fact which demanded the most public and solemn representation.

"Goa; Convent of the Augustinians,

Jan. 23, 1808.

"On my arrival at Goa, I was received into the house of captain Schuyer, the British resident. The British force here is commanded by colonel Adams, of his majesty's seventy-eighth regiment, with whom I was formerly well acquainted in Bengal.* Next day I was introduced by these gentlemen to the viceroy of Goa, the count de Cabral. I intimated to his excellency my wish to sail up the river to old Goa,f (where the inquisition is,) to which he politely acceded. Major Pareira, of the Portuguese establishment, who was present, and to whom I had letters of introduction from Bengal, offered to accompany me to the city, and to introduce me to the archbishop of Goa, the primate of the Orient.

"I had communicated to colonel Adams, and to the British resident, my purpose of inquiring into the state of the inquisition. These gentlemen informed me, that I should not be able to accomplish my design without difficulty; since every thing relating to the inquisition was conducted in a very secret manner, the most respectable of the lay Portuguese themselves being ignorant of its proceedings; and that, if the priests were to discover my object, their excessive jealousy and alarm would prevent their communicating with me, or satisfying my inquiries on any subject.

"On receiving this intelligence, I perceived that it would be necessary to proceed with caution. I was

The forts in the harbor of Goa were then occupied by the British troops (two kings's regiments, and two regiments of native infantry) to prevent its falling into the hands of the French.

There is old and new Goa. The old city is about eight miles up the river. The Vice-Roy and the chief Portuguese inhabitants reside at new Goa, which is at the mouth of the river, within the forts of the harbor. The old city, where the inquisition and the churches are, is now almost entirely deserted by the secular Portuguese, and is inhabited by the priests alone. The unhealthiness of the place, and the ascendancy of the priests, are the causes assigned for abandoning the ancient city.

in fact, about to visit a republic of priests; whose dominion had existed for nearly three centuries: whose province it was to prosecute heretics, and particularly the teachers of heresey; and from whose authority and sentence there was no appeal in India.*

"It happened that lieutenant Kempthorne, commander of his majesty's brig Diana, a distant connexion of my own, was at this time in the harbor. On his learning that I meant to visit old Goa, he offered to accompany me; as did captain Stirling,' of his majesty's eighty-fourth regiment, whic his now stationed at the forts.

"We proceeded up the river in the British resident's barge, accompanied by major Pariera, who was well qualified, by a thirty years' residence, to give information concerning local circumstances From him I learned that there were upwards of two hundred churches and chapels in the province of Goa, and upwards of two thousand priests.

"On our arrival at the city, it was past twelve o'clock; all the churches were shut, and we were told that they would not be opened again till two o'clock. I mentioned to major Pareira, that I intended to stay at old Goa some days; and that I should be obliged to him to find me a place to sleep in. He seemed surprised at this intimation, and observed that it would be difficult for me to obtain a reception in any of the churches or convents, and that there were no private houses into which I could

I was informed that the vice-roy of Goa has no authority over the inquisition, and that he himself is liable so its censure. Were the British government for instance, to prefer a complaint against the inquisition to the Portuguese government at Goa, it could obtain no redress. By the very constitution of the inquisition, there is no power in India which can invade its jurisdiction, or even put a question to it on any subject.

We entered the city by the palace gate, over which is the statue of Vasco de Gama, who first opened India to the view of Europe. I had seen at Calicut a few weeks before, the ruins of the Samorin's palace, in which Vasco de Gama was first received The Samorin was the first native prince against whom the Europeans made war. The empire of the Samorin has passed away; and the empire of his conquerors has passed away: and new imperial Britain exereises dominion. May imperial Britain be prepared to give a good account of her stewardship, when it shall be said unto her "Thou mayest be no longer steward."

be admitted. I said I could sleep any where; I had two servants with me, and a travelling bed. When he perceived that I was serious in my purpose, he gave directions to a civil officer in that place, to clear out a room in a building which had been long uninhabited, and which was then used as a warehouse for goods. Matters at this time presented a very gloomy appearance; and I had thoughts of returning with my companions from this inhospitable place. In the mean time we sat down in the room I have just mentioned, to take some refreshment, while major Pareira went to call on some of his friends. During this interval, I communicated to lieutenant Kempthorne the object of my visit. I had in my pocket 'Dellon's account of the inquisition at Goa;'t and I mentioned some particulars. While we were conversing on the subject, the great bell of the cathedral began to toll; the same which Dellon observes always tolls before day-light, on the morning of the Auto da Fe. I did not myself ask any questions of the people concerning the inquisition; but Mr. Kempthorne made inquiries for me: and he soon found out that the Santa Casa, or holy office, was close to the house where we were then setting. The gentlemen went to the window to view the horrid mansion; and I could see the indignation of free and enlightened men arise in the countenances of the two British officers, while they contemplated a place where formerly their own countrymen were condemned to the flames, and into which they themselves might now suddenly be thrown, without the possibility of rescue.

"At two o'clock we went out to view the churches, which were now open for the afternoon service; for there are regular daily masses; and the bells began to assail the ear in every quarter.

Monsieur Dellon, a physician, was imprisoned in the dungeon of the inqui $ition at Goa for two years, and witnessed an Auto da fe, when some heretics were burned; at which time he walked barefoot. A ter his release he wrote the history of his confinement. His descriptions are in general very accurate

"The magnificence of the churches of Goa far exceeded any idea I had formed from the previous description. Goa is properly a city of churches; and the wealth of provinces seems to have been expended in their erection. The ancient specimens of architecture at this place far excel any thing that has been attempted in modern times in any other part of the east, both in grandeur and in taste. The chapel of the palace is built after the plan of St. Peter's at Rome, and is said to be an accurate model of that paragon of architecture. The church of St. Dominic, the founder of the inquisition, is decorated with paintings of Italian masters. St. Francis Xavier lies enshrined in a monument of exquisite art, and his coffin is enchased with silver and precious stones. The cathedral of Goa is worthy of one of the principal cities of Europe; and the church and the convent of the Augustinians (in which I now reside) is a noble pile of building, situated on an eminence, and has a magnificent appearance from afar.

"But what a contrast to all this grandeur of the churches is the worship offered in them! I have been present at the service in one or other of the chapels every day since I arrived; and I seldom see a single worshipper, but the ecclesiastics. Two rows of native` priests, kneeling in order before the altar, clothed in coarse black garments, of sickly appearance and vacant countenance, perform here, from day to day, their laborious masses, seemingly unconscious of any other duty or obligation of life.

"The day was now far spent, and my companions were about to leave me. While I was considering whether I should return with them, major Pareira said he would first introduce me to a priest, high in office, and one of the most learned men in the place. We accordingly walked to the convent of the Augustinians, where I was presented to Josephus A. Doloribus, a man well advanced in life, of pale visage and penetrating eye, rather of a rever

end appearance, and possessing great fluency of speech and urbanity of manners. At first sight he presented the aspect of one of those acute and prudent men of the world, the learned and respectable Italian Jesuits, some of whom are yet found, since the demolition of their order, reposing in tranquil obscurity, in different parts of the east. After half an hour's conversation in the Latin language, during which he adverted rapidly to a variety of subjects, and enquired concerning some learned men of his own church, whom I had visited in my tour, he politely invited me to take up my residence with him, during my stay at old Goa. I was highly gratified by this unexpected invitation; but lieutenant Kempthorne did not approve of leaving me in the hands of the inquisitor. For judge of our surprise, when we discovered that my learned host was one of the inquisitors of the holy office, the second member of that august tribunal in rank, but the first and most active agent in the business of the department. Apartments were assigned to me in the college adjoining the convent, next to the rooms of the inquisitor himself; and here I have been now four days, at the very fountain head of information, in regard to those subjects which I wished to investigate. I breakfast and dine with the inquisitor almost every day, and he generally passes his evenings in my apartment. As he considers my enquiries to be chiefly of a literary nature, he is perfectly candid and communicative on all subjects.

"Next day after my arrival, I was introduced by my learned conductor to the archbishop of Goa. We found him reading the Latin letters of St. Francis Xavier, On my adverting to the long duration of the city of Goa, while other cities of Europeans in India had suffered from war or revolution, the archbishop observed, that the preservation of Goa was owing to the prayers of St. Francis Xavier.' The Inquisitor looked at me to see what I thought