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History of Aurangzib by Jadanath Sarkar; Anecdotes of Aurangzib, and Historical Essaysby Jadanath SarkarJournal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, (Oct., 1913), pp. 1092-1093Published by: Cambridge University PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25189091 .

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7/29/2019 History of Aurangzib by Jadanath Sarkar; Anecdotes of Aurangzib, And Historical Essays

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1092 NOTICES OF BOOKS

the number were really 250 on the stone. Then it wouldbe an average number. But as it is 256 and not 250 thisargument also does not hold good.The value of Neumann's book is increased by theaddition of some tine photographs of sacred places inBuddhist India, at the beginning and at the end ofthe text.

E. MOller.

History of Aurangzib. By Jadanatii Sarkar, M.A.2 vols. Calcutta, 1912.

Anecdotes of Aurangzib, and Historical Essays. Bythe same. Calcutta, 1912.

The history of Aurangzib, mainly based on Persiansources, gives an excellent account of that great emperorfrom his boj^hood until his enthronement. The story ofthe latter part of Shah Jahan's reign, and the struggleby his sons for the succession, with its awful battles andslaughter, is given as a narrative of events and actions,with ample references to the sources from which theaccounts are taken, and notes regarding men and places,but without commentary or reflection, with which onemight or might not agree, upon the character or themotives of the actors. It iswritten, too, in an easy style,and so is a very readable book. No better criticism ofit can be made than that, quoted in the Introduction, bythe late Mr. W. Irvine, who had read the earlier chapters." I like the style?it being a judicious compromise betweenthe overcrowded stiffness of my Later Mughals and morepopular journalese writing, yet without any sacrifice ofexactness. I like very much your attention to genealogyand topography, and above all 3'our recourse to modernsources of information?the Indian Atlas and moderntravellers."

7/29/2019 History of Aurangzib by Jadanath Sarkar; Anecdotes of Aurangzib, And Historical Essays

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INDIA AND THE INDIANS 1093

By no means the least important part of the work is theBibliography at the end of vol. ii, containing the namesand short descriptions of fifty-four Persian MSS., whichthe author had searched out and studied, besides the

writings of the early European travellers in the East.The author hopes to continue this histoiy in some twoor three more volumes; they will be welcome.The second book, by the same author, contains seventy

two short anecdotes, translated from the Persian, concerningAurangzib, connected with his rule as emperor andcharacteristic of him, told in an easy style with notesabout the persons concerned and the works whence thetranslations were made. To these are added short essays,

mainly on the life and events about the Dehli court andempire in the time of Shah Jahan and Aurangzib. Theseessays have appeared previously in the Modem and the

Hindustan Revieivs, whilst one of them on the conquestof Chatgaon was published in tlie JASB. for 1907.

India and the Indians. By Edwin F. Elwin.London, 1913. ,

Fr. Elwin, whose book Indian Jottings was wellreceived a few years ago, has had, as he says, "unusuallyfavourable and varied opportunities for getting to knowintimately the inner side of Indian life and character

during a somewhat long residence in this country," andgives in this book chapters on a variety of subjects aboutwhich he has observed and thought. The book ispleasant reading, written in a clear and fair way by onewho evidently has keen observation, strong personalinfluence, sympathy and humour, and so gives a nearerinsight of the people amongst whom the author movesand those amongst whom he lives in a simple way, chieflyin a village near to Poona, than is to be gathered from