GHAZIPORE. 
59 
to the civilization of the Hindoos, notwithstanding 
their continual and consentient testimony in favour of 
the Egyptians, and in despite of the bias of opinion 
confirmed by the sanction of ages, the prejudices of 
education, the predilections in favour of ancient and 
established lore and history, in defiance of all inclina- 
tion, it is daily becoming more and more a subject of 
doubt and enquiry to the learned, whether the palm of 
antiquity and priority of civilization is justly bestowed 
upon the Egyptians, or whether it does not in truth 
belong to the Hindoos. 
In mentioning the particular sect of Hindoos, — for 
such they call themselves, — above described, I have 
encroached upon matter which I certainly should not 
have selected for these pages, nor would it have been 
introduced, had it not arisen necessarily in elucidation 
of my subject. Having once touched it, I trust I shall 
be excused for venturing to add another word or two, 
in the hope of correcting a very general and vulgar 
error regarding the religion of the Hindoos. I believe 
that the majority of Christians in this country believe 
that the “ stocks and stones ” to which the Hindoos 
bow are the immediate and only object of their devo- 
tion. It may be so in some very few instances, where 
the people have been blinded, and the religion cor- 
rupted, by the ignorance or artful designs of the 
Brahmins : but this is the perversion, not the religion. 
The numberless idols are intended and explained by 
the Poor am, or holy commentaries, to be emblems only 
