12S ESSAY ON THE 



IL With regard to the religion of the Druids, very few of its tenets 

 have been preserved, and transmitted to us, either by the Greeks orths 

 Romans g of whose religion and fundamental tenets we know also but little, 

 except what relates to the exterior worship ; for the sacred college at 

 Rome^ and the aiigursj, kept the whole, as a secret to themselves, as close- 

 ly as the Druids did. But there is every reason to believCj that the 

 religion of the Druids was fundamentally the same with. that, of the 

 Greeks and Romans, Scythians ov Goths y. Egyptians and. Hm^^j, with na 

 greater deviations, than those, which are found in the Christian xeVigiQia. 

 among its numerous se6ls» A Hindu, after visiting Rom^ and Geneva^ 

 Gould never be made to believe, that the religion of these two places is 

 fundamentally and originally the same, and that they have the same 

 scriptures. 



The Hindus insist, that theirs is the univers-ai religion of the world, 

 and' that the others are only deviations from the mother church. In India 

 are found the four grand classes, the three first of which are entitled to 

 the benefit of regeneration. All the rest of mankind belong to the fifth 

 class, branching out into an innumerable variety of tribes. The idea, 

 that the Hindus admit of no proselytes, arises from our not understanding 

 the principles of that religion. We belong to it, though in a humble 

 station: it requires no admission of course, and we are entitled to all the 

 benefits and advantages, which this mother church offers to us„ Ws- 

 may pray, perform the j^4/i> have the homa offered for us, for our rela- 

 tions, and friends, paying for the same, as the other Hindus; we may 

 liave a Brahmen for our purohita, or chaplain, and almoner. But the 

 members of this church cannot, in general, rise from an inferior class to 

 another, except they die first ; and then, if deserving of it, they may be 



