CALCUTTA. 



nificencc. The greatcft drains upon his income are his pious 



contributions, and the expences of his Zenana. The notches, 

 mrirrisge?, a'ld religious feflivals fiirnilh occafions of pro- 

 fulion ; but tliefe ceremonies are under the dircftion of the 

 Bumins ; and, according to th.e ideas which thefe fpiritual 

 guidL'S have formed of h';.-i weailh, mull; be the otto, rofe- 

 wator, and other perfunus, and fweetmeats fervcd in vef- 

 ii.!s of gold, under a large canopy illuminated with beautiful 

 hidres, to many hundreds of giieits of all ranks and deno- 

 minations. On fuch oceafionj the Hindoo is gratified by 

 the appearance of a large company ; and deems liimfelf par- 

 ticularly honoured by the attcndiince of Europeans. Al- 

 though tlie notches are intended to do honour to fome deity, 

 who is fuppofcd to prelide over tlie fellival; yet tticy feem 

 of all inlliiutions leall calculated to excite religious ideas. 

 Part of the ceremony confifts in lillening to the inufic of the 

 finging girls, who drawl out their monotonous ditties with 

 a non-chaIar,ce and diilncfs which can only be equalled by 

 tl;e (luggifh dance, and inanimate gellures with uliich they 

 are accompanied. Of all entertaitimeiits an Hindoftance 

 notch is probably the molt inlipid ; and they are lometimes 

 accompanied with pantominiical performances of no delicate 

 nature. 



The number of Greek merchants in Calcutta is not con- 

 fidcrab'e ; thev, however, maintain one clergyman, who 

 performs religious worfhip according to the rues of that 

 church. Portni-ucfc houfcs of agency are, with re fp eft to 

 number, next tu thofc ot the Eng.llfh. A very confiderable 

 number of the defecndarts of that nation by native women, 

 relide at Calcutta. No people in Europe feem to have 

 afTimilated themlelves fo clnftly to the manners of the coun- 

 try. Many of this chifs are held in low eilmiation. With 

 a complexion darker than that of the Hindoos, with habits fo 

 fimilar, ar.d with full poflefiion of the language, it is Itrange 

 that none of thefe have been able to make converts from 

 the Heathi-n to the Roman Catholic faith. Th's circum- 

 ftance evinces the compleat dommion, which the Bramin fu- 

 perllition pofftfies over the minds of the common people; 

 for no denomination of Chrillians can be more devoted to 

 the work of converfion than the church of Ron e. 



The Britith merchants at Calcutta are a numerous and 

 refpeftable body of men. Several of them have acquired 

 large fortunes, and in the acquifition of thefe fortunes they 

 have difplayed thofe mercantile talents, and that enteiprifing 

 fpirit whicii dillinguifh their charafler in every part of the 

 ■world. At Calcutta the peculiar habits of their pro^effion 

 have in no degree encroached on the liberality of their minds 

 or the elegance of their equipage and tables. T!iey here 

 difplay an expencc and fplendour in their mode of living 

 feldom afpired after by the fame order of men in any pait 

 of the world ; and it redounds m.nch to their honour, that 

 their sils of charity and munificence to indigent perfons 

 have, perhaps, never been equalled by any fimilar number 

 of men of any rank whatever. Few of thefe gentlemen are 

 engaged in the fervice. The fervice of the company attaches 

 to itielf certain ideas of rank and confequence, whieli often 

 produce ludicrous clTefts upon the intercourfe of fociety. 

 All Dcrfons in civil and military departments affeft a degree 

 of fuperiority over fuch as are not in the fervice, which is 

 frequently ill fuppurted by cheir talents, birth, or cha- 

 rafter. 



Among the various clafTes of the mercantile part of the com- 

 munity, we have made no mention of the Jews. Few of that na- 

 tion ever fettle in India, and Calcutta is perhaps the only opu- 

 lent town in which they are not to be found. The native 

 Banians, Sarkars, and Writers, carry on the greatcft part 

 of the retail trade of Calcutta. They go about hawking 



commodities from morning to night, or fearching after cheap 

 puichafes. To this clafs of the Hindoos appertain that 

 low cunning, llratagem, and deceit, which charafterife the 

 money tranfaftions of perfons of narrow intellcfts. With 

 all their propenflty to cheat, the native fhop-keepers gene-- 

 rally fell their goods on lower terms than thofe on which 

 they are to be obtained in the Eiirop>.aii ware-rooms ; but 

 they are comm.only neither of the f.rit faflilon nor bilt qua- 

 lity. Their houfe-rent is another caufe of their under fel- 

 ling the Europeans. The (liops of the natives^ though bet- 

 ter than their houlc:., are mean and difagrceable ; and from, 

 their fitnation in the common ba/.nrs, are much cheaper' 

 than the larger and more fplendid rooms in which the Bri- 

 tifh merchants cxpofe their wares. Houfe-rent and fervants'' 

 wages are the moll expenlive parts of the char.;es of lioufe- 

 keeping in Calcutta. The common articles of provifion are 

 much cheaper than in Europe; but houfe-rent till lately, 

 has been a very exorbitant charge. Only a few viars- 

 ago, a houfe fufficient to accommodate a genteel family- 

 could not be procured under 6oo or 800 pounds a-year ;. 

 and many even let at a larger fiim. The number of fer- 

 vants neceffary in a private family, to perfons relident in this 

 country, exceeds all belief. This is an evil which admits 

 of no remedy as long as the fuperlHtion of the natives fhall 

 deter them from performing fervice beyond one fpecific 

 kind of work. The wages vary according to the diflerent 

 flations they occupy, from 4 rupees per month to 20. Th; 

 laiary of fervants, added to the houle-rent, and the incident- 

 al charges of a family, will enl'.anee its expirnditure to 3, 4, 

 and 5 thonfand rupees a-year, according to its number. 



The maintenance and education of the children belonging 

 to Europeans in India have, on account of their increaling 

 number, become objefts of great importance. With a view 

 to thefe objefts, fcveral perfons have done honour to them- 

 felves and to their country, by cftablifliing fehools for the 

 relief of the orphan children of the military fervants of the. 

 company. Two inllitutions have been formed for this pur- 

 pofe : one for the children of officers, and th.e other for 

 thofe of private foldiers. Each is provided with teachers of 

 both fexes, qualified to inlhiift the children in fuch 

 branches of knowledge and indullry as feem to be adapted' 

 to their rank and profpefts in fociety. The fund for the 

 fiipport of thefe inilitutions is fupplied bv a fixed contribu- • 

 tion raifed from the military, or by the doii;itions of the 

 benevolent. Befides the two inftituticnis already mentioned,, 

 there are feven or eight others for the education of boys ; 

 and nearly an cqu.al number for girls. Bchdes thefe found- 

 ations, there are fome others of inferior cote, equally 

 laudable, ellabiifhed by the mutiillcence of the inhabitants- 

 of Calcutta. A ficc-iVhool, which provides for the educa- 

 tion of nearly ;oo children, under the management of the 

 veflry, is, in part, fupported by voluntary contributions 

 only. Two lacks of rupees were originally devoted to the 

 education of the children of the poor. The intcrcll of that 

 fum continues to be applied for that purpofe. Another 

 fchool, equally n\unerous, has been added to this upon a 

 fund raifed merely by cafual benefaftions. An oratorio has- 

 lately been performed annually to aid its funds, which pro- 

 mifes a confiderable fupply of revenue. To thefe inilitu- 

 tions, fo creditable to tlie humanity and benevolence of the 

 inhabitants of Calcutta, the native hofpital mull be added. 

 I'his inllitution is alfo fupported by voluntary contribution,, 

 and was formed for the relief of natives, who, from acci- 

 dent or difeale, might need medical aid. A very expenfive 

 ellablilhment for the education of the junior fervants of the 

 company has lately been inlHluted ; but as it is for bnfinefs, 

 and not for education, that thefe gentlcmeu are lent to 



ludia,. 



