the way of its removal. The cruelty of the Hindoos, like that of the Mexicans, is no doubt attributable to the bloody rites of their religion: "thousands of human victims have been thrown to smoke on the polluted altars of their horrid deities; deities, whose crimes, if upon earth, society could not endure; and those bosoms, which have been fondly imagined the asylum of love, of meekness, and humanity, are found to be the receptacles of every debasing crime, and every malignant passion." The abjectness of the Hindoo is moreover confirmed by the secondary influence of that institution, which obtained, before the records of authentic history, the institution of casts, by which the station of every individual is irrevocably fixed, and "the walk of life marked out, from which he must never deviate, and whose barriers it would be impious to pass." An institution like this, it is clear, must deaden every noble faculty of the mind, it must smother every spark of ambition, and nip every bud of genius. The expertness acquired in some of their manufactures, is scarcely worthy to be mentioned in the consideration of this subject. "If we examine," says Mr. Martin, "into the capacity peculiar to the Asiatics, we shall find them to possess a larger portion of ability than is generally supposed. Indeed we have every reason to suppose, that the sun of science, as well as of religion, first arose upon the eastern world; and that the polished nations of Europe, who now excel antiquity in arts, and vie with it in arms, are indebted to Asia for their cultivation, and many of their best attainments. The Asiatics, it is probable, had climbed the heights of science before the Greeks had learned their alphabet; and while the forests of Europe were stocked with a few wild, uncultivated savages, these were collected into populous cities, the seats of arts, of luxury, and of despotism, Asia too has given birth to some of the greatest monarchies of the world; to that of the Assyrians, the Medes, and the Persians. The foundations of astronomy are said to have been laid in Babylon; and from the Magi of Persia, Pythagoras is declared to have acquired the principles of that knowledge, which procured him the applause and veneration of the Greeks. Hindoostan was infinitely more enlightened than it is at this day, and its inhabitants a civilized, a commercial, and even a warlike people; and at the time that the Greeks imagined themselves the only great people upon earth, Confutsee had planted morality and good government in China. Thus we see that literature, taste, and science originated in Asia, and by a gradual dif fusion, in the course of time spread themselves over Greece and Italy. Such then having been once the state of the sciences and arts among the Asiatics, it cannot be unreasonable to suppose, that their ability still remains unhurt and vigorous; and that those sparks of genius, hitherto smothered or enfeebled by the noxious climate of oppression, might, under the congenial influence of a milder government, and more favourable laws, again be fanned into a flame." ture still remain; the chief edifices were Many specimens of ancient architecerected for religious purposes, and, according to Mr. Newnham, attract admiration, merely from the time and labour necessary for their construction, the architecture possessing little merit either and the sciences, he continues, were forfor regularity or elegance. Astronomy merly studied in Hindoostan, but they seem to have been known only to the Brahmins, and by the indolence of that race they are now almost forgotten. "If the arts had been carried to a high de gree of perfection, some traces of that perfection would have remained; but we find the mechanical instruments of the native, simple and unimproved, and his tools for agriculture and building, sucit as a nation emerging from a state of nature would first have invented. I mean not to assert, that many of the arts known and esteemed in Europe, have not had that Hindoostau was one of the first countheir origin in this country. It is probable tries which emerged from barbarism; but there is no appearance of its having at any former time greatly excelled that degree of civilization, such as it is, which exists at this day." "The Indians at present under the British dominion, particularly those near the seats of government, appear inclined to dismiss many of their prejudices. The richer Hindoos, in particular, affect to despise many of their former customs, to which the destructive persecutions of the Mahomedans only served to rivet their affections; they, however, rather copy the follies than the virtues of Europeans, and endeavour to excel them in luxury and expence, rather than in knowledge. They have acquired the same freedom of behaviour, without the generosity and independence of spirit; and they are more eager in the acquirement of riches, without the same enterprize and honesty of principle. To over-reach the stranger by the lowest artifices of despicable chicane and intrigue, is considered by the trading Hindoo as his calling. If the passions have not the same influence over him as over the more vigorous and impetuous European, the influence of the virtues is still less; if he is less quick in resenting injuries, he is utterly in sensible to every feeling of gratitude. To vegetate in sloth is the delight of the Hindoo, and he is never roused to exertion but by the calls of necessity, or to gratify his ruling passion, avarice: He is dastardly in spirit, and will seldom stand a contest with an open foe, but is rather inclined to injure his enemy sceretly. When transported with anger, he vents his rage with feminine impotence, in the vilest and foulest reproaches; but this fury is quickly damped, if likely to be resented by force. Justly is it observed by Mr. Newnham, that that country can never be called civilized, where the priest stands before the altar of his idol, his hands rceking with the blood of the newly slaughtered victim; whose laws permit the son to expose to the flood the being who gave him birth, when oppressed by years, and unable to labour for the support of life; where the youthful widow is compelled to finish a short life upon the pile of her deceased husband, or else must survive his loss in ignominy or servitude; and where the woman who has long been barren, offers her first born to her god, by exposing it to the birds and beasts of prey, or suffering it to be carried away by the flood of the Ganges !" Will it be credited, that several of these unnatural cruelties were perpetrated in the presence of Europeans, at the last Hindoo festival in the island of Saugor, in December 1801 ? peo of the Portugueze, and their persecuting zeal. This protection is now afforded by the British government. The dissenting Hindoo may be expelled from his cast, but no violence can be used against his person, and his rights, as a subject, remain unimpaired. This protection, and the general mildness of the British government, must in time animate the natives to make some attempt to share with us in the daily evident benefits of genes ral knowledge. The reflection of mind necessary for the attainments of general knowledge, will lead them to the examination of be displayed to their view; and, in this way,' principles. Truth and its evidence will then we may hope that their superstitions will gradually lose strength, and in time disappear." We shall not have occasion' to dwell long on the theses contained in this vo lume; they are three in number. The first was pronounced in the Persian lan guage, by Mr. Lovett, on this position: "An academical institution in India is advantageous to the natives and to the British nation." This subject is so nearly the same with that of the first three essays already noticed, that we shall be excused from enlarging on it. We cannot pass it over, however, without a compli ment to the extensive reading displayed by our orator. It was opposed by Mr. C. Lloyd, and Mr. G. D. Guthrie; the moderator was Lieut. John Baillie, professor. The second disputation was held in the Bengal language. Mr. Martin defended this position: "The Asiatics are capable of as high a degree of civilization as the Europeans.' In his essays, Mr. Martin had more than once acknow. ledged the co-operative influence of cli mate: here he thinks it necessary to retract a little; but it really was not ne "The only effectual expedient for the improvement of this idolatrous and deluded ple, appears to be the civilizing influence of the christian religion. It is, perhaps, too audacious an attempt for philosophy or human policy. Philosophy, indeed, has already acknowledged that the difficulties of the attempt appear insuperable; but though the superstitions of the natives are certainly great obsta-cessary, at least according to our theory cles to the propagation of truth, these superstitions are not to be deemed invincible. We on the subject. If the Hindoos were cannot believe that the Hindoos are an ex- left entirely to themselves, it is probable ception to the human race. History affords that ages might roll away before they many instances of nations who have yielded would extricate themselves from the up their ancient and inveterate prejudices to shackles in which their Brahmins bind the truth of the gospel. Besides, it is a fact, them; if they made any advance towards that this very country has felt its power, and civilization, the motions, like that of the that there are numerous classes of the natives hour-hand of a watch, would be too slow who profess obedience to the christian faith. "Protection from prosecution for religious to be perceived. Mr. Martin is obliged opinion, is the chief encouragement to the to look about for extraneous assistance, investigation of truth; and it is not wonder- for the introduction of christianity. If ful, that little success followed the cruelties there be one more distinguishing feature * In China infanticide is allowed and practised; but Sir George Staunton tells us, that a child is bound to support his parents in distress, the brother his brother, and so on; even the most distant kinsman has a claim upon his relation. To this obligation Sir George attributes the exclusion of mendicity from the empire.-Rev. They are printed in the original language, and a translation is annexed to each.-REV. among christian nations, says he, than another, it is the intelligence and spirit of enquiry which pervades them all; every thing that relates to the animal, intellectual and moral worlds, has there been sifted and explored, and arts the most useful to mankind have been discovered. The flame of science, once kindled, has been communicated to every description of men among whom christianity has been known, and every succeeding age has added something to the limits of the former, while throughout every country where mahometanism is professed, the same deep pause has been made in philosophy. This, he continues, appears the only way in which we can account for the decline of eastern knowledge, and it is only from the sun of christianity that we can look for the dissipation of this awful gloom. To all this we very hear. tily assent; but surely it is not necessary to detract an atom from the influence of climate, in order to allow that it may be counteracted by the combined influences of christianity on the one hand, and of British government and British laws on the other. The position of this thesis was opposed by Mr. Bayley and Mr. Hodgson; the moderator was W. C. Blaquiere, esq. The third disputation was held in the Hindoostanee language; the position is, that "The Hindoostanee language is the most generally useful in India." It was defended by Mr. Bayley. Owing to the intercourse of the merchants of Arabia with this country, but particularly to the frequent invasion of it, and ultimate settlement in it by the Moosulmans, a considerable number of Arabic and Persian words became engrafted on the original and current language of the natives, which was the Sunscrit or Bhakha; of these three languages, then, the present Hindoostanee is compounded. The court of Delhi having made choice of it, as the medium in all affairs depending on colloquial intercourse, it became more extensively known, and was at length used universally in the courts of the Moosulman princes. Mr. Bayley makes a division of it into three dialects, varying according to the prevalence of one or other of the languages composing it; which dialects arose, he says, from the different degrees of intercourse and communication between the Mooşulmans and the natives. In the first or pristine dialect, there is a smaller admixture of foreign words; hence this is more nearly related to the original dialects of the country, In the second, or what Mr. Bayley calls the familiar dialects, the number of fo reign words bears nearly an equal proportion to the original ones. In the third, or court dialect, Arabic and Persian words are by far the most numerous. It is a little singular, that the language which Mr. Bayley designates by the appellation of the Hindoostanee, should, according to his own account, be only a dialect of it; it is to this third or court dialect that he seems to restrict the term. I grant, says he, that peculiar dialects are spoken by the inhabitants of several districts and provinces of India, yet I assert that no one of them is so generally useful and necessary as the Hindoostanee; nor will this assertion appear to be too bold, when it be considered that however extensive a country may be, and how numerous soever the dialects spoken in it, still the language of the court and metropolis will always be most generally known and understood, and must of consequence be that most worthy of attention and cultivation by foreigners. Mr. Bayley establishes his proposition, among others, by the following arguments; "In the whole of the vast country of Hinfound, who does not understand and speak doostan, scarce any Moosulman will be the Hindoostance. Every Hindoo also, of any distinction, or who has the least connection either with the Moosulman or the British government, is, according to his situation, acquainted more or less with this language. "It is moreover the general medium by which many persons of various foreign nations settled in Hindoostan, communicate their wants and ideas to cach other. Of the truth of this indeed we ourselves are an evidence, as well as the Portugueze, Dutch, French, Danes, Arabs, Turks, Greeks, Armenians, Georgians, Persians, Moghuls, and Chinese. "In almost all the armies of India, this ap pears to be the universally used language; even though many of the individuals composing thein be better acquainted with the dialects peculiar to their respective districts. 66 Nearly from Cape Comorin to Kabool, a country about 2000 miles in length, and 1400 in breadth, within the Ganges, few persons will be found in any large villages or towns, which have ever been conquered or much frequented by Moosulmans, who are not sufficiently conversant in the Hindoostanee; and in many places beyond the Ganges, this language is current and familiar." To these facts it is added, that although the Hindoostanee language does not boast of many prose compositions or works of science, yet that many elegant tales and beautiful poems are composed in it. Commercial, military, and political correspondence is carried on in it; the instructions of the learned natives, and all their disputations and arguments on subjects of literature, are conducted in it; and in every case where a native wishes either to compose or to dietate any thing to be written, he constantly arranges his ideas, and explains his meaning in the Hindoostanee. The position was opposed by Mr. Lovett and Mr. Lloyd; the moderator was John Gilchrist, Esq. After the full account which we have given of the contents of this volume, we have but little to say relative to its general merits. The essays are certainly, not of the highest order of excellence: the importance of the subjects proposed, would have sanctioned much ampler and more comprehensive dissertations. They are, nevertheless, extremely respectable: it will be recollected that they are the production of students, who, as they ascend the hill of science, will have a more extended horizon open to their view. Their annual essays, too, serve the important purpose of directing their attention to those topics which are most likely to repay their studies, with the gratitude and attachment of the natives, who are submitted to their government, and with the confidence and esteem of their employers the honourable company in Great Britain. "Those," says Mr. Barlow, in his address to the students on the distribution of prizes and honorary rewards; "those who are yet but imperfectly acquainted with the nature and abjects of that institution, will learn with equal surprize and satisfaction, that students recently arrived in India, have this day ably maintained a public disputation in the Oriental languages. William has already excited a general at"The establishment of the college of Fort tention to Oriental languages, literature, and knowledge, which promises to be productive of the most salutary effects, in the administration of every branch of the affairs of the honourable company in India. The numerous and important benefits to be derived from this institution, cannot, however, be justly estimated from the experience of the since it comurenced its operations. But, if short period of one year, which has elapsed succeeding years shall exhibit advantages proportionate to those which have been already manifested, this institution will rea lize the most sanguine expectations which have been entertained of its success." Under the auspicious government of the Marquis of Wellesley, it will long be remembered, that Seringapatam was stormed and taken, and the power of the mighty Sultaun of Mysore annihilated, by the death of Tippoo; nor will it be forgotten, that an equal praise belongs to him, as the regenerator of India, by the foundation of the college of Fort William. We cannot close this article better than in the words of Mr. Lovett: the undertaking, long continue to watch "May his genius, as it at first conceived over and protect it! May the learning and virtue, of which he is an example, its effects be seen to the latest ages, in long flourish within its walls! And may the peace, happiness, and prosperity of this invaluable appendage to the British empire: increased strength to its domestic resources, and increased glory to its illustrious name!" ART. VII. The Tourifications of Malachi Meldrum, Esq. of Meldrum Hall. By Dr. ROBERT COWPER. 12mo. Two vols. about 450 pages. IT has been said, probably with truth, that there are few persons who at some period or other of life have not experienced a desire to visit foreign countries, and compare the manners of different people with the manners of their own country men. Malachi Meldrum, esquire, for a number of years had been periodically seized with a vehement desire of this sort-immediately after turnip-sowing. It might have been well, perhaps, if some of our young gentry, who have -squandered so much of their time and money in making the "Grand Tour," had paused and cogitated upon the pro priety of the thing, like Malachi Meldrum, esquire, of Meldrum-Hall, before they made up their mind upon it. This prudent gentleman paused and cogitated, year after year, till an accidental glance at the family looking-glass revealed to him the ominous existence of three or four grey hairs on his forehead; this discovery, together with the silent but expressive eloquence of Mrs. Dorothy Meldrum and the children, who, from some unguarded soliloquies which escaped him, had suspected that something was working in the mind of Malachi, at length contracted the intended sphere of his peregrinations, and deter. mined him to content himself with an unexpensive and less perilous tourification in his own country. Notwithstanding this change of his plan, it was sometime before he could summon courage to disclose it to his family: Mr. Meldrum became reserved, and lost all his wonted hilarity. This state of restraint, so unnatural to him, however at length grew intolerable, and one Saturday evening after supper was the appointed period for the important disclosure: "an unusual taciturnity bordering upon gloom, hung over the fireside;" but Mr. Meldrum taking an extraordinary pull or two of Dorothy's October felt himself so stout, that after a conciliating glance of affection towards his wife, the affair at last came out, and met with less opposition than might reasonably have been anticipated. Indeed it must be acknowledged that he shewed a good deal of generalship in not suffer. ing the enemy to rally his forces after the shock of the first onset: an extra tankard of October, and the promise of bringing home for the girls a load of fine things, had considerable effect. Conversation was not suffered to flag, and Malachi, who has a remarkably sweet voice, and is exempt from that vice which is common to singers, of declining to gratify their friends, or requiring so much solicitation as to take away all the merit of assenting, proposed at the very first pause in conversation to sing his wife her old favourite song, "My dear,' said I, lifting the tankard half way to my head, and replacing it softly on my knee, as if something very important was pressing upon me; my dear,' said I, suppose I sing you your old favourite, the Forsaken Shepherd; I am much mistaken if it had not a little influence with somebody some years agone; a slight leer accompanied this; and I find my voice in fine pitch for the Yellow-hair'd Laddie to night. Dorothy's handkerchief was replaced in her pocket, and the corner of her apron was also carelessly thrown aside. The song, to be sure, was main long; but that I had in view, as I was sure my audience would be fast asleep before I fairly got through the half of it. She accepted the offer as a compliment, with much kindness and gratitude; and I -proceeded singing, and saying, as I saw best befitting my audience or non-audience. "The Forsaken Shepherd. "The sair-hearted Sandy aside the bare tree Sat sighing and sabbing, and the tear in his ee; And though chill blew the blast, and fast fel the snaw, He sang to the desart his lassie awa`. to die And the lads a' around join in sorrow wi' me. "Nae mair on our hills will thy smiles chase The deep groan of grief, and the tears as awa' they fa; The pale furrow'd cheek in its want shall snaw, Thy charms and thy goodness for ever awa." On Monday morning, then, Malachi Meldrum upon Habby, duly caparisoned, and his man Shadrach, equipped with his master's portmanteau upon Black Tom, set off upon his tourification. It was a fine morning, and the scenery brought to his rememblance some Scottish stanzas, which many years before he had penned, for the amusement of Dorothy and the bairns; we cannot transcribe the whole, but there is so much accuracy and life in some of the descriptive passages, that we are tempted to select a few stanzas. |