as under that of Hindoo or Mussulman; and they do not understand that we have yet recognised in our code of native law, any other sect than that of Hindoo and Mussulman.

G.

Ancient civilization of India.

The constant reference of some authors to what is termed the ancient civilization of the Hindoos, gives currency to an opinion in Europe, that the natives of India are yet in an improved state of society. It is probable that the Hindoos were once a civiliz ed people, in the sense in which the ancient Chaldeans and ancient Egyptians are said to have been civilized. The result of the most accurate researches on this subject, appears to be the following.

From the plains of Shinar, at the time of the dispersion, some tribes migrated towards the East to India, and some towards the west to Egypt, while others remained in Chaldea. At an early period, we read of the "wisdom and learning of the Egyptians," and of the Chaldeans; and it is probable that the "wisdom and learning" of the Hindoos were the same in degree at the same period of time. In the mean while patriarchal tradition (which had accompanied the different tribes at the beginning) pervaded the mythology of all.

It may be presumed further, that the systems of the Hindoos would remain longer unaltered with them, by reason of their remote and insulated situation; from which circumstance also, their writings would be more easily preserved.

We collect from undoubted historical evidence, that during a period of twelve hundred years, a free intercourse subsisted between India, Egypt, Greece and Chaldea. Of course the "wisdom" of each of these nations respectively must have been common to all, and their systems of theology and astronomy would have been allied to each other, as we know in

fact they were How it happened, by the mere operation of natural causes, that Greece and Rome should have left Egypt and India so far behind, is yet to be accounted for; though the purpose of it in the designs of the Divine Providence, is very evident.

But now the wisdom of the east hath passed away with the wisdom of Egypt; and we might with equal justice attribute civilization to the present race of Egyptians, as to the present race of the Hindoos.

Historians have been at great pains to collect ves tiges of the ancient civilization of the Hindoos; and with some success; for these vestiges are as manifest as those of the early civilization of Egypt or of Chaldea. Doctor Robertson says, that he prosecuted his laborious investigation with the view and hope, "that, if his account of the early civilization of India should be received as just and well established, it might have some influence upon the behaviour of the Europeans towards that people."* This was a humane motive of our celebrated historian. But as it is difficult for us to respect men merely for the civilization of their forefathers, a more useful deduction appears to be this; that since the Hindoos are proved on good evidence, to have been a civilized. people in former days, we should endeavour to make them a civilized people again. Dr. Robertson seems to think that the Hindoos are even now "far advanced beyond the inhabitants of the two other quarters of the globe in improvement." Such a sentiment indeed is apt to force itself on the mind, from a mere investigation of books. But to a spectator in India, the improvement alluded to will appear to be very partial; and the quality of it is little understood in Europe.

It is true that the nativesexcel in the manual arts of their cast; and some of them, particularly those who are brought up amongst Europeans, acquire a

Dissertation on India, page 335.

few ideas of civility and general knowledge. But the bulk of the common people, from Cape Comorin to Thibet, are not an improved people. Go into a village, within five miles of Calcutta, and you will find an ignorance of letters and of the world, an intellectual debility, a wretchedness of living, and a barbarism of appearance, which, by every account, (making allowance for our regular government and plentiful country) are not surpassed among the natives in the anterior of Africa or back settlements of America. On the principle of some late philosophers, that those men are most civilized, who approach nearest to the simplicity of nature, it might be expected perhaps that the Hindoos are a civilized people. But even this principle fails them. For an artificial and cruel superstition debases their minds, and holds them in a state of degradation, which to an European is scarcely credible.

There is one argument against the possibility of their being in a civilized state, which to the accurate investigators of the human mind in Europe, will appear conclusive. The cast of the multitude, that is, the Sooders, are held in abhorrence and contempt by the Brahmins. It is a crime to instruct them.It is a crime for that unhappy race even to hear the words of instructions. The Sooder is considered by the Brahmins as an inferior species of being, even in a physical sense; intellectual incapacity is therefore expected and patiently endured, and the wretched Sooder is supposed, at the next transmigration of souls, to animate the body of a monkey or a jackall. The philosopher of Geneva himself would not have contended for the civilization of the Sooders.

H.

Excessive Polygamy of the Koolin Brahmins. The Brahmins in Bengal accuse individuals of their own order of a very singular violation of social propriety; and the disclosure of the fact will, proba

bly, place the character of the venerable Brahmin in a new light.

The Koolins, who are accounted the purest and the most sacred cast of the Brahmins, claim'it as a privilege of their order, to marry an hundred wives. And they sometimes accomplish that number; it being accounted an honour by other Brahmins to unite their daughters to a Koolin Brahmin. The wives live commonly in their father's houses; and the Koolin Brahmin visits them all round, generally once a year; on which occasion, he receives a present from the father. The progeny is so unmerous in some instances, that a statement of the number (recorded in the registers of the cast) would scarcely obtain credit.

As in the case of human sacrifices at Saugor, and of the number of women who are annually burned near Calcutta, there was a disposition among many to discredit the fact; it may be proper to adduce a few names and places to establish the excessive polygamy of the Koolin Brahmins.

The Ghautucks, or registrars of the Koolin cast, state, that Rajeb Bonnergee, now of Calcutta, has forty wives; and that Rajchunder Bonnergee; also of Calcutta, has forty-two wives, and intends to marry more; that Ramraja Bonnergee of Bicrampore, aged thirty years, and Pooran Bonnergee, Rajkissore Chuttergee, and Roopram Mookergee, have each upwards of forty wives, and intend to marry more; that Birjoo Mookerges of Bicrampore, who died about five years ago, had ninety wives; that Pertah Bonnergee of Panchraw, near Burdwan, had seventy wives; that Ramhonny Mookergee of Jessore, who died about twelve years ago, had one hundred wives; and that Rogonaut Mookergee of Bale Gerrea, near Santipore, who died about four years ago, had upwards of one hundred wives.

The effects of this excessive polygamy are very pernicious to society; for it is a copious source of f

male prostitution. Some of these privileged characters make it a practice to marry, merely for the dowry of a wife; and she seldom sees her husband during his life, and dare not marry another after his death, she has strong temptations to an irregular conduct. This monopoly of women by the Koolin Brahmins is justly complained of by Brahmins of the other orders; and they have expressed a hope that it will be abolished by authority. They affirm that this (like many other reigning practices) is a direct violation of the law of the Shasters which does not allow more than four wives to a Brahmin.

I

Testimonies to the general character of the Hindoos. As a doubt has been sometimes expressed regarding the real character of the Hindoos, and it has been supposed that their degeneracy only commenced in the last century, we shall adduce the testimony of three competent judges, who lived at different periods of time, and occupied different situations in life. The first is a king of Hindostan, who was well acquinted with the higher classes of the Hindoo; the second a city magistrate, who was conversant with the lower classes: and the third an author, well versed in their mythology, and intimately acquainted with their learned men. The concurring testimony of these witnesses will be received with more respect on this account, that the first evidence is that of a Mahomedan, the second of a modern philosopher, and the third of a Christian; and of these we shall add the testimony of a Brahmin himself.

1. In the Tuzuc Timuri, "containing maxims of Tamerlane the Great; derived from his own experience, for the future government of his conquests," there is the following mandate to his sons and states

men:

"Know, my dear children, and elevated statesmen at the inhabitants of Hindostan and Bengal are