CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XLI1. 



The harp of prophecy, .present awful and eventful period. . reflections. . purport 

 of this concluding chapter, .auxiliaries on the important subject. . Britain highly 

 favoured. . .blessings of peace. . sensible and pious dedication by Hakluyt to 

 Sir Francis Walsingham. . commencement of the East India Company's set- 

 tlements in India, .causes of their becoming generally interesting. . no longer 

 simply a trading company, but sovereigns of an extensive empire. . French 

 and Dutch no longer in possession of a factory there. . epitome of the admi- 

 nistration of Hastings, Cornwallis, Wellesley, and other governors in India 

 . .institution of the college at Calcutta. . its essential advantages. . these great 

 characters opposed to the infamous successors of the Portugueze conquer- 

 ors of India, .geographical outline of Hindostan. . divisions. . revenue, .amelio- 

 ration of the natives under the wise and benevolent administration of Great 

 Britain, .dreadful effects of famine. . humanity of the Bombay government., 

 comparative ignorance of Europeans respecting the Hindoos in 1774. .luminous 

 researches of Mr. Hastings. . and grand acquisitions of knowledge since that 

 period. . reflections on the conversion of the Hindoos. . sentiments of the author 

 . . Dr. Johnson. . and many eminent writers, .the author assigns reasons for alter- 

 ing his opinion of the Hindoo character, .anecdote of an amiable pundit., 

 pleasing portraits of other natives. . depravity of the zemindars and higher 

 castes, corroborated by other writers. . opinion of Sir William Jones, Lord 

 Teignmouth, Holwell and others. . charge of Sir John Mackintosh at Bombay 

 . . paramahansa, a caste who eat human flesh, .parricide and infanticide. . bless- 

 ings of Christianity, in time and eternity. . illustrated by many eminent charac- 

 ters, .its benevolence contrasted with the cruel policy of the Hindoo religion in 

 various instances. . Om, or Aum. . druidical mysteries. . ignorance of the lower 

 castes of Hindoos. . interesting anecdotes, prayers, and religious opinions of Sir 

 William Jones and Lord Teignmouth. . Lord Valentia's sentiments on Hindoo 

 conversion, and the example of Europeans in British India. . difficulty of con- 



