New-York tribune., 1909-07-03

lated with introdue- ion and notes, by WiIlsnl
Irvine in four volumes illustrated vols
III and ". Svo. Nd XIV. 642; xiv, VS- T. =
Dutton & Co
The first two volumes Of Manuccfs writings
on Mogul India. issued year before last under
the supervision of the Royal Asiatic Society,
have been promptly followed by two bulky
tones concluding the work. The author Of these
volurninoois records was a Venetian adventurer
who went to India in 1853 being then in his
teens. and passed the rest Of his long life IN
that country. Self-educated, he set up as a
physician and attained vogue in that
capacity. while his protracted residence in the
country and his knowledge Of several Of its Ian
guages gave value to his services as interpreter
and negotiate. The author a keen OBJ
server with a h.-eIy sense of hurnor. and told a
story with delicate ~ppreCi7t 7tiCr His book is an
eggloneration of TeminsCenOO, rumor and re-
hec;on, written many years after the events de-
scribed. and possessing various degrees Of his
torical merit Credulous bgoted and bitterly
biassed on many subjects, he yet saw and heard
much OF lasting value, and his work. had it been
composed on the spot instead Of in the leisure
hours OF a garrulous and disappointed old age.
would have had for US far more enduring worth.
It was written in Italian. French and Portu-
guese- according 10 the nationality Of the aman-
uensis available, and is of course. devoid Of
literary finish. AS q matter Of fact the earlier
portions much more connected, better ar
more readable. informing and entertaining than
those. composed later.
one Of Manucci's healthy prejudices was that
against the Jesuits. and he took a special pleas
ure "a retailing any yarn that reflected upon the
members Of that society. on a certain occasion
favorite Of the King Of Bijapur borrowed
large sum from Father Gonsallo Martins, Jesuit,
giving security crown jewel Of great price.
When he wished to redeem the stone the priest
all r7o- oF
fused TO relinqUish the gem. Thereupon the
King invited the guilty priest and others 10 his
court, pretending a desire 10 be converted.
When Imprisonment and fogging failed TO bring
the contumaciOus priests 10 terms the King dis
patched an army against Goa and threatened TO
destroy the Jesuit college unless the jewel were
returned Upon which the Jesuits reluctantly
restored the jewel, finding themselves the sub
jet Of much criticism.
As diversion to these r,urnurs they invented
eo49ilhg ing a donkey they had in use a green color
Lo ti5en tNlIs some thorEs beTeath its tail They
the thorns the donkey went plunging and dashlng
Out through the city. Thus in those days talk
about the stone ceased. and nothing was heard Of
except tie green donkey This affair notorious
throughout India. and l knew Father Gonsallo
Martins il The year 1906, when he was procurator
f9r lie Queen OF Portugal
There are many tales Of faithful wives and
doubling husbands. OF wives who could keep a
secret OF shipwrecks and unwelcome Enoch Ar
Of poison and passion. OF the quick witteC cour-
tier, OF the cunning priest, Hindu Jesuit pretty
much alike, and all manner of superstition, Of
violence, t7eachery and love Of display There
was one lady who slept in bed q which TIE
head was adorneI with little bells Of & ~ and
silver. She was 50 fastidious that she had her
own room swept with brOorns Of gold and other
places with bro0ms of silver, but so improvident
that when she died she did not have enough to
author. is the fate Of him who s. far forgets
his Creator. These stories follow each other
with great rapidity and pass from personal mar
rative TO vague tradition and back again, not
always convincing. buC full of brightness: not
always without malice, but with q reasona bic
degree Of verisimilitude combining to form q
! lively highly colored and very realistic picture
Of seventeenth century India Manuel seems TO
have been without much gratitude TO the Ori-
entails, who paid him so handsomely for the crude
surgery he offered them. His chief operation
bleeding and that he understood in all its
manifestations. But his specuIations were IN
fortunate, and a bitter tone pervaGes much Of
his comment oH those among whom he spent his
days.
There is d long and explicit discussion Of the
Hindu religion, with particular details of mar
riage customs and funeral ceremonies Nodes
Of government taxes official oppression tort
UIe, oLilelS, SoOthSaNl2S, elephant hunting
such are some Of the subjects treated I'm a rapid
sketchy way. and the field of information Gov
cred is wide. But it is in anecdote and gossip
and the tittle-tattle Of courts rather than in
broad generalization that this author excels
We DO not always quite believe his general
statements, for the manner of their presentation
is not convincing; we do not krow where he
got his facts or wtat Were his Qualifications for
weighing them But as q rambling raconteur
he IS inimitable. Take the story Of the Portu-
guese 50 Fortunate as 10 have arms that reached
below his kne - got himself worshfppeG
and ali the idols of very wealthy temple were
turned over l. him He regaed himself with
delicate dishes and had things all his own way
for years. Until he sent for his brother to be
converted. The two took counsel together al
night in the temple SO secretly that they re-
moved all the treasure from the pagoda without
being found out, even gouging out the diamonds
from the eyes Of the Idols. After the discovery
no Christian allowed to enter the temple
great many singular sup-.stitions are men
tioned. including the magical proIongation Of
life. and the author, fearing to be weari-orne
Tecounts only few Of those governing daily
conduct. Thus. 1t is the habit when carving
water home if they should encounter a corpse
10 throw away the whole Of that water going
back TO refill the vessel. Coming out Of the
house, If any one sneezes. or if a cat crosses in
front Of them, they turn back and relinouish the
business for that day.
Once upon a time there was a poet and must
clan named Birbal. who by reason of pleasant
and agreeable manners became a great favorite
OF the Grand Mogul
one day the king asked him why he b.5 b.o,
so long IN making his appearance al coi,r, ST.
h1rC fsa-fa4 4sv-~-