ADVERTISEMENT. THE frontispiece of this volume, exhibiting the famous peacock-throne of the Mogul emperors of India, the subjoined account of that throne by the Baron Tavernier, who saw it about the close of the 17th century, will probably prove acceptable to the reader. He speaks of one peacock only, but two appear in this print, which was drawn, at Delhi, by an European artist in the train of Nadir Shah, who, on the plunder of that city in 1739, broke it to pieces, and carried the jewels that composed it into Persia, whence they have been scattered through Asia and Europe. "The great Mogul has seven thrones, some set all over with diamonds; others with rubies, emeralds, and pearls. But the largest throne is erected in the hall of the first court of the vi ADVERTISEMENT. palace; it is, in form, like one of our field-beds, six feet long and four broad. I counted about a hundred and eight pale rubies in collets about that throne, the least whereof weighed a hundred carats, but there are some that weighed two hundred. Emeralds I counted about a hundred and forty, that weighed some threescore, some thirty, carats. 11 "The under part of the canopy is entirely embroidered with pearls and diamonds, with a fringe of pearls round the edge. Upon the top of the canopy, which is made like an arch with four panes, stands a peacock, with his tail spread, consisting entirely of sapphires and other proper coloured stones: the body is of beaten gold, enchased with numerous jewels; and a great ruby adorns his breast, to which hangs a pearl that weighs fifty carats. On each side of the peacock stand two nosegays, as high as the bird, consisting of various sorts of flowers, all of beaten gold enamelled. When the king seats himself upon the throne, there is a transparent jewel, with a diamond appendant of eighty or ninety carats weight, encompassed with rubies and emeralds, so suspended that it is always in his eye. The twelve pillars also, ADVERTISEMENT. vii that uphold the canopy, are set round with rows of fair pearl and of an excellent water, that weigh from six to ten carats a piece. At the distance of four feet, upon each side of the throne, are placed two umbrellas, the handles of which are about five feet high, covered with diamonds; the umbrellas themselves, being of crimson velvet, embroidered and fringed with pearl. This is the famous throne which Timur began and Shah Jehaun finished, and is really reported to have cost a hundred and sixty millions and five hundred thousand livres of our money."* * Tavernier's Indian Travels, tom. iii. p. 331, edit. 1713. Directions to the Binder: The PEACOCK THRONE-frontispiece, |