In alluding to the Sultaun’s death, the regretted biographer of Sir David Baird says, “One cannot but regret, for the honour of human nature, and even for the sake of England, the end of such a man as Tippoo, shot in cold blood by a man endeavouring to rob him. Let us hope the man was a sepoy.” The man was an Irish soldier, who many years afterwards stated the fact in confession, and when _in articulo mortis_. “Cold blood!” Could blood be cold during the storm of a defended city, and under an Indian sun almost at noon? The tyrant only met the doom he merited. For his talents we give him credit--his courage obtains our admiration--his munificence we admit--but for the murderer of the brave we feel neither sympathy nor regret. ASSAYE. Effect of Tippoo’s death upon the Native Princes.--Dhoondia’s rise and fall.--War between Scindia and Holkar.--Their differences accommodated.--Hostilities commence again.--Operations.--Camp at Assaye.--Battle.--Death of Colonel Maxwell.--Results of the Victory at Assaye.--Honours conferred on General Wellesley.--He returns to England. The death of Tippoo Saib, and the fall of Seringapatam, were astounding tidings for the native chiefs. Their delusory notions regarding their individual importance were ended--and a striking proof had been given of what little reliance could be placed on Indian mercenaries and places of strength, when England went forth in wrath and sent her armies to the field. As the fear of Britain became confirmed, so did the hatred of the native princes to every thing connected with her name. A power that had proved herself so formidable was to be dreaded, fixed as she was in the very heart of India: and, as the difficulty increased, so did the desire of freeing themselves from that thrall, which daily appeared to press upon them more heavily. With political history we have no business, farther than regards the military operations we detail; but, as warfare originates in state policy, the elucidation of the one will occasionally require that brief allusions should be made to the other.