A

and even during the eventful period of the last eighteen years,
how often have we seen, even where the prospects were most
gloomy, a ray of light unexpectedly dawn, which has restored
hope and sunshine to oppressed and desponding nations.
few years ago, who could have foreseen the great events which
have marked the destinies of the still struggling, still uncon-
quered Peninsula? In the spring of 1811, who could have
anticipated the triumphant result of British skill, valour, and
discipline in that quarter, in spite of all the efforts of our
powerful enemy? Even if, from any unforeseen causes, that
theatre of our past and present glory, and of our future hopes,
should be closed upon us, and that the cruel doom of our
brave allies should be sealed, other occasions may present
themselves, other views may open, no less favourable to British
enterprize, no less inviting to British policy to take advantage
of.

"Multa dies variusque labor mutabilis ævi
Retulit in melius; multos alterna revisens
Lusit, et in solido rursus fortuna locavit."

This is no poetical rhapsody, but a sound philosophical obser vation, containing in it matter of lively hope and substantial

comfort.

We now take leave of this valuable author not without reluctance. The best proof that we could give of the respect in which we hold his labours is to be found in the attention which we have paid to them. These labours we hope will be continued for his own credit, and for the public benefit. Many of his topics well deserving of consideration have been unnoticed by us, from want of time and space. His motives for this publication cannot be too highly applauded; and the performance has abundantly kept pace with them. He is a wellinformed, nervous, and truly patriotic writer. Where we have felt ourselves compelled to notice what appeared to us errors or defects, we have done it with regret; and if we have anywhere mistated his inferences, or misconstrued his principles, we feel confident that he will not suspect us to have done so intentionally. In his lofty sentiments, and aspiring views, dictated by an enthusiastic ardour for his country's welfare and glory, we cannot always follow him. Warmed by his subject, and animated by his own conceptions, he often appears insensible to objections which cooler reflection might have suggested. To the timid we would recommend the work, as affording matter to excite hope. To the sanguine, as suggesting a great deal to confirm it. We implore for it, in conclusion, a conspicuous place in the library of every British statesman.

ART. IX. Hindu Infanticide. An Account of the Measures for suppressing the Practice of the systematic Murder by their Parents of Female Infants; with incidental Remarks on other Customs peculiar to the Natives of India. Edited with Notes and Illustrations, by Edward Moor, F. R. S., Author of the Hindu Pantheon. London. 1811. Johnson.

Two Discourses preached, &c., and a Sermon preached, &c.; to which are added, Christian Researches in Asia. By the Rev Claudius Buchanan, D. D.; late Vice Provost of the College of Fort William in Bengal. 1811. Cambridge, Deighton; and London, Cadell.

MR. Malcolm's excellent work afforded us an opportunity of laying before our readers in the last number of the British Review, the results of a laborious critical research, and of an extensive inquiry deduced from living authorities, into the nature and foundations of our power in India. Providence having now placed in the hands of Great Britain an uncontrolled authority over the greatest part of those extensive regions, and ample means, if they be properly managed, justly to acquire it over the remainder, has undoubtedly imposed duties upon her, with respect to their management, the contemplation of which may well perplex the boldest judgment. Although

"Oriens sibi victus ad usque

Decolor extremo quæ cingitur India Gange;"

are lines which do not apply to us with the same geographical propriety with which the Roman poets supposed them to apply to Bacchus, yet they have enough of resemblance to our own case to afford a prospect not to be surveyed by a christian nation without the deepest interest. If the ancient hero undertook the conquest less to gratify a passion for military glory than to propagate discoveries useful to mankind, such as the cultivation of the ground, the use of the vine, and the properties of honey, can we without shame, professing to be guided by the doctrines of christianity, consent to exhibit ourselves in the page of history, actuated by inferior motives; or to expose ourselves to the imputation, that for the base and sordid object of mercantile profit, we carried our arms among a degenerate people; and having attained our selfish purpose, permitted them without exertion on our part to grovel on enslaved to the grossest vices and superstitions? Assuredly we shall not be content without endeavouring to sanctify the success with which it has pleased Providence to propitiate our warfare in India, by every means which ex

observations: and First, That many of the exertions, and much of the personal risk incurred by Dr. Buchanan, are evidently of a nature that cannot possibly be ascribed to selfish motives; and that so far from exhibiting symptoms of a worldly or calculating spirit, reasonable doubts may be entertained whether, on the very practical subjects on which he treats, his ardent spirit may not have sometimes prompted him, in this as well as in his former publications, to overstep that delicate and almost imperceptible line which separates zeal from enthusiasm. In stating this, however, we are anxious not to be thought to entertain the least doubt concerning the accuracy of those facts of which Dr. Buchanan declares himself to have been eye-witness. We only doubt the frequent recurrence of some of the most enormous of them, particularly of self-immolation before the idols in their periodical processions; because we know that many persons who have resided half their lives in India, and who have witnessed these processions, never saw either an instance of the sort, or any one within whose view it had passed. Dr. Buchanan's attendants might have discovered his prepossessions, and would not have been backward in furnishing him with tales of wonder. But so large a proportion of what he relates fell under his own immediate observation, and receives such strong collateral support from the accounts of other travellers, as well as from what may be collected from various respectable authorities concerning the grossness of the Hindu superstitions, that the subtraction (if any should be made) from the whole amount of his statements is very small indeed.

Secondly; We would observe, that even granting secular views to have entered into Dr. B.'s motives, we should be rejoiced to see every episcopal throne, not only in India but in Europe, filled by persons who have exhibited such zeal and firmness, such courage and perseverance, such learning and extensive research, in the cause of true religion, and who stand pledged by so many motives, even of a mere worldly nature, to make the interests of religion and the propagation of christianity the exclusive objects of an active life.

In pursuit of his philanthropic views and of his researches into the idolatries of India, Dr. B. twice traversed the whole penetrated unto the inmost recesses of the mounof the south, where the foot of an European had r the face of a stranger disturbed the last refuge hurch which emigrated from Syria 1300 years ited Ceylon; with admirable constancy endeaom the diabolical depths of the Inquisition at the Settlement of Goa; and finally, collected and

brought to England many manuscripts, and other original douments, or information orally collected, astulated to tow light on the early and less ascertained at the he tian churches of Asia. It may be very possible, we va have somewhere read, (and we fear that we have obeyed but boy evident symptoms of it, that the sober dingstion of the qu age will more ready censure tuu adue, but kan man kiny admire than imitate the fervour of the stol, Cháu k we are quite sure that tuuse who accuse Dow views, and of coveting a bishop, cab werkt you at the argutal reproach upon the mer candidates for epanyang pisk by the sarcastic stora. was a Cuscussing to maliz y * early Christiane, ne the following passage Cards go ka in certamina ruca que anir bus bustyłu généra mortibus quærebamur. quau nu spojave par tionibus appetuntur? bes.

V4 nov proceet to a dead of the more ut si grow wat

their sect; all is mystery within mystery." Dr. B.'s visit to Juggernaut will convince us how far this apology is valid.

The loves of Crishna and Radha, or the reciprocal attraction between the divine goodness and the human soul, are told at large in the tenth book of the Bhagavat, and are the subject of a pastoral drama which is translated by Sir W. Jones, omitting, as he says, "those passages which are too luxuriant and too bold for an European taste." If a judgment may be formed of these omissions, by some passages which Sir W.'s opinion of European taste has induced him to retain, we will venture to assert that a greater profanation never existed on the face of the earth. The following is one of the purest passages:

"She mourns, O Sovereign of the world, in her verdant bower; she looks eagerly on all sides in hope of thy approach; then gaining strength from the delightful idea of the proposed meeting, she advances a few steps and falls languid on the ground. When she rises she weaves bracelets of fresh leaves; she dresses herself like her beloved, and looking at herself in sport exclaims, Behold the vanquisher of Madhu!' Then she repeats again and again the name of Heri, and catching at a dark blue cloud strives to embrace it, saying, 'It is my beloved who approaches!' Thus while thou art dilatory she lies expecting thee; she mourns; she weeps; she puts on her gayest ornaments to receive her lord; she compresses her deep sighs within her bosom, and then meditating on thee, O cruel! she is drowned in a sea of rapturous imaginations. If a leaf but quiver she supposes thee arrived; she spreads her couch, she forms in her mind a hundred modes of delight; yet if thou go not to her bower, she must die this night through excessive anguish."

After this foundation of precept, we think it highly incumbent to present the reader without delay with the superstructure of practice, as it fell under Dr. B.'s observation at the pagoda of Juggernaut, an idolatrous temple and noted sea-mark on the shore of the Peninsula of India, in the province of Orissa. Our readers will bear in mind that the natives crowd to this idol in multitudes, countless (as a Brahman remarked) as the sand on the sea-shore, from all parts of India; and that the same idol is worshipped by similar rites, at least as far as obscenity is concerned, in various places over the whole surface of India. The following are extracts from Dr. B.'s journal of his tour to the temple of Juggernaut in Orissa, in the year 1806.

"Buddruck in Orissa, May 30th, 1806. "We know that we are approaching Juggernaut (and yet we are more than fifty miles from it) by the human bones which we have seen for some days strewed by the way. At this place we have been joined by several large bodies of pilgrims, perhaps 2000 in