68
GOLD AND SILVER
CHAP. XVIII.
metals. The route to India by the Cape of GoodHope, which the Portuguese had discovered, in-duced other nations to follow in their steps. Assilver was found the most ready and beneficialarticle to exchange for the commodities of theeast, a great transfer took place of that substancebetween the European and the Asiatic world.This did not affect the quantity produced, butchanged the locality of it. In that change, how-ever, it seems more than probable that a largeportion of the silver which passed to the eastwas abstracted from the use of it as money, andapplied to purposes of magnificence and splendour.
From all we can learn of the ancient history ofIndia , we are warranted in concluding that atthe court of the Great Mogul, and among thenumerous feudal sovereigns who ruled in thatcountry, luxury in the use of gold and silver or-naments was carried to a much higher point thanin Europe in that time, and indeed beyond whatis indulged in either in Europe or Asia in thepresent day. In India , as well as in the extensiveempire of China, at all times, the difference be-tween gold and silver in coin and in utensils wasvery slight. It has been the general practice topass the precious metals from hand to hand byweight, only first ascertaining the purity of themetals by the trials of the shroffs, who have beenalways skilful in assaying.