There is one argument against the possibility of their being in a civilizedst ate, which, to the accurate investigators of the human mind in Europe, will appear conclusive. The cast of the multitude, that is, the Sooders, are held in abhorrence and contempt by the Brahmins. It is a crime to instruct them. It is a crime for that unhappy race even to hear the words of instruction. The Sooder is considered by the Brahmins as an inferior species of being, even in a physical sense; intellectual incapacity is therefore expected and patiently endured, and the wretched Sooder is supposed, at the next transmigration of souls, to animate the body of a monkey or a jackall.

The philosopher of Geneva himself would not have contended for the civilization of the Sooders.

H.

Excessive Polygamy of the Koolin Brahmins.

THE Brahmins in Bengal accuse individuals of their own order of a very singular violation of social propriety; and the disclosure of the fact will, probably, place the character of the venerable Brahmin in a new light.

The Koolins, who are accounted the purest and the most sacred casts of the Brahmins, claim it as a privi lege of their order, to marry an hundred wives. And they sometimes accomplish that number; it being accounted an honour by other Brahmins to unite their daughters to a Koolin Brahmin. The wives live com

ing is regularly read in the evening by the Catechist from his Palmyra leaf." The first Danish missionaries mentioned this art as practised at Tranquebar near Travancore, by the natives. They also describe the Malabarians (and such they appear to have called the natives on the east side of the Peninsula, as far as the seat of their mission) as "a witty and sagacious people,” and as "quick and sharp enough in their way." Their sagacity, however, did not secure them from the grossest idolatry and superstition; and they have only given an additional proof to what was before furnished by the Greeks and Romans, that the world by wisdom knew not God. See an account of the Idolatry of the Malabarians," in the Account of the Danish Mission in the East Indies. For an account of the literature of the Hindoos, see Sir William Jones's Dissertation on the Literature of Asia. Amer. Edit.]

monly in their father's houses; and the Koolin Brahmin visits them all around, generally once a year; on which occasion he receives a present from the father. The progeny is so numerous in some instances, that a statement of the number (recorded in the registers of the cast) would scarcely obtain credit.

As in the case of human sacrifices at Saugor, and of the number of women who are annually burned near Calcutta, there was a disposition among many to discredit the fact; it may be proper to adduce a few names and places to establish the excessive polygamy of the Koolin Brahmins.

The Ghautucks, or registrars of the Koolin cast, state that Rajeb Bonnergee, now of Calcutta, has forty wives; and that Rajchunder Bonnergee, also of Calcutta, has forty-two wives, and intends to marry more; that Ramraja Bonnergee of Bicrampore, aged thirty years, and Pooran Bonnergee, Rajkissore Chuttergee, and Roopram Mookergee; have each upwards of forty wives, and intend to marry more; that Birjoo Mookergee of Bickrampore, who died about five years ago, had ninety wives; that Pertab Bonnergee of Panchraw, near Burdwan, had seventy wives that Ramkonny Mookergee of Jessore, who died about twelve years ago, had one hundred wives; and that Rogonaut Mookergee of Bale Gerrea, near Santipore, who died about four years ago, had upwards of one hundred wives.

The effects of this excessive polygamy are very pernicious to society; for it is a copious source of female prostitution. Some of these privileged characters make it a practice to marry, merely for the dowry of a wife; and as she seldom sees her husband during his life, and dare not marry another after his death, she has strong temptations to an irregular conduct. This monopoly of women by the Koolin Brahmins is justly complained of by Brahmins of the other orders; and they have expressed a hope that it will be abolished by authority. They affirm that this (like many other reign. ing practices) is a direct violation of the law of the Shasters, which does not allow more than four wives to a Brahmin.

I.

Testimonies to the general character of the Hindoos.

As a doubt has been sometimes expressed regarding the real character of the Hindoos, and it has been supposed that their degeneracy only commenced in the last century, we shall adduce the testimony of three competent judges, who lived at different periods of time, and occupied different situations in life. The first is a King of Hindostan, who was well acquainted with the higher classes of the Hindoos; the second a city magistrate, who was conversant with the lower classes and the third an author, well versed in their mythology, and intimately acquainted with their learned men. The concurring testimony of these witnesses will be received with more respect on this account, that the first evidence is that of a Mahomedan, the second of a modern philosopher, and the third of a christian: and to these we shall add the testimony of a Brahmin himself.

1. In the Tuzuc Timuri, "containing maxims of Tamerlane the Great, derived from his own experience, for the future government of his conquests," there is the following mandate to his sons and states

men:

"Know, my dear children, and elevated statesmen, that the inhabitants of Hindostan and Bengal are equally debilitated in their corporeal, and inert in their mental faculties. They are inexorable in temper, and at the same time so penurious and sordid in mind, that nothing can be obtained from them but by personal violence. It appears unquestionable to me,. that this people are under the displeasure of the Almighty, otherwise a prophet would have been appointed for them, to turn them away from the worship of idols, and fire, and cows, and to direct them to the adoration of the true God. Regardless of honor, and indecent in their dress, they sacrifice their lives for trifles (they give their souls for a farthing,) and are inde fatigable in unworthy pursuits; whilst improvident and

imprudent, their ideas are confined and views circum. scribed. Like those demons who, with a view to deceive, can assume the most specious appearances, so the native of Hindostan cultivates imposture, fraud, and deception, and considers them to be meritorious accomplishments. Should any person entrust to him the care of his property, that person will soon become only the nominal possessor of it.

"The tendency of this my mandate to you statesmen, is, to preclude a confidence in their actions, or an adoption of their advice.* But should their assistance be necessary, employ them as the mechanical, and support them as the living instruments of labor." Asiatic Miscellany, Vol. III. p. 179.

2. The second testimony to the general character of the Hindoos shall be that of Mr. Holwell, who was a eity magistrate of Calcutta about the middle of last century. Mr. Holwell calls himself a philosopher; and, as such, he is an admirer of the Hindoo mythology, and alleges that a Brahmin would be a perfect model of piety and purity, if he would only attend to the precepts of the Shasters.

"The Gentoos, in general, are as degenerate, crafty, superstitious, litigious, and wicked a people as any race of beings in the known world, if not eminently more so, especially the common run of Brahmins; and we can truly aver, that during almost five years, that we presided in the judicial Cutcherry Court of Calcutta, never any murder, or other atrocious crime, came before us, but it was proved in the end that a Brahmin was at the bottom of it."t

3. At Benares, the fountain of Hindoo learning and religion, where captain Wilford, author of the Essays on the Indian and Egyptian Mythology, has long resi ded in the society of the Brahmins, a scene has been lately exhibited, which certainly has never had a parallel in any other learned society in the world.

The Pundit of Capt. Wilford having, for a consid

Marquis Cornwallis was never known, during his administration in India, to admit a native to his confidence. Under the administra tion of Marquis Wellesley there is a total exclusion of native counsel. Holwel's Historical Events. p. 152.

erable time, been guilty of interpolating his books, and of fabricating new sentences in old works, to answer a particular purpose, was at length detected and publicly disgraced. As a last effort to save his character, "he brought ten Brahmins, not only as his compurgators, but to swear by what is most sacred in their religion to the genuineness of the extracts.' Capt. Wilford would not permit the ceremonial of perjury to take place, and dismissed them from his presence with indignation.

Among what tribe of barbarians in America, or in the Pacific Ocean, could there be found so many of their principal men, in one place, who would come forth, and confirm a falsehood in the presence of their countrymen, by a solemn act of the country's religion, like these learned disciples of Brahma at Benares!

4. To the foregoing we shall add the testimony of a Brahmin himself, extracted from a paper, entitled "A Defence of the Hindoos."-" These ravages of Hindostan (from the repeated invasion of the Mussulmans) so disturbed the peace of the country, that the principles of its inhabitants were confounded, their learning degraded, and their customs entirely forgotten. Thus reduced, having no means of support, they were induced to practise the vices forbidden them; they would have become savages, or have been entirely rooted out, had not the glorious British nation established the standard of their government."

See Defence of the Hindoos against Mr. Newnham's College Essay; by Senkariah, a learned Brahmin at Madras. Madras Gazette, 10th November, 1804.

K.

Jewish Scriptures at Cochin.

THERE is reason to believe that scriptural records, older than the apostolic, exist on the coast of Malabar. At Cochin there is a colony of Jews, who retain the *Asiat. Res. Vol. VIII. p. 28.