ancient government, which would naturally produce servility and deception, as the only guard against extortion; I do not think that their religion is calculated to correct it.

Are there any particular crimes that are directly inculcated by their religion?-Certainly; what would be called crimes in this country; for instance, such as the burning of widows on the funeral pile of their husbands.

Is that a very common practice in India?-From my own experience, I should not think it very common, but from the information which I have obtained from other sources, and which I believe to be authentic, it is very common.

Is not the practice of infanticide very common in Hindostan ? -Not, I believe, by any means general; it has been practised by some particular districts; it was practised in a particular district of the province of Benares, till it was prohibited, I believe, by an express law of the Bengal government; I think it was by a regulation of the Bengal government.

Did that interference of the government, in preventing infanticide, create any popular tumult or discontent in that country? -I said a regulation of government, but I am not certain that it was; in the first instance, I believe an application was made to the pundits or priests of the Hindoo religion, and they declared it to be contrary to their religion; and they gave an opinion, which was used by government, as a means of putting an end to it; I speak with some difficulty as to an accurate recollection of the circumstances.

Is it not a practice, enjoined or encouraged by the religion of the Hindoos, to immolate themselves as a sacrifice to some of their deities or idols?--I believe it was practised at the festival of Jaggernaut, when they throw themselves under the wheels of the car in which the idol is carried, and suffer themselves to be immolated.

They prostrate themselves under the wheels of a heavy car, and are crushed to death ?-Such I understand to have been the practice.

And that is a religious rite enjoined or encouraged by their religion?-How far it is sanctioned by their books, I cannot say; but it was considered as a religious rite and rgeritorious sacrifice, by the Hindoos themselves; there are many practices which, I believe, are not sanctioned by their books of religion.

Do their brahmins or priests sanction it, by their precepts or their presence?—I should suppose (though I never was present at an exhibition of the kind, and I only speak from what I have heard) their brahmins or their priests did certainly sanction and approve it.

Are there not other modes of suicide or murder, as by throwing themselves into the Ganges, that are in common practice

among them?-I believe there are; but I do not speak from my own knowledge on the subject, but what I have collected from others.

Are not some of their religious festivals celebrated by rites of unnatural obscenity?--I never was witness to any such myself. I have known very indecent pictures in their temples, but I never was present at any indecent rites, nor can I speak to them with any certainty.

The question relates for your lordship's information and belief upon the subject during your residence in India?-I have heard. so; but I cannot speak to my own knowledge, in that part of India where I have been.

Is not the Brahminical law, a rule of very great oppression upon the other casts in India?-The laws of the Hindoos are certainly peculiarly favourable to the Brahmins who are their priests; they have exemptions and immunities which the other casts have not; but I do not know that the Brahminical law operates as oppressive upon the other Hindoos, further than in the mode I have mentioned, if that can be called oppression.

Is the murder of an individual of another cast by a Brahmin, or the murder of a Brahmin by an individual of another cast, punished in the same way, or what are the distinctions between them?-They are certainly not punished in the same way; for, I believe, by the Hindoo law, a Brahmin cannot be put to death; he may suffer punishment that shall be worse than death, but he cannot be put to death. If a person kills a Brahmin, he is guilty of a crime which is inexpiable; and is, moreover, liable to all the temporal punishments of the law.

Does your lordship speak there of malicious killing or murder, or killing a Brahmin under any circumstances?-I certainly meant to consider it as murder; as killing with an intent to kill; how far the accidental killing of a Brahmin might be expiable, I really do not know.

Is there not such a prejudice upon that subject, that a Brahmin will sometimes threaten to put himself to death, in consequence of a quarrel with an individual of an inferior cast, so as to bring upon that individual the guilt of an inexpiable crime? -Instances certainly have occurred of that, in which Brahmins have used that threat as a means of extortion, or to gain a parti cular point; that is, they have threatened to kill themselves, unless the point which they meant to gain, should be conceded to them.

In your lordship's judgment, is not the distinction of casts, -enforced by the religion of the Hindoos, an insuperable obstacle to their advancement in civilization, and in moral character? VOL. XXXVI. JUNE, 1813.

-I do not know whether it is an insuperable impediment; but it certainly is a very great impediment to the improvement of the moral character.

What is the condition of the female sex among the Gentoos, as affected by their religion and prejudices?-They are so concoaled, that we really know little or nothing of them; nor is it usual to talk with the Gentoos about their female sex: I believe that their state in general is merely that of slaves to their husbands.

In your lordship's judgment, would the introduction of Christianity among the Gentoos tend materially to the improvement of their civil condition?-I think it would tend to the improvement of their civil condition.

During your lordship's acquaintance with India, were any efforts made by the East India Company for the propagation of Christiantiy in Hindostan ?-None that I recollect.

Were the missionaries, of whom your lordship spoke, sent out and maintained by the Company, or by the charity of individuals?-When I was in India I did not know them; for the greatest part of the last year that I was in India, I was absent from Calcutta; they certainly were not sent out by the Company, but must have been sent out by individuals.

In your lordship's judgment, would the discreet and wellregulated efforts of missionaries, as they have generally conducted themselves hitherto in India, be dangerous to the peace or security of the British dominions in that country ?—I think not.

Does it fall within your lordship's knowledge or information, that other Christian countries, possessing dominions in India, have been more or less active than Great Britain, in the attempt to propagate Christianity in that country?-From what I have read, I should suppose much more so.

Did not the Danish government, while it possessed settlements in India, use some efforts for that purpose?-I believe it did; but those efforts were materially assisted by the Society for promoting Christian knowledge in this country.

Did your lordship ever hear of any inconveniences or evils that followed the efforts of the Danish government to teach Christianity in India ?—I never did.

Are there not at present in India, considerable numbers of Christians, natives of the country?-I believe a great many in the southern parts of the peninsula, particularly the Syrian Christians.

Are there not considerable bodies of Christians in the island of Ceylon, who have been converted under the dominion of the Dutch-I believe there are.

Has your lordship ever heard of any political evils that attended the efforts of the Dutch in that line?-I have not:

but, at the same time, I am totally unacquainted with the Dutch proceedings.

Are there not considerable bodies of Christians, who were converted to Christianity under the dominion of the Portuguese, while they had territories in India?-They certainly made great numbers of converts, and, I believe there are many of their descendants now remaining to this day.

Was any opposition made by the native powers; or did any convulsions follow in those parts of India, in consequence of the introduction of Christianity by the Portuguese?-I know very little of the history of the introduction of Christianity by the Portuguese. When I say I did not hear of any convulsions, allowance must be made for my ignorance of the history.

Having given it as your lordship's opinion, that the gradual introduction of Christianity among the Hindoos would tend to improve their civil and moral condition, is your lordship of opinion, that the improvement of their civil and moral condition, would tend to increase their consumption of the various manufactures of their own or any other country?—I do not know that it would in any considerable degree.

Would it have a tendency to that effect?--I do not think it would have a tendency.

Can your Lordship give the Committee any information, respecting the general character of the Danish mission in India?There were two of the missionaries, Swartz and Gericke, who were men that possessed the esteem of the natives in the greatest degree; and with respect to the general character of the Danish mission, the impression upon my mind is highly favourable to it.

Does your Lordship know, whether either of those missionaries was able, at any time, from the influence which he possessed with the natives, to render any material services to the British government ?-Swartz I believe was, in a very considerable degree.

What is the comparative moral character of the Hindoo natives of India, and the converted natives?—I have had no opportunities of making the comparison.

Does your Lordship confine the description you have given of the character of the Hindoos, to the Hindoos of Calcutta, or generally?-To the Hindoos as generally known to me on that side of India, not merely Calcutta.

Is the Committee to understand, that the Hindoo women are kept in confinement, shut up?--I believe perfectly so; in a perfect state of seclusion.

Does your Lordship conceive that the translation of the Scriptures into the native languages of India, would be attended with any dangerous consequences?-None at all in my opinion,

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Your Lordship was understood to say, that the government in the East-Indies had never lent itself directly to the encouragement of Christianity among the Hindoos; from your own knowledge, or any information you have had the means of acquiring there, was the government in India ever known to give any discouragement, or to shew any aversion to any fair, reasonable, and discreet attempts, on the part of judicious persons, to introduce Christianity?-I do not recollect that I said the govern ment had never lent themselves to the encouragement of the introduction of Christianity in India; because when I was in India there were no missionaries, nor any attempts made in India, that I know any thing of. The missionaries who arrived at that time employed themselves principally in learning the languages; which it was necessary for them to know, before they could talk to the natives, or attempt to convert them.

Have the government ever shown any discouragement to a fair and judicious attempt on the part of discreet persons to introduce Christianity?-When I was in India, the question never oc curred, for them to show either encouragement or discourage ment; I have never heard, since I left India, that they have shown any discouragement;

From your acquaintance with the native character, if they were to entertain the apprehension, that the government of India were secretly favourable to the propagation of Christianity among them, what effect, in your Lordship's mind, would it produce upon them-I do not think it would produce any material effect upon the natives of India, as long as they were convinced that no forcible attempts would be made to convert them.

Would not the appearance of bishops, or of an ecclesiastical hierarchy among them, tend to encourage that apprehension among the natives, that force would ultimately be used to esta blish Christianity amongst them ?-It does not occur to me, that any such idea could possibly arise from the appearance of a bishop in that country.

Have there not been, for a considerable number of years, bishops of the Roman Catholic persuasion in different parts of India?-Not in the part of India in which I have resided; on the Malabar coast there have.

Does your Lordship know of any discontents having been oc casioned by a jealousy of those bishops or ecclesiastics?—I certainly do not; but, at the same time, I have to say, that I have heard very little about them at all.

Was the missionary Swartz in India at the time when your Lordship was there?-He was; but not in the same part of India.

Does your Lordship know whether Mr. Swartz went into various parts of India, professing to teach the people about Chris