospel into Persian. In this work, the priest was assisted by Abdool Silar-ben-Kasim, of Lahore, and it was completed in A. D. 1602. The book is on the plan of the Diatesseron, but full of the puerile traditionary legends of which the church of Rome is itself ashamed in these days. The conduct of the emperor, however, was, and naturally so, regarded with great abhorrence by all ortho-. dox Mahomedans.

and

The religion of Akbar appears to have been nothing but a pure deism. To reverence God for His mercy and benevolence; to subdue our bad passions and appetites; to practise virtue as a means of securing future happiness; to reject the creed or ritual of any man, formed the religious theory of Akbar. There were to be no priests, no public worship; but private devotions at midnight and daybreak, with meditations at noon. Yet, in the midst of all this free-thinking, there was to be found a strong vein of superstition, which was shown in his adoration of the images of Jesus Christ and of the Virgin Mary, which were placed before him by the missionaries from Goa. He further

declared that alms, fasting, pilgrimages, &c., were optional; and he took off the prohibition of unclean animals, the moderate use of wine, and that of gaming with dice. Circumcision was forbidden till the person was of age to judge of its propriety and necessity, and he forbade the marriage of more than one wife.

But it is his humanity and religious toleration of the Hindoos that redound most to his glory. His only interference with their ancient rites and customs was, that he forbade marriage before the age of puberty, permitted the remarriage of widows, and sternly forbade their incremation. It is stated by Abul Fazl, that, on one occasion, hearing that the Rajah of Joudpore was about to compel his widowed daughter-in-law to mount the funeral pyre, Akbar mounted his horse, and rode at full speed to the spot, to prevent the sacrifice. He abolished the capitation tax, an odious impost, which begot intense irritation and hatred towards the Mahomedan conquerors of India. He further removed all taxes on pilgrims, on the ground that "it was wrong to throw any obstacle in the way of the devout, or of interrupting their mode of intercourse with their Maker," and prohibited the condemnation to slavery of all persons taken in war. He employed Hindoos equally with Mahomedans in conducting the affairs of his government. All this very naturally gave umbrage to his Mussulman subjects, and especially to the moullahs; and Abdool Kadur, the author of the Mutakhab-ul-Tawarikh, openly charged him with a systematic design to depress the Mahomedan religion. But the justice and mildness of his sway so endeared him to his Hindoo subjects, that in a spirited remonstrance addressed to the bigoted Aurungzebe, the descendants of the Rajah of Joudpore alluded to above said :-" Your ancestor Akbar, whose throne is now in heaven, conducted the affairs of his empire in equity and security for the space of fifty years. He preserved every tribe of men in ease and happiness, whether they were followers of Jesus or Moses, of Brahma or Mahomed. Of whatever sect or creed they might be, they all equally enjoyed his countenance

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and favour; insomuch, that his people, in gratitude for the indiscriminate protection which he afforded them, distinguished him by the appellation 'Guardian of Mankind.'" The fact is, that Akbar, cut off from his ancestral dominions, was clear-sighted enough to understand his position, and to perceive that he was not so much a Persian, or Affghan, or Tartar, as an Indian sovereign. Thus impressed, he never humbled those whom he subdued or punished; always opened his arms to them as friends, reestablished them more securely than ever in their possessions, and received them into the ranks of the chief officers of the empire. Refusing to recognise any difference between Hindoo and Mahomedan, he elevated and cherished all whom he believed he could trust, and who appeared to him to be worthy such elevation; whilst, by the abolition of the capitation tax on infidels, and the law which converted prisoners taken in battle into slaves, he placed his subjects on one and the same political level.

In the revenue department, Akbar simply carried out with greater precision and correctness the system which Sher Shah had discovered. He obtained a correct measurement of the land, ascertained the amount of the produce of each beegah of it, and fixed the proportion of that amount that each ought to pay to government; settled an equivalent for the proportion so fixed, in money, established an uniform standard of weights and measures, improved the instruments of mensuration, and made a complete measurement of all the lands capable of cultivation within the empire. In order to make his yoke as light as possible, his officers were strictly forbidden to farm out any branch of the revenue; and collectors were enjoined, in their collections and agreements, to deal directly with the individual cultivator, and not to depend on the headmen or accountants of villages. The author of this reform was Rajah Todar Mull, by whose name it is still called everywhere.

For the administration of justice, the emperor established two classes of courts, one presided over by an officer called the "Lord Justice," and the other by the Cazee. The latter con

ment.

ducted the trial and stated the law; the former, who was superior, passed judgAll judicial officers and viceroys of provinces were directed to eschew capital punishments as much as possible; and when these could not be avoided, they were not to be accompanied by mutilation or other cruelty.

The necessity for forts and military works in India did not escape the attention and foresight of the emperor. Besides the fort of Attock, the walls and citadels of Agra and Allahabad were constructed by him. These are

lofty curtains and towers of cut stone, with deep ditches, and ornamented in the Indian way with turrets, domes, and battlements; each of the gateways being a stately edifice, that would make a suitable entrance to a royal palace. He also built and fortified the town of Futtehpore Sikri, which was his principal residence, and which, though now deserted, is one of the most splendid monuments that remain of the ancient grandeur of India. R. K.

ROUNDABOUT PAPERS.

VI.

TELLS HOW A HOUSE BECAME HAUNTED.

It is a good seven years ago since we received an invitation from one of the most celebrated men of the day, to leave London on a Saturday afternoon and spend the interval of leisure our duties allowed, between that time and ten o'clock on Monday, with him at his residence in Richmond Park. We accordingly left town by rail, and were soon passing through the massive gates which led to his gardens and grounds. His costume was very peculiar-great men often are indifferent to their outward appearance, and present drollish, grotesque figures, to the world. Such appearances are often aped by little men, who wish to be thought master intellects. We are all, indeed, expected to dress in a manner consistent with our professions a clergyman in other garb than black, or Oxford mixture, would be no clergyman in the estimation of his countrymen, trammelled as they are with odd notions. We do not suppose any Protestant priest could be found, daring to enter

the pulpit wearing a moustache,-we ourselves once excitedʼmuch surprise, by our happening to wear tight-fitting nether garments, such as would have gained favour in the eyes of one of Scott's stable-boys. We are not in "The Church," however, but have taken to the wholesome pursuit of growing literature in our meadow; and want good labourers in the field.

But we were talking of Richmond Park, and will suppose the cloth removed, after the conclusion of dinner on the Saturday night in question. You, kind readers, can imagine the bright mahogany table, with shining decanters and claret-cups, the strawberries, the peaches, the grapes, and plums-all lit by the flickering uncertain firelight, which it is always our delight to enjoy, before the advent of the candles or lamps; and you can picture our jocund faces, as mine host tells us how he once pursued science under difficulties; and though it is long ago since we listened to the tale, and still longer since the circumstances occurred, we hope to recollect enough to write it. He commenced :

"When I was much younger than now, I went to the seaside, to visit a relative of mine who followed the medical profession. Among the duties which fell to him was the care of the inmates of the jail. These were of course composed of the worst specimens of mankind. I often accompanied my relative to see them, and on several occasions observed a Blackamoor amongst the number, and was seized with a desire to possess his skull !-The negro, however, was not even sick, and I seemed to be far from having my wish realised. Winter drew on, with its cutting winds, its frosts, and snow, and proved too much for the inhabitant of a warmer clime-he fell sick, and died. The body had to be examined after death, and I attended the ceremony with my relative, and communicated to him my desire to possess the head. He acquiesced, but told me it must be brought away by stealth at night; and to furnish an excuse for a nocturnal visit, he left, as if by accident, but really on purpose, his instruments, and gloves, by the side of the dead body, which was placed in the upper story

of a lofty turret,-the jail being nothing more than an old castle, patched and fitted up as a place of incarceration. It was seated on a rock overhanging the sea, which roared, and dashed its waves in stormy violence against it. The road up to the place, therefore, was steep, wearisome, and lonely. But one cottage had dared to raise its head on the roadside, and in this lived a slave-dealer's widow and daughter. On the night of the day we had examined the body, I threw my cloak over my shoulders, secreting a basket beneath it, and struck out on my way to the jail. It was freezing sharp at the time, and I found the road up the rock very slippery. The jail gained, I was admitted, and, on desiring I might proceed to the turret for the forgotten instruments, the jailor at once unhooked from his waist a huge bunch of keys, and led the way; but as this was unfavourable to my purpose, I begged he would not give himself the trouble to accompany me, as the night was so cold and inclement. After bandying a few words of politeness, he handed me the keys, and a lantern, to proceed alone. I sought the foot of the tower, inserted the key, and the lock's bolt revolved with a startling clang, which made me feel queerish, and wish I had taken the jailor into my confidence, and brought him with me. As I opened the door, a heavy gust of wind came sweeping down the spiral stair, and moaning so dismally, it made me start back into the courtyard again, and at the same time put out the light. There was a tolerably bright moonlight, however, and I did not attempt to return to relight the lantern, but rallied my remaining courage, and commenced the ascent of the winding stair. Here I encountered a second gate of iron rails, not easily unlocked by my now trembling hands; and just as I had inserted the key, and looked through the rails, high up the stair I saw a tall, thin figure, dressed in white, with arms outstretched, as if exhorting me to go no further! I was now cold with terror, and felt my hair bristling beneath my cap, and let go both lantern and keys. The former went bump, bumping its way to the bottom of the steps, its glass

paues jingling in fragments. The keys. went down the central hollow of the spiral stair to the passage at bottom. And now the most demoniacal howlings and moanings assailed me. I fairly fled to the outer door, which banged to with the wind, and stopped my exit. Still trembling with fright, I pulled it open, and stood for a few moments in the cold, frosty air outside, undecided whether to go back or make a another attempt; but not liking that the jailor should see my fear, I determined to face it again. I groped on the floor for the keys, and finding them, ascended, opened the iron gate-there stood the figure, still exhorting! I closed my eyelids, and rushed past it, momentarily expecting the outstretched arms would fold me in their clammy embraces. But nó-they permitted me to escape, and reach the room, and there, in the pale moonlight, lay the dark form of he who had left his home and country to perish in a jail-perhaps, too, driven to commit the wrong for which he had been confined through sheer want. But I was in no sentimental humour, or calm enough for reflection. I took a scalpel from the box left there, and, with very considerable labour and difficulty, severed the head. During the whole operation I dared not have looked behind me, feeling sure the white figure was standing there. I huddled the trunk in the coffin, and enshrouded it, so that the mutilation might not be noticed. I deposited the treasured head in my basket, and, with firmly closed eyes, started to return. I ran down the stairs to the courtyard, and then began to breathe more freely. I wished the jailor good-night in a manner so full of confusion, that he asked me if I had seen anything, evidently believing I had. I said something in explanation about the difficulty of unlocking doors,—and set out on my way home. But it seemed fated that I was not to be the only individual to receive alarm in gaining possession of my treasure; for just as I reached the part of the path on which stood the widow's cottage, and was staring through the half-open door at the bright light within, I lost my footing on the slippery rocks-down went the basket, and out rolled the head, bounding down a small incline,