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terms may not in literary strictness, comprise the precife meaning. of the English text, they convey it virtually, and in the amplest fenfe. The Hindoos likewife believe, that the Supreme Deity poffeffes a three-fold form, the parts of which are said to be feparate. It is compofed of Sree Mun Narrain, who is supposed to represent a human form; the Alhah Letchinry, defcribed as a beautiful woman; and a ferpent, on which the Deity is feated. This emblematical affemblage, a fymbol of ftrength, love, and wisdom, according to the Hindoo faith, is wholly spiritual, and is never represented in their temples by any object of matter: they fay it is indivisible, and of infinite space.*

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In the beginning, the Hindoos believe that the Deity created three men, to whom he gave the names of Brimha, Vyftnow, and Shevah. To the first was committed the power of creating mankind; -to the second of cherishing them; and to the third, that of restraining, correcting, and destroying them.‡ Brimha at one breath formed the human kind out of the four elements, amongst which he infused, if I understand the interpretation, and may be allowed the term, a vacuum.§

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Perhaps the myfterious Tryad of Plato, who made a free use of Eaftern knowledge, may have been formed from Indian materials.

+ Called alfo Eishever, and the Mhah Deve.

In the capacity of Mhah Deve, he is denominated "The Deftructive Power." § The word in the Sanfcrit language, is akash, the proper fignification of which,

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BEFORE the creation of man, Sree Mun Narrain formed the world out of a perplexed aggregation of matter, which had been covered with the waters, and inhabited by a demon, the supposed author

I believe, I was not at the time, accurately informed of; for it should feem, that Hindoos do not admit of a vacuum, in their fyftem of nature:-akash means, in a general acceptation, aerial space; but in the prefent fenfe, I am induced to think that it is defigned by the Hindoos, to denote the grand vivifying principle, termed in ancient fable, the Promethean fire, fuppofed to have animated the human body. In this note, it may not be uninteresting to introduce a tenet of the Egyptian theological philofophers, which corresponds with the idea I have formed of the akash of the Hindoos, and also, certain opinions entertained by them of the formation of the world, and the creation of animated bodies. Thefe philofophical priests, who profeffed the tenets of Menes, their first law-giver, (whom they had deified and entitled, Ofiris, or the fun), faid that fire, or rather, a refined spirit, which they distinguished from the elemental fire, was diffused through all nature, and compofed the effence of that being, who first gave form and order to matter. They believed that five elements-the mind, fire, air, earth, and water, constituted the entire world: they called the mind Jupiter, which fignifies the fource of life, and they confidered him the father of all intelligent beings. The fire they termed Vulcan, who they alledged, contributed chiefly to the production and perfection of all things. Earth, being as it were the bosom in which all things receive the principles of life, was known by the defignation of Mother. The water was called Ocean, to which they gave the name of the Nurfing Mother. The air was denominated Minerva, and believed to be the daughter of Jupiter, fprung from his brain, and always a virgin, as this element is incorruptible and rifes to Heaven.The Egyptian philofophers supposed, that all the original matter of the universe had been immerged in a chaos, and was gradually separated from it by fermentation; that the air was in continual agitation; that the fire, liberated from the groffer matter, had afcended, and formed the fun and stars, the highest objects of the universe; that spirit, or the mind, the moft fubtile part of fire, was difperfed through all parts, to animate life, and impart voluntary motion. They added, that the earth and water, which after the feparation of the air were yet embodied, became a globe, which conftantly revolving on it's axis, by a motion excited by the fire the feparation of the two bodies was effected; and that the rays of the fun, making new fermentations on the furface of the

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author of evil, whom the Godhead drove into an abyfs under the earth.*

THE Hindoos, as Mr. Halhed in his tranflation of the Code of Hindoo Laws has fully fet forth, are arranged in four grand cafts, or tribes; that of the Bramin, the Chittery, the Bhyfe, and the Sooder. Each of these casts is fubdivided into numerous sects, the particular usages of which are preserved with care and attentive distinctions. There are fectaries, alfo of the fame tribe, who do not admit of the intercourfe of marriage with each other,

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earth, yet foft and flimy, produced numerous excreffences, which, nourished and ftrengthened by the grofs vapours of the night, the action of the moon,-and afterwards, by the heat of the day, appeared at length, in the forms of different animals. Those in whom the fire predominated, mounted into air, and became birds: those which participated more of earth, as men, quadrupeds-and reptiles, remained on the furface, while the more aqueous fubftances defcended to the waters, their proper place of abode. It was neceffary to give reafons, why nature had stopped in her primary operations, and did not form many more animal creatures, as the manner of formation had been fo fimple and easy. Syftematic philofophy, even in its infancy, did not want refource; and that of the Egyptians has met the objection, by urging, that nature had originally infpired every fpecies of animals with the inftinct of propagation; having fagely forefeen, that when the fun and the winds had entirely dried the earth, it would be incapable of producing perfect animals.-See Mr. Labbathier's Hiftory of Ancient Nations, tranflated by Mr. Stockdale.

* The writers of the Hindoo mythology, have given various and diffuse descriptions of the origin of the world, and of the human and animal race, but unite in blending them with a féries of extravagant and disgusting fables.

+ There is in India an aboriginal race of people, who are not claffed in any of the fects, and confined to the most menial offices. They are not permitted to enter any temple of the Hindoos, and they obferve no reftriction. On fome parts of the coast of Coromandel, they are called Dherefand Pariahs; and, in Bengal, Harees.

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or of eating at the fame board. It should feem, that the genuine race of the Chittery has for a great length of time been extinct, and that its place is now occupied by a spurious tribe. The Hindoos composing these cafts and claffes, are ultimately branched in two divifions; the one denominated Vyftnow Bukht; the other, Sheva Bukht. The followers of the former deity are ufually dif tinguished by a longitudinal mark on the forehead, whilst those of the latter draw a parrallel line on that part. Vyftnow is worshipped under the representation of a human figure, having a circle of heads, and four hands; emblems of an all-seeing and all provident Being. The figure of a fabulous bird, on which he is supposed to ride, and denoting the velocity of his motion, is occafionally placed in front of this image. Sheva, or Eishwer, and as he is often denominated by the Hindoos, the Mhah Deve, is usually reprefented by a compound figure, describing the male and female parts of generation, and defigned as the symbol of procreation and fecundity: these faculties, or qualities, being claffed amongst the choiceft bleffings of the Hindoos, and the deprivation of them deemed a fevere reproach and misfortune. Facing this defignation of Mhah Deve, is fometimes feen, in a suppliant posture, the statue of a cow, or bull: an animal faid to have derived his-facred qualities, from having been chofen by this god, as the favourite medium of his conveyance. But the more enlightened pundits fay, that this creature hath been preferved from flaughter, by its great utility to man; it being his ablest affiftant in the labours of the

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field, and the chief provider of his immediate fustenance. doubtless argues a found policy in the Hindoos, to stamp the ox with this facred mark; for were its flesh eaten, as Hindoftan is thinly fupplied with horfes, the various branches of agriculture would suffer an essential injury.

ANOTHER figure represents Sheva, with four hands, holding different emblems of his power; and five heads, four of which are directed to the cardinal points, and the fifth is placed with the face upwards, in the fuppofed act of contemplating the godhead. This deity who occupies numerous forms, is figured also with three eyes, one of which is placed in the forehead.

In gratitude for the service which Brimha has performed on earth, it would reasonably be supposed, that the thanksgiving of his people would in fome degree be proportioned to his works. But the Hindoos have not dedicated one temple to his honor; nor have they established a single festival, in remembrance of his deeds. It would redound but little to my credit, did I infert in this place the reasons alledged in their religious tracts, for the neglect of Brimha. It is a tale framed to amufe the credulous Hindoo, and procure a meal to an artful priest. The oftenfible want of attention to the memory of Brimha, may on a more abstracted ground be ascribed to an opinion, that the powers of procreation having been primarily fet in action, and operating by a law impulfive

* Mlik and butter compofe a great part of the aliment of an Hindoo.

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