LEPERS. 
211 
sent at the burning alive of a poor leper. The friends 
of this wretched man had dug a deep pit, and had 
kindled a large fire at the bottom, when the leper, 
unable to walk, rolled himself over and over until he 
fell into the pit ; but as soon as he felt the power of 
the flames his screams were dreadful, and he used 
every possible effort to rise and extricate himself, 
calling upon his relations, who stood around, to help 
him. Upon these relations, however, he called in 
vain ; for, instead of affording the help he claimed in 
accents that might have softened a tiger, they pushed 
him back into the fire, where he struggled for a while, 
and then perished.” 
Knowing the wretched condition of the unfortunate 
leper in India, I could not but pity from my heart the 
miserable object before me : but pity was to him no 
boon ; I therefore gave him all the money I had, and 
turned homeward, while his blessing came upon my 
ear with a deep and thrilling tenderness. 
