the folly of it.

[* They were released, and have been ever since at large on security.
One of them visited me in April 1851, and said, that as a point of
honour, they should abstain from joining in the fight for their
rights, but felt it very hard to be bound to do so.]

In our own districts in Upper India, they often kill each other in
such contests; but more frequently ruin each other in litigation in
our Civil Courts, to the benefit of the native attorneys and law-
officers, who fatten on the misery they create or produce. In Oude
they always decide such questions by recourse to arms, and the loss
of life is no doubt fearful. Still the people generally, or a great
part of them, would prefer to reside in Oude, under all the risks to
which these contests expose them, than in our own districts, under
the evils the people are exposed to from the uncertainties of our
law, the multiplicity and formality of our Courts, the pride and
negligence of those who preside over them, and the corruption and
insolence of those who must be employed to prosecute or defend a
cause in them, and enforce the fulfilment of a decree when passed.

The members of the landed aristocracy of Oude always speak with
respect of the administration in our territories, but generally end
with remarking on the cost and uncertainty of the law in civil cases,
and the gradual decay, under its operation, of all the ancient
families. A less and less proportion of the annual produce of their
lands is left to them in our periodical settlements of the land
revenue, while family pride makes them expend the same sums in the
marriage of their children, in religious and other festivals,
personal servants, and hereditary retainers. They fall into balance,