refolution of apparent evil into real good, than they have hit upon, and the fubjection of one animal to another as food, and of all animals to man, who frequently takes away life wantonly as well as of neceffity, would appear to be a merciful difpenfation, tending to general happiness, and haftening the bleffed confummation, when that which is perfect hall come, and that which is imperfect fhall be done away.

The Gentoos, however, upon the fame principles on which they condemn the eating animal food, condemn all modes of worthip by facrifice, in which they differ from all other nations in the world. The Bramins fay, that no being but Moifafoor himfelf, the author of all evil, could have invented an inftitution fo horrid, fo repugnant to the fpirit of devotion, and to abhorrent to the perfections of God.

But the Bramins, though they abhor the propitiatory facrifice of brates, do yet inculcate another facrifice infinitely more horrid, more repugnant to the spirit of devotion, and more abhorrent to the divine attributes, the voluntary facrifice of the wife to the manes of her hufband.

The Bramins, to encourage this practice, teach, that the Ipirit of a wife that voluntarily burns with the body of her husband, immediately ceales to tranfmigrate, and enters the first planet of purification. But why this practice was firft enjoined as a religious duty, Mr. Holwell has not told us; and it appears plainly, from what he has faid about it, that he does not know. He fays that then Bra

mah, the great law-giver of the Gentoos, quitted the form of man, his wives, being inconfolable for his lo's, offered themselves voluntary victims upon his funeral pile;' and that the wives of the Rajahs or great men, dildaining to be outdone, followed their example. But fuppofing this to be true, we are as much at a lofs as ever to account for the practice being enjoined as a duty, or recommended as meritorious in a religious view."

It has generally been fuppofed, that the widow was compelled to burn with the body of her husband, to put a stop to a custom which has become too common among the Gentoo women of poifoning their hufbands. This Mr. Holwell fays is a niftake; and that the Gen. too women are not compelled to burn, though they are encouraged to it."

The burning, he fays, is always voluntary; and a woman is not permitted even to declare her refolution to burn till four-and-twenty hours after the death of her hufband; if he does not then refolve to burn, the lofes her reputation indeed, but the faves her life. If the does refolve to burn, and declares her refolution, he cannot afterwards retract; and thofe who do not willingly fulfil their refolution, are burnt by force.

Mr. Holwell fays, that he has been prefent at many of thefe facrifices; that in fome victims there have appeared dread, reluctance, and horror; in others fortitude, alacrity, and triumph.

He has added a relation of one of thefe diabolical rites which happened in the chief-fhip of Sir Francis Ruffel at the Eaft India Company's

Company's factory at Coffimbuzar, with which this article may very properly be concluded.

At five of the clock on the morning of the 4th of February, 1742-3, died Rhaam Chund Pundit, of the Mahahrattor tribe, aged twenty-eight years. His widow, (for he had but one wife) aged between seventeen and eighteen; as foon as he expired, difdaining to wait the term allowed her for reflection, immediately declared to the Bramins and witnesses prefent, her refolution to burn. As the family was of no fmall confideration, all the merchants of Coffimbuzar and her relations, left no arguments uneflayed to diffuade her from it. Lady Ruffel, with the tendereft humanity, fent her feveral meflages to the fame purpofe; the infant ftate of her children (two girls and a boy, the eldest not four years of age,) and the terrors and pain of the death the fought, were painted to her in the ftrongest and moft lively colouring. She was deaf to all; the gratefully thanked Lady Ruffel, and fent her word, he had now nothing to live for, but recommended her children to her protection. When the torments of burning were urged in terrorem to her, he, with a refolved and calin countenance, put her finger into the fire, and held it there a confiderable time; he then with one hand put fire to the palm of the other, Iprinkled incenfe on it, and fumigated ths Bramins. The confideration of her children left

deftitute of a parent, was again urg. ed to her. She replied," he that made them would take care of them. She was at laft given to understand the fhould not be permitted to burn; this for a short space seemed to give her deep affliction, but foon recollecting herfelf, the toid them, death was in her power, and that if he was not allowed to burn, according to the principles of her caft, he would farve herfelf-Her friends finding her thus peremptory and refolved, were obliged at last to affent.

"The body of the deceased was carried down to the water-fide, early the following morning; the widow followed about ten o'clock, accompanied by three very principal Bramins, her children, parents, and relations, and a numerous concourfe of people. The order of leave for her burning did not arrive from Hoffeyn Khan, Fouzdaar of Moradabad, until after one; and it was then brought by one of the Soubah's own officers, who had orders to fee that the burnt voluntarily.-The time they waited for the order, was employed in praying with the Bramins, and washing in the Ganges; as foon as it arrived, the retired, and ftaid for the space of half an hour in the midft of her female relations, among whom was her mother; he then divested herself of her bracelets, and other ornaments, and tied them in a cloth, which hung like an apron before her, and was conducted by her

female