vent or enjoy, in their secluded state.
Some receiving, others paying visits in covered conveyances; all doing
honour to the day by wearing their best jewellery and splendid dresses.
The zeenahnah rings with the festive songs and loud music, the cheerful
meeting of friends, the distribution of presents to dependants, and
remembrances to the poor; all is life and joy, cheerful bustle and
amusement, on this happy day of Eade, when the good lady of the mansion
sits in state to receive nuzzas from inferiors, and granting proofs of her
favour to others.

Nuzza[12] is an offering of money from inferiors to those who rank in
society above the person presenting; there is so much of etiquette
observed in Native manners, that a first visit to a superior is never made
without presenting a nuzza. When we arrived in India, an old servant of my
husband's family, named Muckabeg, was sent to meet us at Patna to escort
us to Lucknow; on entering our budgerow[13] he presented fourteen rupees
to me, which were laid on a folded handkerchief. I did not then understand
what was intended, and looked to the Meer for explanation; he told me to
accept Muckabeg's 'Nuzza'. I hesitated, remarking that it seemed a great
deal more than a man in his situation could afford to give away. My
husband silenced my scruples by observing, 'You will learn in good time
that these offerings are made to do you honour, together with the certain
anticipation of greater benefits in return; Muckabeg tenders this nuzza to
you, perhaps it is all the money he possesses, but he feels assured it
will be more than doubly repaid to him in the value of a khillaut[14]
(dress of honour) he expects from your hands to-day. He would have behaved
himself disrespectfully in appearing before you without a nuzza, and had
you declined accepting it, he would have thought that you were either
displeased with him, or did not approve of his coming.' This little
incident will perhaps explain the general nature of all the nuzzas better
than any other description I could offer.

Kings and Nuwaubs keep the festival in due form, seated on the throne or
musnud, to receive the congratulations and nuzzas of courtiers and
dependants, and presenting khillauts to ministers, officers of state, and
favourites. The gentlemen manage to pass the day in receiving and paying
visits, all in their several grades having some inferiors to honour them
in the presentation of offerings, and on whom they can confe