39 
honour of the divinity, accompanied by as many performers 
on a musical instrument resembling a guitar. In this music 
there is little that is interesting to an Europzan, in the sing- 
ing less, and in the dancing nothing at all. These women, 
with their dark complexion, dishevelled locks, and distorted 
attitudes, appear like so many witches in masquerade. 
* Kuropzeans are admitted to the Natches, as these fêtes 
are termed, without scruple; but officers in uniform are 
received with peculiar distinction, a visit from them being 
looked upon as a great favour. As soon as they enter, the 
master of ceremonies ushers them forward to the post of 
honour, next to Doorga, and after they have sate down 
sprinkles them over with áta of roses. 
* These festivals are the drain by which the revenue of 
the opulent Hindoos returns into the general circulation. 
The household expenditure of these people is extremely 
moderate, but a single festival will cost from 20,000 rupees 
to ten times as much, in alms to the poor, donations to the 
priests, and decorations to a wooden image, which is, after 
a few days’ parade, tossed unceremoniously into the river. A 
man may be very religious, and expend profusely from 
motives of conscience; vanity, or the spirit of emulation, 
may urge another to equal extravagance. But taking man- 
kind in the gross, it may safely be assumed that there are few, 
who, after exerting all their faculties in the accumulation of 
money, will not feel some reluctance in dissipating it with so 
little enjoyment, and I question whether this is not the part 
of their religious duties which the Hindoos perform with the 
least alacrity, and one, the frequent recurrence of which, 
would go farthest to shake the principles of their faith. If 
the Europzans could, by the force of example, lead the © 
- wealthy Hindoos to enlarge the scale of their personal expen- 
diture, it would tend to give them a disrelish for the unmean- 
ing festivals of Doorga Pooja, and pave the way in all pro- 
bability for a more ceconomical creed. 
“ This is a change, however, not likely to be bronght 
about in a hurry. The prominent talent of the British does 
not appear to be that of conciliation. We have had large 
