£0,2 OBSERVATIONS ON' THE 



gather the following circumftances. That the founder 

 of their faith was called Nuneek Sah, who ilourifhed 

 about four hundred years ago at Punjab, and who, be-? 

 fore his apoftafy, was a Hindoo of the KJlietry, or mili- 

 tary tribe ; and that his body difappeared as the Hindoos 

 and the Muffulmans were difputing for it ; for upon 

 their removing the cloth which covered it, it was gone. 

 That he left behind him a book, compofed by himfelf, 

 in verfe, and the language of Punjab, (but a character 

 partly of his own invention,) which teaches the doc- 

 trines of the faith he had eftablifhed. That they 

 call this character, in honour of their founder, Gooroo- 

 Mookhee : " from the mouth of the preceptor" That 

 this book, of which that {landing near the altar, and feve- 

 ral others in the hall, were copies, teaches that there is 

 but one God, omnipotent and omniprefent ; filling all 

 fpace, and pervading all matter; and that he is to be 

 worshipped and invoked. That there will be a day of 

 retribution, when virtue will be rewarded and vice 

 punilhedj (I forgot to afk in what manner.) That it 

 not only commands univerfal toleration, but forbids 

 difputes with thofe of another perfuafion. That it for- 

 bids murder, theft, and fuch other deeds as are, by the 

 majority of mankind, elleemed crimes againfi: fociety; 

 and inculcates the practice of all the virtues, but par- 

 ticularly an univerfal philanthropy, and a general hof- 

 pitality to ftrangers and travellers. This is all my ihort 

 vifit would permit me to learn of this book. It is a 

 folio volume, containing about four or five hundred 

 pages. 



They told me further, that fome years after this book 

 of Nuneek Sail had been promulgated, another made its 

 appearance, now held in almoft as much eiteem as the 

 former. The name of the author has efcaped my me- 

 mory ; but they favoured me with an extract from the 

 book itfelf in praife of the Deity. The paffage had 

 (truck my ear on my firft entering the hall, when the. 



itudents 



