The British in India, first as adventurers and traders, and finally as rulers through the India Office in London and the Viceroy's Government in India, oversaw all aspects of Indian life. All was recorded in detail, yielding the rich sources which, together with a vast library of traveler's tales and personal memoirs, underpin this study. This is not a traditional history, but a narrative social and cultural history, naturally framed by the political and military story and the imperial context.