History of the Sikhs (J. D. Cunningham)

J. D. Cunningham · 1849 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

1Author’s Preface

2To

3The Second Edition

4The Author’s principal object in writing this history has not

5always been understood, and he therefore thinks it right to

6say that his main endeavour was to give Sikhism its place in

7the general history of humanity, by showing its connection

8with the different creeds of India, by exhibiting it as a natural

9and important result of the Mahometan Conquest, and by

10impressing upon the people of England the great necessity of

11attending to the mental changes now in progress amongst

12their subject millions in the East, who are erroneously thought

13to by sunk in superstitious apathy, or to be held spell-bound

14in ignorance by a dark and designing priesthood. A secondary

15object of the Author’s was to give some account of the

16connection of the English with the Sikhs, and in part with

17the Afghans, from the time they began to take a direct interest

18in the affairs of these races, and to involve them in the web

19of their policy for opening the navigation of the Indus, and

20for bringing Toorkistan and Khorassan within their commercial

21influence. |

22It has also been remarked by some public critics and

24Sikhs, and that an officer in the Indian army should appear