Shafiz Ullah Khan, son of Hyat Ullah Khan, in the honoured service of His Highness the Rao Sahib of Jagesur in Hindustan, is on a visit to London and writes to his friend Kazi Jamal-ud-Din this account of his impressions ....
"Thou knowest the system of their statecraft? It is this. Certain men, appointing themselves, go about and speak to the low-born, the peasants, the leather-workers and the cloth-dealers and the women, saying: "Give us leave by your favour to speak for you in the council". Securing that permission by large promises, they return to the council-place and, sitting unarmed, some six hundred together, speak at random each for himself and his own ball of low-born."
"They are divided into two hordes - the one perpetually hurling abuse at the other, and bidding the low-born hamper and rebel against all that the other may devise for government. Except that they are unarmed, and so call each other liar, dog, and bastard without fear ... they are at bitter war which is without end."
"If they desire a thing they declare it is true. If they desire it not ... they cry aloud "It has never been". Thus their talk is the talk of children, and like children they snatch at what they covet, not considering whether it is their own or another's."
".... there is a green sickness among the people, and especially among the six hundred men who talk. Neither winter nor autumn abates that malady of the soul. Through the peculiar operation of this thing the people, abandoning honour and steadfastness, question all authority, not as men question but as girls, whimpering ...."
"If one cries in the streets "There has been an injustice!" they take him not to make complaint to those appointed, but all who pass, drinking his words, fly clamorously to the house of the accused and write evil things of him, his wives and his daughters; for they take no account of the weighing of evidence, but are as women."
"And with one hand they beat the constables who guard the streets, and with the other beat the constables for resenting that beating, and fine them. When they have in all things made light of the State they cry to the State for help, and it is given, so that next time they will cry for more."
"... these people despise the trade of arms, and rest content with the memory of old battles."
Taken from "One View of the Question" by Rudyard Kipling, published in 1893. Plus ça change, plus c'est pareil.
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