ment will ere long be here; when the humble and penitent inquirer, who has endeavoured to do the will of GOD, and by faith to receive that stupendous grace which the doctrine of Christ reveals, shall be eternally saved; while the merely speculative student, whose secret love of sin, and wilful neglect of GOD, have led to his disobedience to the gospel, shall, notwithstanding his barren notions and schemes, his abortive designs of amendment, and his presumption of final impunity, be for ever undone. In a word, the hour will soon arrive, when every veil will be torn aside; and they that have done good, shall arise to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation!"

I now come to the principal point intended in this conclusion; and with a desire to obviate any objection which may arise from a seeming alteration of my opinion of the Hindoo character, from that given in the former part of these memoirs, it may be necessary to remark, that my sentiments changed progressively, as I became more acquainted with the higher castes of Hindoos. There was a time when I loved and venerated the character of a brahmin, leading a tranquil, innocent, and studious life, under the sacred groves which surrounded his temple. Few readers, perhaps, have been more delighted than myself with Sir William Jones's little "unvarnished tale" of Rhadacaunt, a pundit in Calcutta, who refused to accept the office of pundit to the Supreme Court of Justice, when offered by Mr. Hastings, even if the salary were doubled.

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My father (said the worthy pundit) died at the age of a hundred years; and my mother, who was eighty years old, became a Sati, and burned herself to expiate sins. They left me little be

sides good principles. Mr. Hastings purchased for me a piece of land, which at first yielded twelve hundred rupees a year; but lately, either through my inattention or through accident, it has produced only one thousand. This would be sufficient for me and my family; but the duty of brahmins is not only to teach the youths of their sect, but to relieve those who are poor. I made many presents to poor scholars, and others in distress; and for this purpose I anticipated my income. I was then obliged to borrow for my family expenses, and I now owe about three thourupees. This debt is my only cause of uneasiness in this world. I would have mentioned it to Mr. Shore, but I was ashamed."

sand rupees.

The introduction of this little anecdote is a proof of that kindness and sensibility which Sir William Jones ever felt for distressed merit. It is superfluous to add, what the reader will have anticipated, that the disposition to relieve his wants was not suffered to evaporate in mere profession.

When I visited the Hindoo villages in the Concan, and enjoyed the pleasant interview with Ragojee Angria and Govindsett, mentioned on my journey through that district, I was charmed with the simple manners of the brahmins, the liberal sentiments of the prince and his philanthropic vizier, the venerable Mahomedan at Ram-Rajah, and many other amiable characters, replete with novelty and interest. I wrote from first impressions, in the same manner as I afterwards pourtrayed the natives of Malabar, and the inhabitants of Surat and the northern cities, where I occasionally resided; especially while sojourning in the Mahratta camp, and travelling to Ahmedabad, through the delightful province of

Guzerat. In my letters on those occasions, I related events as they occurred, without much reflection, or comparison with other countries. Every incident had the charm of novelty; and, like some other travellers, I might have viewed passing events superficially, and formed hasty conclusions.

In subsequent situations, particularly when collector of Dhuboy, and acting as judge in that district, I had much greater opportunities of scrutinizing the Hindoo character. In this investigation my opinion materially changed, and a further intercourse with the religious brahmins at Dhuboy and Chandode, did not raise them in my estimation. Nor did the moral conduct of the Yogees, Senassees, and other devotees frequenting the jattaras of the Nerbudda, prejudice me in their favour. But when I developed the character of the secular brahmins and Hindoos of various description, employed in the revenue department, from the consequential zemindar to the village patell, how was I astonished! Their cruelty, avarice, craftiness, and duplicity, occasioned a thousand grievances, which I could neither counteract nor redress; and displayed such shocking traits, rooted and strengthened by religious opinions, prejudice of caste, and habits of oppression, as baffled all my endeavours to relieve the poor ryots, suffering under their tyranny. I mentioned these things as they occurred; they were written at the moment, and are so fully confirmed by enlightened French and English travellers, during the two last centuries; by recent documents of the Reverend Dr. Claudius Buchanan, and observations of the discriminating Dr. Francis Buchanan, that I hazard nothing in differing from the representa

tion of other writers, who, I doubt not, from the best motives, have written so very favourably of the Hindoos.

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To avoid prolixity, I shall only make a few short extracts from the most respectable writers on the Hindoo character. Such assistance is necessary, when philosophers and sceptics are endea vouring to undermine Christianity, and exalt paganism. It then behoves every person who has acquired a knowledge of those pagans, and been happily taught the truths of Christianity, to support religion, purity, and virtue, against priestcraft, superstition, and error. To those advocates for Hinduism, I must, in the first instance, oppose the high authority of Sir William Jones, whose judgment and impartiality are universally acknowledged. In the preface to his Institutes of Menu, this learned orientalist allows that code to possess a spirit of sublime devotion, benevolence, and tenderness to all sentient creatures; that the sentiments of independence to all beings but God are truly noble; and prove that the author adored, not the material sun, nor any symbolical representation of the Deity, but that divine light, which illumines all, and delights all; from which all proceed, and to which all must return." This beautiful and rational thesis cannot fail to delight every pious mind, but candour renders it necessary to transcribe another passage on the same subject, from the same authority. "This code is also a system of despotism and priestcraft, both indeed limited by law, but artfully conspiring to give mutual support, though with mutual checks.. It is filled with strange conceits in metaphysics and natural philosophy; and with a scheme of theology most obscurely figurative, and consequently liable to dangerous misconceptions."

Such is the decision of Sir William Jones, one of the most amiable benevolent men that ever existed; partial to oriental manners, literature, and poetry, from early youth; and formed, in all respects, for those researches which were his grand pursuit in India. Lord Teignmouth, a character most truly amiable and respectable, from a personal knowledge of the Hindoos, says, “Individuals in India are often irritated by petty provocations, to the commission of acts which no provocation can justify; the result of vindictive pride, and ungoverned violence of temper.” On a former occasion I mentioned Governor Holwell's decided opinion that "the Gentoos are as degenerate, crafty, superstitious, litigious, and wretched a people as any in the known world; and especially in the common run of brahmins."

A more accurate observer, or a more upright judge than Sir James Mackintosh has, perhaps, never appeared in any country. Part of his charge to the grand jury of Bombay has been introduced; the following observation must not be omitted: "The accomplished and justly celebrated Sir William Jones, who carried with him to India a prejudice in favour of the natives, which he naturally imbibed in the course of his studies, and which in him, though not perfectly rational, was neither unamiable nor ungraceful. Even he, after long judicial experience, reluctantly confesses their general depravity; and especially the prevalence of perjury, which is perhaps a more certain sign of the general dissolution of moral principle, than other more daring and ferocious crimes, much more horrible to the imagination." Upon a further acquaintance with the Indian character, this excellent recorder adds, "I trust we shall one day have the unspeakable satisfaction of re