Beatson, Alexander: A view of the origin and conducts of the war with Tippoo Sultaun: comprising a narrative of the operations of the army under the command of Lieutenant George Harris, and of the Siege of Seringapatam (London, 1800)

150 VIEW OF THE ORIGIN AND CONDUCT
memoranda of the most trivial occurrences. He was fond of
reading, scrupulously attentive to matters of religion, and a rigid
chastiser of drunkeness and other vices.
All his actions of recent date, seem to have proceeded from the
impulse of the moment; and it is impossible to trace any one fixed
principle on which he regulated his conduct. His arrangements
in every department conveyed the idea of an unsettled and capri-
cious mind. Every year, often every month, presented a new
change of system ; and before it was at all comprehended, a fresh
plan was introduced and as quickly abandoned : a particular set
of features, or cast of countenance, was sufficient to raise one man
from obscurity to splendour, and to precipitate another from
honour to disgrace. His government may be said to have been
in a state of incessant revolution; and, notwithstanding the mi-
nuteness and severity of his regulations, no prince was ever so
grossly imposed upon. He does not appear, like the generality
of Indian princes, to have been fond of hoarding his treasures;
but, on the contrary, his pride was to have a number of depen-
dents; and his indifference to the peculations of his servants was
altogether unaccountable.
It is hardly possible to suppose that he wished to introduce the
principle of equality among his subjects ; but he disgusted ail the
men of rank, and his father's old servants, by an indiscriminate
and capricious mixture of men of the lowest rank, with those of
family and long services. He would promote a Tipdar, (com-
mander of a hundred men) or a petty Aumildar to be a Meer
Meeran (the highest military rank); and raise a Risaldar* to the
* Commander of ten to a hundred horse.