has really thrown himself, which he rarely does, into a little extravagance of language in celebrating.

"Never had I witnessed so beautiful and so sublime a prospect. It so far surpassed every idea which I had or could have formed of its grandeur and effect, that I was almost entranced in its contemplation. I forgot all the world beside, and felt as if I could have continued on this elevated spot for ever. To whichever point of the compass I turned, the view was equally wonderful, new, and enchanting. The eye of man, I am persuaded, never could, from any other spot in the universe, survey a scene more grand, beautiful, and interesting. I distinctly saw above forty villages, with their pagodas and temples, imbosomed in trees of the most lively verdure, presenting every shade of green according to the distance; each village having its spacious tank, glistening like a mirror. I could even discern the tombs adorned with drooping cypresses. I could distinguish some of the villages (with which our guide was well acquainted) at the extreme distance of near forty miles.' p. 67.

It would seem that demons have a more symmetrical notion, than men, of the proportion to be maintained between the house of a personage of rank and his other accommodations. The carriages of Seeva were found to correspond, in a respectable degree, in point of dimensions, to his mansion.

We stopped to examine two very large carriages, or moveable towers, the wheels of which were more than sixteen feet in diameter. They are ornamented with curious carvings, and are used in processions which are made at particular seasons of the year in honour of Siva, or Sheeva, the symbol of power, and also the avenger. They are drawn along, having the images of the god within them, by near two hundred men, with ropes. These carriages are called rutters.; and when they are drawn in their processions, it is not uncommon, as we were informed, for very superstitious devotees, and those unhappy persons who by crimes have lost their cast, to throw themselves in the way of these enormous wheels, that they may be crushed to death, and be thus offered as voluntary sacrifices to the offended deity.'

We should not so well know what to say of the devil's taste in regard to attendants; but perhaps he could not have done better than crowd his apartments, courts, and avenues, with Brahmins and monkeys. Our Author had occasion particularly to notice the high consideration enjoyed in the town by these latter retainers of the demon proprietor.

The secondary style in which Vishnou is obliged to hold his court here, perhaps induces an affectation of peculiar and extraordinary sanctity and mystery. On approaching,' says our explorer, another sinall temple we were not permitted to enter. We peeped through the door, and plainly perceived a frightful

representation of Vishnou, with a lamp burning before it, and Brahmins performing some of their rites. This small temple was a kind of sanctum sanctorum, as we were informed that none but the priests were at any time permitted to enter it.'. When will the traveller in the same region have to report that Another Power has routed all these infernal peers and rivals, and left their fanes, (if the emancipated population shall endure them to stand,) but the mouldering monuments of the abolished kingdom of darkness and iniquity? It is but a faint omen of such a fate that their priests and idolaters have received from the appearance of a Christian Armenian church, which, though in a ruinous state, Mr. W. was as much surprised as pleased to find 'in the midst,' as he says, 'of this strong hold of idolatry.' There was a slight failure of his characteristic curiosity a day or two before his quitting Madras; or rather it was, as he says, that his courage failed. Two young Brahmins, who had for some offence forfeited their privileges and lost their caste, suffered the voluntary punishment of being swung in the air by hooks fastened in their backs, which they endured, as he learned from spectators, with the most perfect fortitude. They thus, according to the account given to him, regained their caste. It has been very commonly asserted by writers on the Hindoo institutions, that forfeited caste can never, in any way, be retrieved; but certainly we have learned, from experience, to place little reliance on the accuracy of any professedly systematic exposition of their religious' economy. It would appear that the vast rubbish of their sacred literature and laws, taken together with their practical customs, forms an infinite jumble of all manner of contradictions, from which it is not for mortal man to draw out any consistent and authentic scheme of doctrinal and preceptive institutes. Partly on this account we have passed with little attention or interest over the abstract of the mythology and ritual of the Hindoos which Mr. W. has attempted, on the authority of several of our Anglo-Indian literati. There is more use in his description of some of the more secular parts of their national customs, and the statistical details concerning Madras given for the information of the numerous trading people who will now visit India.

One of the most curious and entertaining parts of the book, is the account of Pulo Penang, a most beautiful island, with a British fort, at the entrance of the Strait of Malacca, Here the Hope was at anchor more than a month; and no visiter to the island has ever, probably, made a more active improvement of the time than our Author. From the shore to the elevated summit of the island he traversed and re-traversed, with a vigilant eye and a rapid pencil; and nothing came amiss to him, from the accomplished ladies at the little seat of government, to the

serpents that in multitudes approached or crossed his path in his rambles, and the still more deadly Malay with his threatening kreese. But, indeed, he will hardly allow us to apply this epithet to this savage. He will have it that the ferocity of this wild beast might be charmed out of him by an easy incantation, and he has his example ready.

It was my design (in company with one of the midshipmen of the Hope) to gain the summit of a hill I had seen from the Portuguese chapel; and for that purpose, after we had proceeded about a mile on the road, we turned off, in order to make a shorter cut to the object of our walk; and following a narrow path-way, we soon found ourselves in a thick grove of cocoa-trees. Several cottages stood near, from one of which a man, with wild and savage looks, rushed out with his kreese in his hand. These kreeses are long knives or daggers, two-edged, and said to be generally poisoned, that the least wound might be fatal. We expected to be attacked by this savage, and knowing we were not strong enough to oppose such an enemy with success, we determined to try the effect of gentleness and amenity, and fortunately succeeded. The fierce demeanour was changed to kindness, and the threatening frowns to respectful looks. Our smiles gave him confidence, and on our looki g earnestly at some very large cocoa-nuts, which hung in clusters over our heads, our new acquaintance climbed up a tree, and threw down two of a large size. They were husked and opened in a moment, and he presented one to each of us. They contained near a quart of delicious milk each.

The Malays are represented by travellers, and the officers of English ships, as savages, who make no scruple of murdering every straggler they find wandering unarmed in their woods and grounds. If some instances of this kind have taken place, I am afraid that some blame might be due to the intruders-hot headed young men, perhaps, full of spirits, wanton, and insulting The man we encountered, undoubtedly expected to be annoyed by us; otherwise his conduct, on finding us peaceable and armless would not have been changed so readily. I have ever found gentleness, suavity, and mildness, united with truth and sincerity, the safest passports in the journey through

life.'

From the happy temperament of our traveller, we have no doubt he went to sleep at night with perfect calmness after such an adventure in the day, and after finding the house infested with a few snakes, scorpions, and centipedes in the evening. He says he shall often apostrophize this little island as St. Preux, in Eloise, did those of Tinian and Juan Fernandez.' Still, however, in doing so, we think he must recollect the Malays and the serpents.

The climate,' he says, of this isle, although within five degrees of the equator, is temperate and equal-refreshed constantly by the

sea breeze, and fertilized by soft and seasonable rains. The principal object in settling this beautiful island, was for the purpose of supplying the China fleets with wood and water. The latter, which is of the most excellent quality, is conducted from the foot of the mountain, in pipes, to the wharf, where boats have their casks filled by a hose which leads from a cock into their bung holes. It is with regret I quit this most delightful spot, emulating in beauty and produce the seat of Paradise itself,' p. 156.

The remainder of the volume is occupied with the adventures and observations at Macao and Canton, chiefly the latter, and it is very amusing. He was justly vexed at not being allowed to carry his operations of inspection and delineation within the proper city of Canton, but revenged himself upon the suburbs and vicinity. He confesses that his senses were overpowered and oppressed, sometimes to a painful degree, by the stupendous crowd and bustle, and the unrelenting, unremitting, and infinite din and clatter of this vast city.

So busy a scene, I am persuaded, is not elsewhere to be seen in the world. The noise exceeded every thing I had ever heard. The deafening clangor of gongs of all sizes; the shrill discordant music, and the clatter of the Chinese language on every side, assailed my nerves so formidably, that my presence of mind, and fortitude, seemed at times ready to desert me.'

Nevertheless, he plunged every day amid the chaos, and no writer has given a more, vivid description of its elements. His introduction to the houses of several Chinese of distinction, gave him a slight glimpse of their interior economy, and his inquiries met with every attention and assistance from the intelligent Englishmen resident at the city, among whom he names, with particular acknowledgements, Mr. Morrison, the missionary. The most amusing of his adventures was a double attempt, partly successful in the latter instance, to get into his sketchbook some of the graces and sublimities of a highly revered Chinese temple.

I was attended by a young officer of the Amelia. After crossing a large court shaded by immense banian trees, we ascended a flight of steps which led to the door of the sacred edifice. The priests permitted us to enter. The idols were very large figures of bronze, fifteen or twenty feet high. These divinities had nothing very sublime or awful in their appearance; on the contrary, they appeared to us Europeans filthy, disgusting, and abominable. They were adored, however, by a great number of prostrate devotees while we were present, and those had no sooner withdrawn than others pressed forward to supply their places; so that the worship seems to be continued all day. There were several monstrous idols; and altars were placed in different parts of the temple, with priests officiating at them. These

reverend fathers did not pay much attention to cleanliness, for they wore "marvellous foul linen;" their polls were as closely shaven as any Bernardin monk, and their long robes shewed symptoms of their having been once white. They were polite enough; and, as a great favour, they took us to the sty, or temple of the holy pigs. These deities were well attended, and were certainly much cleaner than their priests. They were very large and fat; and some of them, we were informed, were thirty, and one forty years old. This last was an immense sow, of a very venerable appearance, Leaving the grunting gods, we returned to the large temple, where I prepared to take a drawing of its interior. This was no sooner perceived by the priests and the devotees, than such an outcry was raised, and such dismal yells and groans uttered, that we thought it necessary to effect our retreat as speedily as possible, not without receiving some insults from the sacred priests and their devout penitents.'

Notwithstanding the ill success of this adventure, I was determined to take some more favourable opportunity to explore the temples of Josse and the sacred Hogs.'

1

Accordingly, in the company of four gentlemen of the Factory, he made a second visit to this temple, which he describes as of vast extent.

"Whether the priests knew some of those gentlemen, or that they were in a better humour than when I had the honour of visiting them before, they suffered me to draw some of the statues, altars, &c. without much interruption. We again visited the holy habitations of the sty, and their more slovenly priests.'

This is immediately followed by a sentence which we cannot be absolutely certain whether it is intended we should understand as serious or ironical. If it were really meant seriously, we could only express ourselves surprised and ashamed, to see such an observation coupled with such a description; to see a respectable Englishman using any language that should but even affect to admit a question whether these hogs, and idols, and their respective sties, may not after all have something of the venerableness and sanctity of religion !

Absurd, however,' he remarks, as these institutions appear to us, they should not be rashly condemned, or even ridiculed, without knowing the reasons which, perhaps, may be brought to explain them, by some of the intelligent and learned men, who not only countenance a mode of worship which to us appears so ridicu, lous, but would lay down their lives rather than abjure it,' p. 195.

But there would be such a palpable abandonment of mere common sense in an admonition like this gravely delivered, that we are almost forced to take the sentence as a stroke of intended satire, only failing in the requisite dexterity of equivocal phrase,