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"which the moft abftrufe of them are founded; yet, if this knowledge be unaccompanied by the humble worship of the Omnifcient God, it fhall prove altogether vain, and unprofitable." I have heard of a conveyance, which, although not eligible for my perfonal accommodation, yet will ferve to tranfinit this letter to my friend.

May he who poffeffes the eight attributes, receive your prayers! May you walk in the fhadow of Veeflinu! and when by the favour of Varuna, this letter fhall reach the dwelling of Maandaara, may he read its contents with the fame fentiments of friendship, as now beats in the bofom of Zaarmilla. The brother of Zamarcanda falutes the fifter of his heart, and weeps over the tender bloffom he entrusted to her bofom. O that by her carc, his mind may be nourished by the refreshing dew of early virtue! What can I fay more?

*This paffage appears to have been taken from the Tervo-Vaulever Kuddel, a compofition which bears the marks of confiderable antiquity, and which, though written not by a Bramin, but a Hindoo of the loweft order, is held in high estimation, for the beauties of its poetry, and intrinfic value of its precepts. Part of it has been lately tranflated into English, by Mr. Kinderfley.

LETTER XV.

PRAISE to Ganefa*! How would the God, whofe fymbol is an Elephant's Head, have been aftonifhed, could he have defcended to have been a fpectator of the fcene I have juft now witneffed? Had he beheld, in what a ridiculous light he is reprefented by the Philofophers of Europe, who pretend to be his worshippers, I am afraid, he would have been more than half afhamed of his votaries. But let me not anticipate. You must travel the whole journey: and, according to my plan of punctual and minute information, you must be told, that I left London the morning after that in which my laft epiftle was concluded. And travelling, after the manner of the country, in a carriage drawn by four horfes, which were changed every fix or eight cofs, at Choultries, replete with every convenience, and occupied by the politeft, and civileft, and the most hofpitable people, I have, fince my refidence in Europe, ever encountered.

The God of Wisdom, whofe fymbol is the Head of an Elephant.

Wherever I ftopped, fmiles of welcome fat on every brow, nor was the benign fauvity of their manners, confined to myself alone; it extended even to my domeftics; and was particularly evinced in the cordial looks, and kindly greetings bestowed on my English Sircar, who has the uncontrouled difbursement of my money.

I had already travelled upwards of two hundred miles (about one hundred of our cofs) without meeting with any adventure without notice; and had turned a few miles out of the great road, into that which leads to the Baronet's, when on ftopping to change horfes, at the Inn of a paltry village, I met with an unexpected delay. They had no horfes at home. I was, therefore, under the neceffity of waiting for the return of a pair, which the landlord affured me, would be back in lefs than half an hour, and fhould then proceed with me immediately. I was a little furprised, to hear him propofe having my carriage drawn by one pair, as my English fervant had affured me, it was a thing impoffible. And his judgment had been confirmed, not only by the London horfe-hirer, but by the Mafter of every Inn upon the road. the road. But as the road was now more broken, and more hilly, than I had hitherto travelled, I found that

two horfes would be fufficient. And for these two, I refolved to wait with all poffible patience.-I do not know that I have hitherto mentioned to you, that in this country, there are various ways of measuring time: and that, what is with trades-people, inn-keepers, fervants, &c. called five minutes, is feldom less than one hour, by the fun-dial. What they call an hour, is a very undeterminate period indeed; being fometimes two hours, and as I have frequently known it, with my English fervant, fometimes the length of a whole evening. Making up my mind, therefore, to ipend two or three hours, at this forry village, I was not a little pleased, to hear, that I had the profpect of fome company; and that two gentlemen from Sir Caprice Ardent's, were in the fame houfe. They foon introduced themselves to my acquaintance; and it was not long before I discovered, that thefe were two of the Philofophers, mentioned to me by my friend Severan.

They informed me, that they had been brought to the village on a difagreeable errand. They had, it feems, been ftepped and robbed in their way from London to Ardent-Hall. The robber was now in cuflody, but their evidence was neceffary for his commitment to prison. On this account, they were defired to appear

before a Magiftrate; and as I rejoice in every new scene, from which I can hope to acquire a new idea, I gladly accompa nied them thither. Little did I know, what acquifitions were to be made to my ftock of knowledge! or, that in the fimple business of recognizing the person of a robber, I was to be made acquainted with a complete fyftem of Philofophy. Alas! ignorant that I was! I knew not that to involve the fimpleft queftion in perplexity, and to veil the plain dictates of common fenfe, in the thick mift of obfcurity and doubt, is an easy matter with metaphyfical Philofophers!

We were fhewn into the Hall of Juftice, and found the Magiftrate feated in his chair. This portly perfonage, who in figure very much refembled thofe images of the Mandarines of China, which are often to be seen both in Afia and Europe, with due folemnity of voice, addreffing himself to the eldeft of the two gentlemen, defired him to examine the features of the culprit, who now ftood before him, and fay, whether he was fatisfied as to his identity. "Much may be faid upon the subject of identity," replied Mr. Puzzledorf; "the greatest philofophers have differed in their opinions concerning it, and ill would it become me, to decide

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