1818.] Dubois's Description of the Character, &c. of the People of India. 425 exists even in the code of Hindoo superstitions. "The Pabvahdam is a ceremony of the most serious kind, since it demands no less than the sacrifice of a human victim, and its resuscitation afterwards. "As soon as it is publicly known that any one has given occasion for the Pahvabdam, by any of the crimes that have been mentioned, or by any deep insult cast upon the sect, the votaries crowd from all quarters to the place where the culprit resides, and having assembled to the number sometimes of more than two thousand, each bringing his sounding plate of brass, and his sankha or great shell, they proceed to the ceremony. The first step is to arrest the person who is the cause of their assembling, and then they spread a tent at a small distance, which is immediately encompassed with several ranks of partisans assembled for the occasion. "The chiefs having selected from the multitude a fit person who consents to become the victim for sacrifice, exhibit him to the crowd of people collected from all parts to witness the sight. A small incision is then made on his belly, deep enough for the blood to fow; upon which the pretended victim shams a fainting fit, tumbles on the ground, and counterfeits death. He is then carried into the tent which is fitted to receive him, and is there laid qut as a corpse. "Of the great concourse of people gathered together, part watches night and day round the tent, which nebody is suffered to approach; while another division surrounds the house of the individual who has given occasion for the ceremony. Both parties raise continual cries and frightful howlings, which being mixed with the clanking sound of the brazen plates and the shrill squeak of the sankha, produce a confusion and uproar, in the midst of which it is al most impossible to exist. This overwhelming disorder continues without interruption till the person who was the cause of it pays the fine imposed apon him, which generally exceeds his means. in order to obtain a speedy termination to the Pahvahdam, and to induce the great multitude to go to their homes. "In the mean time, the inhabitants of the village and of the neighbourhood, finding it impossible to live in the midst of the confusion and disorder occasioned by the fanatical crowd, come to terms with the chief, and pay at least a part of what has been required of the culprit, Europ. Mag. Vol. LXXIII. May, 1818. "The chiefs, when satisfied, repair to the tent to conclude the ceremony, which is effected by restoring to life the pretended dead man, who lies stretched out before them. For this purpose they chuse one of their number, and, making an incision in his thigh, they collect the blood which runs from it and sprinkle the body of the sham corpse, which being restored by the efficacy of this simple ceremony, is delivered over alive to those who assist at it, and who have no doubt whatever of the reality of the resurreclion." Respecting the various superstitions which prevailed amongst these degraded beings, Mr. Dubois has been copious and curious in his communications. With the exception of some imposing dogmas, which are only known by a few speculative sages, their religion consists of the grossest polytheism, exhibited in a series of institutions accommodated to ignorance and imbecility, depraved habits, and licentious manners. Compared with the creeds and fables of the Hindoo divinities, the mythology of Greece was chaste and sublime, and the worship of Scandinávia rational and humane. It is not uncommon to find their most sacred pagodas polluted by scenes of horrible licentiousness, which are alone equalled by the dissolute orgies of Otaheite. In common with the ancient Egyp tians, they offer adoration to birds, snakes, and even vegetables: but their idolatry is often more mischievous. M. Dubois obtained sufficient testimony, that in ancient and modern times they have offered human sacrifices. In a curious analysis of the Atharvana Veda, M. Dubois informs us, that magical rites were sometimes consummated by the immolation of a young girl. Indeed, we may easily convince ourselves that no nation can have less repugnance to human sacrifices than the Hindus, if we examine the conduct which they exhibit at the present time. In many provinces, the natives still can trace, and actually point out to the curious traveller, the ground and situation where their Rajas sacrificed to their idols the prisoners whom they had taken in war. The bject of the awful 3 I ite was to render their divinities more placable, and to obtain their favourable aid in battle. I have visited some of those abominable places, which are commonly in the mountains or other unfre quented parts; as if those awful beings who delighted to see their altars moistened with human gore, and their sanetuaries strewed with the carcasses, were themselves conscious of the enormity of the crime, and therefore desired to veil the horrid spectacle from the eyes of men. In the secret places where these detestable sacrifices were performed of old, a little temple of inean appearance is generally found, and sometimes but a simple niche, in which the idol is preserved, to obtain whose favour so horrid a price is paid. The victim was immolated by decapitation, and the head was left exposed for a time in the presence of the idol. "I have been conducted to see several of those sad charnel dens, in various districts. One of them is not far from Seringapatam, on the hill near which the fort of Mysore is built. On the top of that mountain, the pagoda may still be observed, where the Rajas were accustomed to sacrifice their prisoners of war, or state delinquents. "Sometimes they were satisfied with mutilating their victims, by cutting off their hands, nose, and ears; which they offered up, fresh and bloody, at the shrine of the idol, or hung them up, exposed on the gate of the temple. But I have also conversed with several old men, who have entered familiarly into the object and circumstances of these sacrifices, and spoke of them to me as even!s of their own days, and as publicly known. "It appears, indeed, that this practice of sacrificing prisoners taken in war, amongst the pagan princes, was not in opposition to our notions of the law of nations, being reciprocal, and acknowledged as the legitimate reprisals of one sovereign upon another. The people look on, without horror, or even surprise. They still speak of it, without emotion, as a thing just and regular, and as being filly appropriate to the state of war. "Of late, the intercourse of the Hindus, with the Europeans and Musalmans, and the just horror which these invaders have expressed of such atrocious crimes, have nearly effected their total abolition nearly, I say, because I cannot answer with confidence for what may have taken place, under some petty native princes, who have preserved a precarious independence up to the present day. Neither would I like to risk the falling into their hands, as an enemy or prisoner of war. What I have heard of some of the petty Mahratta princes, confirms my suspicions that human sacrifices are not yet wholly renounced." The courts of justice are not much more pure than the worship of their pagodas. The oppression exercised by the Hindu princes and their vicegerents is universal. The Hindus have no real property. Their estates are always resumable at the pleasure of their sovereign, who is not only the supreme lord, but sole proprietor. The sanctity of an oath is not respected-the Brahmaus in particular are addicted to perjury and falsehood. Hence arises the frequent practice of having recourse to ordeals of guilt, most of which are not less inhuman than absurd. M. Dubois has not communicated much that is new respecting the poetry of the Hindus. The Hindu Tales be has selected are curious specimens of their humorous powers, and strikingly display the manners and customs of this ambiguous people, who cannot be classed with civilized or barbarous nations; who cling to ignorance like the savage, without emulating his courage or his fidelity; and without the least tincture of refinement, submit to live in habits of voluptuous indulgence. The Annual Obituary and Biography, for 1818. THIS volume, like its predecessor, offers many valuable and interesting memorials of lapsed talents and de parted greatness. We have read with peculiar interest the memoirs of Sir Herbert Croft, distinguished as the intimate friend of Young, and the learned coadjutor of Johnson. The life of David Williams, the eccentric, but benevolent, founder of the literary fund, is also replete with incident and entertainment: born a Methodist, he commenced his public career as a Minister of the Gospel, but first attracted notice by his original system of educa tion; and it is remarkable, that in some of his novelties he anticipated the prin ciples, and almost exemplified the prac tice of Bell and Lancaster: after this he acquired notoriety as the author of a new religious creed, which engaged no disciples-many of his schemes were tepan: the most beneficial labour of his life was the establishment of the Literary Fund, which finally afforded an asylum to his declining age. Passing over the statesmen and senators, amongst whom we find the bril lact Curran-the regretted Ponsonby the venerated Horner-the accom plished Henry Erskine we turn to the meroirs of Dr. Thomson, who, during fifty years, pursued the laborious profession of an author, and whose daring enterprize and resolute perseverance might have furnished some curious bials to Mr. D'Israeli, in his portraiture of the literary character. This is one of the most extraordinary men of letters of the preseal age. His name, with an exception to poetry, is connected with almost every species of composition, and it would be impossible to write the history of the literature of the reign of George III. without assigning him a place, if not very elevated, at least somewhat conspicuous among the au thors of that period. "William Thomson, a native of Scotland, was born in the year 1746, just after the battle of Culloden, which concluded the civil war occasioned by the landing of the Young Chevalier, as he was then termed, much in the same manner that the ever-memorable battle of Waterloo has terminated the long, portentous, and sanguinary strife on the Continent. The place of his birth Was a cottage in the parish of Forteviot, in Strathera. This obscure spot is sifuated six miles from Perth, a place which had largely participated in the then recent disturbances, and about thirty from Edinburgh." 44 rochial schools, which at an almost nominal expense offer all the advantages of a liberal education. Here his juvenile talents attracted notice, and he was afterwards transferred to a superior establishment; he was removed to the grammar-school of Perth; and, finally, in his sixteenth year, entered the university of St. Andrew's, where it was his fortune to be associated with the celebrated Thomas Erskine, the ingenious Moncrief, the sagacious Fergu son, and the scientific Playfair. Here he obtained the patronage of Lord Kinmoul, who received him into his own family in the capacity of librarian. At the persuasion of this nobleman he studied theology, was declared a member of the kirk, and, finally, assumed the clerical functions at Monivaird, near the valley of Strathern. But this situa tion was uncongenial to his taste, as he appears to have imbibed little of presbyterian strictness and asperity. Matthew Thomson, the father, like the generality of his countrymen, was an industrious and ingenious man, who endeavoured to obtain support for himself and family by the junction of two or three distinct professions; for in the first place be united the trade of a carpenter to that of a builder; while be Occasionally appeared in the character of a husbandman, having rented a small neighbouring nobleman, whose name will be mentioned here after with no uncommon degree of praise. By means of these various avocations, he contrived to bring up a family of thirteen children." farm from a Happily for young Thomson, he was born in the vicinity of one of those pa "The presbytery of Auchterarder, to which the parish of Monivaird belonged, was remarkable for religious gloom and fanatical austerity. If a minister would be popular here, it was necessary for him to be rigidly severe in his manners, as well as rigorously adherent to all the horrors of puritanical orthodoxy. Thomson was neither the one nor the other. He associated more with the lairds, who are generally free and jovial, than with the ministers and elders; he amused himself with hunting and fishing; nay, he had even the ungodliness to play on the violin. Indeed, in the presbytery, he acquired the character of a bon vivant and pleasant companion, rather than that of a godly minister. His sermons cost him little trouble. By meditating a few minutes on the Sunday morning, he was able to deliver a discourse replete with sense and eloquence." Notwithstanding his unclerical propensities, he engaged the partiality of his parishioners, and was equally beloved by his Highland and Lowland neighbours. But he was not always able to resist or baffle the malice of his rancorous adversaries; and relinquishing both his charge and his profession, made a bold transition from the valley of Strathern to the metropolis of Britain. At this period, he had no other pecuniary fund than an annual pension of 501. from his patron, Lord Kinnoul but on his arrival in London, he became an author by profession, and with such diligence and success, that, after two or three years, he ceased to claim Lord Kinnoul's benefaction. Of Dr. Thomson's multifarious productions a long catalogue is produced; and they certainly justify the following remarks of his biographer, with which we dismiss the subject. "We are from this moment to consider Dr. Thomson as a regular London author, not indeed like the literary meu of Germany, who annually prepare their works for the express purpose of being sold at the fair of Frankfort; but one always ready and willing to treat for a 4to. 8vo. or 12mo. volume, no matter on what subject, with any eminent or adventurous booksellers of the day. He was also not unfrequently employed either to revise or review the works of living authors; so that he was not inaptly termed by a celebrated lady, whose embrio Bovels he was supposed to frame, train, and render productive, 66 a professional critic." In short, he opened a kind of literary Bazaar, in which ware of all sorts and sizes for the library might be obtained in a finished state." The memoirs of the amiable traveller Irwin are peculiarly pleasing; but our limits do not allow us to offer extracts from that article; and we close our strictures with the following little anecdote from a life which exhibits the strongest possible contrast to that of Dr. Thomson, in which brilliant talents were surrendered to indolence and negJect, and wit, taste, and learning, produced no better fruits than expectation, disappointment, regret, and oblivion, Mr. Thomas Sheridan was educated under the immediate inspection, for he resided in the family, of the celebrated Dr. Parr; and it is not a little remarkable, that this sole surviving member of the Grecian triumvirate (Mr. Porson, Dr. Burney, and Dr. Parr) should have been the instructor of his father nearly half a century before, while under-master at Harrow-school. Young Sheridan next repaired to Cambridge, where he was entered a gentleman-commoner. Notwithstanding these initiatory studies, and the example of the elder Mr. Sheridan, who had distinguished himself both by his writings and his eloquence, young Sheridan's destination proved to be the army, by his own particular choice. He accordingly obtained a commission; and Lord Moira, a friend of the family, happening to be then Commander-in-Chief in Scotland, appointed him one of his Aides-de-camp. In this capacity he accordingly resided in the splendid mansion of his patron: and as he was unluckily accustomed to keep bad hours, the noble Earl determined to expose the impropriety of such conduct in the gentlest, but most effectual, way possible. Accordingly one evening be sent all the servants to bed, and sat up himself until four or five in the morning, when this, who happened to be the junior officer on his staff, returned in high spirits from a ball. He was not permitted to knock long, for his illustrious commander obeyed the first summons with the utmost prompti tude, and going down with a couple of candles, ceremoniously lighted the asto-, nished subaltern to his bed-chamber!" . THE SERAPH: A Collection of Sacred Music, suitable to public or private Devotion: consisting of the most celebrated Psalm and Hymn Tunes, with Selections from the Works of Handel, Haydn, Mozart, and Pleyel, and favourite English and Italian Composers, adapted to Words from Millon, Young, Watts, Addison, &c. &c. &c. To which are added many Original Pieces. Composed, and the Whole arranged for Four Voices, with an Accompaniment for the Pianoforte, Organ, and Violoncello, by John Whitaker. WHEN genius directs its attention to so laudable a purpose as the encourage. ment of moral and religious feelings, it is natural for every well-disposed mind to wish it all the success it is peculiarly entitled to; but when the merits of its endeavours are enhanced by the supe rior medium through which they are conveyed, and they become doubly va luable, as well on account of the richness of the matter as the pious turn of thinking they are calculated to give rise to, we think it a duty incumbent on us to render it as public as we are able, and consequently feel great pleasure in adding our feeble testimony to its merits, recommending it to our readers as a work possessing great claims to their notice, as a rare combination of taste, science, and ability. Indeed, when the talents of its conductor are considered, we need not be surprised at the union in one who has already so amply contributed to the gratification of the public in another department-and the execution of the work before us affords an additional proof of his pre-eminence in a science which not only heightens the festive moments of mankind, but is capable of raising their souls to the contemplation of nobler subjects. The extent of its use with regard to public worship cannot be rightly estimated; but we conceive that it would tend, with peculiar felicity, to grace the recreations of a Sunday even ing, when the mind should more immediately be devoted to the service of the Creator; thus identifying the performance of a duty with a most agreeable science, and opening to the view of the pious a rich selection from the stores of the immortal HANDEL, and many other eminent professors-forming as complete a collection of sacred music as was ever offered to the public notice. THEATRICAL JOURNAL. DRURY-LANE. A Pens & Marlowe's tragedy of The PRIL 24. Marlowe's tragedy of The of ing. This we conceive to be a fairer deseription of the performance than appeared in the printed bills, where it was called "a play founded on Marlowe's tragedy." In fact, the variatious from the original plot, if any, are too inconsiderable to be noticed, and even the text is permitted to stand without much interference. There may, perhaps, be an odd sentence here and there, belonging to the modern author, but they are neither numerous nor conspicuous enough establish a partnership in that production, with respect to which he can claim little more than the credit of having recommended it, The tragedy itself is pretty generally known; but we doubt however, whether, with ail its merits, it has struck many of its readers in the present day, as a drama much adapted to our stage. Barabas the chief character, is powerfully conceived. The events in which he is Concerned are various, the motives by which he is actuated are terrific, but Whether from the recollection of Shakes peare's Shylock, or from a distaste to the simplicity of our antient writers, or, as we would rather hope, from a disinclination to recognize within the limits of probability the multitude of atrocities ascribed to the Jew, he does not make that impression upon the whole which was to be expected from 10 great a name. We are now alluding merely to the Play, for if ever there was an instance when the acting was likely to overbear all obstacles in the production itself, it was that of Mr. Kean as Bereb. Unfortunately for the general impression of the Tragedy, the first act was that in which he had most scope for display. Perhaps there is no act taken altogether, in any of the numerous parts he has already performed, which exhibit a more favourable and continued specimen of his wonderful powers. But the succeeding ones are by no means equal to the promise of the first, and the catastrophe is so forced and artificial, that we doubt whether there is another performer on the stage who could have saved it from a laugh. Not only did he succeed in doing so, but in communicating to it a high degree of tragic solemnity. It would require more time than we can devote to it at present, to enumerate the different instances in which he manifested the perfection of his art, but to mention only a few, we would select his deportment before the Senate, where commanded to surrender half his wealth, his directions to his daughter where his treasure lay concealed, his soliloquy, descriptive of the prosperity of his tribe, his joy on receiving the money bags, and that spirit of insatiable revenge which he kept constantly before the audience, from the rising until the falling of the curtain. He sung a song in the disguise of a harper, which produced a very powerful effect, and was rapturously encored. Our readers will readily suppose that this vocal undertaking was more remarkable for its taste than its compass; and if the piece should become popular, it will owe that popularity to Mr. Kean. His is the only character worth mentioning, and the applause, which was vehement in the first act, became more moderate as the play advanced, until at the end it broke out with all its former vehemence. We had nearly forgotten to mention Itha-/ |