Page:Advice to the Indian Aristocracy.djvu/79

41 Several such meetings have had bad results owing to the intrigues of one or the other of the two parties concerned. Such behaviour simply brings dishonour on the person who pursues it, and never elevates his position in the least. Even at the present time some of us are particularly strict in the observance of the prescribed etiquette; but I think there should now be some relaxation in its observance.

Suppose a Zamindar is going to pay his first visit to another, and that all the details of the etiquette to be observed at the time are settled beforehand, then if the receiving Zamindar, whether intentionally or not, does not act up to the settled etiquette, he is the cause of the unhappy results of the meeting, but his conduct never degrades the visitor. If, therefore, any such meetings happen, the one who receives must act up to the very word and letter of what has been already