•< 343 3 



XXII. 



ON SOME EXTRAORDINARY FACETS, 



CUSTOMS, AND PRACTICES 



OF THE HINDUS. 



£Y THE PRESIDENT. 



IN the preliminary discourse addressed to the Se~ 

 ciety by our late President, Man and Nature were 

 proposed as the comprehensive objects of our Re- 

 searches ; and although I by no means think that ad- 

 vantage should be taken of this extensive propositioa 

 to record every trivial peculiarity of practice, habit, 

 or thinking, which characterizes the natives of India, 

 many singularities will be found amongst them which 

 are equally calculated to gratify curiosity, and to at- 

 tract the notice of the philosopher and politician. 



Of all studies, that of the human mind is of the 

 greatest importance; and whether we trace it in its 

 perfection or debasement, wc learn to avoid error, or 

 obtain models for improvement and examples for 

 imitation. In pursuing customs and habits to thf 

 principles from which they are derived, we ascertain 

 by the sure rule of experience the effects of natural 

 or moral causes upon the human mind. 



The characters of the natives of India, notwith- 

 standing all that has been published in Europe, are by 

 bp means well understood there; and a careful *: 



Z 4 .accurate 



