537 



brahmins, and Mr. Hodges's brahmin, then at Bombay, was occa- 

 sionally among them. Observing the mother's anxiety, he asked 

 her the cause ; the lady being a native of India, and well 

 knowing his character, inquired in his own language why a man 

 so extraordinarily gifted should be ignorant of her tender solicitude. 

 The brahmin was affected, and said, " I do know the reason of 

 your sorrow ; }'our son lives ; the ship will soon arrive in safety, 

 but you will nevermore behold him!" She immediately men- 

 tioned this conversation to her friends. A signal was made not 

 long after for a ship from Europe : on the pilot reaching her his 

 private signal indicated the missing ship ; boats were sent off to 

 bring the passengers on shore. The expected son was not forgot ; 

 his mother's friends went on board, and were informed that he had 

 remained at the Brazils, where the ship having been long detained 

 for repair, the Jesuits converted this promising youth to the church 

 of Rome. Instead therefore of conducting him to his expecting 

 parent, they only delivered her letters replete with affectionate ex- 

 postulations and entreaties that she would follow his example, and 

 enter into the true church. A mother's disappointment is easier 

 to conceive than describe. Her son continued at Rio de Janeiro, 

 and occasionally wrote to her, until the suppression of the Jesuits 

 in the pontificate of Clement XIV, on which occasion, with many 

 other members of that society, he faas sent from South America to 

 the prisons of Portugal, and no more heard of. 



His sister, who remained with her mother at Bombay, grew up 

 beautiful and amiable, and married a gentleman in the civil service, 

 by whom she had a large family. He succeeded Mr. Hodges in 

 the government, and held that station thirteen years. Long before 



VOL. II. 3 Z 



