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"The firft is, that it was fo common for women to poison their hufbands, that this inftitution was neceffary to prevent it.

"The other is, that the Brahmins, to promote their own intereft, firit perfuaded the women that it was for the everlasting good of their families; that their fouls would not enter into any groveling infects, but animate a cow, or fome fuch noble animal, and that their term of purgation would be fhortened, and they would have the fewer tranfmigrations to go through, before they become pure enough to be received by the Almighty in Heaven.

"Whatever may be the caufe, it is however certain, that the Brahmins greatly encourage this practice, and that they receive great benefits from it; for the woman, when fe is brought out to facrifice herself, is dreffed with all her jewels, which are ften of confiderable value; when the pile is prepared, and the woman has taken leave of her friends, the throws all her ornaments from h, which the priests take for themselves.

"It is faid, that the strict rule of cafts is on this occafion sometimes difpenfed with; and the daughter of the mother who has burned, may be married to a man of a higher rank.

"I cannot myself fubfcribe to the first opinion of the cause of this cuftom, becauce they have many of them more than one wife, and only one is permitted to have the honour of burning.

"No people in the world have ftricter notions of the honour of their women, particularly thofe of the higher cafts. If any one has an improper connexion, fuch a woman has not only loft her caft, but it is an undelible ftain upon the honour of her family: and in cafe of an elopement, it has been known that the girl has been pursued and recovered by her parents, who have put her immediately to death, to expiate by her blood, part of the difgrace the has brought upon

them.

"Nevertheless, the retirement of the women does not appear to be a part of the religion, or caufed by the jealoufy of the men, fo much as an idea of delicacy and dignity, in concealing themfelves from vulgar

eyes.

"The tribe of Hindoos the English have most connexion with, and are obliged to put moft confidence in, are in the third great divifion, called Banians, who are a kind of merchants, or rather brokers in every kind of merchandize. Every European both civil and military, who has either trade, or troops under him to pay, is obliged to have one of them in his fervice, who is a fort of steward: one of them is likewise neceffary at the head of every family, to hire and pay the fervants, and purchafe whatever is wanting, for nothing can be bought or fold with

out them.

"They are exceedingly indolent; crafty, and artful to an astonishing degree; and fhew in all their dealings the most defpicabie low cunning, which makes them not to be depended upon for any thing: they have not only a fecret premium out of whatever they pay to fervants, tradefpeople, &c. but keep them out of their money long after the mafter fuppofes they have been paid.

"They are the moft tedious people in the world; for, befides the holidays, which they will on no account break through,, they have a meVOL. VI.

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thod

thod of putting every thing off till to-morrow: when it is found out, as it often is, that they have told an untruth, they have no fhame for it, but immediately tell another and another; nothing can hurry them, nothing can difcompofe or put them out of countenance, nothing can make them angry; provided their gains are fure, the master may fret to find his business go on flowly, may abuse them for want of honefty, may argue with them for their ingratitude, may convict them of falfhood and double dealing, it fignifies nothing, the fame mild and placid countenance remains, without the least symptom of fear, anger, or shame."

Of the Mahomedans in India, Mrs. Kinderfley gives also a particular account: from which we shall take a fhort extract

or two.

"Although the Mahomedans are not so strictly divided into tribes as the Hindoos, nor are they by their laws prevented from raifing themfelves to a higher rank in life, they have nevertheless the fame notion of lofing caff, but they do not obferve it fo strictly. If any one eats fwine's flesh or drinks wine, he ought to lofe caft, though they often drink fecretly, and to excefs; but in public, they stand upon great ceremony in these points; fo much that a cook who is a Muffulman will not drefs a joint of pork, nor will any fervant at table, though perhaps there be a hundred ftanding round, remove a plate in which pork has been; unless it is a flave, who having no caft cannot be dif graced by this, or any other employment.

"The Harri or Hallicore caft are the dregs of both Muffulmen and Hindoos, employed in the meaneft and vileft offices; people whofe felves or parents have left caft. But there is a refource for even the worst of these, which is to turn chriftians: I mean Roman Catholics; and fuch are the chief, it not the only profelytes, the Miffionaries have to boast of in the east; being moftly fuch as have committed fome very great crimes, or have been made flaves when young, which prevents their ever returning amongst those of their own religion. If any woman has committed a crime fo great as to induce her husband, or any other perfon, to cut off her hair, which is the greatest and most irrecoverable difgrace, the like a thousand others is glad to be received into fome fociety, and be vmes a chriftian: fo that most of the black christians are more fo from neceffity than from conviction."

"The Mufiulmen in India are not such strict obfervers of their religion, as in the countries nearer the tomb of the prophet.

"They are all predeftinarians; and believe, that whatever is intended must be; more particularly the time of every perfon's death is recorded in the book of fate from all eternity. This belief has a moft extraordinary influence on their conduct: they meet death with an indifference which is perfectly attonishing; and a man who would beg in the molt abject manner to avoid a punishment, or fave his goods, will not utter a fingle word to preferve his life; fo firmly are they convinced of their predettiny.

"They believe likewife that whoever is flain in battle goes imme diately into Paradife.

"It has often been afferted by travellers, that the Mahomedans believe women have no fouls: and are, by the prophet, excluded from

Paradife ;

Paradife; however, the learned in the Arabic language, who take their authority from the Alcoran itfelf, deny this, as an abfolute falfity; particularly he promised his own wives, that if they obeyed his laws, they fhould have a peculiar place affigned for them.

"Nevertheless, whether the Muffulmen of this time have been led into an error by their doctors and commentators on the Alcoran, or whether they have adopted it through policy, I know not: but I may venture to affure you, that many of them (in this country at leaft), if they do not think the women abfolutely excluded, still believe that they will not be admitted to the fame fupreme degree of felicity as themfelves and fome of them on this fubject will only fay, that those few women who have distinguished themfelves on earth, by any extraordinary virtues, or illuftrious actions, may be admitted.

"All the Mahomedans have the power of life and death over their own families, their wives, children, and flaves, when any of them commit crimes which the Koran deems capital.

"The doubtful points of religion do not disturb their peace; not curious to know the truth, it is not here we must look for learning and fcience: the wife men of the Eaft have difappeared, I believe, throughout the Eaft; at least in Hindoftan, philofophy and philofophers are no more! even the princes and minifters are fo illiterate that fome of them can scarcely write or read."

Of the wonderful indolence, of the natives of this country, the letter-writer gives the following defcription.

"All the people of rank keep a great train of fervants, to whom they give very little wages; but as they muft live, they take advantage of being under their master's protection; and indemnify themselves by their impofitions on all who have any dependance on their master's favor, extorting prefents, &c. and obliging the trades-people to fell them their goods at an under price. In fhort, "corruption, like a general flood, has deluged all."

"As to the common people, I cannot fpeak of them without pain; or ever pass through the Buzars of Patna, or any other place, without drawing comparifons between the poor of this country and thofe of England: thefe are poor indeed! fcarce any covering, their food rice and water; their miferable huts of straw: in the cold season they have a fire made of a little ftraw in the middle of their huts, which smothers them with fmoak; their minds, except what nature gave them, no more informed than the beasts which perifh: no liberty, no property; fubject to the tyranny of every fuperior. But what feems to complete their mifery is, that whether pinched by cold, or enervated by heat, indolence equally prevails, to fuch a degree as feems to abforb every faculty; even immediate felf-prefervation fcarcely roufes them from it.

"One fees, in paffing through the streets, men, women, and children, in abundance fitting at their doors unemployed, like statues ; and their averfion to action is fo extreme, that when themselves or children are in danger of being crushed by horfes or carriages, they will neither move themselves, nor put out a hand to draw their infants nearer to them, till the moment they are forced to it; and then do not

F 2

withdraw

withdraw an inch farther than they are obliged, and with an air of dif fatisfaction, which plainly fhews how difagreeable it is to them to change their posture.

"Eafe with them is the greatest good; and nothing furprizes the Indians fo much as to fee Europeans take pleafure in exercife; they are astonished to fee people walking who might fit ftill.

"A great Muffulman, being invited to an English entertainment where there was dancing, faid with great earneftnefs, he was furprized to fee the English ladies and gentlemen take the trouble of dancing theinfelves, to-be-fure they might have people to dance for them. Perhaps you will think this a very extraordinary obfervation; nevertheless it is perfectly in character, and not the leaft furprizing to those who fee daily inftances of the effects of this climate.

"And yet, what is very extraordinary, there are certain cafts of both Hindoos and Mahomedans, who at times undergo great labour, particularly the Bearers: people whofe bufinefs it is to carry a Palenqueen. They are generally tout fellows; the Palenqueen is carried by four; and feven or eight, by changing, will carry a perfon at the rate of four miles an hour for several hours together. The Dandies likewife have a laborious employment; and their conftantly plunging into the water in the height of perfpiration, would kill any perfon but those who are used to it.

"There are other cafts who are remarkably fwift of foot, particu larly Hircarers; thefe people are often made ufe of as fpies, both on public and private occafions; frequently they are kept as a fort of running-footmen, and compofe a part of the parade of fervants who precede a Palenqueen; they are likewife fent with letters or meffages to very diftant parts of the country, and their expedition is extraordi

nary.

When one gives a Hircarer a letter to carry to any distance, he takes off his turband, and carefully conceals the letter in the folds of it; he provides himself with a brass pot, for the convenience of drawing water from the wells or rivers he is to pafs; and a little parched rice, either in a bag or the folds of his garment, which is generally a piece of coarfe linen, from his waift to his knees: thus equipped, with a fort of club in his hand, he will make a journey of three or four hundred miles.

"The grooms, who are called fices, are tolerably fwift: for whenever the horse which a fice takes care of is rode, he constantly attends with it, in quality of footman; and if the fun is up, a bearer will carry an umbrello, and walk equal to the usual pace of riding, which indeed is not very faft in this country.

"These instances, however, are fufficient to fhew, that the natives are not incapable of ufing exercise; and, although the climate is certainly extremely relaxing, it feems to impair their minds more than their bodies; to which indolence of fpirit, a defpotical government and its confequences has perhaps not a little contributed."

But we muft here, tho' with reluctance, take leave of these fenfible and amusing letters.

S.

A

A Letter to the Body of Proteftant Diffenters; and to Proteftant Diffenting Miniflers, of all Denominations. 8vo. 1s. Almon.

A ferious expoftulation with, or rather a fevere remonftrance againft, the diffenters; whofe prefent ftate of dereliction and decay, as a political body, is ftrenuoufly infifted on, and placed in the most difcouraging point of view, with regard to those who look on them as a community, "a controuling power" as the letter-writer terms it," a check within a state; the prevailing principles of which [ftate] lead to defpotism and diffolution." We fhall not enter here into a difpute with this writer, how far fuch a controuling power is politically useful, or with what propriety it might be vefted in the hands of religious diffenters; but we cannot help hinting, even here, that he miftakes the prevailing principles of the ftate for the prevailing practices of flatefmen. But of this, perhaps, more presently. Our remonftrant fets out, in the following manner.

"Gentlemen,

"Among the many proofs of the decline of thofe principles which have obtained Great Britain its diftinction and happiness, you furnish 'fome of the most alarming. It has been your boat and your glory, that you have ever stood foremost in defence of Liberty; and have borne more than your fhare of that reproach and resentment which def'potifin and tyranny have fhewn to their opponents. It has been your complaint, that when others have availed themselves of your spirit and your affiftance, they have ftopped at thofe points where they might ftipulate terms with power; and left you to its vengeance.

"This is true only in a qualified fenfe: for every thing which hath the appearance of Virtue is not intitled to its reward. It is certainly true, that the degree of freedom which has been introduced into the English Conftitution, is a confequence of the refiitance and oppofition of the Diffenters. Whether a greater degree of it might have been introduced in time, and in a better manner, is a question which we need not now enter upon. What I would obferve (though with much regret and reluctance) is, that your public conduct has hardly in any fingle inftance been actuated by truly public and patriotic principles: that your oppofition to arbitrary power, though fteady, firm, and attended with beneficial confequences to the publick, has hardly ever been upheld by a fingle motive which extended beyond the inclosures of your own conventicles. In fuch cafes, it was just that you fhould do good, and not reap the benefit; and it will never be regretted, that thole who could avail themfelves of your Enthufiafm, fhould leave you, when they had no further occafion for you, to the ridicule, reproach, and restraint, which your real views probably deferved."

After mentioning the influence of Diffenters in former times, he proceeds,

"How comes it to pass that you, a numerous, wealthy, powerful, and important body of people, fhould have been the means of procuring fo much benefit, and yet not fhare in the honour? The English con

ftitution