when they shall have a well grounded confidence, that the proportion of it will never be raised, except for a time on fome great emergence, which may endanger all they poffefs; when either the performance of every legal contract fhall be enforced, or a certain and adequate compenfation be given for the breach of it; when no wrong fhall remain unredressed, and when redress shall be obtained at little expense, and with all the speed, that may be confiftent with neceffary deliberation; then will the population and refources of Bengal and Bahar continually increase, and our nation will have the glory of conferring happiness on confiderably more than twenty-four millions (which is at least the prefent number) of their native inhabitants, whose cheerful industry will enrich their benefactors, and whofe firm attachment will fecure the permanence of our dominion.

AL SIRAJIYYAH,

THE

INTRODUCTION.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD!

PRAISE be to GOD, the Lord of all worlds; the praise of those who give Him thanks! And His bleffing on the best of created beings, MUHAMMED, and his excellent family! The Prophet of GOD (on whom be his blessing and peace!) faid: "Learn the laws of inheritance, "and teach them to the people; for they are "one half of useful knowledge." Our learned in the law (to whom GOD be merciful!) fay: "There belong to the property of "a perfon deceased four fucceffive duties to "be performed by the magiftrate: firft, his fune"ral ceremony and burial without fuperfluity "of expenfe, yet without deficiency; next, the

"discharge of his juft debts from the whole of "his remaining effects; then the payment of "his legacies out of a third of what remains "after his debts are paid; and, laftly, the diftri"bution of the refidue among his fucceffors, ac

cording to the Divine Book, to the Traditions, "and to the Affent of the Learned." They begin with the persons entitled to shares, who are fuch as have each a specifick share allotted to them in the book of Almighty GOD; then they proceed to the refiduary heirs by relation, and they are all fuch as take what remains of the inheritance, after those who are entitled to fhares; and, if there be only refiduaries, they take the whole property: next to residuaries for Special caufe, as the master of an enfranchised flave and his male refiduary heirs; then they return to those entitled to fhares according to their respective rights of confanguinity; then to the more diftant kindred; then to the fucceffor by contract; then to him who was acknowledged as a kinfman through another, fo as not to prove his confanguinity, provided the deceased perfifted in that acknowledgement even till he died; then to the perfon, to whom the whole property was left by will; and laftly to the publick treasury.