:

another Megasthenes. Mr. Dow's incompetency on the subject of the Indian theology, has also been proved by Mr. Halhed, who has shown, in the preface to his translation of the Gentoo Code, (p. 32. ed. 1776.) that writer's total deficiency in the knowledge of the sacred writings of the Hindoos and as to Mr. Grose, I refer the reader to the Indian Antiquities, (pp. 249, 255.) for instances of his superficial acquaintance with the affairs of Hindostan. It is of the greater importance to appreciate truly the value of the testimony given by these writers, as on their reports has been founded a conclusion, directly subversive of the fact here attempted to be established.†

In addition to the authorities already referred to upon this head, I would suggest to the reader a perusal of Mr. Mickle's Inquiry into the Brahmin Philosophy, suffixed to the seventh Book of his Translation of Camoens's Lusiad. He will find in that interesting summary, abundant proofs, not only of the existence of the practice of human sacrifice in modern India, but also of the total incredibility of the romances of Dow and Holwel: and he will at the same time discover the reason why these authors are viewed with so much partiality by a certain description of writers. The philosophic tincture of their observations upon religion, and the liberties taken, by Mr. Holwel especially, with both the Mosaic and Christian revelations, were too nearly allied to the spirit of Unitarianism not to have had charms for the advocates of that system.-The superiority of the revelation of Brahma over that of Moses, Mr. Holwel instances in the creation of man. In the former, he says, "the creation of the human form is clogged with no difficulties, no ludicrous unintelligible circumstances, or inconsistencies. God previously constructs mortal bodies of both sexes for the reception of the angelic spirits." (Mickle's Lusiad, vol. ii. p. 253.) Mr. Holwel also, in his endeavours to prove the revelation of Birmah and of Christ to be the same, gravely proceeds to solve the difficulty which arises from their present want of resemblance, by asserting that "the doctrine of Christ, as it is delivered to us, is totally corrupted: that age after age has discoloured it; that even the most ancient record of its history, the New Testament, is grossly corrupted; that St. Paul by his reveries, and St. Peter by his sanction to kill and eat, began this woful declension, and perversion of the doctrines of Christ." (Mickle's Lusiad, vol. ii. p. 254.) After this, can we wonder, that Dr. Priestley considered this writer sufficiently enlightened to be admitted as undoubted evidence in the establishment of whatever facts he might be pleased to vouch? Yet it is whimsical enough that this writer, who is so eminently philosophical, and as such is so favourite a witness with Dr. Priestley, should have disclosed an opinion with respect to philosophers, so disreputable as the following. "The devil and his chiefs have often as well as the good angels, taken the human form, and appeared in the character of tyrants, and corrupters of morals, or philosophers, who are (he asserts) the devil's faithful deputies." (Mickle's Lusiad, vol. ii. p. 250.)

To the curious reader who may wish to see the latest and most interesting account of the sanguinary superstitions of the Hindoos, and of the general state of that people in point of civilization at the present day, I would strongly recommend DR. BUCHANAN's Memoir on the Expediency of an Ecclesiastical Establishment for British India: in which he will not only find an ple confirmation of Mr. Maurice's statements, as to the dreadful extent of human sacrifice among the natives of Hindostan, (see pp. 33, 34, 47-50, 91-104.) but also the most affecting exposition of the decaying state of religion amongst their conquerors.

HUMAN SACRIFICES.

The subject of this number may derive additional light. from the nature of the representations of the Divinity, throughout the Heathen nations. Thus in the images of the deity among the Indians, we find an awful and terrific power the ruling feature. Thousands of outstretched arms and

In this latter point of view it is a work that cannot be too generally known, nor too attentively perused. The contrast which it exhibits between the indifference of Protestantism and the zeal of popery, in those distant regions, is strikingly illustrative of the prevailing character of each. An establishment of eighteen military chaplains, of whom not more than twelve are at any one time in actual appointment,-with three churches, (one at Calcutta, one at Madras, and one at Bombay,) constitutes the entire means of religious instruction, for the vast extent of the British empire in the East: whilst, at the various settlements and factories at Bencoolen, Canton, and the numerous islands in that quarter in the possession of Britain, not a single clergyman of the English church is to be found, to perform the rite of baptism, or any other Christian rite whatever. British armies also, have been known to be not unfrequently in the field without a chaplain: and it is said, that Marquis Cornwallis was indebted to the services of a British officer for the last solemn offices of interment. The consequence (as Dr. Buchanan states) has been, that "all respect for Christian institutions has worn away; and that the Christian sabbath is now no otherwise distinguished than by the display of the British flag"!!! So that "we seem at present," he says, "to be trying the question, WHETHER RELIGION BE NECESSARY FOR A STATE: whether a remote commercial empire, having no sign of the Deity, no type of any thing heavenly, may not yet maintain its Christian purity, and its political strength, amidst Pagan superstitions, and a voluptuous and unprincipled people" The effect also of this want of religious instruction, Dr. Buchanan describes to be such as might naturally be expected, a general spread of profligacy amongst our own people; and a firm belief amongst the natives, that "THE ENGLISH HAVE NO RELIGION."

Now in what way does Dr. Buchanan describe the exertions of the noMISH CHURCH to propagate its peculiar tenets? An establishment of three archbishops and seventeen bishops, with a proportional number of churches and inferior clergy, is indefatigably employed in sending through the East, and particularly through the dominions of Protestant Britain, that form of religious faith, which Protestants condemn as perniciously erroneous. In Bengal alone, he states there are eight Romish churches, besides four Armenian, and two Greek: and it affords matter of melancholy reflection, that we are compelled to derive a consolation under the consequences of our own religious apathy, from the contemplation of those beneficial effects which Dr. Buchanan ascribes to the influence of this Romish establishment, in its civilizing operation on the minds of the Asiatics.

The sentiments which an acquaintance with these facts must naturally excite in the minds of such as retain any sense of the value of true religion, make it particularly desirable that this work should be known to all; especially to those who have the power to promote the means of rectifying the dreadful evils which it authenticates. To a religious mind the perusal of the work must undoubtedly be distressing. But from the gloom which the darkness of Pagan superstition, joined to the profligacy of European irre ligion spreads over the recitals it contains, the pious heart will find a relief in that truly evangelical production of pastoral love, presented in Archbi shop Wake's primary charge to the Protestant missionaries in India; and yet more in that delightful picture which is given of the church of Malabar: a church, which, as it is reported to have been of apostolic origin, carries with it to this day the marks of apostolic simplicity; and which presents the astonishing phenomenon of a numerous body of Hindoo Chris

hands, generally filled with swords and daggers, bows and arrows, and every instrument of destruction, express to the terrified worshipper the cruel nature of the god. The collars of human sculls, the forked tongues shooting from ser-, pents' jaws, the appendages of mutilated corses, and all the other circumstances of terrific cruelty which distinguish the black goddess, Seeva, Haree, and other of the idols of Hindostan, (Maurice's Ind. Antiq. pp. 182, 253, 327, 381, 382, 856, 857, 882.) sufficiently manifest the genius of that religion which presented these as objects of adoration. To the hideous idols of Mexico, one of which was of most gigantic size, seated upon huge snakes, and expressly denominated TERROR, (Clavig. lib. vi. sect. 6.) it was usual to present the heart, torn from the breast of the human victim, and to insert it, whilst yet warm and reeking, in the jaws of the blood-thirsty divinity. (Ibid. lib. vi. sect. 18.) The supreme god of the ancient Scythians was worshipped by tians, exceeding both in their practice and their doctrines, the purity of any Christian church since the age of the apostles. "Such are the heresies of this church," said their Portuguese accusers, that "their clergy mar ried wives; that they owned but two sacraments, baptism and the Lord's supper; that they denied transubstantiation; that they neither invoked saints nor believed in purgatory; and that they had no other orders or names of dignity in the church than bishop or deacon." Such was found to be the state of the church of Malabar in the year 1599, and such there is good reason to believe, had been its state from its foundation in the earliest times of Christianity. (See Dr. Buchanan's Memoir, pp. 1-8, 12, 18, 55-62, 75-79.) To the question which Popery triumphantly proposes to the Protestant, "WHERE WAS YOUR RELIGION BEFORE LUTHER?" the answer, "IN THE BIBLE," derives now an auxiliary from this most important and interesting fact.

I should deem it necessary to apologize to the reader for this digression: respecting the contents of Dr. Buchanan's publication, were I not convinced that in drawing attention to its subject, I am doing a real service to Christianity.

As a most valuable Appendix to this publication, I must beg leave also to recommend to the reader the xviith article of the 1st volume of the Quarterly Review. The impious policy that would impede the introduction of the Christian religion into India, is there treated as it deserves. The fashionable sophistry which had for a time prevailed upon this subject, is most happily exposed by the Reviewer. And with no common talent and address, it is unanswerably proved, to be no less the interest than the duty of the conqueror to spread the light of the gospel far and wide through the regions of Hindostan. Melancholy it truly is, that such arguments should be wanting to convince a Christian people. Great is the power of the British Empire most undoubtedly. Yet surely if its interests are found to be incompatible with the interests of Christ's kingdom, it cannot be difficult to pronounce which of the two must fail.

That the reader may feel the full force of the observations contained in the above note, he is requested to peruse the extraordinary details, authenticated by Dr. Buchanan, in his recent publication, entitled Christian Researches in Asia; particularly those relating to the worship of Juggernaut, and the present condition of Ceylon, which are to be found at p. 129-147. and p. 182-190. of that work. These details must be alarming indeed to every serious mind.

them under the similitude of a naked SwORD, (Herod. lib. iv. cap. 62.) and in Valhalla, or the Hall of Slaughter, the paradise of the terrible god of the Northern European regions, the cruel revelries of Woden were celebrated by deep potations from the sculls of enemies slain in battle.

Consistent with this character of their gods, we find the worship of many of the Heathen nations to consist in suffering and mortification, in cutting their flesh with knives, and scorching their limbs with fire. Of these unnatural and inhuman exercises of devotion, ancient history supplies numberless instances. In the worship of Baal, as related in the book of Kings; and the consecration to Moloch, as practised by the Ammonites, and not unfrequently by the Hebrews themselves, the sacred volume affords an incontestable record of this diabolical superstition. Similar practices are attested by almost every page of the profane historian. The cruel austerities of the Gymnosophist both of Africa and India, the dreadful sufferings of the initiated votaries of Mithra and Eleusis, (see Maurice's Ind. Antiq. p. 990-1000.) the Spartan duasiyas in honour of Diana, the frantic and savage rites of Bellona, and the horrid self-mutilations of the worshippers of Cybele, but too clearly evince the dreadful views entertained by the ancient Heathens of the nature of their gods. Of the last named class of Pagan devotees, (to instance one as a specimen of all) we have the following account from Augustine-" Deæ magnæ sacerdotes, qui Galli vocabantur, virilia sibi amputabant, et furore perciti caput rotabant, cultrisque faciem musculosque totius corporis dissecabant; morsibus quoque se ipsos impetebant." (August. de Civ. Dei. pp. 140, 156. ed. 1661.) And Seneca, as quoted by the same writer, (lib. vi. cap. 10.) confirms this report in the following passage, taken from his work on Superstition, now no longer extant: "Ille viriles sibi partes amputat, ille lacertos secat. Ubi iratos deos timent, qui sic propitios merentur ?-Tantus est perturbatæ mentis et sedibus suis pulsæ furor, ut sic Dii placentur quemadmodum ne homines quidem teterrimi.-Se ipsi in templis contrucidant, vulneribus suis ac sanguine supplicant." And it deserves to be remarked that these unnatural rites, together with that most unnatural of all, human sacrifice, are pronounced by Plutarch (Opera. tom. ii. p. 417. ed. Franc. 1620.) to have been instituted for the purpose of averting the wrath of malignant demons.

Nor have these cruel modes of worship been confined to the Heathens of antiquity. By the same unworthy concep tions of the Deity, the Pagans of later times have been led to the same unworthy expressions of their religious feelings.

Thus, in the narrative of Cooke's voyages, we are informed that it was usual with the inhabitants of the Friendly Islands, when afflicted with any dangerous disorder, to cut off their little finger as an offering to the deity, which they deemed efficacious to procure their recovery: and in the Sandwich Islands it was the custom to strike out the fore-teeth, as a propitiatory sacrifice to avert the anger of the Eatooa, or divinity. If we look again to the religion of the Mexicans, we meet the same sort of savage superstition, but carried to a more unnatural excess. Clavigero (lib. 6. sect. 22.) says, "it makes one shudder to read the austerities, which they exercised upon themselves, either in atonement of their transgressions, or in preparation for their festivals :" and then proceeds, in this and the following sections, to give a dreadful description indeed of the barbarous self-lacerations, practised both by the Mexicans and Tlascalans, in the discharge of their religious duties: and yet he afterwards asserts, (v. ii. p. 446. 4to. ed. Lond.) that all these, horrid as they are, must be deemed inconsiderable, when compared with the inhumanities of the ancient priests of Bellona and Cybele, of whom we have already spoken; and still more so, when contrasted with those of the penitents of the East Indies and Japan.

With good reason, indeed, has the author made this concluding remark: for of the various austerities which have been at different times practised as means of propitiating superior powers, there are none that can be ranked with those of the devotees of Hindostan at the present day. Dreadful as Mr. Maurice represents the rites of Mithra and Eleusis to have been, dreadful as we find the other rites that have been noticed, yet their accumulated horrors fall infinitely short of the penitentiary tortures endured by the Indian Yogee, the Gymnosophist of modern times-"to suspend themselves on high in cages, upon trees considered sacred, refusing all sustenance, but such as may keep the pulse of life just beating; to hang aloft upon tenter-hooks, and voluntarily bear inexpressible agonies; to thrust themselves by hundreds under the wheels of immense machines that carry about their unconscious gods, where they are instantly crushed to atoms; at other times, to hurl themselves from precipices of stupendous height; now to stand up to their necks in rivers, till rapacious alligators come to devour them; now to bury themselves in snow till frozen to death; to measure with their naked bodies, trained over burning sands, the ground lying between one pagoda and another, distant perhaps many leagues; or to brave, with fixed eyes, the ardour of a meridian sun between the tropics;" these, with other