Tara: A Mahratta Tale

by Meadows Taylor

  Produced by sp1nd, Moti Ben-Ari and the Online DistributedProofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file wasproduced from images generously made available by TheInternet Archive)

  TARA: A MAHRATTA TALE

  _EXTRACTS FROM SOME PRESS NOTICES OF "TARA."_

  THE "TIMES."

  "For its rapid action, in fact, we have seldom read a better story, orone which is more full of incidents, sanguinary, trenchant, and robust."

  THE "DAILY TELEGRAPH."

  "A true and a wonderfully well-sustained piece of Oriental life andstriking history."

  THE "SPECTATOR."

  "This is a very remarkable book. It is a determined attempt to bringthe interior Hindoo and Mussulman life of a great Mahratta provinceduring the most exciting times home to the hearts and understandingsof Englishmen, to interest them in people with whom they have nothingexcept human nature in common."

  "MORNING POST."

  "'Tara' is a unique work. There is nothing like it in the Englishliterature of fiction. No other writer has ever attempted the portrayalof Indian life, society, and interests, entirely free from any Europeanadmixture of character or incident. The author himself now does sofor the first time. 'The Confessions of a Thug' related to Britishjurisdiction in India. 'Tippoo Sultan' dealt with the gallant strugglesof that monarch against the encroaching British power, but 'Tara' isall Indian."

  "SATURDAY REVIEW."

  "It is seldom that we meet with a work of fiction executed withanything like the conscientious care and minute elaboration of CaptainMeadows Taylor's Indian Tale. His characters have mostly the clearnessand individuality of portraits, and his scenery exhibits all the markedand decisive features of photographs taken on the spot. The workthroughout is evidently that of a master of Oriental life and characterin love with his subject, to whom nothing appears trivial or beneathnotice that can illustrate the peculiar traits of Asiatic nature, orkindle an enthusiasm for knowing more of the history, manners, andusages of our fellow-subjects in the east."

  THE "STANDARD."

  "In no one part of the work has Captain Taylor shown more thorough artthan in those pages in which he details the features of the Hindooand Mahomedan family life. He never overloads; his characters are notlay figures attired in triple folds of gorgeous robes to hide theirnakedness. With a few subtle touches he shows us the interior life ofeach household, and the morning springs of every character, and heleaves us to fill in the obvious details for ourselves."

  COLONEL MEADOWS TAYLOR'S INDIAN TALES.

  Each complete in 1 volume, Crown 8vo. Illustrated, price 6s.

  THE CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. RALPH DARNELL. TARA. TIPPOO SULTAUN.

  LONDON: C. KEEGAN PAUL & CO.

  "Now listen, all ye Brahmuns; I am true and pure, and Iam Sutee henceforth."P. 461.]

  TARA _A MAHRATTA TALE_

  BY MEADOWS TAYLOR, C.S.I., M.R.A.S., M.R.I.A., ETC., ETC., AUTHOR OF "SEETA," "CONFESSIONS OF A THUG," ETC., ETC.

  THIRD EDITION

  LONDON: C. KEGAN PAUL & CO., 1, PATERNOSTER SQUARE. 1879.

  (_The rights of translation and of reproduction are reserved._)

  To HIS EXCELLENCY THE EARL OF CARLISLE, K. G., VICEROY OF IRELAND, ETC. ETC. ETC.

  MY LORD,

  THE SCENES AND CHARACTERS WHICH I HAVE ENDEAVOURED TO DEPICT IN THESEVOLUMES WILL BE NECESSARILY NEW AND STRANGE TO YOU; BUT IF THEYEXCITE INTEREST IN THE NATIVE ANNALS OF A COUNTRY OF WHICH I FIND BUTLITTLE REAL KNOWLEDGE EXISTING, THE OBJECT OF THE WORK WILL HAVE BEENATTAINED; WHILE, BY THE KIND COURTESY WHICH PERMITS ME TO DEDICATE ITTO YOU, YOUR EXCELLENCY CONFERS UPON ME A VERY SINCERE GRATIFICATION.

  I HAVE THE HONOUR TO BE, YOUR LORDSHIP'S VERY FAITHFUL SERVANT, MEADOWS TAYLOR.

  OLD COURT, HAROLD'S CROSS, NEAR DUBLIN, _August, 1863_.