NATIONAL CHARACTER. 245 



The high consideration, accordingly, which he enjoys in 

 virtue of his supposed sanctity and wisdom, only makes 

 him seek to monopolize these qualities, and to debar his 

 fellow-citizens from even endeavouring to acquire them. 

 Having thus surveyed the leading circumstances which 

 influence the habits and character of the Hindoo, we may 

 be prepared to estimate the accuracy of the judgments 

 pronounced respecting them by different observers. These 

 have been various and contradictory to a greater degree, 

 perhaps, than in regard to any other nation. Strong 

 biasses have often arisen from good motives and feelings. 

 At first the gentle and polished address of the Hindoo, his 

 simple habits of life, his literary monuments, rendered 

 venerable by mystery and antiquity, suggested the idea of a 

 refined and amiable people. At the same time his wrongs 

 and long oppression beneath a foreign yoke made him the 

 object of deep interest and sympathy. But a closer in- 

 spection dispelled this prepossession, and went far to 

 substitute one directly opposite. The administrators of 

 civil and criminal justice became gradually familiar with 

 many bad features in the character of the Hindoo ; and 

 dark scenes of violence and iniquity were from time to 

 time disclosed, that ill accorded with the meek and passive 

 spirit usually ascribed to him. The Christian missionaries, 

 again, inspired with a laudable zeal in their high function, 

 felt perhaps an unnecessary anxiety to exalt it still higher, 

 by representing him as more immoral than other pagans. 

 These writers found an able auxiliary in Mr. Mill, whose 

 extensive researches justly attach the greatest importance 

 to his opinion, but who, in detecting the errors of his 

 predecessors, has unquestionably leaned towards an oppo- 

 site extreme. It is somewhat surprising to find Mr. 

 Hastings foremost in panegyrizing the natives of India ; 

 but that celebrated statesman, though compelled perhaps 

 by the urgency of circumstances to particular acts of op- 

 pression, always showed a disposition to befriend the body 

 of the people, and had gained a great share of their attach- 

 ment. He describes them as " gentle, benevolent, more 

 susceptible of gratitude for kindness shown to them than 

 prompted to vengeance by wrongs inflicted, and as exempt 

 from the worst propensities of human passion as any 

 people on the face of the earth. They are faithful and 



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