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BRAHMINICAL DOCTRINES.

western, and India for the eastern parts of the globe. The few general traditions which they had received from their ancestors, it is reasonable to imagine, would find a place in the religious systems of all. These traditions would remain unaltered, chiefly in countries like India, insulated from the rest of the world by continued and almost impregnable barriers.

"We find that the most common method of accounting for the origin of evil is the degeneracy of man from a state of purity to a state of corruption: a doctrine which has retained a place in the popular creed of every nation. Of Brahminism, it may be almost said to form the basis. It is this idea which has regulated its elaborate scheme of chronology; it is this idea which causes its followers to submit to the most excruciating penances, in order to purge the soul from the stains which she has contracted during her abode in this polluted body. They have indeed corrupted and obscured this doctrine; they have engrafted on it additions which do not properly belong to it; they have carried it so far, as to inspire them with a hatred of life, and a dereliction of every worldly enjoyment; they have continually placed before their eyes the accomplishment of that melancholy period, when a total decay of bodily strength, as well as an entire degeneracy of morals, shall increase the sum of present misery; but these deviations from the truth could never have happened, unless they had truth itself for a foundation. These are phantoms of the imagination, which would never have existed, if they had not been derived from some correspondent reality.

"From the fall of man, we are naturally led to the consideration of a positive ordinance immediately connected with it, and springing out of it; THE CUSTOM

SACRIFICIAL EXPIATION.

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OF SACRIFICIAL OBLATIONS, AS AN EXPIATION FOR SIN.

In whatever point of view this custom may be regarded, whether as eucharistical or propitiatory, whether originating in the idea that it was a proper mode of expressing sentiments of gratitude to the Deity, for the enjoyment of the bounties of nature, or as a proper atonement for guilt; still a rite so peculiar, and so universal, must have received its sanction from some positive command, and could never have been the dictate of natural reason.

"The Vedas themselves, on some occasions, enjoin the oblations of men, as well as animals; and that the sacrifices of the latter were anciently practised, we have the authority of Strabo and Arrian. It is also well known, that one of the incarnations of Vishnu, that of Budha himself, is described by the Brahmins, as having taken place for the purpose of abolishing the sacrifices enjoined in the Vedas; and whatever difference of opinion may be entertained concerning the time, or the genuineness of this descent, it is a decided proof, that the custom of sacrificial offering must have been universally prevalent."

Bishop Watson, when archdeacon of Ely, in his charge to the clergy of that diocese, says :-" learned men have abundantly proved that a tradition concerning a deluge has prevailed in every quarter of the globe, not only amongst the Romans, Grecians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, and Scythians; but amongst the Iroquoix, Mexicans, Brazilians, Peruvians, and other nations of America: and that the inhabitants of Otaheite being asked concerning their origin, simply answered, that their Supreme God a long time ago, being angry, dragged the earth through the sea, and their island being broken off, was preserved."

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Town of Bombay-English commerce of Bombay-Civil and Military Establishments-Courts of Justice-Domestic Arrangement-Moonlight Evenings.

I SHALL conclude my letters on Bombay with a short account of the European inhabitants, and their mode of living at that settlement. The principal town takes it name from that of the island, and is situated near the harbour, at the southern extremity; on the north side is a smaller town, called Mahim, and several villages in different parts of the country.

The town of Bombay is about two miles in circumference, surrounded by modern fortifications; with a fosse, drawbridges, three principal gates, and several sally-ports; but the works having been constructed under different engineers, without any regular plan, cannot boast of the strength or uniformity which might otherwise have characterized them.

The harbour is large, and secure from the storms and hurricanes which are very frequent and destructive at Surat bar, and on the Malabar coast: near it were three excellent docks, which I believe are since increased in number; and a spacious marine-yard, amply supplied with naval stores of every description: here they build vessels of all sizes, from a ship of the line,

PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

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to the smallest grabs and gallivats, employed in the Company's service: the timber used is chiefly teak (Tectona grandis), the most valuable of the oriental forest woods, and more durable than the oak: the master builders and shipwrights of the Parsee tribe, are very skilful, and exact imitators of the best models from Europe.

When I left Bombay, the generality of the public buildings were more useful than elegant: the government-house, custom-house, marine-house, barracks, mint, treasury, theatre, and prison, include the chief of these structures. There were also three large hospitals; one within the gates for Europeans; another on the esplanade for the sepoys, or native troops in the Company's service; and a third, on an adjacent island, for convalescents.

The only Protestant church on the island stood near the centre of the town; it was a large and commodious building, with a neat tower. There was also a charity school for boys, and a fund for the poor, belonging to the Church of England. There were seldom more than two chaplains belonging to the Bombay establishment when I was in India; the one resided at the Presidency; the other, alternately at Surat and Baroche, where were considerable European garrisons. The Roman Catholics, who enjoy every indulgence from the English government, had several churches and chapels in different parts of the island.

The English houses at Bombay, though neither so large nor elegant as those at Calcutta and Madras, were comfortable and well furnished; they were built in the European style of architecture, as much as the climate would admit of; but lost something of that

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COMMERCE OF BOMBAY.

appearance by the addition of verandas, or covered piazzas, to shade the apartments most exposed to the sun; when illuminated, and filled with social parties in the evening, these verandas gave the town a very cheerful appearance: but since I left India, the town-houses have been almost deserted by the English, who reside entirely at their country villas; the gentlemen only go to the fort in the morning, to transact their business; devoting the evening to domestic pleasure, and convivial meetings at their gardenhouse.

The large bazar, or the street in the black town, within the fortress, contained many good Asiatic houses, and shops filled with merchandize from all parts of the world, for the Europeans and natives. These shops were generally kept by the Indians, especially the Parsees; who, after paying the established import customs, were exempted from other duties.

Bombay was then one of the first marts in India, and employed a great number of vessels in its extensive commerce. Bussorah, Muscat, Ormuz, and other ports in the Persian Gulph, furnished its merchants with pearls, raw-silk, Carmenia wool, dates, dried fruits, rose water, ottar of roses, and several other productions. Arabia supplied them with coffee, gold, drugs, and honey. A number of ships annually freighted with cotton and bullion to China, returned laden with tea, sugar, porcelain, wrought silks, nankeens, and a variety of useful and ornamental articles. From Java, Malacca, Sumatra, and the eastern islands, they brought spices, ambergris, perfumes, arrack, and sugar: the cargoes from Madagascar, the Comorro isles, Mosam.

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