Excerpt from Essays: Relative to the Habits, Character, and Moral Improvement of the Hindoos

'likewise published a translation of the tract in English. It is too long for insertion in this journal, and too short for considerable extracts we will therefore content our selves with giving a summary view of its contents. The general character of his arguments tends of itself to de velope the state of feeling among the natives on this subject. There is no appeal made to their national honour, no attempt to kindle their indignation against so disgraceful a custom, no endeavour to arouse their feelings against a practice so repugnant to every prin ciple of humanity: not that we suspect for a moment that the benevolent individual who composed it, would have hesitated to employ such arguments, had he not been convinced of their complete inutility. The tract is in the form of a dialogue between an Advocate and an Opponent of the system. The advocate cites various passages from Ungira, Vyas, Hareet, and the Rig-veda, which enjoin or applaud the practice of self-immolation. Against these passages the Opponent produces an extract from Munoo, the great Hindoo legislator, of whom the Veda itself says, that Whatever Manoo has said is wholesome which Vrzhusputi corroborates by adding, Whatever is contrary to the law of Munoo is not com mendable. The extract is as follows Let a widow ema ciate her body, by living voluntarily on pure flowers, roots, and fruits, but let her not, when her Lord is deceased, even pronounce the name of another man. Let her continue till death forgiving all injuries, performing harsh duties, avoiding every sensual pleasure, and cheerfully practising the incomparable rules of virtue which have been fol lowed by such women as were devoted to one only husband.

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