Letter XI.

Praise to Varuna! under the guidance
of whose potent arm, behold thy
friend, surrounded by the billows of the
mighty ocean.

The most sublime objects alone present
themselves to my view. Above is the
azure canopy of Heaven, in which “the Vol. II. B “gold- B1v 2
gold-crowned Sultan of the firmament,
advances the standard of his brightness;”
and without rival or competitor,
enjoys the solitary grandeur of imperial
state. Below is the boundless expanse
of waters, the congregated waves of
which, like the chiefs of some great republic,
alternately rise into the majesty
of power, and retire into the peace of
obscurity.

From the benevolence and friendship
of captain Grey, I received every assistance
in preparing for my voyage, and
procured every necessary that could tend
to its comfort. I have also from him
Letters of introduction to his friends,
with a sketch of the character of each,
so that I shall have the advantage of a
sort of pre-acquaintance in a land of
strangers. From Morton, I have received
letters for his mother, and sisters,
accompanied by some valuable presents, which B2r 3
which the generous hand of Grey, enabled
him to procure for them.

This young man has made a rapid
progress in my esteem: his mind seems
formed for the residence of virtue, nor
is there any reason to apprehend that the
head-strong passions of youth will ever
be able to drive her from her feat.

I have not forgotten the sister of my
friend, the long lamented Percy. For
her I have made a selection of whatever
I thought could be acceptable: and the
idea of presenting it in person, affords
great delight to my mind.—Jeo-doss,
to whom, as well as to my other servants,
I gave the liberty of returning to Kuttaher,
so earnestly entreated for leave to
accompany me, that I consented; and
also at their own desire have kept two
more of my own people, all of whose
services I find very useful to me in this B2 floating B2v 4
floating castle; where, in spite of every
precaution, I confess, many things occur,
disgusting to delicacy, and abhorent to
the nice feelings of propriety.

I was accompanied to the ship by
Grey, Morton, and some other friends,
who have distinguished themselves by
their particular kindness to me. Even
Cooper, wild and eccentric as he is,
would not suffer me to depart without
some token of his kindness. He brought
me a cap lined with the finest fur, which
he told me would be of service in the
cold climate I was about to encounter.

The pang of regret penetrated my
heart, when I bade the last farewell to
these amiable friends; but when the ship
was put in motion, and I saw those blest
shores, “the favoured seats of the Gods
of India,” recede from my sight, my
heart grew faint within me, and all my philosophy B3r 5
philosophy was insufficient to re-invigorate
my sinking courage.

Sickness in a short time took from me
the power of thinking. I have suffered
under it so severely, that I have hitherto
been unable to enjoy the society of my
fellow passengers, the female part of whom
are still confined to their apartments, by
the cruel effects of this sea nausea, the
most intolerable of all diseases! Upon the
quarter-deck, I have met the husband
of one of these ladies, who was – – – –
of – – –, in which station he acquired a
fortune, which though not the tenth of
the sum that a Mussulman Dewan would
have acquired, will, I am told, be sufficient
to give him distinction in his own country.
The Commander of the ship, though
among his men he appears like a lion
of the forest, is to his passengers gentle
as the deer of the mountain. I have
already been much indebted to his politenessB3 ness B3v 6
and civility. I have the same acknowledgment
to make to the Surgeon,
a young man, whose quick, and penetrating
eye gives the promise of genius, and
discernment.

Time, that great Physician, having in
some degree reconciled our stomachs to
the motion of the vessel, I have had the
pleasure of being introduced to the fair
companions of our voyage; who are
three in number.

The first, is the wife of the Dewan; her
features are regular, but so insipid, that I
should not fail to pronounce her equally
void of sense and feeling, was it not for
the unlimited affection she evinces towards
the animal creation, which she carries
to as exalted a height as any Hermit of B4r 7
of Cummow. Surrounded by Parrots,
Lorys, Maccaws, small Dogs, Persian
Cats, and Monkeys of every description,
she seems attracted towards them by a mysterious
sympathy; while if her languid
eyes are cast towards any of the company, it
is only to express the language of disdain.

Notwithstanding my admiration of this
amiable protectress of the brute creation,
I cannot help feeling a superiour degree
of pleasure, in contemplating the unaffected
charms, and unassuming loveliness of
a young widow; the beauty of whose
countenance is shaded, though not concealed,
by the veil of sorrow. Whilst
bestowing on her fatherless babes the sost
caresses of maternal tenderness, I have observed
the tear which glistened on the silken
fringe of her fine black eyes, mingled
with the smiles of tender complacency.

Betwixt this Lady and her husband, at
an early period of life, a mutual attachmentB4 ment B4v 8
had taken place. Prudence could
not at that time sanction their union: for
in a country where luxury has fixed her
residence, it becomes difficult to procure
the necessaries of existence, and without
these, how would a man answer the calls
of an infant family? The affection of
these lovers, at length, triumphed over
every difficulty: the gentleman went
to India, where, in process of time, he
was promoted to the – – – – – of – – –
and no sooner found himself in a situation
to support a family, than he claimed
the promise of his betrothed bride, who,
throwing aside the timidity of her sex,
and unprotected, save by the modest dignity
of virtue, nobly braved the inconveniencies
and hazards of an Indian
voyage. She was received with transport
by her anxiously expecting lover, whose
happiness was completed by their immediate
union. Their’s was not that
transient glow of joy, which, like the crimson-tinted
cloud of morning, vanishes 3 while B5r 9
while gazed on; it was permanent as
pure. Each met in each the enlightened
companion, the wise adviser, the
faithful friend. But, alas! while fondly
looking forward to a long period of felicity,
the stroke of death, suddenly destroyed
the fair, but fallacious prospect.
You will, perhaps, think but indifferently
of her, who in such circumstances, would
persevere in preserving life:—But it is the
custom of her nation! And she perhaps
imagines, that she may as effectually
evince her regard to the memory of
her husband, by devoting herself to the
care and education of his children, as if
she had mingled her ashes with his.

Three fine boys look up to her for
protection, and already begin to benefit
by her instructions. Their innocent vivacity,
though a source of amusement
to most of the party, is a great annoyance
to the monkey-loving Bibby, who declares, B5v 10
declares, that “of all the odious torments
of a long voyage, that of being
teized with the noise of children is the
worst.” At the sound of her voice, the
dissonant screams of her feathered favourites,
seem to ratify the declaration of
their fair benefactress; whilst the young
and lively neice of the Dewan, casts towards
the many-coloured objects of
her aunt’s affection, such an expressive
glance, as seems to say, they are almost
as bad.

Of this young lady I can say little, but
that she appears gay, and good humoured.
The Surgeon, indeed, from whom I have
all my information respecting my fellow
voyagers, tells me, that she had been
brought to India by her uncle, in order
to be married to the gentleman, who was
to succeed him in his appointment; but,
that on the voyage from Europe, a mutual
affection had taken place between her, B6r 11
her, and a young votary of Lackshmee,Open note a001-rotaFortune.
who must obtain the smiles of the Goddess,
before he can procure the hand of
his mistress. Her uncle, in the mean
while, insists on her return to Europe;
and from the hilarity of her countenance,
I should not suppose the disappointment
to have entered deeply into her heart.

A sad bustle has just taken place.
One of the little boys having been allured
into the great cabbin, by the comical
tricks of a Marmoret, was attacked by a
huge Baboon, one of the fiercest animals
in Mrs. ––––’s collection. His cries
soon gave the alarm; every one flew to
the place from whence they issued. No
description can give any idea of the confused
scene which followed. The voice of B6v 12
of the sufferer, was soon lost in universal
uproar. The screams of the ladies, the
chattering of the monkeys, the barking
of the dogs, to say nothing of the squalling
of the parrots and maccaws, made
altogether such a noise, that the thunder
of the contending elements could scarcely
have been heard in it. When peace was
at length restored, and the little boy,
whose leg was sadly torn, had been committed
to the care of the surgeon, the
Dewan ventured to remonstrate with his
fair partner, on the numbers, and bad behaviour
of her favourites. It was a tender
point; the very mention of it, though
managed with the utmost gentleness,
threw her into a paroxysm of anger,
which at length terminated in a flood of
tears. In truth, there appeared to me in
these tears, so much more of passion than
of tenderness, that I could not regard
them, as any ornament to the cheek of
beauty! Perhaps you may blame my insensibility,sensibility, B7r 13
and bestow more unbounded
admiration on this benevolent woman,
who generously prefers the welfare and
happiness of her tailed, and feathered
favourites, to the peace and comfort of
her husband; and whose heart expands,
with more lively affection, for the meanest
quadruped in her possession, than for
the orphan child of any friend on earth.

Intelligence is just brought me of our
having cast anchor in the road of Madrass.
—I will from thence send you this letter.
May it find you in the possession of the
best blessings of life, health, and tranquillity!
What can I say more?

The day after I concluded my epistle
from Madrass,Open note a002-rotaWhich letter does not appear—and is supposed
by the Editor to have been lost. we returned on board
our ship, and the morning following
weighed anchor, and proceeded on our
voyage, in company with many floating
fortresses of superior size, sent by the
king of England to protect the fleet of
the Company. The gentleman who I
mentioned to you in my last, proves indeed
a valuable acquisition to our society.
He, alas! returns to his country, not loaded
with the riches of India, but possessing in
his mind a treasure, more desirable than
any wealth can purchase. It is from the
sneer of worthless prosperity, from the contumely B8r 15
contumely of successful pride, that Mr.
Delomond goes to hide his misfortunes
in the oblivious shade of retirement.
“When the frowns of fortune are excessive,
and human endeavours are exerted
in vain, where but in the wilderness
can comfort be found for a man of
sensibility?” Such an one is Delomond;
unable to struggle with the tempestuous
gales of adverse fortune, he declines the
contest. The pride of talents, and the
consciousness of rectitude, may, he thinks,
support him in his solitude; though he
has found, from his experience, that they
are often an obstacle to advancement in the
the world: the path that leads to fortune,
too often passing through the narrow
defiles of meanness, which a man of an
exalted spirit cannot stoop to tread.

The manly elegance with which Nature
has endowed this Saib, together
with an air of dignity which marks his B8v 16
his whole deportment, commands the
admiration of the whole party; even the
lady of the Dewan, relaxing from the
haughty languor of her usual manner,
condescends to address him with the utmost
civility: and though her mistake
as to his being a man of fortune, which
from his appearance she had naturally
concluded him to be, was soon rectified,
she could not divest herself of the respectful
deference which his manifest superiority
so justly claims. She sometimes,
indeed, when he is not present, wonders
what people of no fortune mean, by assuming
the airs of quality?

In the conversation of Delomond and
the beautiful widow, I have spent many
delightful hours. The first possesses a
rich mine of knowledge, from which I
expect pure and genuine information. The
latter is not less sensible, almost equally
well informed, more lively in her ideas, at C1r 17
and more quick in her discernment; but,
at the same time, so modest, and unassuming
is this lovely woman, that I am
sometimes at a loss which to admire
most—the perfection of her understanding,
or her unconsciousness of its superiority.

The indisposition of these two intelligent
companions, has for some days past
deprived me of their society; and I
should have been at a great loss how to
dispose of myself, had it not been for the
goodness of the neice of the Dewan, who
from her own library supplied me, with a
fund of instruction and amusement.

This young lady I have lately discovered
to be a great lover of books; of which
she has by far the most numerous collection
of any person on board. But it is not
surprising, that I should never have suspected
her taste for literature. No one Vol. II. C could C1v 18
could possibly find it out from her conversation,
which always turns upon the most trifling
subjects. Notwithstanding the knowledge
she must doubtless have acquired
from the number of books she has read,
she is so modest as never to utter a sentiment
beyond vulgar observation, nor
to attempt making use of her reason upon
any occasion whatever; so that a person
might easily believe her mind to be still
immersed in the depths of ignorance.

In the valuable collection of Biography,
which this young lady kindly submitted
to my perusal, the first book that
attracted my attention, was, the History
of a Nobleman; but I soon found, that
the word “History” has more meanings in
the English language, than that which is
given to it in the Dictionary. It is there
said to be, “a narative of events and
facts, delivered with dignity.” But the
history of this illustrious nobleman, consisted1 sisted C2r 19
of nothing more than a few letters
written in the days of juvenile folly, on
the subject of love!—Indeed, I cannot
imagine why such immature productions
should have been preserved at all; and
still less can I conceive for what purpose
they are given to the world, to whom,
the opinion which a young man entertains
of the unparalleled beauty of his
mistress’s complexion, can surely be of
very little consequence. Other histories
I found written in the manner of memoirs;
these are said to contain the lives
of illustrious personages, whose names
adorn the title page. It appears very
strange, that the lives of these great personages
should abound in incidents so
similar; an account of one will serve to
give you an idea of the events that have
occurred in fifty families, whose histories
I have already read.

It happens, that a noble-born infant is
deserted by its fond parents, and exposed C2 to C2v 20
to the care of chance, and the humanity
of strangers. These fortunate foundlings
never fail to be adopted by the first person
who takes them up, and as these are
always people of fortune, they receive
from their bounty an education, every
way suitable to their real rank. As soon
as the young nobleman attains the age of
manhood, he falls in love with the daughter
of his benefactor, a circumstance
which involves the loving pair in the
deepest misery. At length, a period
is put to their misfortunes, by the discovery
of the real parents, and the young
lord is admitted to all the privileges of
his order. You may now perhaps expect
that the history should become more
interesting and important, and be curious
to hear how the young nobleman conducts
himself in his new station; whether
the experience he has had of life,
serves to expand his benevolence, to invigorate
his intellectual powers, and to render C3r 21
render him a more worthy member of
that august tribunal, in which is concentrated
the illustrous mass of hereditary
virtue? As to all these points, you must
content yourself to remain in ignorance;
with the marriage of the hero, the history
of his life concludes!

From this circumstance, and, indeed,
from the whole tenor of these books, it
appears evident, that with these islanders,
marriage is a certain passport to never
failing, and never fading bliss! A state
nearly resembling that divine absorption
of the soul described by our Yogees,
which entirely excludes the cares and
concerns of life, and in which the mind
is wrapt in a delirium of perfect and
uninterrupted felicity!—Happy country!
where the prudence and fidelity of the
women of high rank, so plainly evince
the care that is bestowed on their instruction,
and where the piety, learning, and C3 morality C3v 22
morality of the men, is only to be equalled
by their humility!

I will not conceal from you, that in
these true and faithful pictures of the
manners and morals of the people of
England, I see much that appears to
me extraordinary, and incomprehensible.
Here, it is said by our philosophers, that,
“in this life (compounded of good and
evil)Open note a003-rotaHeetopades. sickness, and health; opulence,
and calamity; fruition, and disappointment,
are bound up together; thus every
thing is produced with a companion which
shall destroy it.” By this scheme of things,
the wounds of affliction are ever within
the reach of some cordial balm, which, if
it does not heal, may at least serve to
alleviate its anguish. While, in the purest
cup of felicity, is mingled such particles,
as may serve to remind the mortal to
whom it is presented, of the sublunary source C4r 23
source from whence it flowed.—In England,
on the contrary (if I am to believe
these histories) happiness and misery
are known only in extremes; there the
tide of adversity sets in with such destructive
fury, that the bare recital of the unheard-of
calamities it occasions, is sufficient
to melt the hardest heart! Nor
when the flood of fortune comes, is the
thetorrent of prosperity which it produces,
less extraordinary and amazing!
In its resistless career, every barrier to
happiness is broken down. The undeserving
husband, the cruel father, and the
malicious aunt, are all carried off by
death: while riches, honours, titles, fine
clothes, and spotless character, complete
the felicity of the beautiful and loving
pair, who are designed to be overwhelmed
in this sea of bliss.

From the authority of these authentic
memoirs, it appears, that marriage in C4 Europe C4v 24
Europe is never contracted but from the
most pure and disinterested motives.
Every young woman who is handsome
and accomplished, however humble her
birth, or small her fortune, is there certain
of attracting the love and admiration
of numbers of the highest rank in
the community. What a glorious encouragement
is held forth to the females
of that happy island, who must be blind
indeed not to perceive that it is their own
obstinacy and folly, that alone can possibly
prevent their advancement to the very
summit of felicity!

For such folly and obstinacy, whenever
it occurs, a very peculiar and extraordinary
punishment is reserved. After a
few years, spent, as it is generally believed,
in vain repentance, and useless regret,
they all at once, without any exceptions
in favour of virtue, merit, useful
or ornamental accomplishments, undergodergo C5r 25
a certain change, and incomprehensible
transformation, and become
what is termed “Old Maids”. From all
that I have hitherto been able to learn of
these creatures, the Old Maid is a sort of
venemous animal, so wicked in its temper,
and so mischievous in its disposition,
that one is surprised that its very existence
should be tolerated in a civilized
society.

After having spent many days in the
study of those authors, so warmly recommended
by the young Bibby, I began to
apprehend that though to more enlightened
minds, they might doubtless prove a
source of instruction and delight, they
were not sufficiently adapted to my weak
capacity, to afford any recompence for the
time spent in their perusal. Never before did C5v 26
did my heart refuse its sympathy to human
misery; but the distresses of the Lady
Hariots, and the Lady Charlottes, which
called forth the overflowings of compassion,
in the breasts of their fair correspondents,
were of a nature too refined
and delicate, to be discernable to any
save the Microscopic eye of European
sensibility!

The change which according to these
sage writers of Novels, has taken place
in human nature, must have been as sudden
as it appears unaccountable. In the
days of their great Dramatic Poet, the
Calidas of Europe, it was certainly unknown;
in his masterly delineations of the
passions, it is every where, and at every
period the same: and from a perusal of
his works, one would be tempted to
imagine (notwithstanding the evidence
of these authentic memoirs to the contrary)
that though manners may differ, and local C6r 27
local customs fall into oblivion, the traits
of kindred likeness, which the Creator
has been pleased to impress on the great
family of the human race, may, by a discerning
eye, be traced through every
clime, and in every period of its existence!
How otherwise should the immortal
Calidas, who flourished two thousand
years ago,Open note a004-rotaCalidas, the celebrated dramatic poet of India,
flourished, according to Sir William Jones, in the
first century before Christ; he was one of the nine
men of genius, commonly called the Nine Gems,
who were favoured with the patronage, and splendidly
supported by the bounty of Vicramáditycs,
a Monarch eminently distinguished by his taste for
literature. (See the preface to Sir William Jones’s translation
of Sacontala.) and the Bard of England,
who was cotemporary with Ackbar,
teach the heart to vibrate with the same
sensations? The Sacontala of the one,
and the Desdemona of the other, speak
so nearly the same language, that did I not C6v 28
I not believe the soul of the Indian poet
to have been long absorbed in the regions
of felicity, I should undoubtedly imagine,
that it was Calidas himself, who,
under the name of Shakspeare, again
vouchsafed to enlighten and delight the
world!—It is at least evident that they
have both copied from the same original
—“Unchanging, everlasting Nature!”

A chasm of many weeks has taken
place in my journal. Alas! When I
undertook to write it, I was not aware
of the tedious uniformity of a sea voyage.
But though void of incident, the scene
has not been destitute of instruction. By
time, and increasing intimacy, the characters
of my companions have been
more fully developed. The first sketch
that was drawn by the hasty pencil of imagination, C7r 29
imagination, I confidently pronounced
to be a striking likeness; but very different
now appears the picture, that has
been delineated by slow-working observation.

In my letter from Madrass,Open note a005-rotaThis letter is not to be found. I informed
you of the acquisition I expected from
the society of the young officer, whose
sprightly manners, and communicative
disposition, gave the promise of an everpleasing
companion. But, alas! I soon
discovered that sprightliness and loquacity
are by no means united with urbanity
and cheerfulness.—The small stock
of personal anecdote, with which the incidents
of his life had furnished him, was
no sooner exhausted, than he became
dull, insipid, and morose. Nor was the
change which seemed wrought on his
temper, less extraordinary, than that which C7v 30
which took place in his manners. This
youth, seemingly so gentle; who took
such pleasure in obliging; who lived
but to promote the happiness of others,
gives every day such convincing proofs
of the malignity of his disposition, in the
cruel treatment he bestows upon his
younger brother, that it is impossible to
behold it without feelings of horror, and
indignation.

How different from this, is the change
that has taken place in my opinion, concerning
the character of the Dewan.
Alas! I fear, that in more instances than
these, my first opinion has been like an
unjust judge, who suffers his decisions to
be influenced by the eloquence of flattery.
Self-love, whispers that those who
are pleased with us, are pleasing; and it
is not till experience has convinced us
of our error, that we are willing to listen
to the voice of truth. The reserve, and silence C8r 31
silence which at first seemed to give to the
character of the Dewan an appearance
of sull ennesssullenness and stupidity, gradually
cleared away, by time and encreasing
intimacy, and discovered to us incontestable
proofs of a mild and placid temper,
a deeply-thinking, well-informed mind,
and a humane and benevolent heart.

The conduct of his Lady, has not, I
confess, undergone much change; but
my opinion of it has been somewhat
altered, by an insight into its motives.

That haughty, and arrogant demeanour,
which I had conceived to flow from
the conscious superiority of birth and
merit, was, it seems, assumed by folly, to
conceal the real meanness of both. Her
history appeared to me so very extraordinary,
that had I not had the most convincing
proofs of the veracity of my informer,former, C8v 32
I confess, I should have been
led to doubt its truth.

This disdainful Lady, whom I had
considered as some highly exalted personage,
was the daughter of a tradesman,
“whose foolish fondness,” said the Surgeon,
“” (for I give you his very words)
“bestowed upon her such an education, as,
without instructing her in the qualities
that are alone suited to adorn an exalted
rank, rendered her unfit for becoming
wife to a man in her own. At the death
of this parent, she laid out the small fortune
he bequeathed her, in fine cloaths,
and took her passage to Bengal, where
she did not doubt that her beauty would
procure her an advantageous marriage.
The event proved equal to her expectations.
On her arrival, she was seen by
the Dewan, who admired, courted, and
married her!” “I thought” said I,” interrupting2 rupting D1r 33
my informer, “that Europeans
had made companion of their wives.
Surely, this woman was not qualified
for being the companion of such a man
as the Dewan. It is not possible to
imagine, that her intellectual deficiencies,
would be unobserved by a man of
his sense, and penetration.” “The
Dewan was too much charmed with
her beauty, to observe any deficiency
in her merit,” replied the Surgeon;
“or, if he did, she was so young, that he
promised himself much pleasure in filling
the office of Preceptor.” Alas! he
considered not that pride is the usual concomitant
of ignorance; that it is not the
understanding which has been perverted
by vanity, prejudice, and folly, that will
listen to the instructions of a husband.
Her hopes of happiness were from the
enjoyment of his fortune.

Here ceased my kind informer; who
left me very much astonished, at the
picture he had drawn of an English woman,
and a Christian.

After much reflection, I think I can
trace the unenlightened state of this woman’s
understanding, to her want of instruction.
Had she received her education
at one of those wise, learned, and
pious seminaries, called boarding-schools,
her mind would no doubt have been
vigilantly defended from the noxious
breath of vanity and conceit. She would
there have learned according to the precepts
of her Shaster, to have adorned herself
with “shamefacedness and sobriety.
Not with broidered hair, or gold, or
pearls, or costly array, but (which becometh
women possessing godliness)
with good works.” Such, no doubt,
is the education of Christian women, at
Christian schools! How does it exalt my D2 opinion D2v 36
opinion of the native genius of the young
widow; when I contemplate the extent
of her acquired knowledge, her unaffected
humility, her undeviating discretion;
and at the same time, consider, that by
her own account, she never enjoyed the
advantages of instruction at one of these
enlightened seminaries, but was confined
during the early part of her life, to the
roof of her parents! Is it not surprising,
that, notwithstanding this disadvantage,
she should have made such proficiency
in every accomplishment? My first sentiments
concerning her remain unaltered.
Her exalted sentiments continue
to excite my admiration, while her sweet
temper, and ever obliging disposition,
make daily progress in my esteem.

The morning after I last laid down
my pen, we arrived at a small island, which D3r 37
which the benignant hand of Nature seems
to have (erected) in the midst of the
mighty ocean, as a convenient Choultrie,
Open note a006-rotaChoultries, are houses built in India, for the
accommodation of travellers. for the floating caravanseras that
traverse its watery bosom. Here we
spent nearly twenty days, and were entertained
by the inhabitants, who appear
a gay and lively people, with much kindness
and hospitality.

The change of scene was relished by
all the party, but by none so much as
the neice of the Dewan; to whom the
uniform life we led on board ship, was
become altogether insupportable. She
had indeed for a long time, been at a
most pitiable loss for employment. The
contents of her library, which I imagined,
would have afforded her a fund of amusement
and edification, during the course
of her voyage, were soon exhausted.

Having once found out how all the wished-for
marriages, of all the heroes and
heroines, were brought about; and been
let into the secret of the surprising discoveries,
lucky accidents, and miraculous
combination of circumstances, which uniformly
led to that happy event, she had
no further interest nor curiosity concerning
them. These books had, nevertheless,
by giving constant fuel to the
vivid flame of youthful imagination,
created such an insatiable craving for
novelty, as rendered every other sort of
reading, tasteless and insipid. Even the
ever entertaining conversation of our intelligent
companions, had no charms for
her. I have frequently known the chain
of an interesting argument, to which I
have been listening with avidity and delight,
all at once interrupted, by her
abruptly asking, when we should see land?
Whatever gave the promise of variety,
seemed to re-animate her flagging spirits. Whether D4r 39
Whether it was the appearance of a flying-
fish—or the rumoured approach of an
enemy; the drowning of a kitten, or the
indications of a coming storm, all were
equally acceptable; so that they relieved
her, from the tedious task of thought.
The approach to St. Helena, made her
almost wild with joy. No sooner was it
announced, than she flew to her cabin,
to take from her trunk, some particular
dresses, which she had reserved for the
occasion, and hastily displaying them before
the amiable widow, asked her fifty
questions in a breath, concerning the important
point, of which was most becoming.

Besides the novelty of the scenes, and
amusements at St. Helena, she there
made another acquisition, which, I hope,
will afford her sufficient variety of entertainment
for many weeks to come. This
is no other than a fresh supply of novels! D4 This [Gap in transcription—2 pagesomitted] D4v 40
This she happily accomplished, by exchanging
the contents of her library, with
another reading fair one, whom she accidently
met at a ball, and with whom,
on an acquaintance of three days, she
commenced an extreme and ardent friendship.
The great loquacity with which
her present flow of spirits has inspired
this votary of fancy, is sometimes no less
teazing than the effects of her former
ennui: to the elegant, but somewhat too
fastidious Delomond, it is peculiarly irksome.

In truth, it is not a little to be regretted,
that this amiable man frequently
indulges a certain soreness of mind,
which may not improperly be termed
the illigitimate offspring of sensibility.
What proves its spurious birth, is, that
while genuine sensibility is ever alive to
the feelings of others, this bastard branch
of the family, is only mindful of its own. By D5r 41
By being ever ready to take offence,
without considering whether offence was
intended to be given, it frequently inflicts
a wound in the bosom of friendship; but
is unfeelingly insensible to the pain which
it has produced. What a pity it is, that
this imposter, should ever find a place in
the breast of a worthy man! I cannot
without pain, behold it cherished by
the dignified mind of Delomond, and
would not fail to remonstrate with him
concerning it, was he not so easily hurt,
that I fear an estrangement of his friendship
might be the consequence. Fatal
propensity! which presents a barrier to
the wholesome succours of advice, and
cuts off retreat from error. In the various
sketches which this amiable and accomplished
Saib, has given me of his life,
and his misfortunes, I can plainly discern,
that the disposition I have just now
alluded to, has been no less detrimental to D5v 42
to his fortune, than injurious to his felicity.

I suspect, that you are now almost
as much tired of the voyage, as the neice
of the Dewan, and begin to re-echo her
interrogatory, of when shall we see land?
But courage, keep up your spirits, your
patience will not be put to a much longer
trial.—Land has been just discovered from
the topmast-head.—I cannot avoid envying
the happy sailor, who from the giddy
height, catches the first view of his dear
native country. Ah! what pleasing images
play about his heart! in that little speck
appearing in the distant horizon, he beholds
his little home; his tender wife; his
endearing infants; and already, in imagination,
feels, and returns their soft caresses.
I go to participate in the joy of these D6r 43
these honest people, it is a bad heart to
which the happiness of a fellow mortal
can be indifferent.

Ah! Māāndāāra, how astonishingly
great has been my disappointment! Instead
of the expected appearance of felicity,
I beheld in the countenances of
the hitherto hearty, and contented sailors,
the strongest indications of consternation,
terror, and dismay! On enquiring into
the cause of this alarm, I was told, that
it arose from the rumoured approach of
a press-gang; a press-gang I never before
heard of, but from the degree of
terror it inspires, I can easily conceive
it be some infernal species of monster;
some cruel servant to the genii of the
deep, to whom the long-absent sailor is
an acceptable sacrifice. Accursed spirits!
the terror of whose name, can put to
flight the tender images of hope, and
can induce despair at the moment when the D6v 44
the sweetest impulses of nature have
kindled the torch of joy!

At the moment I laid down my pen,
a fine boy of about fifteen years of age,
who had frequently in the course of the
voyage, attracted my notice, burst into
my cabin. “For the love of God,
assist me dear, dear Sir,” cried he,
“the press-gang are already here, and
I know, I shall not escape! For myself,
I should not care; but, my poor,
poor mother! she will never survive
it. I know she won’t. Alas! she has
no son, but me.—Her heart is now
yearning to embrace me. O it will
break, if she is disappointed!” I gave
him time to say no more, but having
hastily emptied a large trunk, made him
leap into it, and there detained him, until D7r 45
until I was assured that these children of
Nareyka had retired. Alas! they did
not retire without prey; above thirty of
those brave fellows, whose useful labours
have conduced to the enrichment, and
prosperity of their country; who, after
an absence of twenty months, hoped to
reap the reward of their toils, by returning
to its bosom, were dragg’d reluctant
victims to the infernal demon of power!

Nor are these the only monsters that
infest the British coast.—Much apprehension
is entertained by the seamen,
and passengers, for certain savages, called
Custom-house Officers; who, it seems, are
particularly ferocious towards those who
come from the East.

Praise to the preserving Spirit!—Our
watery pilgrimage begins to draw near 2 its D7v 46
its close. At ten this morning, we cast
our anchor, at the distance of about a
cass from one of the principal Naval
Ports in England. All on board is now
hurry and confusion, every eye sparkles
with the eagerness of expectation, and
every heart seems warm, with the
thoughts of once more beholding their
friends, and their native country; it is
the tumult of delight; the dread of the
custom-house officers, is forgotten; I
suppose, our fleet was too formidable for
these savages to dare to make any attack
upon it. And now that we are
within sight of an English port, we can
have nothing to fear. Seeing every one
making preparations for going ashore,
I retired to spend an hour at my pen;
but, the encreasing bustle, renders it impossible
for me to proceed further at
present.

On going upon deck, I was surprised
to observe a number of strange faces,
and anxiously enquired, what kind friends
had taken this early opportunity of greeting
our arrival?—With astonishment, I
learned, that the strangers, were no other
than the dreaded custom-house officers.
In manners, dress, stature, and complexion,
nay even in language, these savages
bear so strong a resemblance to the English,
that they might at a slight view, be
mistaken for the same; but, on a more accurate
examination of their countenances,
evident traces of their savage origin, may
be easily discerned. They are less ferocious
than the – – – – –, and seldom murder
those who fall into their hands, unless
in cases of resistance. This they did not
meet with from any of us; but, got leave
to rifle, rob, and plunder, without any
hindrance, or molestation. Their avidity
for plunder, though eager beyond description,scription, D8v 48
seems to be acquired by the
strangest caprice. On the commodities
of Europe, they seemed to set no value;
but seized with savage rapacity, on the
more elegant productions of the East.
In respect to these, the neice of the Dewan,
and myself, have been the greatest
sufferers. A beautiful piece of silver
muslin, which the fair reader of Novels,
had treasured up, as her choicest
ornament, and on which, she set a tenfold
value, from its being of a similar description
to that which was worn by the
Right Hon. Lady Araminta Eleanora
Bloomville, on the day of her nuptials;
was seized by these relentless barbarians,
without remorse. With a copious flood
of tears, she besought them to spare her
favourite robe; but, alas! the supplications
of beauty, touched not the heart of
these savage plunderers, who beheld unmoved,
the pearly drops, which coursed
each other down the fair one’s cheek! My E1r 49
My cabin afforded a still more ample
share of plunder. The shawls, the muslins,
which I intended to have presented
to the sister of Percy; and the less costly,
though in the eye of affection, no less
valuable presents, which the generosity
of Grey, had enabled young Morton to
send to his family; all, all, were seized,
by the unhallowed hands of these ruthless
spoilers! Had they taken my whole
chest of gold Inhors, it would not have
grieved me half so much! But, as it is a
misfortune, for which I perceive there is
no remedy, I must have recourse to that
only physic of the hopeless—Patience.

From the Queen of the ocean, the
favoured Island of Great Britain, does
the wandering Zaarmilla, now address Vol. II. E the E1v 50
the most beloved of friends.—Having
taken leave of the Captain and officers,
and returned, well-merited, thanks for
their kind attention during our voyage;
we went into a boat, which had been sent
from the harbour, for the conveyance of
the passengers, and were quickly landed
on one of the ghauts of Portsmouth; it is
impossible to convey to your imagination,
any notion of the magnificence of the
spectacle that presented itself to our view,
in this short sail. No idea of the sublimity
of a fleet of floating fortresses, can
possibly be conceived by those who have
not beheld the unequalled scene. The
army of the most powerful Monarch of
the East, though numerous as the grains of
sand upon the shores of the sea, the dust
of the feet of whose Elephants obscures
from the noon-day sun, cannot, in point
of grandeur, bear comparison with an
assemblage of these glories of the ocean,
that ride triumphant in an English port.

We have taken up our present abode at
a sort of Choultrie, called an Hotel, and
are to spend the remainder of the day together.
To-morrow, we shall separate,
perhaps, for ever! The lovely widow,
in whose countenance, I see the emotions
of tender recollections struggling with
that amiable fortitude, which strives to
repress the feelings of unavailing sorrow,
purposes going to the house of a friend,
at a few miles distance from this place,
and there to wait the arrival of her mother.
I am to have the happiness of
Delomond’s company, on my journey to
London, which is a very great comfort
to me, as I find myself almost as much
at a loss here, as if I had never before
been in an English settlement. The
Dewan has been busily employed in
preparations for the conveyance of his
family. His Lady’s extreme delicacy
not permitting her to submit to the ordinary
mode of travelling, in hired carriages,E2 riages, E2v 52
he has been obliged to purchase
one for her accommodation. Happily,
the mortality which prevailed amongst her
favourites, in the course of the voyage,
has so much diminished their numbers,
as to render their conveyance a matter
of little comparative difficulty; had
they all survived, he must surely have
had a carriage built for them on purpose!

I am happy I had not closed this
packet, as it gives me an opportunity
of recording a scene that has just now
passed, while my heart still glows with
the emotions it has excited.

The youth, whom I had the good fortune
to protect, from the ruthless fangs
of the press-gang, presented himself before
me, at an early hour this morning. —“You E3r 53
—“You will think me a sad ungrateful
fellow, Sir,” said he, “that I should
not have appeared to thank you, for
the very great service you rendered
me; but, the moment I obtained the
Captain’s leave, I made the best of my
way out of this place; as I did not think
I should be in safety, till I reached
home. I set off on foot, and had got
rather more than ten miles on my
journey last night, when I was overtaken
by a fellow midshipman, who informed
me of the loss you had sustained
from the sharks of the customhouse;
I have got here, a bit of your
India sort of stuff, to take home to my
mother; but I know she would wear
nothing I brought her with any satisfaction,
if she thought so meanly of
me, as that I could basely forget a debt
of gratitude.” So saying, he pulled
from his bosom a very handsome shawl,
purchased, no doubt, with the scanty earningsE3 ings E3v 54
of his initiating voyage. “Here,
Sir,” said he, presenting it to me in a
careless manner, as if in order to depricate
its value; “it is nothing to be sure
in comparison of the fine things you
have lost; but, as it is real Indian, it may
be more acceptable to your English
friends, than something much better
bought at home.” There was something
so open and ingenuous, in the countenance
of the youth, while he spoke
these words, which he did in the most
impressive manner, that he altogether
overpowered my feelings. “Protecting
power!” I exclaimed, “thou, whose mighty
breath, can kindle in the human soul, the
flame of virtue; oh! grant, that the
son of Zaarmilla, may be capable of inspiring
in the breast of a stranger, such
sensations as the noble action of this
youth causes now to glow in mine! But
think not, excellent young man” (continued
I) “that I can deprive thy mother
of the gift of such a son. No, long may E4r 55
may she wear this, and proudly may she
exhibit it to her friends and neighbours,
as the sweet pledge of filial affection;
more honourable than the gifts of
princes! more precious than the jewels
of Golconda!” I was interrupted by the
Dewan, who had hitherto been a silent
spectator of all that had passed. Shaking
the youth heartily by the hand, “You
are a noble fellow,” said he, “and I
must know more of you; but you
may make yourself perfectly easy about
this gentleman’s losses, as, I believe,
I have taken such steps, as will effect
their restitution; but I must let you
know where to find me, and assure
you, that wherever I am, there you
shall have a friend.” So saying, he gave
him his address, enjoining him to call
upon him as soon as he could find an
opportunity. While he yet spoke, two
men arrived, with the whole of the goods
which had been seised by the pirates. E4 The E4v 56
The Dewan, desired each of us to pick
out our own; but would give us no satisfaction,
as to the manner in which he
had effected their release.

I am told, the carriage waits for me,
and must therefore conclude this long
protracted journal.

May the Almighty Preserver, whose
omnipotent arm hath safely guided me
across the world of waters, to this remote
corner of the habitable globe; He, whose
essence pervades all space! shed the
dews of his mercy, on the dwelling of my
friend! may his choicest blessings rest on
the child of my affections! the blossom
of my heart! and may the sweet buds of
hope, peace, and contentment, continue
to expand in the virtuous bosom of my
gentle Zamarcanda! What can I say
more?

At length Maandaara, behold me in
the metropolis of England, the celebrated
city of London. My heart bounds within
me, at the idea of the new scenes I
am about to behold. The pulse of expectation
beats in every vein.—I was all
impatience, to deliver my letters of introduction;
but, unluckily, we arrived at
the very season of a solemn festival, which
is very properly celebrated by the Christians,
in commemoration of an event which
opened to their view the glorious hopes
of rising from the bed of death, to the
regions of eternal glory!—You may well
imagine that a festival originating in such
a source, is celebrated throughout the
Christian world with appropriate solemnity.
With them, the forms and ceremonies4 monies E5v 58
of their religion, remain not merely
as a testimony of the superior piety
which produced them. These institutions
have not become a reproach to the
degeneracy of succeeding ages! They
have not, with them, become a solemn
mockery! a satire upon a trifling, and
frivilous generation! No; at the time
of these holydays, most of the families
of distinction retire into the country,
that they may there enjoy the heart-
purifying benefit of solemn meditation,
uninterrupted by the business, or pleasures
of the world. Ah! how edifying
their devotion!—How exemplary their
conduct!—How happy for the community
must it be, if the lower orders are
induced to tread in their foot-steps!
The few people of rank who remain in
town, are equally sedulous in preparing
their minds for this devout solemnity.—
They frequent no places that are not private:
—private theatricals, private concerts,certs, E6r 59
private pharo-banks, I have already
heard of; and I make no doubt, there are
numerous other places of private resort,
equally honourable to religion, and favourable
to virtue!

By the kind care of my friend Delomond,
I am provided with a very convenient
lodging, in the street which leads
to the King’s palace. This palace is, in
truth, but a mean building, very unlike
the Durbar of an Eastern Monarch.

I have spent the greater part of the
week, in taking a survey of the town,
and examining its temples, and other
public buildings.—The extent of this
metropolis, though it shrinks into insignificance,
when compared with the Imperialperial E6v 60
residence of our ancient Rajahs,
the celebrated birth place of Rama,Open note a007-rotaOude, said in the Mahhabaret, to have been
the first regular Imperial city of Hindooston, and
extended, if we may believe the Bramins, over a
line of ten Yogans, or about forty miles; and the
present city of Lucknow, was only a lodge for
one of its gates.
or the Ganga-washed walls of Canouge;Open note a008-rotaCanouge, a celebrated ancient city of Hindooston,
on the banks of the Ganges; whose walls
are said in the Mahhabaret, to have been one hundred
miles in circumference.
is yet sufficiently great, to strike with
astonishment the insignificant mortal,
who has beheld only the modern cities
of Hindoostan. The foot-paths which
are raised at the sides of every street, are
filled with a busy throng, where it is curious
to behold women, as well as men,
apparently intent upon business, entering
into the shops, and making purchases,
with the undaunted mien of masculine
appearance. Far from walking along the E7r 61
the streets with that timid air of shrinking
modesty, which distinguishes the females
of our race,Open note a009-rotaSee the elegant engravings, illustrative of
Mr. Hodges’s remarks on this subject, in his
Travels in India. when they venture
into the walks of men, their fearless
eye undaunted meets the glances of every
beholder; and happy is it for the men
of the country, that it doth so; for if
modesty was super-added to their other
charms it would be impossible to guard
the heart from their fascinating influence.

Having heard that the first day of the
week, Andectya-war,Open note a010-rotaIt is very remarkable, that the days of the
week are named in the Shanscrit language, from
the same planets to which they were assigned by
the Greeks and Romans., was appointed for
attending the worship of the deity in
public; I expressed to Delomond, my
wish of being present at the solemnity.
He declined accompanying me; but sent E7v 62
sent to a Lady of his acquaintance, to beg
she would accomodate me with a seat
in her pew.—These pews, are little inclosures,
into which the greatest part of
the temple is sub-divided. We walked up
to that which belonged to this Bibby,
preceded by one of her servants, who
opened the door of the pew, and followed
by another in the same livery, who
carried the books of prayer; with which
having presented us, he retired. I have
already observed to you, how scrupulously
the English Christians adhere to those
precepts of their Shaster, which seem
to discountenance the outward appearance
of a religious sentiment; and so rigorously
do they abstain from the display
of these delightful emotions, that they who
will thankfully acknowledge the most trifling
obligation conferred upon them by the
meanest of their fellow-creatures, would
blush to be suspected of gratitude to the
beneficent Governor of the Universe! Instead E8r 63
Instead of behaving in this temple, as if
they had assembled together to send up
their united tribute of praise, thanksgiving,
and humble supplication, to the
Most High, so successfully did they
affect the concealment of their devotional
sentiments, that no one would have suspected
they had met together for any
other purpose, but that of staring at each
other’s dress! I must, however, make an
exception in regard to a small number of
people, very plainly habited, who stood
during the service, in a part of the church
called the aisle; these appeared not to have
arrrivedarrived at such a state of perfection.
They could not affect indifference, as they
joined in the petition for averting the
punishment of sins; nor concealed the interest
they had in the glad tidings of eternal
happiness. They listened with peculiar
complacency to the accounts of
him, who “came to preach the gospel
to the poor,” and the hopes of his favourvour E8v 64
seemed to irradiate with joy the
bosom of resignation. A female of advanced
life, in whom all these emotions
were discernable, particularly arrested
my attention. The paleness of her countenance,
spoke her want of health, and
the lines which sorrow had traced in it,
accorded with the sable weeds of widowhood,
which she wore. She appeared
ready to faint from the fatigue of long
standing, and made a modest application
to a person, who seemed to act as porter
of the pews, for admittance into one of
them. To my astonishment, she met
with a refusal; nor did any one of the
gorgeously apparelled Christians, who sat
in them, appear to be any way concerned
for her situation; indeed, they all seemed
to regard those who worshipped God
from the aisle, as if they had been beings
of an inferior race. I was, however, well
convinced, that Christianity admits of
no such distinctions; and supposing the Christian F1r 65
Christian Lady who sat by me, though
her eyes were roving to all parts of the
temple, was, in reality, too much engaged
in her devotions, to observe what passed,
I took the liberty of acting for her, and
opening the door of the pew, invited
the poor sick stranger to a seat. At that
moment, the priest was preferring a petition,
in favour of all “fatherless children,
and widows, and all who are
desolate and oppressed;” to which the
great Lady had just uttered the response
of, “We beseech thee to hear us, good
Lord!”—when observing the poor woman
by her side, her face instantly flushed
a deep crimson; rage and indignation
darted from her eyes, and, telling the
fainting stranger, that “she was very
impudent, for daring to intrude herself
into her presence,” she turned her out
into the aisle. I was weak enough, to be
shocked at the behaviour of this well-
dressed votary of Christianity. Ah! Vol. II. F thought F1v 66
thought I, can it be, that this woman
should be so conscious of her superiority,
in every thing which constitutes distinction
in the eye of the Omnipotent, as
to consider herself worthy of sitting in his
presence, while she spurns from her own,
the humble child of poverty, and affliction?

I have just returned from my first
visit to Doctor Severan, the gentleman
to whose attentions Grey has most particularly
recommended me; nor could
he, according to the opinion of Delomond,
have done me a more essential service. My
accomplished friend, who was, it seems,
the companion of his youthful studies,
tells me, that at the university, it appeared
evident that he was born to be the ornamentment F2r 67
of Science. Whilst other young
men were pursuing the gaudy phantom
of pleasure, his time was occupied in investigating
the Laws of Nature, in tearing
the choicest secrets from her reluctant
bosom, or, in tracing her foot-steps
through the various phænomena of the
material world.—Nor, continued Delomond,
as we drove to this gentleman’s
house, is he less estimable as a man, than
respectable as a philosopher. But, indeed,
the connection between philosophy
and virtue, is “so natural, that it is only
their separation that can excite surprise;
for is not the very basis of science, a
sincere and disinterested love of truth?
An enlarged view of things cannot fail
to destroy the effects of prejudice: and
while it awakens in the mind, the most
sublime ideas of the great original cause;
it promotes, most necessarily, a detestation
of every thing that is mean or base.”
We just then stopped at the door of his F2 friend, F2v 68
friend, and were ushered into an apartment
surrounded with shelves of books,
arranged in no very good order; every
table, and almost every seat, was occupied
by numerous odd shaped vessels,
some of glass, and others of metal,
but for what use I could not possibly
comprehend. The philosopher himself,
at length appeared. A tall thin man, of
about forty years of age, his dress put on
in a manner particularly careless; but
his countenance, so mild, and serious!
it was the very personification of benignity.
He appeared rejoiced at seeing
Delomond, who, if possible, was exalted
in my esteem, by seeing the degree of
estimation in which he was held by the
philosopher. Myself he received in the
most gracious manner; and, by his
kindness to me, he gave the most convincing
proof of his regard for my friend
Grey, of whom, indeed, he spoke very
handsomely. He informed me, that Lady F3r 69
Lady Grey, widow to the brother of our
friend, was then at her country residence,
but that her brother, Sir Caprice Ardent,
for whom I had likewise a letter of introduction,
was in London; and added,
that he should do himself the pleasure of
accompanying me to the house of this
gentleman, the day after to-morrow; and
hoped that I would come “to eat my breakfast
with him, before we went”. You will
smile at the invitation: and, no doubt, be
surprised to find this philosopher, whom
one would expect to soar above the practices
and notions of the vulgar, taking
such a method of shewing his hospitality;
but it is a difficult thing to get the better of
early prejudice; nor does the generality of
mankind in any country, enquire into the
propriety of customs, to which they have
been rendered familar by use. Though
to us it appears highly absurd, as well as
grossly indelicate, to see people looking
in each others’ faces while they chew F3 their F3v 70
their food, and calling it sociable to swallow
their morsel at the same moment; it is
possible, that these Europeans may think
our solitary manner of eating equally
ridiculous; and if they abstain from censuring
it, is it not a proof of their being
more enlightened? Often have I observed
to you, and often I do see reason to repeat
the observation, “that it is they only
who have conquered the force of prejudice in
themselves, that can make any allowance
for the effects of it in others”.

Coffee-houses, similar to that described
in one of my letters from Calcutta,
are to be met with in every quarter
of this city. Those I have here
seen, are schools of politics, resorted
to by all who take an interest in public affairs; F4r 71
affairs;—a true and authentic statement
of which is daily printed on large sheets
of paper, and copies are, I am told, sent
to every part of the Island. In the
Coffee-houses, these are handed about
from politician to politician, and furnish
matter for the general discourse. For
my part, though possessed of a sufficient
share of curiosity, I did not care to
be too forward in seeking to pry into
the state affairs of the country; but
having accompanied Delomond, yesterday,
into a neighbouring coffee-house,
and hearing a gentleman who sat near
me, declare, that the paper he was then
perusing, was indubitably published under
the immediate direction of the British
minister, I could not restrain my impatience,
to examine its contents—and
the moment he laid it down, I eagerly
flew to its perusal.

It is impossible to describe to you, the
admiration with which the reading of
this paper inspired me, for the talents
and virtues of this sapient noble, who
presides in the supreme councils of this
happy nation. So extensive! so multifarious!
so minute are the subjects of
his concerns, that one contemplates
with astonishment, the mind that is capable
of grasping such an infinity of
objects. In one paragraph, he reports
to the nation, the account of a victory
which their armies had obtained, or nearly
obtained over the forces of their Christian
enemies; tells the numbers of the slain—
of those who are still suffering the agonies
of pain, far from the soothing balm of
affection! far from the healing consolations
of friendship!—To the families of
such as are in a situation to afford the
expensive insignia of sorrows, the names
of their fallen friends are announced;
but, to the poor, who can only afford to 3 wear F5r 73
wear mourning in their hearts, there is
no necessity of giving such a particular
account of their friends; it is sufficient
for them to know, that few, very few of
them can ever again behold their native
homes! In the next paragraph, this puissant
statesman informs the world of the
safe arrival in town of Sir Dapper Dawdle,
in his phaeton and four; which, and
many similar pieces of intelligence, are,
no doubt, given with the beneficient intention
of informing the poor and wretched,
where they may find their benefactors;
those, who by their liberal and repeated
acts of charity, have obtained “the blessing
of them, who are ready to perish”. Nor is the
nourishment of the mind neglected by
this wise minister; the public are informed,
in this newspaper, where such books are
to be had, as are, doubtless, best calculated
for their instruction. I have already
told you, that the females of this place
go themselves into the shops, in order to purchase F5v 74
purchase what they want; and, methinks,
it is highly praise-worthy of this good superintendant
of the kingdom, to point out
to the fair creatures, where they may lay
out their money to the most advantage.
They are in one part, strongly assured
of the superior excellence of the goods
at the Pigeons; in another, they are
conjured to buy their stockings at the
Fleece; their shoes, their gloves, nay the
very powder, with which they disfigure
their beautiful hair, are all objects of this
good nobleman’s tender anxiety; indeed,
the proper decoration of their persons,
seems to employ no inconsiderable portion
of his attention; there is no deformity
of the body, no disorder of the
skin, against which they are not here
provided with a remedy. Nor doth
royal dignity itself, disdain to extend its
cares to beautifying and adorning the
female subjects of these realms. You
will, perhaps, smile, to hear of the royal firman’s F6r 75
firman’s being attached to the ladies’ garters?
But there is not a brush for their
nails, nor a soap for their hands, nor a
powder for their teeth, nor wash for their
pretty faces, that is not as highly honoured.
Alas! how much are these females
indebted to a prince, who evinces such
unequalled solicitude for the preservation
of their beauty!

Nor doth the parental care of royalty for
the welfare of the people stop here; their
health is an object of peculiar concern;
innumerable are the lists of medicines, of
approved efficacy, which are here recommended
to the public; I reckoned above
sixty, that had received the royal sanction,
sealed by the royal arms, and mentioned
by royal authority; when we reflect, how
many nauseous draughts, the royal counsellors
must needs have tasted; how many
bitter pills, they, doubtless, must have
swallowed, before they could advise his Majesty F6v 76
Majesty on a subject so important; we
can scarcely refrain from pitying the
situation of those, whose high stations
impose upon them the performance of
such disagreeable duties!!—I could furnish
you with further proofs of the tender
care of this government, for the health
and happiness of its subjects, but am
obliged to leave off, on account of my
visit to Sir Caprice Ardent.

I forget whether I informed you,
that a necessary part of my establishment,
is a carriage. A model of which, I have
this morning purchased for you, at
what is called a toy-shop, that you may
form some idea of the manner in which
the great are drawn about the streets of
this city. Numbers, however, even of an exalted F7r 77
exalted rank, occasionally walk: nor is
it thought any degradation, to make use
of their own legs. I this morning met
the Heir apparent of the throne, walking
on foot, in the very street in which I
live; far from appearing in my eyes as
shorn of his dignity, by thus condescending
to mingle with his people, it shed
upon it, in my opinion, a beam of additional
lustre. Ah! what a transcendent
degree of excellence must we suppose
these highly favoured Princes to possess,
who, together with the dignified sentiments
of their exalted rank, enjoy the
advantages of that instruction, which is
only to be obtained by commerce with
the world! The mirror of truth is set
before them, and, surely, they will never
turn from it to view themselves through
the distorting medium of venal flattery,
and deceitful adulation!!—But, to return
from this digression; I took up Dr. Severan,
according to appointment, and proceeded with F7v 78
with him to the house of the Baronet,
which is situated at the upper end of a
short street, none of the buildings of
which are yet completed; they seem as
if they were intended for houses of very
different sizes and shapes, and at present
have a very strange appearance; but, it
is impossible to form any idea of what
they may be, when finished. The entrance
to the house of Sir Caprice, was
somewhat obstructed by heaps of rubbish,
occasioned, as we soon learned, by
the destruction of a row of pillars, of
Grecian architecture, with which the
hall had been originally graced. These
proud ornaments, which during the short
period of their exaltation, had heard the
lofty roof which they sustained, re-echo
the voices of their flatterers, were on a
sudden, disgraced, dismissed, and hurled
headlong to the ground! Their fall was
like that of the favourites of Princes,
which shakes the throne they once appeared4 peared F8r 79
destined to support. A long train
of dependants were involved in the
mighty ruin, and it was not without some
degree of danger, that, following the servant,
we scrambled through this scene
of desolation, to the apartment of Sir
Caprice, whom we found seated at a large
table, on which an innumerable quantity
of plans, maps, models of buildings,
and other various ornaments, were heaped.
After reading the letter I had
brought him, congratulating me on my
arrival in England, and enquiring after
the health of Mr. Grey, he turned to
Doctor Severan, and expressed, in strong
terms, the particular pleasure he at that
moment felt in seeing him.—“I know
you are a man of taste,” .cried he, “and
shall be wonderfully happy to have your
advice on the plan of a new building,
which I intend shall be something very
extraordinary. Here it is,” continued
he, holding up a small model; “here, you F8v 80
you see, I have contrived to unite all the
orders of architecture in regular gradation;
here, you will please to observe,
that the basis is truly Gothic; above that,
observe the Tuscan; above that, the
Composite, the Corinthian, the Doric,
the Ionic—all placed as they never were
placed before! Still, however, the top
is unfinished; for that I have had many
plans; but, that which pleases me best,
is, the idea of crowning the whole with
a Chinese temple; is it not a good
thought, eh? Perhaps this gentleman,
could furnish me with a hint. Pray Sir,”
turning to me, “has the Emperor of
China, done any thing new in this way,
of late?” The philosopher, perceiving my
consusionconfusion, reminded this noble builder,
that I was from Bengal, and had never
been in China in my life. “From Bengal?
Ay, ay, I had forgot; a Hindoo is he?
well, well, perhaps, then, he could give
me a plan of a Mosque, a Minaret, or some G1r 81
some such thing, it would oblige me extremely,
as it would be something quite
new, and uncommon.” Perceiving that
he waited my answer, I told him, that I
certainly had had many opportunities of
seeing Mosques, some of the most stately
of which, were built from the ruins of
our ancient temples, particularly that at
Benares, the Minarets of which were
esteemed eminently beautiful; but, that
as I had never been in one, I was altogether
unqualified to give an accurate
description of them. “Did not trouble
church much, I suppose, Sir?” rejoined
he, with an arch smile. “Good heaven!”
cried Severan, “do you not know, that
a Mosque is a Mahommaden place of
worship, and have I not already told you,
that this gentleman is a Hindoo?”—“Ay,
ay, I had forgot, he is a heathen. So much
the better; I shall love him, if he hates
all priests, and priest-ridden fools; I never
knew any good come of either.” So Vol. II. G saying, G1v 82
saying, he offered me his hand, and shook
mine, in a most cordial manner. He
then renewed his solicitations for the
opinion of Severan, in regard to the
manner in which he should finish his
projected buildingOpen note a011-rotaExplanations of the terms of Architecture, &c.
though very necessary to the friends of the Rajah,
it was thought, would be rather tiresome to the
English reader; they are therefore omitted by the
Translator, who has frequently been obliged to
take liberties of the same nature. (a building for
which, he had not yet fixed upon a
situation); the philosopher eluded any
further dissertations on the subject, with
great dexterity, and finally prevailed
upon him to introduce us to the apartment
of his Lady.

We found Lady Ardent, and her
eldest daughter, in the apartment called
the drawing-room. They were prepared
to go out, and had their carriage waiting G2r 83
waiting for them at the door; but, on
our entrance, politely resumed their seats.
The countenance of neither of these ladies,
exhibited one single line, that could lead
to the development of their characters;
all was placid uniformity, and unspeaking
regularity of feature. “Surely,” said I to
myself, “these women must have arrived
at the very zenith of perfection!” How
effectually must every passion have been
subdued under the glorious empire of
reason, before they could have attained
such inexpressive indifference? It is true,
that in their eyes, the sparkling chubdar
Open note a012-rotaThe servant whose business it is to proclaim
the titles of any great personage. of intellect, doth not proclaim his
master’s presence—but the apathy which
sits upon their foreheads, speaks in plain
language, their contempt of the world
and its vanities. With them, as with the
beloved of Krishna, pain and pleasure
are as one! The modesty of female bashfulness,G2 fulness, G2v 84
sealed the lips of the young lady,
but her mother enquired after my friend
Grey, if not with affection, at least with
much politeness. She treated me (as
I was told by Doctor Severan) with an
uncommon degree of attention. She
gave me a slip of stiff paper, on which
was marked the 10th day of the next
month, which, I was informed by my
friend, was an invitation to a rout; that
is to say, an entertainment, where a vast
number of rational, wise, and well-informed
votaries of immortality, meet together,
not to converse, but to look at
each other, and to turn over the bits of
painted paper, called cards! After receiving
this mark of her Ladyship’s attention,
we took our leave, and retired.

I was curious to know some further
particulars of a family, whose manners
appeared to me so peculiar; and Doctor
Severan, whom I have the happiness of 1 seeing G3r 85
seeing every day, has had the goodness
amply to gratify my curiosity. He began
with observing, that “to those who
take pleasure in investigating the phænomena
that fall under their observation,
either mental or material, it is not sufficient
to say that things are so, they
must develope the causes in which they
have originated. As there are few substances
found in a natural state, whose
constituent parts cannot be separated from
each other, by the methods used in chemistry,
so there are few predominant
dispositions of the mind, which may not
be analized, and traced through their
origin and progress by any one who
will give himself the trouble to pursue
the necessary process.

This investigation, if accurately followed,”
continued my friend, “will invariably
lead us to the early education of the
object of it. In it we will commonly G3 find G3v 86
find an explanation of the manner in
which the peculiar combination of ideas
that ultimately forms character, has been
produced; to it, therefore, we must always
recur in our analization of the propensities
and conduct of any individual.

The ardour of Sir Caprice’s mind,”
continued my friend, “was, for the first
two years after his father’s death, expended
upon running horses; at length,
finding himself taken in by his compeers
of the turf, cheated by his grooms, and most G5v 90
most frequently distanced at the post,
he sold his racers, and foreswore Newmarket
for ever.”

Here I was obliged to beg an explanation
from the philosopher, and found,
that it is customary for the great men
in this kingdom, in their exertion of the
privilege hinted at above, to expend immense
sums of money on a very beautiful,
though useless, species of horses.
These animals are, however, doomed to
experience the effects of the capricious
humours of their masters. At one time,
they are considered as the dearest friends,
and most loved companions of their lords,
who are never so happy, as when in
the apartments of their four-legged favourites.
While this fit of fondness lasts,
they are attended by numerous servants,
who, taking consequence from the dignity
of their employment, are at once
the most insolent, and most rapacious of 2 the G6r 91
the domestic tribe. Some of these are
employed in rubbing the skins of the
horses into a beautiful polish, while
others serve them with the choicest food.
Nay, so far does their care extend, that,
as if the clothing of nature were not
sufficient, they provide them with woollen
garments, which completely cover
their whole bodies. Will not Maandaara
think, that the truth hath forsaken his
friend, when I say, that the tormenting of
these unfortunate favourites, forms one
of the chief amusements of the English
nobility? But, so it is;—at certain appointed
periods, they are brought out
in the midst of a concourse of spectators,
stripped of their fine clothing, and
forced to gallop round a certain piece of
ground full speed, while, for the amusement
of their cruel masters, they are
whipped, and even goaded by sharp instruments
of steel, until the blood flows
in streams, from their lacerated bodies, and G6v 92
and this is called sport!—But, to return
to Sir Caprice Ardent. If I rightly remember,
the next pursuit upon which,
according to Doctor Severan’s account,
he employed the vigour of his mind,
was Hunting. Here are no Jungles in
which to pursue the ferocious tyrants of
the forest. Here, courage is not called
forth in the attack of the wild Elephant,
or the roaring Lion. Nor is activity
and watchfulness necessary, to guard
against the sudden spring of the carnage-
loving Tyger. The pursuit of a small
animal, called a Fox, employs the
vigour of the English Hunters. The
mischief, which the Philosopher informed
me, was done by Sir Caprice, and his
friends, in pursuit of this little animal,
I confess, appeared to me altogether
unaccountable. He mentioned their
having spoiled fifteen farms, by breaking
down the fences, and that a young
wood, of great extent, which had been planted G7r 93
planted by his father, was, by the advice
of one of the companions of Sir Caprice,
in order to give free scope to the magnanimous
pursuers of the red fugitive,
burned to the ground. Another consequence
of this diversion, was, to me,
equally incomprehensible. Notwithstanding
the coldness of the climate, it
seems to be productive of the most
astonishing degree of thirst. The sum
of money, which, according to the calculation
of Doctor Severan, was expended
by Sir Caprice, on the wine gulped
down by his companions of the chace,
would, if it had been employed in improving
the uncultivated parts of his
estate, have been sufficient to have made
the barren wilderness, a garden of delights.

“Next to hunting,” said Doctor Severan,
“succeeded the love of equipage,
and fine clothes. It was now the
ambition of the Baronet’s heart, to attract the G7v 94
the attention of the Ladies. His ambition
was, perhaps, in no other pursuit
of his life, so fully gratified. Wherever
he appeared, his exquisite taste was the
object of unbounded admiration.

It would be too tedious,” continued
Severan, “to follow the Baronet through
all the various whims and fancies, in
which his restless spirits have difchargeddischarged
themselves.