THE FOREIGN QUARTERLY REVIEW. VOLUME XXI. APRIL AND JULY, 1838. AMERICAN EDITION. NEW YORK: PUBLISHED BY JEMIMA M. LEWER. 4 RNER OF BROADWAY AND PINE-STREET. 1838. ART. I.-Ramaseeana, or a Vocabulary of the peculiar Language used by the Thugs, with a Description of the System pursued by that Fraternity. II.1. Ida della Torre, Episodio, di Giulio Carcano. III.-La Science Politique fondée sur la Science de l'Homme, ou Etude des Races humaines sous le Rapport philosophique, historique, et sociale. 2. Samling af de i Nordens Oldskrifter indeholdte Efterretninger om de gamle Nordboers Opdagelsesreiser til America, fra det 10de til det VIII.—1. Waldemar den Store og hans Maend. Et episk Digt. 2. Valdemar Seier. En Historisk Roman. By B. S. Ingemann. 3. Masaniello. Et Sörgespil. By B. S. Ingemann. 4 Procne. En Samling af Digte. By B. S. Ingemann IX. Pérégrinations d'une Paria (1833-1834.) Par Madame Flora Tristan CRITICAL NOTICES. Epitome of the History of Ceylon, compiled from Native Annals and from the Quinti Horatii Flacci Opera, cum Versione Germanica edita Grammatica Linguæ Armeniacæ. Auctore H. Petermann Versuch einer Geschichte der Armenischen Literatur, nach den Werken der 1. Pacto y Ley Fundamental de la Confederacion Peru-Boliviana. 2. Contra-Manifiesto al Publicado por el Gobierno de Buenos-Aires, sobre las Razones con que pretende lejitimar la Guerra que declara a la Confederacion Peru-Boliviana Selections from the Bostân of Sâdi, by Forbes Falconer. Miscellaneous Literary Notices.-Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Russia, List of the principal New Works published on the Continent, from January to 125 126 126 126 127 127 129 134 THE LIBRARY. FOREIGN QUARTERLY REVIEW. No. XLI. FOR APRIL, 1838. ART. I.-Ramaseeana, or a Vocabulary of system of assassination were originally the peculiar Language used by the Thugs, adopted, and brought to their present perfecwith an Introduction and Appendix, de- tion. These deficiencies, however, are, in scriptive of the System pursued by that a great degree to be attributed to the want Fraternity, and of the Measures which have been adopted by the Supreme Government of India for its suppression. Calcutta. 1836. We have perused this work with the greatest interest; for the subject is one which must excite the most acute feelings in the mind of every friend to humanity. We have here an account of probably the most extraordinary organized society of ruthless vil lains that ever existed on the face of the globe. Robbers, bandits, pirates, are all influenced by the same incitement-the hope of plunder. In the course of their pursuit outrages, murder, and even wanton cruelty are often committed; but this is usually in the moment of triumph, when brutal passion is inflamed, and seldom results from any preconceived plan. The Thugs, on the contrary, systematically and invariably preface every robbery with deliberate murder, sparing neither age, sex, or class. of leisure from official duties, on the part of the author, Captain W. H. Sleeman, of the Indian military service, who has long been employed on civil duty, and superadded ill health. His modesty has also prevented him from sufficiently bringing into view his own exertions in the cause. To our conception the work should have been arranged on somewhat of the following plan. First, a description of the origin of the Thugs, their system and mode of proceeding in their vocation; how they were enabled to increase their numbers and extend their sphere of operations; and likewise their superstitions. Secondly, an account of the first notice of these associations by the British government; and of the successive steps which were taken, until the completely organized Thug police, which now exists, was established. Under this head would have been included a statement of the difficulties, amounting, in fact, to impossibilities, under which the ordinary tribu. We have, however, in some respects, been nals laboured in their attempts to bring the much disappointed with the work. It seems Thugs to punishment: to conclude with some to be almost without plan, and the materials notices of their tempers, dispositions, and hathrown together in so heterogeneous a man- bits. To this might have been added, thirdly, ner, that information on any one portion of an appendix, containing a vocabulary of their the subject must be sought for sometimes in peculiar phraseology and slang terms; togea dozen different places, and is occasionally ther with any documents, private or official, found in a part of the work where it would which threw light on the subject, or might be least expected; while what should have be deemed useful to those employed in the formed valuable information is very indis- suppression of the crime. tinctly indicated; viz. how the plans now in force for the suppression of this horrible Instead, therefore, of merely reviewing the work, we shall attempt, as far as our |