AFTER THE WAR                         199

ment in the seraglio, the princess presented him with a
large golden basin, full of precious stones—her own jewels,
and those which belonged to Chah-Jehan. Moved by the
magnificence of his reception, and the affectionate pro¬
testations of his sister, Aureng-Zebe forgave her former
conduct and has since treated her with kindness and
liberality.

I have now brought this history to a close. My readers
have no doubt condemned the means by which the reigning
Mogol attained the summit of power. These means were
indeed unjust and cruel; but it is not perhaps fair to
judge him by the rigid rules which we apply to the
character of European princes. In our quarter of the
globe, the succession to the crown is settled in favour of
the eldest by wise and fixed laws ; but in Hindoustan the
right of governing is usually disputed by all the sons of
the deceased monarch, each of whom is reduced to the
cruel alternative of sacrificing his brothers, that he himself
may reign, or of suffering his own life to be forfeited for
the security and stability of the dominion of another.
Yet even tliose who may maintain that the circumstances
of country, birth and education afford no palliation of the
conduct pursued by Aureng-Zebe, must admit that this
Prince is endowed with a versatile and rare genius, that
he is a consummate statesman, and a great King.