These family priests, and in the cultivation of Indian literature. men are never seen by Europeans, unless sent for; they know nothing of what is passing in the world; their studies include antient history, metaphysics and logic; and letters may be considered there in the same state as in Europe during the middle ages, excepting that the laity possess all the accomplishments necessary for conducting civil occupations, and only have recourse to their priests in matters connected with religious rites. From this retirement, and disengagement from secular concerns, one would naturally infer, that these Brahmans must be singularly disqualified from conducting intrigues. In point of fact, we venture to appeal to all whose personal acquaintance with these calumniated men enables them to decide on the question, whether they have not uniformly found this class of Brahmans, the most candid, the most artless, and the most simple of mankind. We believe that, in all countries, it may be correct to assert, that the individuals who obtrude themselves on the notice of the great, and of strangers, who beset their steps, watch their motions, and are constantly in view, are the most worthless part of every community. Conscious merit waits to be sought; disinterestedness and probity show no empressemens. They seldom obtrude themselves on the attention, and, by superficial observers, always remain undiscovered. We have already intimated our resolution to avoid the laborious, or rather herculean tafk, of arranging the important materials contained in this work, into a confiftent and general view. After all the deductions we may be disposed to make from Dr Buchanan's authority; for the reafons we have ftated, his book will remain an interefting and valuable publication, relating to a country scarcely known in Europe but as the theatre of war. Before pointing out a few paffages to the attention of our readers, we fhall take the liberty of fubmitting to them the defultory reflections excited by the perufal of the work. The agriculture of the countries traversed by our author is exactly in the late which might be predicted, after a long series of protracted hoftilities. The cultivation is limited by the scantiness of the population, and, ftill more, by the want of agricultural stock.. The infecurity in which the husbandmen have been accustomed to live, their doubts of ever reaping the produce of the feed committed to the earth, has produced a defpondence unfavourable to exertion; and a long period of tranquil and equitable government will be requifite to obliterate its fatal effects. But in a country cultivated by irrigation, and where the periodical rains are liable to prove deficient, numerous tanks, embankments and fluices, are neceflary to fertilize the fields. Thefe expenfive works can only be be conftructed by government; and we anxioufly hope that fo humane an appropriation of money, which must be returned with fo large an increafe, will not be overlooked by those on whom its adoption depends. The view here presented of the ftate of fociety differs effentially, in most particulars, from that which fubfifts in Bengal. This difference, however, appears ftill greater than it really is, from a variety of mifapprehenfions into which Dr Buchanan has fallen, from his want of acquaintance with the languages. Thus, the reader would be apt to infer, from the perufal of his work, that an infinite variety of religions prevailed in the Indian peninfula; but the divinities, whofe worship he cites in proof of this hypothefis, are only thofe univerfally invoked by the Brahmans, though known to Dr Buchanan under different names. The origin and number of the mixed cafts have been diftinctly and ably explained by Mr Colebrooke. With thefe, our author has inadvertently mixed the names of tribes or nations derived from the places of their former refidence. As they do not intermarry, each of course forms a small community, diftinguished by profeflion, and fome peculiarity of custom from the others. Whether we are to confider the wild but harmless inhabitants of the mountains as a diftinct race from the Hindus, must be determined by investigations not hitherto undertaken. It is alfo a matter of very curious inquiry, whether all these tribes of mountaineers throughout Hinduftan, fpeak one language, and bear an affinity to each other in their configuration and cuftoms,-authorifing the inference, that one great nation formerly peopled Hinduftan, and were driven, by invaders, to the receffes of those hilly countries which they still Occupy. Our readers must not infer, from the obfervations we have made, that a very confiderable portion of Dr Buchanan's work, which treats incidentally of the antient history of the countries he vifited, is without intereft. He has rendered an effential fervice to the Indian hiftorian, by collecting a variety of infcriptions extant in the temples of the peninfula. His remarks on them are judicious, notwithstanding fome occafional misconceptions; but they too are difperfed throughout the work, and prefent nothing like a connected whole. To enumerate the errors into which Dr Buchanan has fallen, from his unacquaintance with the opinions, customs, and vernacular idioms of the countries he paffes through, would be a very unpardonable abuse of the reader's patience. We fhall content ourselves, therefore, with a few fpecimens, calculated to fhow the nature and fource of his miftakes. Some among them are able to read poetry, and have a book called Márcandeya purána, faid to have been written by a rifhi rishi named Márcandeya.' This is precifely as if, fpeaking of the Romans, we fhould fay, Some of them were able to read poetry, and had a book called Eneid, faid to have been written. by one Æneas. Again,They pray alfo to Dharmarájáh, an inferior god of a beneficent nature; but, with the Brahmans, he is not an object of worship. Our author little imagined that Dharmaraja is a name of Yama, to whom every Brahman should offer daily oblations, as prescribed by Menu. Again, Although these people call their preceptor a Brahman, it is more probable he is Vainavam. When it is known that above half of the Brahmans are Vaïfnavams, it is not eafy to discover our author's meaning. It would far exceed the limits, however, as well as the duty of a review, to correct, or even to enumerate, the various inaccuracies into which Dr Buchanan has been betrayed, either by a mifconception of what has been reported to him, or a radical ignorance of the fubject of difcuffion. We fhall close this article, therefore, with extracting, as fpecimens of the compofition, a few of thofe paffages which we think may be most interesting to a general reader. His prejudices against the Brahmans in general, we have already taken the liberty to notice. The following paffage, however, is calculated to give an English reader a fplendid idea of the more exalted members of this antient and venerable hierarchy. • The number of Bráhman Sannyásis is very small, and is chiefly confined to those who are Gurus, Swamalus, or bishops of the different sects, and who, in every thing relating to religion and cast, have a jurisdiction over all their inferiors. They also perform certain ceremonies, such as Upadésa, and Chicranticum, which may be considered as analogous to the Confirmation granted by our prelates. They are supported entirely by the contributions of their disciples; but these are so burdensome, that a Guru seldom continues long in one place; for the contributions even of Madras are not equal to supply the wants of a Swamalu for more than one or two months, A hundred pagodas a day (36l. 15s. 5d.), is as little as can be decently offered to such a personage. The Raja of Tanjore is said to give his Guru 250 pagodas a day (917. 18s. 64d.), when that personage honours him with a visit. The Gurus travel in great state, with elephants, horses, palankeens, and an immense train of disciples, the least of whom considers himself as highly elevated above mankind by his sanctity. They generally travel at night, in order to avoid their Mussulman or European conquerors, who would not show them that veneration, or rather adoration, to which they consider themselves entitled; and they have therefore been seldom seen by travellers. On the approach of a Guru to any place, every inhabitant of pure birth must go to meet him; the lower classes are not admitted to his presence. The Guru, on being conducted to the principal principal temple, bestows Upadésa, or Chicranticum, on such as have not received these ceremonies, and distributes holy water. He then inquires into matters of contention, or transgressions against the rules of cast; and having settled, or punished these, hears his disciples and other learned men dispute on theological subjects. This is the grand field for acquiring reputation among the Bráhmans. These disputations are said to be very similar to those which were common among the doctors of the Romish church seven or eight hundred years ago; and, in fact, a strong resemblance will be found between the present state of Hindu knowledge, and that which then prevailed in Europe.' I. 22, 23. There is, perhaps, fomething too much of farcafm in the spirit of the following general remarks; but the fact is curious, and deferves to be recorded. • The circumstances which seem chiefly to add dignity to a cast are, its being restricted from the pleasures of the world, especially those of the table; the following no useful employment; and the being dedicated to what they call piety and learning. Almost every man endeavours, as much as possible, to assume at least the external appearance of these qualifications; and in the people of this country a hypocritical cant is a remarkable feature. Even young men of active professions, when talking on business, will frequently turn up their eyes to heaven, and make pious ejaculations, attended with heavy sighs.' I. 254. The perufal of these volumes is certainly well calculated to lower very much our popular conceptions of the ease and voluptuousness of an Indian climate, as well as of the boundless opulence and splendour of their chieftains and princes. The common people are universally miserably poor, and in many places extremely filthy and flovenly-overrun with vermin, and confumed withitch. A great part of the country is infefted with robbers. The forests, which are in many districts completely obstructed by fallen trees, are extremely unhealthful; and the tygers, in other quarters, fo numerous and fo bold, as frequently to carry the inhabitants off out of their beds. The huts of the peafants are univerfally built with mud, without windows or chimnies. Even their palaces are frequently conftructed of the fame homely materials; and confift, for the most part, of apartments too close and low to be inhabited with any comfort by an European. The author's obfervations upon Seringapatnam, the famous refidence of Tippu Sultan, and the anecdotes he has interfperfed of this fovereign's character, are among the most curious and interefting parts of the publication. Seringapatam, as is well known, is situated at the upper end of an island surrounded by the Cávery, which is here a large and rapid river, with a very extensive channel, filled with rocks, and fragments of granite. On the south branch of the river a bridge has been erected, which serves also as an aqueduct, to convey from the upper upper part of the river a large canal of water into the town and island. The rudeness of this bridge will show the small progress that the arts have made in Mysore. Square pillars of granite are cut from the rock, of a sufficient height to rise above the water at the highest floods. These are placed upright in rows, as long as the intended width of the bridge, and distant about ten feet from each other. They are secured at the bottom by being let into the solid rock; and their tops being cut to a level, a long stone is laid upon each row. Above these longitudinal stones others are placed contiguous to each other, and stretching from row to row, in the direction of the length of the bridge. The whole breadth of this may be twenty feet. One half is occupied by the aqueduct, which is secured at the bottom and on both sides by brick and plaster. The road is laid with gravel, and secured by a parapet wall on one side, and by the aqueduct on the other.' I. 61, 62. The palace of the Sultan at Seringapatam is a very large building, surrounded by a massy and lofty wall of stone and mud, and outwardly is of a very mean appearance. There were in it, however, some handsome apartments, which have been converted into barracks; but the troops are very ill lodged, from the want of ventilation common in all native buildings. The private apartments of Tippoo formed a square, in one side of which were the rooms that he himself used. The other three sides of the square were occupied by warehouses, in which he had deposited a vast variety of goods; for he acted not only as a prince, but also as a merchant.' I. 69. From the principal front of the palace, which served as a revenue office, and as a place from whence the Sultan occasionally showed himself to the populace, the chief entry into the private square was through a strong narrow passage, wherein were chained four tigers; which, although somewhat tame, would, in case of any disturbance, become unruly. Within these was the hall in which Tippoo wrote, and into which very few persons, except Meer Saduc, were ever admitted. Immediately behind this was the bedchamber, which communicated with the hall by a door and two windows, and was shut up on every other side. The door was strongly secured on the inside, and a close iron grating defended the windows. The Sultan, lest any person should fire upon him while in bed, slept in a hammock, which was suspended from the roof by chains, in such a situation as to be invisible through the windows. In the hammock were found a sword and a pair of loaded pistols.' I. 72, 73. We hear much in Europe of the golden palaces of Eaftern kings. It will probably furprise our readers to learn from Dr Buchanan, that though, at first sight, one would imagine that much gilding is used in the ornaments of these halls, yet in truth not a grain of gold is employed. The workmen use a paper covered with false gilding. This they cut into the shape of flowers, and paste these on the walls or |