106 
BENARES. 
city, and proudly overlooked all the temples ; and what was perhaps 
more galling, all the terraces of the houses, where the females were 
accustomed to enjoy the cool of the morning and evening. The 
mosque itself has nothing interesting. The minars are light and 
elegant ; so light is one of them that it is not safe to ascend it, and 
probably in a very short space it will be as low as the house of 
Timour, From the top of the other is a very extensive view of the 
town and adjacent country; but my head is not sufficiently steady 
to mount such a height. I therefore satisfied myself with ascending 
to the roof of the mosque whence I overlooked the whole of the 
town and the river, with the thousands of inhabitants bathing on 
its banks. A little stone temple, dedicated to Maha-deva, displays 
its trident at an humble height, close to the side of the crescent at 
the summit of the miliars ; no unfit emblem of the state of the two 
religions, previously to the establishment of British power. Ty- 
ranny and oppression seem to be necessary concomitants of the 
Mussulman religion, whose first principle is intolerance. 
The deference with which the English treat all the prejudices of 
the Hindoos is rapidly reconciling their minds to the Christian go- 
vernment. Not only are they protected in all their ceremonies, but 
even the duties which were levied on all who made a pilgri- 
mage to Benares, were taken off by Mr. Hastings on his visit to 
that place. The merchants also begin to be sensible of the perfect 
security which they enjoy under our government. Confidence once 
established, most rapidly diffuses itself; and I have been informed 
from authority which I consider as very good, that many Hindoo 
countries now under the controul of the Mahrattas, though a nation 
professing their own religion, would be rejoiced to place themselves 
