. LITERATURE. 251 



female. The conduct of the sex in one respect, indeed, 

 presents a painful contrast ; for religion, which ought to be 

 the chief guardian of purity, is so wholly perverted as to 

 sanction, on their part, words and actions the most de- 

 praved. 



The Hindoos are active and industrious, eagerly bent on 

 the accumulation of wealth ; and though wages are low, 

 and the labouring class extremely poor, yet capital, partly 

 perhaps from its insecurity, yields very high profits. Hence 

 many of those who have been fortunate in their mercantile 

 or money-lending speculations attain very great wealth. 

 Scarcely any part of this is expended in the daily enjoy- 

 ments and accommodations of life, which in almost every 

 rank are simple and cheap in the extreme. They live in 

 low mud-houses, eating on the bare ground, having neither 

 tables nor furniture ; a practice which is followed by the 

 richest and highest as well as the lowest. His dwelling is 

 a shed, the walls are naked, and the mud-floor, for the sake 

 of coolness, is every morning sprinkled with a mixture of 

 water and cow-dung. He distributes food among the indi- 

 gent, but never entertains his friends at dinner. It is only 

 on some few and rare occasions that the rich give a superb 

 fete, to which hundreds, and even thousands, are invited. 

 Even then the expenditure in food and drink is inconsider- 

 able, being averaged by Mr. Ward at eightpence a head. 

 But the cost is immense in fireworks and processions, and 

 in profuse donations of money, garments, and other gifts 

 to those present, especially to Bramins. It is impossible,, 

 therefore, to celebrate what is called a respectable marriage 

 at a smaller cost than 500/. or 600/., and it has been known 

 to exceed 12,000/. The savings of years are thus dissi- 

 pated in one day of extravagance ; and a family, which was 

 in comfortable circumstances, may be plunged into poverty, 

 and even debt, by the marriage of one of its members. 



The literature of the Hindoos, an important element in 

 their national character, long excited a deep interest. It 

 was reported to be extensive and valuable, though locked up 

 in a sacred language which had long ceased to be spoken or 

 written. The priests retained the key with a suspicious 

 vigilance, interdicting the entrance to the great body of their 

 own countrymen, and much more to foreigners. So care- 

 fully was the secret kept, as to give rise to an opinion that 



