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360 all mankind, not the God of Mohammedans alone. Pagans and Mohammedans are equal in His presence, distinction of colour are of His ordination. It is He who gives existence. In your temples to His name the voice is raised in prayer; in the House of Images, where the bell is shaken, still He is the object of adoration: to vilify the religion or customs of other men is to set at naught the pleasure of the Almighty; when we deface the picture, we naturally incur the resentment of the painter; and justly has the poet said, 'Presume not to arraign or scrutinize the various works of Power Divine.'

"In fine, the tribute you demand from the Hindoos is repugnant to justice; it is equally foreign from good policy, as it must impoverish the country. Moreover, it is an innovation and an infringement of the laws of Hindostan. But if zeal for your own religion hath induced you to determine upon this measure, the demand ought, by the rules of equity, to have been made first upon Ram Sing, who is esteemed the principal among the Hindoos. Then let your well-wisher be called upon, with whom you will have less difficulty to encounter; but to torment ants and flies is unworthy of an heroic or generous mind. It is wonderful that the Ministers of your Government should have neglected to instruct your Majesty in the rule of rectitude and honour."