192 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
They relate that a certain powerful Rajah of their 
caste, who had a daughter of singular beauty and ac- 
complishments, desired his rajgur, or family Brahmin, 
to affiance her to a prince of desert and rank equal to 
her own. The rajgur travelled over many countries 
without discovering a chief who possessed the requisite 
qualities ; for where he found wealth and power com- 
bined, personal accomplishments and virtue were defec- 
tive ; and, in like manner, when the advantages of 
the mind and body were united, those of fortune and 
rank were wanting. The rajgur returned, and re- 
ported to the prince that his mission had not proved 
successful. This intelligence gave the Rajah much 
concern, as the Hindoos reckon it to be the first duty 
of parents to provide suitable husbands for their 
daughters, and it is reproachful that they should pass 
the age of puberty without having been affianced 
and be under the necessity of living in a state of ce- 
libacy. The Prince rejected and strongly reprobated 
every match for his daughter which he conceived 
inferior to her high rank and perfections. In this 
dilemma, he consulted his rajgur, and the Brahmin 
advised him to avoid the censure and disgrace which 
would attend the princess’s remaining unmarried by 
having recourse to the desperate expedient of putting 
her to death. The father was at first deaf to the 
proposal, and remonstrated against the murder of a 
woman, which, enormous as it is represented in the 
Sastra,* would be aggravated when committed on his 
own offspring. The rajgur at length removed the 
Rajah’s scruples by consenting to load himself with 
* One of the sacred books of the Hindoos. 
