Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/175

 Chap, VI. ] REIGN OF AKBER 141

he often underwent great toils and exposed hinisell' to great perils, from a mere ad 1005. love of adventure. His intellect, though not of the first order, wiis remarkably acute, and nothing pleased him more than discussions of a metaphysical and [)uzzling nature. When not actually engaged in these discussions, he delighted to be present at them as a listener ; and amused himself with the wianglings of philosoi)hical or religious sects, whose leaders he on varioas occasions summoned to court for this veiy purpose. One of the most remarkable of these discussions took place when he held a meeting of Maliometan doctors and Portuguese mis- sionaries, and deluded the latter by pretending to have some idea of becoming a Christian convert. The truth seems to be, that he had few serious convictions of any kind, and employed his acuteness, not so much for the purpo.se of disco- vering, as of evading truth.

In private life he was a kind and imlulgent parent, and a generous, warm- Akbers hearted, and strongly attached friend. Indeed, it may be truly said, that the only real griets which he suffered through life had their soui'ce in these two relations. As a military commander, he takes high rank. He did not fight many great battles, but often, after some of his ablest officers had fought and lost them, he no sooner made his appearance in the field than fortune, which had forsaken them, seemed to return, and defeat was converted into victory. In the cabinet he was still more successful than in the field; and possessed in the hiijliest degfree the art of winninii the affections of all with whom he came in contact, and rendering their varied talents antl influence subservient to the advancement of his service. For the first time Mahometans and Hindoos were seen, during his reign, working harmoniously together, while holding places of lionour and trust near the throne.

Akbers best fame is founded on his internal administration, into which so inteniai

, ^ nilniinistra-

many important inn)rovements were introduced, that it would be difficult to tum. enumerate them. Suffice it hei'e to say, that in every department of the state, business wtis conducted on rational, liberal, and tolerant principles; justice was administered impartially among all chiases of subjects, without reference to birth or religious profession; and the revenue was raised in the manner sup- posed to be mo.st equitable and least oppressive. Having first fixed a uniform standard t)f meivsurement, he carefully ascertained the extent and relative pro- ductiveness of each landed tenement, and then fairly apportioned the amount of taxation which each ought to bear. In this way there was little room for iavouritism ; ami a burdtMi which, while it lay equall}' upon all, was not exces- sive in its amount, was borne easily and without gnidging.

In connection with Akbers revenue sv.stem may be mentioned his adminis- Division <.f trative divisions of the empire into pro^^nces or suhihs, each of which wjis einpire int.. governed by a head officer called a suhahdar, whose powers were equivalent to those of a viceroy, all authority, civil as well as military, within the province being vested in him Subordinate to the subahdar, though a])|)ointed not by