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completely annihilated, and the greatest land-holder in Bengal possesses no more influence than that of an English gentleman of extensive landed property. Thus the former customs have undergone a total alteration to the great benefit of the community at large. So also, in reference to the Hindoos, in 1795, the Government of Bengal put a stop, in the province of Benares, to the Brahmins' establishing Koorks, during which they lacerated their own bodies, threatened to swallow, and some times actually swallowed poison; and wounded or killed their female relations or children, on the approach of any person to serve them with any process, or to exercise coercion over them on the part of Govern, ment or its delegates. By the same regulation they were forbidden to sit dhurna also. To recover a debt, or to extort. charity, they were açcustomed to take their seat at the person's door of whom the demand was made: provided with some offensive weapon or poison, in order to wound or kill themselves upon any one entering or quitting the house, they sat fasting until their object was attained; and it was considered as equally incumbent on the party who was the occasion of such Brahmin's thus sitting, to abstain from nourishment until the latter were satisfied.'

These are but a few of the innovations upon ancient usages, which the British Government of Bengal has fearlessly introduced without the slightest resistance on the part of the natives. The extension of capital punishments to Brahmins, the abolition of infanticide at Saugur and other places, the prohibition of drowning in the river Jumna, are instances of a still more direct interference with the religious prejudices of the Hindoos. Will it be pretended,' asks Mr. Hough, that the natives of India are more tenacious of the privilege of destroying helpless widows, than of their natural rights, ⚫ long established laws, ancient customs, and prejudices? It is so pretended, not only by such men as the Abbé Dubois, into whose mouth assertions have been put in direct contradiction to his recorded opinions on this subject in his former work; but, such is the perverting and debasing influence of party spirit, by men of education and intelligence, by the Abbé Dubois's friend the Quarterly Reviewer-who thinks that to stir the question of suttees in the East, even in the British parliament, is to endanger an insurrection among the natives!* With such men there is no reasoning.

⚫ Convince a man against his will,

He's of the same opinion still.'

Nothing is too extravagant, too absurd for the opponents of Missions to urge in the way of objection or calumny. But

No. Iviii. p. 413.

there is this consolation,-and our Government must be well aware of the fact,-that let the abolition of suttees once pass into a law, and these very objectors will be ready to give their loudest plaudits to the very measure which they now oppose, Just so, those who were, up to the time of the abolition of the slave trade, the most strenuous advocates of that accursed traffic, and the most virulent opponents of the philanthropists, now affect to speak of it with horror, as utterly repugnant to every dictate of humanity. So complicate,' so wonderful is

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Mr. Hough has a very interesting chapter on the means employed by the Roman Catholics for the conversion of the Hindoos. It is replete with historical information, and will shew both how the Jesuits managed matters,' and the result. That their missions are on the decline, ought to be a subject of fervent thanksgiving. The Abbé Dubois will have done an unintentional service to the cause of Protestantism, by the account he has himself given of the proceedings of the Romish missionaries, which, together with the illustrations furnished in the present volumes, will place in its true light, the unchanged, unchangeable character of Popery. In contrast with their unscriptural policy, their shameful compromise of every thing resembling the pure and undefiled religion of the New Testament*, Mr. Hough mentions a fine anecdote of the admirable Swartz.

The late Rev. C. F. Swartz, waiting one morning in the ante-chamber of the palace at Tanjore, for an interview with the Rajah, was thus accosted by a Brahmin, who was attending there for the same purpose. "Mr. Swartz, do you not think it a very bad thing to touch a Pariah ?” "O yes," the venerable Missionary replied," a very bad thing indeed!” The Brahmin, however, perceiving by his manner of answering, that more was meant than expressed, asked again, But, Mr. Swartz, what do you mean by a Pariah ?" "I mean," the good man said, a thief, a liar, a slanderer, a drunkard, an adulterer, a proud man." “Oh! then," said the Brahmin, hastily interrupting him, "we are all Pariahs."

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* One specimen will shew the nature of the whole system. A vehicle resembling Juggernaut's car, is used at all the principal pagodas in Idia. It is called the Rutt. The Roman Catholics place upon it the image of the Virgin Mary, and draw it round the church, in the same manner as the Hindoos drag their idols round their temples. Mr. Hough once asked a priest on the Coromandel Coast, by what Scriptural authority they performed the ceremony of the Rutt and other idolatrous customs. He replied, there is no authority for it in Scripture: but, if you come amongst dogs, you must do as dogs do!

Our readers will remember, that M. Dubois objects to the distribution of the Bible, because it contains in almost every page, accounts which cannot fail deeply to wound the feelings, and violate the most sacred prejudices of the Hindoo. In par ticular, the details of the bloody sacrifices prescribed in the Mosaic law, would, he says, give the mild Brahmin a most injurious idea of the Deity as a being whose wrath could only be appeased by the shedding of blood. He would have us believe, that the Brahminical system knows nothing of such sacrifices as religious ceremonies. We have before cited proof to the contrary from his own work; but Mr. Hough mentions a case to the point, of which he was an eye-witness.

It occurred at Courtallum in the Tinnevelly District. At the conclusion of a festival which had lasted several days, two kids were presented before the Idol: the head of one was severed from its body, and laid upon the altar, with boiled rice, the blossomn of the cocoanut, flowers, &c. &c. as an offering--not to the mischievous lindoo Cohly, &c. &c. but, to the god Ramah! The second kid was next presented, its ear slit, and then it was suffered to escape. A holy Brakmin officiated at this " bloody sacrifice."-So much for M. Dubois's pretence that they will be shocked at the very mention of such a thing in Scripture. The reader will observe the similarity between this and the Levitical ceremony of the scape-goat. I could not ascertain that it bore any reference to this Jewish ordinance; the only reply given to all my inquiries being," It is our custom"-the Hindoo's general answer to such questions; so little do they know of the origin or signification of their own observances.'

Into the subject of the Oriental Translations, it will not be necessary for us again to enter. Mr. Hough has done us the honour to refer to our former article, and he amply substantiates the statements which are there given relative to the Canarese Version, from his own personal knowledge. He mentions one circumstance, however, of which we were not in possession at the time. It seems that the specimen of Mr. Reeve's Version was sent to the Abbé Dubois among others, and his criticism was invited. Mr. Reeve remained at Madras until answers were received from the several Canarese scholars to whom it was submitted. The greater part of those answers were highly favourable to the Translator and his performance. When the Abbé's criticisms were read,' says Mr. Hough, Mr. R. replied to many of his objections, in a manner that ⚫ convinced me at least, and I believe the other members of the Committee, that he was as conversant as M. Dubois with the • Canarese language.' The incorrectness of the Abbé's assertions, as well as his utter disingenuousness, is shewn in several other instances. I should decline,' says Mr. Hough, to

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argue thus with a man who could act in so illiberal a manner, were it not that I know that, in certain quarters, deference is paid to any thing the Abbé may advance, without examining into its accuracy. M. Dubois, we have already seen, objects not to this or that translation merely, but to the Bible itself as unfit for distribution. He more than insinuates that we have no occasion probably,' says Mr. H. he means no right-to supply the Hindoos with Bibles, until they ask for them. Did they ask for the Jesuit Missionaries?' But the fact is, that the Hindoos, as the Writer proceeds to shew, are now in such a state, that they do ask for the Bible, which the Romish missionaries systematically withheld. Our readers may be curious to know what sort of composition the Romish missionaries would substitute for the word of God, as more suitable to the Hindoos.

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The following extract throws considerable light on the Abbé's biblical criticisms.

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"It is possible, however,' says Mr, H., ' that the Abbé Dubois may be induced to admit the propriety of translating the Bible into the Eastern Languages, provided the task be executed in an acceptable manner: for he says, "A Translation of the Holy Scriptures, in order to awaken the curiosity, and fix the attention of the Learned Hindoo, at least as a literary production, ought to be on a level with the Indian performances of the same kind among them, and be composed in fine poetry, a flowery style, and a high stream of cloquence; this being universally the mode in which all Indian performances of any worth are written" (p. 41.) Then, why have not some of the Jesuit Missionaries performed this work? Perhaps, of all Europeans that ever resided in India, R. €. J. Beschi, alias Vira-mâmuni, was the best qualified for such an undertaking. As a Tamul Scholar, he was little inferior to many of the Learned Natives; and his High and Low Tamil Grammars speak loudly in praise of his talents and genius, Why then did he not undertake such a Translation of the Scriptures as the Abbé describes ?. Probably bis Epic Poem, the Temba-vani, was intended, and may by some be thought to supersede the Scripture, as it treats upon Scriptural subjects. It is composed in poetic language," a flowery style, and a fine stream of eloquence and I freely render to it that tribute of commendation, to which, as a literary performance, it is entitled. ft abounds also in admirable instruction upon various Sacred topics: but the metaphysical style, and the classical language, in which the Author has clothed his Lessons, have rendered them quite unintelligible to any but the most Learned Hindoos. Very few indeed have I met with that understood the Temba-vani, and never one that derived any spirítual advantage from it. One or two Extracts, if the Reader will have patience to peruse them, will convince him, that the lowest Translation of the plain Text of Scripture is more likely to convert the Ilindoos to Christianity than such a substitute as this.

I will not insert his description of the Journey of the Holy Family across the Desert, on their return from Egypt ; fearing that it will weary the Reader, before he comes to the predictions, which the Saviour is made to utter upon that journey, of several Monks, who, in future ages, would there devote themselves to various mortifications, in the cause of virtue.

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When, by the outrageous fury of the passions, the driver had fallen from his seat, Mavavana-muni, having seized and mounted the elephant, which is the body; governing him by the strong hook of resolation, he will bind him to the pillar of constancy by the rope of penance, and fill all heaven with admiration."

Take another

"Desirous of obtaining the wealth peculiar to the Kingdom of Heaven, Madittagen, having heaped on the car of unceasing penitence a load of holiness, and yoked to it, as oxen, his body and soul, avoiding the quagmire of sinful desire, he will arrive at salvation,”

A third

"Having planted the honey-dropping jasmine-vine of perfect vir tue; baving surrounded it with a hedge of subdued senses, to protect it by penance supported by religion; having let in the water of strict discipline, and spread around it the sand of grace, Asoren will flourish as a garden whose fragrance reacheth to heaven."

A fourth

"Blowing the red furnace of penance, and placing therein the fron of the five senses, adding the mercury of bright wisdom, Purodaren poured the pure, gold thus obtained into the mould of religion; and, having cuchased it with precious jewels, he became an ornament for the breast of the God he adored."

• Will the Reader bear with me, if I add a fifth? It shall be the last. It is upon the Egyptian Mary.

"Though women may inwardly resolve on good or bad, it is difficult for them to persist in their resolution: thus, though Ejesia Mariyal, overleaping the fence of modesty, had at first plunged into the sea of carnal desire, yet at last, having determined to perform austerities with the purest devotion, she will retire from the world, and long remain here.

"The eye perceives not the colour by which it is darkened; and who are they who see their own faults, apparent to all others? But she, remembering of herself her minutest sins, and borne on the wings of mental resolution, produced by reflecting on the truth she perceived, gave herself up to devotion, covered only by the mantle of female modesty.

**On the flying chariot of Desire, she arrived at the Desert of Sin; on the flying chariot of Fear, she repaired to the Mountains of Penisence; on the flying chariot of resplendent Wisdom, she entered the grove of Growing Virtues and on the flying chariot of My Name, she shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

These Extracts are taken from the Notes to the late Mr. Ellis's Translation of the Korell: and though that Gentleman was an admirer

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