315 



their disciples are ready to swear to it; and they have even de- 

 luded persons otherwise of great respectability. I suppose they 

 conceal themselves with great address; and their evacuations 

 cannot be very frequent, nor copious; for they really live upon 

 nothing else but a very small quantity of milk, though certainly 

 more, as I should suppose, than they do acknowledge; and the 

 ceremony of the string they perform, occasionally, before a few 

 friends. I have known many of these people: they are all her- 

 mits, who seldom stir from the place they have fixed upon: there 

 is one near the military lines at Sicrowre, near Bernares, on the 

 banks of the Burna; but, I believe, he is rather in too good a case 

 for a man living upon so scanty an allowance." 



I have perused, with attention and pleasure, colonel Wilks's 

 History of Mysore, and have availed myself of his valuable infor- 

 mation respecting landed property in India. I admire, through- 

 out the work, his philanthropic sentiments towards the Hindoos, 

 and gladly subscribe to many of his liberal opinions ; but I can- 

 didly confess I cannot admit of all his reasonings on this impor- 

 tant subject. In the following extract from the appendix the 

 word forcibly is printed in italics. Although my sentiments on the 

 cremation of a Hindoo widow, on which that humane and bene- 

 volent writer lays so great a stress, may differ, yet I trust our mo- 

 tives to promote the happiness of the Hindoos are the same. I 

 therefore disclaim every idea of compulsion, or any weak, sinister, 

 or improper means for their conversion to Christianity. No force, 

 no coercive measures were employed by the Great Founder 

 . of our faith, nor by those who immediately followed the steps of 

 heir Divine Master. How contrary to that letter from a Makome- 



