History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

108 HISTORY OF THE PARSTS. [CHAP. 11,

making a grand total of the donations of this most liberal and generous lady amounting, for this useful undertaking alone, to the sum of Rs.157,000. Lady Jamshedji had frequently urged that, as the poorer classes of the community were concerned, it was no more than right and just that the rich should contvibute to their wants. In thus noticing the liberality of her ladyship, I cannot but avail myself of the opportunity of mentioning circumstances which to some here present may be totally unknown—lI allude, Sir Jamshedji, to the very great liberality of your family. From a memorandum that I made some two years back, and from what I have since been able to collect, though many of your deeds of charity are hidden from the sight of all men, I sum up that no less a sum than £100,000 has been subscribed by your family for public works; and when I come to place this sum in juxtaposition with the gifts of British merchants I say, Give me a Bombay merchant. It matters not to what creed they may belong, as they are created of one and the same God; and the act of benevolence and charity will, it is to be hoped, have its weight eventually. I shall now conclude by proposing the health of Lady Jamshedji, and that she and Sir Jamshedji and family may for many years be blessed with health and prosperity.”

We have referred to the high honour of knighthood

which Sir Jamshedji received from Her Gracious