temples for the worship of the gods; and with sumptuous manfions, gardens, and fountains, for the pleasure and the accommodation of the inhabitants. Useful and elegant artisans, skilled in raifing ftupendous buildings, in fabricating gold, filver, and the most delicate cotton cloths, and in the curious workmanship of precious ftones and metals, all found encouragement in the exercife of their profeffions.* Salutary ordinances directed the Hindoos in the punishment of crimes and the fecurity of property; and when fome glaring indulgencies in favour of the facred tribe are excepted, we muft yield an unreferved approbation to the juftice and wisdom of their laws. The traveller was enabled to journey through this extenfive empire, with an ease and safety, unknown in other countries. The public roads were shaded with and frequent habitations, accommodated with a pond or well, were founded for the conveniency of the passenger; and fhould he have been pillaged in any part of the country, the district in which the damage had been fustained, was obliged to make restitution-When this empire, its polished people, and the progrefs which fcience had made amongst them, are attentively confidered; when, at the fame period, a retrospective view is thrown on trees; This description may be judged chimerical and extravagant by those who have not witneffed the conftruction of the ancient Hindoo monuments, or examined the hiftory of their empire when it firft belonged to the Mahometans. Thefe foldiers are reprefented to have been fafcinated by the difplay of its grandeur, and to have stood amazed at the treasures that were difclofed. Vide Dow's Relation of the Plunder of the Samnaut Temple.. the the states of the European world, then immersed in, or emerging from, ignorance and barbarity, we must behold Hindoftan with wonder and respect; and we may affert without forfeiting the claims of truth and moderation, that however far the European world now out-ftrips the nations of the Eaft, the followers of Brimha in the early periods of life, were poffeffed of a fund amply stored with valuable materials of philosophy and useful knowledge, The humane mind will naturally feel a sense of sorrow and pity for a people, who have fallen from so conspicuous a height of glory and fortune, and who probably have contributed to polish and exalt the nations, who now hold them in subjection. To form an accurate judgment of the genius of the Hindoos, or to defcribe the limit to which they extended art and science, it were requifite, could the neceffary materials be procured, to exhibit the condition of their empire, before it had felt the fevere and victorious arms of the Mahometans. -A partial and degrading relation would be made of the Hindoos, were a defcription of their laws, government, and manner, taken from the appearance they make at this day in the eye of the world. Hindoftan was overthrown by a fierce race of men, who in their rapid course of conquest, exerted the most furious efforts in levelling every monument of worship and taste. They maffacred the priests and plundered the temples, with a keenness and ferocity, in which their first chiefs might have gloried. A people thus crushed, groaning un. der the load of oppreffion, and difmayed at the fight of incessant cruelties, G 2 : cruelties, must foon have lost the spirit of science, and the exertion of genius efpecially as the fine arts were fo blended with their fyftem of religion, that the perfecution of the one, must have shed a baneful influence on the existence of the other. To decide on, or affix, the character of the Hindoo, from the point of view in which he is now beheld, would, in a large degree, be fimilar to the attempt of conveying an exact idea of ancient Greece, from the materials now prefented by that wretched country. The difquifition of the man of philanthrophy, liberated from the fetters of prejudice, will be far different :—he will enjoy congenial pleasure, in difpelling the fhade of obfcurity, which hath long enveloped the history of the Hindoo :- he will endeavour to carry it back to that æra of grandeur, which his country enjoyed in her day of profperity, and there hold him out to the information of mankind; the generality of whom, whether from motives of contempt, or habits of indolence, have yet acquired but a trivial and incorrect knowledge of this ancient people. It will then be feen, that the genius of the Hindoos was happily led on; and that their bent of difpofition was aptly regulated and attempered by the rules established for the performance of their several profeffions. A precifion which repelled the encroachments of error or defign, prefcribed to them their respective duties in the state, and in society, and wholly precluded any other fect from infringing on the privileges of another. The Bramin was invested with the uncontrolled guardianship of religion; he became the perpetual medium, through which the in ferior claffes addreffed their god he was alfo the fole depofitary and instructor of science, and to his care and ability was intrusted the education of youth. The importance of thefe offices muft have given to the Bramin great fway in a community where a knowledge of religious worthip, from its complex variety, becomes a task of arduous labour; and where, at the fame time, a performance of the rites of his religion, is deemed an obligation indifpenfably incumbent on the Hindoo, in his acquisition of future happiness. These employments were judged of fufficient magnitude to occupy the whole attention of the Bramin, and he was strictly interdicted from all temporal affairs. The authority of exercifing the functions of royalty, seems to have devolved without referve on the Chittery or Rajah, and his poffeffions were held hereditary in the line of legitimate male primogeniture. The youngest branch of this race were employed in the army, and entrusted with the charge of the forts and ftrong holds of the country. The occupation of a merchant, with the transactions of traffic, was committed to the Bhyfe, or Banian, and it was declared unlawful for the other tribes to engage in commerce. The hufbandman, the artifan, the private foldier, and the labourer, compofe the Looder, or the fourth caft of Hindoo; and each of these refpective profeffions was exclufively pursued. Thus, diftinctly arranged, and on the feverest penalties prohibited from extraneous mixture, or the admiffion of profelytes, the Hindoo go vernment vernment acquired an uniformity and vigour, the natural refult of its principles.* WERE an analogy afcertained between the mythology of the Hindoos and Egyptians, perceptible traces of which are occafionally prefented, it might then become a matter of doubt which people, for the greatest space of time have been the most polished and enlightened. From the examples which have been brought forward for the explanation of some of the most confpicuous parts of the mythology of the Hindoos, and to demonstrate the probable antiquity of that nation, it may feem, that I favour the belief of Egypt's having received a portion of her stock of science and religion from India. With a deference to popular opinion, and disclaiming all fabrication of fyftem, I must avow an inclination to this opinion. One fact amongst some others, afforded me a fair proof of the high antiquity of the Hindoos, as a civilized nation, and marks a strong difapprobation of a foreign intercourse. THEY are forbidden to crofs the river Attoc, the name of which, in certain dialects of their language, fignifies prohibition; and should they pass this boundary, they are held unclean, and in * Many of the fences that marked the limits of the refpective tribes, are now broken down. The Bramins of the Decan and Punjal, have taken up the sword, and are feen crowding the ranks of an army; the Chittery occafionally takes himself to traffic, and the Sooder has become the inheritor of principalities. Mararow, the gallant Mahrattah officer and chief of Ghooty, was of the fourth caft of Hindoos. the |