138 HINDOO CUSTOMS 



period of time. On my return to England from 

 India, after an absence of but a few years, com- 

 paratively speaking, I found such an alteration in 

 the appearance of the people as far surpasses, ac- 

 cording to my idea, the change the Hindoos have 

 undergone from the time the sacred history was 

 written to the present day. 



It was not my intention to enter into any disqui- 

 sition on the religion of the Hindoos, or to vin- 

 dicate, in the smallest degree, any of its absurdi- 

 ties ; yet I cannot help looking with consideration 

 on the poor Hindoo, who adopts them punctili- 

 ously from a conviction of their being essential to 

 his salvation. In describing a few of their cus- 

 toms and manufactories, I have been led on to 

 make these general observations, which were 

 strongly impressed on my mind; and having 

 written thus much, I shall further observe that 

 I am fearful of the consequences of missionaries 

 and others interfering with their religion, lest, in 

 their anxiety to remove some of their long esta- 

 blished customs, they should go too far, and 

 cause the whole country to revolt ; even should 

 they succeed in dissuading them from their re- 

 ligion, the question is, will they be able to per- 

 suade them to adopt another? And if in this latter 



