A charming satirical work by the prolific artist Sir Charles D'Oyly (1781–1845). He climbed his was through the ranks as a civilian member of the East India Company, being the Opium Agent of Bihar and Commercial Resident of Patna between 1821 and 1831. There is some suggestion that this work was actually written much earlier by D'Oyly in 1811, but only published during this more fortuitous period of his employment, and is his only humorous work.

D'Oyly was invested in the promotion of printed art enough to found an amateur art society in July 1824 called the "United Patna and Gaya Society" or "Behar School of Athens".

First edition; 8vo (24.5 x 16 cm), bound without half-title; 22 hand-coloured aquatint plates and 3 hand-coloured lithograph plates, occasional faint offsetting; later half morocco by Worsfold, marbled boards ruled in gilt, spine lettered in gilt in six compartments, top edge gilt, marbled end-papers, a touch of rubbing to spine; vii, [3], 325pp.

Abbey (Travel), 450; Tooley 186.