eason to suppose that he had anything to do
with the Taj. Sleeman's story about his work at Agra and his death
comes from Tavernier (i. 108, transl. Ball: see next note). Austin
was in the service of Jahangir as early as 1621, and probably came
out to India from Persia in 1614. He is described as an engineer
(_ingenieur_), and is recorded to have made a golden throne for
Jahangir (_J.R.A.S._, 1910, pp. 494, 1343-5). Sleeman's misreading of
_ustad_ as _ustan_, and his consequent blunders, have misled
innumerable writers. In cursive Persian the misreading is easy and
natural. He took Ustan as intended for 'Austin'. Certain marks in the
garden on the other side of the river indicate the spot where Shah
Jahan had begun work on his own tomb. Aurangzeb, as Tavernier
observes, was 'not disposed to complete it' (see _A.S.R._, iv. 180).

For a summary of the controversy concerning the alleged share of
Geronimo Veroneo in the design of the Taj, see _H.F.A._, 1911, pp.
416-18. Personally, I am of opinion, as I was more than twenty years
ago, that 'the incomparable Taj is the product of a combination of
European and Asiatic genius'. That opinion makes some people very
angry.

19. I would not be thought very positive upon this point, I think I
am right, but feel that I may be wrong. Tavernier says that Shah
Jahan was obliged to give up his intention of completing a silver
ceiling to the great hall in the palace, because Austin de Bordeaux
had been killed, and no other person could venture to attempt it.
Ustan [_sic_] Isa, in all the Persian accounts, stands first among
the salaried architects. [W. H. S.] Tavernier's words are, 'Shah
Jahan had intended to cover the arch of a great gallery which is on
the right hand with silver, and a Frenchman, named Augustin de
Bordeaux, was to have done the work. But the Great Mogul, seeing
there was no one in his kingdom who was more capable to send to Goa
to negotiate an affair with the Portuguese, the work was not done,
for, as the ability of Augustin was feared, he was poisoned on his
return from Cochin.' (_Tavernier_, transl. Ball, vol. i, p. 108. )
The statement that Austin had 'finished the palace at Delhi, and the
mausoleum and palace of Agra' is not warranted by any evidence known
to the editor.

20. Akbar erected his works on the site of an older fort, named
Badalgarh, presumably of Hindu origin, 'which was of brick, and had
become ruinous.' No existing building within the precincts c