[220] Compare the following observations of a late excellent writer upon India. “M. Dupleix’s wonderful talent for diplomacy and intrigue soon obtained signal triumphs. His emissaries were everywhere; and the native princes were all as fickle as faithless. In his intrigues with them he is said to have derived wonderful assistance from his wife, who was born in India, and perfectly understood not only the languages, but also the character of the natives. In his union with this lady, who is described as being even more ambitious than himself, we may probably trace the cause of the essentially Oriental spirit of many of his proceedings.”—Macfarlane’s History of British India, chap. iii. p. 31. We shall, hereafter, have occasion to return to this work, in connection with the Burmese war in 1824-26. [221] Symes, vol. i. pp. 70-72. [222] Sangermano, however, shows, by the ordinance of the port, that the seizure of the vessel and its contents was nothing remarkable.—See his Burmese Empire, p. 170. [223] Vol. i. p. 74. [224] Book i. chap. vi. p. 103. [225] Symes, vol. i. p. 76. [226] Book i. chap. iii. p. 56. [227] Symes, vol. i. p. 81. [228] Symes, vol. i. pp. 83-88. [229] Ava, vol. i. p. 96. [230] Symes, vol. i. pp. 106-109. [231] Ib. id. pp. 113-115. [232] Symes, vol. i. p. 120 sqq. [233] Burmese Empire, p. 48. [234] Ava, vol. i. p. 124. [235] Symes, vol. i. p. 147 sq. [236] Burmese Empire, p. 49. [237] Symes, vol. i. p. 150. [238] Ib. id. p. 151. [239] Ib. id. p. 191 sqq. [240] Symes alludes to the fate of Louis XVI. [241] See book i. chap. iv. p. 78. [242] I continue the narrative in the words of Sangermano, p. 50. [243] According to Malcom (vol. i. p. 157), the _fourth_ son. [244] His reign, however, included eleven days.—Symes, vol. i. p. 227. [245] My chief authority is Symes, vol. i. p. 218 sq. [246] Symes, vol. i. pp. 221-224. Sangermano’s account, it will be perceived, is somewhat different. [247] Ava, vol. i. p. 231. [248] See book i. chap. ii. p. 40. [249] My chief authority is Crawfurd, vol. ii. pp. 1-9. [250] Ava, vol. ii, p. 5. [251] Ib. id. p. 6. [252] Ava, vol. i. p. 131. [253] Ava, vol. i. p. 133. [254] Symes, vol. i. p. 138. [255] Alves in Journal quoted by Symes, vol. i. p. 140. [256] Bassein. [257] Symes, vol. i. p. 142. [258] Marquis Wellesley’s Indian Despatches, &c. [259] Macfarlane’s History of British India, p. 355. [260] Macfarlane, _l.c._ [261] In 1802 Symes again visited Burmah for a diplomatic purpose; but his letters, while they modify his book, add little of value to our knowledge of the country. [262] This is, however, very problematical. Mr. Macfarlane cannot have forgotten the whole previous history of European intercourse with the country, and how many distinctions and quibblings were brought forward at different times upon that plea. [263] Travels, vol. i. p. 159. [264] See Sangermano, p. 113. [265] Wilson’s Narrative of the Burmese War, p. 1 of the reprint of 1852.