1 MERCHANTS.
2 gOVORHBentt they seemed to have no fears from the King or iht
3 Frime Minister, but only from their inferior agents, ^^^len any
4 ordinary courtier was employed to iK^rrotiate a loan with them, they
5 said he was likely to im])ose on oi ()|)|)ress them for his own profit ;
6 but, when tlie afiair was committed Ui a man of a respectable cha-
7 racter, who would communicate fairly bt (\m en them and the govern-
8 ment, they met with very equitable treatment. The opposite party
9 levied contributions and extorted luont^v by all means, but tliey were
10 then struggling to overturn the government ; and, though their habits
11 are very irregular, it is |irobable that the secure posstaisiou of the
12 kingdom has now improved their char^ter in this respect The
13 bankers must derive much security firom the great Dooramu es putting
14 money into their hands to be employed to the best ach antage ; a
15 practice, which identifies the interestii of the bankers uiul the nobility.
16 Needy nobles, also afford their protection to bankers, and treat iliera
17 with great attention, in the hope of being able to borrow money from
18 them i and, like all otjier cImoct <^ induatmus people, they derive
19 beiefit from the obvioiui mterert y^iiA tJie £ng htm ib protecting
20 them againrt inditiduails of Jus o#n natuMi.
21 The merdumtfl are genenUj Tai\jiks, Penianiy or A^^muMi
22 Hufug^ oommeroe is by no meeiis hwlEed down on in lliig oountryt
23 though the merahauta are generally ledumed among the iqpfW
24 rlmiipii of (he society, and though several Khanns of iolcfior nmkt
25 even among the Dooraunees^ are mercfaaatss yet» there are none of
26 those htfge fortunes and estenaiTe concenis' among them, wfajdi am
27 seen in Persia and India. Hie long dvil wars have occasioned *
28 gieat decline of oonimerce, by icndfliing the roads imsalhk and
29 ing whole caravans to be plundeied bjoneoEotherof thecontoidinif
30 parties. Otherwise the situation of Canbul, between India, Petsiap
31 Tartary* and Bclochestaun, together with the possession of Casfameer,
32 would not fiul to give itgreat advantages. . .
33 The merchants ave sU sober, frugal* unassumii^; people ; and» from
34 the joumies to tattaffk countries which ^iMif'miie tn the.oouiaeof
35 Ihllr conoeRis, thti;y aie move polnhed mid than mesfc
36 Digitized by Gopgle