houses are larger, and, according to their wants and climate, to the full as convenient as ours; their architecture is at least as elegant. Nor is it true that in the mechanic arts they are inferior to the general run of European nations. Where they fall short of us (which is chiefly in agricultural implements and the mechanics of common life), they are not, so far as I have understood of Italy and the South of France, surpassed in any great degree by the people of those countries. Their goldsmiths and weavers produce as beautiful fabrics as our own, and it is so far from true that they are obstinately wedded to their own patterns, that they show an anxiety to imitate our models, and do imitate them very successfully. The ships built by native artists at Bombay are notoriously as good as any which sail from London or Liverpool. The carriages and gigs which they supply at Calcutta are as handsome, though not as durable, as those of Long Acre. In the little town of Monghir, 300 miles from Calcutta, I had pistols, double-barrelled guns, and different pieces of cabinet-work brought down to my boat for sale, which in outward form (for I know no further) nobody could detect to be of Hindoo origin.' In closing this chapter I trust sufficient facts have been adduced to prove the claims which our Hindoo fellow-subjects have on their brethren in England: I have quoted the testimony of others, in preference to recording my own observations, in order to avoid the recurrence of the charge that has been made of my being prejudiced in favour of the Hindoos, and of our colonists in general. I know of no individual who has ever resided long in India, or attentively examined the Hindoos, without speaking warmly in their favour : I found them, whether Hindoos, Mussulmans, or Parsees, grateful for even slight attentions, courteous in their manners, hospitable without ostentation, punctual in their duties, and brave without boasting,-in charity abounding, strict in religious rites, and scrupulously exact in the performance of social obligations; of an intelligence quick and refined, docile under instruction, and expanding in comprehension. That England may treat them with justice, and no longer impoverish their beautiful and fertile land by a grasping, mercenary commercial system, which beggars the Hindoo without enriching Britain, is my fervent and anxious wish. CHAPTER VIII. STATE OF CRIME IN BRITISH INDIA. INTIMATELY Connected with the press, education and religion of a people, is the state of crime in a country; the judicial establishment of India will be detailed in the next volume, and here it will only be necessary to refer to some statistics of crime. The official returns on the subject are few, not to the latest, and consequently most favourable period, and relating principally to the Bengal Presidency-such as they are, however, they demonstrate, that while crime has increased rapidly in England, owing to the poverty of the people, and the severity and uncertainty still existing in her criminal laws, the contrary has taken place in the territories of the East India Company; demonstrating the improved condition of the people and the beneficent nature of their government'; for assuredly whatever elevates a nation in morality and temporal happiness, well deserves the appellation of beneficent. To begin with the highest class of offences for examination :: Number of Persons Sentenced to Death, and to Transportation or Imprisonment for Life, by the Court of Nizamut Adawlut of Bengal, from 1816 to 1827. Decrease of death sentences on first period Ditto of life transportation or imprisonment................ 124 878 The decrease which the foregoing table exhibits will delight every friend of humanity; on death sen 1 Since the first edition of this work went to press, corpora l punishments, as the penalty of civil crimes, have been abolished by the Anglo-Indian Government. tences-let it be remembered that sentences of death in India are not merely sentences; they are in general fulfilled, unless when extraordinary circumstances intervene there was a decrease during the first period of 124, and comparing the two last with the two first years, after an interval of ten years, the difference will be more strikingly observed : In 1816 and 1817, death sentences Decrease on two years number 229 122 107 The decrease shows, therefore, an actual decrease in crime; not, as would be the case in England, only a decrease of the nominal severity of the law, which in fact is actually taking place from year to year, not only by means of legislative enactments, but also by the unwillingness of jurors to find judgments involving death; yet, notwithstanding these favourable circumstances in a comparison of India with England, the amount of capital convictions is still on the increase in the latter country. If we place the death-sentences in juxta-position with those of England, notwithstanding the advantages in favour of England, independent of the population in one country being 60,000,000, in the other scarcely one-fifth of the number, we shall observe yet more the improved state of Indian morality and jurisprudence. Number of Death Sentences in England and in India for Five Years. Thus, while those of India decreased twenty-two between the first and last year, those of England increased 561 ! The official returns of English crime come down to 1832 and the following is a comparison for twelve years : Death Sentences in England and Wales for Twelve Years. Thus the number of acquittals and no bills found were nearly equal to half the convictions; such is the glorious uncertainty of the law! In the |