A HINDOO SAINT. 
131 
Christianity upon them by force, and retard its pro- 
gress to an almost indefinite period.” 
The incoherent mixture of fanaticism, mortification, 
and sensuality, in the same person is perhaps nowhere 
in the world so remarkable as in Hindostan. There a 
man is frequently seen submitting to the most rigorous 
penance for a long term of years, after the expiration 
of which he indulges in the vilest gratifications, pam- 
pering his distorted body, and exacting veneration 
from a host of worshippers, who are but too happy to 
feel upon their necks the pressure of his sacred foot. 
I once saw a miserable object of this description 
seated just without the precincts of a Hindoo village, 
smeared with cowdung, and his head powdered with 
ashes, receiving the homage of a number of women, 
who had assembled round the holy man to secure the 
benefit of his prayers. He was an object quite offen- 
sive to behold, his naked body deformed with scars, 
filthy to the last degree, and so unshapely that “ the 
human form divine” was scarcely to be recognised. 
One of his legs was withered and lay parallel with 
the thigh, the knee-joint having no action, so that 
the foot projected from the ham like a large pendulous 
excrescence. He occasionally rose and stood upon 
one leg with a steadiness which perfectly surprised 
me, remaining like a statue for several minutes with- 
out wavering for an instant. During this interval, the 
women crowded round him, touching the shrunken 
leg, and then placing their hands to their foreheads 
with the profoundest gestures of veneration. Among 
these superstitious adorers was a young maiden of 
great beauty, who touched the fleshless limb like the 
