sophers, since from all I can learn, they seldom throroughly understand themselves?

On returning to the Inn, I found the horses in waiting, the gentlemen's were also in readiness, and we proceeded in company to Ardent Hall. My reception from the Baronet, was very cordial. That of this Lady, was most frigidly polite. Her daughter, did not seem to remember ever having seen me before; but the elder Miss Ardent, shook me by the hand, with a degree of frankness, as masculine as her understanding.

The conversation of the evening, turned upon the same topicks, that had been discussed before the Magistrate, Mr. Axiom and Mr. Puzzledorf doing little more than support the opinions they had formerly advanced. Sir Caprice Ardent, seemed, in general, disposed to agree with the last speaker; and Doctor Sceptick, who made one of the party, made a point of agreeing with none.--Miss Ardent retired to write letters, and her Ladyship and her daughter,

remained as silent as did the friend of Maandaara.

O SHEERMAAL!--Wise and learned Bramin!-May thy meek and generous spirit, pardon the presumption of my ignorance, which refusing to confide in thy experience, persisted in cherishing the ill-founded notion, that all the people of England were Christians! With all humility, I now retract my errour and confess-that of the many religions prevalent in this strange country, Christianity (as it is set forth in the Shaster) has the smallest number of votaries: and, according to the accounts of my new friend, is fast journeying to oblivion.

Much do the Philosophers exult, in exposing the weakness and wickedness of its authors. These artful and designing men, who having entered into a combination to

lead the most virtuous lives, having bound themselves to the practice of fortitude and forbearance, meekness and magnanimity, piety towards God, and benevolence to all mankind, weakly and foolishly, refused to take to themselves any merit for their conduct; and renouncing all worldly honours and interests, resigned themselves to persecution, pains, tortures, and death, in support of the truth of their doctrines.

All this appears very foolish in the eyes of the Philosophers; who, judging of others by themselves, pronounce so much self-denial, fortitude, and forbearance, to be utterly impossible. The God of the Christians, appears in their eyes, as very unreasonable, in exacting purity of heart-and humility from his votaries. They therefore, think it is doing much service to mankind, to free them from these uneasy restraints, and to lead them to the worship of Dewtah, that are not quite so unreasonable.

To make the attempt, is all that is necessary, towards obtaining the appellation of Philosopher.

On examining the Cosha,* I found, indeed, that the word Philosopher, was said to signify, "a man deep in knowledge, either moral or natural"-but, from my own experience, I can pronounce the definition to be nugatory and that those who usually call themselves such, are men, who, without much knowledge, either moral or natural, entertain a high idea of their own superiority, from having the temerity to reject whatever has the sanction of experience, and common sense.

The poojah of Philosophers is performed to certain Idols, called Systems. The faith of each system has been promulgated by the priest, who either first formed the Idol, or first set it up to receive the poojah of the credulous. This faith, is received by the votary of the system with undoubting confidence, and defended with the fervency of pious zeal. It must be confessed, that

* Dictionary.

this zeal, sometimes carries the Philosophers to a pitch of intolerance, that is repugnant to the feelings of a Hindoo. Never did the most bigotted derveish* of the Mussulmans, betray more abhorrence at the sight of the Idols of the Pagoda, than is evinced by the worshipper of system towards a Christian priest! And yet, so far are the latter from returning any portion of this dislike, that the majority of them are very careful not to offend the Philosophers, by too rigid an adherence to the precepts of that Shaster, to which they know their adversaries have such an insuperable antipathy.

All the Philosophers now at Ardent-Hall, perform poojah to different systems and seem to have no opinion in common, except the expectation of the return of the Suttee Jogue, which they distinguish by the name of The Age of Reason.

The antipathy of the Mussulmans to every species of Idolatry, is still the occasion of frequent disturbances to the Hindoos, in the performance of the superstitious ceremonies of their religion.