212 G A NOETIC HINDOOSTAN. 



religion, which are taken from hooks compofed in the Sanjkreet\ 

 the parent tongue, fays Mr. Halbed, of every nation from Pe7-Jia 

 to Cbina. It is at prefent only preferved in books ; it is evident 

 that it vvas nfed in Napaul, Ajj'am, Cachejmre, and many other 

 kingdoms, for all their antient coins are ftampt with Sanjkreet 

 charavfters, as are the old feals of Bootan and Thibet, This Ian- 

 gunge is taught only by the Brahmins, who here inftruvft the 

 children in the religion of their anceftors, from the books which 

 are preferved here, and in other inferior feminaries difperfed 

 over India. They have no regular colleges, but lecfliure their 

 young pupils in clafles of fix or {twQn in the gardens of the ci- 

 tizens, who indulge them with that liberty. At Benares, Ber- 

 nier, (Book iv. p. i6o.) faw a hall full of their books on various 

 fubje<5ls ; among them/ome on philofophy and phyfic, wrote in 

 verfe. 



This city is a great refidence of the Hindoos, fl:ri£l obfervers 

 of the Pythagorean do<5lrine, of abftaining from all animal food. 

 Peace therefore ought to reign, obferves Mrs. Kinderjley, in a 

 place where bloodflied is prohibited in the ftridteft manner. 

 Manufadtures and the innocent arts of weaving, &:c. flourifh 

 here greatly, and render it extremely populous. Mr. Hodges 

 gives a view of Benares in vol. i. tab. XXI. and another in 

 vol. ii. tab. XXI. with reprefentations of the flairs, or Gaut. 

 AjTRONCMY. The knowlege of the Brahmitis in aflronomy is not inconfi- 



derable, and feems to have been of great antiquity. They are 

 capable of giving information of an approaching eclipfe both of 

 fun and moon ; but for want of language they were incapable 

 of conveying any idea of the methods they ufe. At Benares is 

 a prodigious obfervatory with inftruments (if io they may be 



called) 



