utterly incompatible with this divine idea, and wholly at variance with the sublime doctrines which he himself is made to teach in the Bhugwut Geeta. The latter is but an episode in the main poem, and, like many other of the philosophical episodes, was unques. tionably written long after the heroic parts of the epochs, which give Krishnu's true character as a human adventurer, lover, and warrior, characters which could never realise to the soul of man the Divine Word made flesh, and, as such, influence his life.

On this belief in the primordial existenee and omnipotence of WORD is founded the whole system of MUNTrus, or mystic words of power, which are not limited to their magic art alone, but interlace the whole of their reli

gious rites, and constitute Hindooism, in all its internal essentials, a magical religion, the effect of these words not depending on any corresponding disposition in the worshipper or priest, nor on the foregone promises of Deity to which they make an appeal, nor on the expressed sanction of civil society, of which they may be regarded as the type and seal, but on a power inherent in the sounds themselves, and consequently opus operatum in the most transcendant sense.

This is particularly exemplified in the rites termed NYASU and PRANU-PRUTISHTHA: NYASU literally means the act of depositing. This ceremony is performed every morning by all the higher and middle orders: it consists of touching successively with the thumb the several joints of the three fingers, and afterwards the head, arms, and breast, pronouncing at each touch certain words and certain mystic syllables by which Deity, or perhaps rather deific and mystic virtue, is deposited in those parts. It appears to us to correspond very closely, though it is far longer and more complicated, with the blessing and signing with the cross practised by the Christians in the third century, and still by Roman Catholics. We have in our own mind no doubt whatever, so close is the resemblance in the motion of the thumb and hand, and the design, that the ceremony, like so many others, was borrowed, or rather converted from the use of Paganism to that of Christianity. And here let us not be misunderstood as participating in an error very prevalent in the present day, namely, that of condemn

VOL. XXXVII.-NO. CCXVII.

ing a practice as Pagan, because its external parallel is to be found in use among Pagans. On such a principle every act of Egyptian worship or ma gical practice which Moses preserved, as to form, but consecrated, by a sig nification wholly new, to the worship of the one God, might be condemned as idolatrous and heathen. For Moses spoiled the Egyptians, not of their jewels of gold and jewels of silver only, but of the most precious productions of their orderly, meditative, and symbolising intellect. He took under Divine guidance some portion of their social institutes, of their ritual order, of their religious festivals and ceremonies, of their sacred symbols, rejecting many others; but into this outward body of forms, devoid of life, or instinct with the corrupt vitality of polytheism, he breathed a new and living spirit, and hallowed all to the worship of the one true and living God, and made this sublime worship not the privilege of a caste, but the duty and the glory of a whole people.

PRANU-PRUTISHTHA literally signifies "fixation or instalment of life" the ceremony of deific consecration, by which life is brought into the image of an idol, and the clay or metal becomes changed into a god, and fitted to be adored. It consists of a great repetition of NYASUS, i. e., blessings, or deposits of virtue in the several parts, invocations to the Pranu or vital spirit, and Jeevu or soul of the Deity whose presence is desired, and an oftrepeated utterance of the mystic sounds Om Shrim! Hrim! Goom! Hoom! Pum! Jum! &c. referred to in the text; word or articulate sound being considered if not life itself, yet the first and chief manifestation of the vital breath with which life is identical: the changes are rung on almost all the possible articulate monosyllabic sounds, which have accordingly been arranged in series, and a cabalistic meaning connected with the various personages of the mythology affixed to each, disguising the single and philosophical origin of the system.

But with this belief in the inherent omnipotence of WORD is joined, in practice, the invariable adoption of certain VIDHEE, or ceremonial acts and forms, the chief end of which seems to be, at least in many cases, to affect the mind of the parties operated on; to invest established in

F

stitutions and rites of worship with greater reverence, prohibitions with greater terror, obligations with a deeper solemnity, sanctions with a fuller confidence, assurance with more implicit certainty-in a word, to beget and maintain FAITH. And if, for this end, the spoken words be strengthened by acted forms in all the religious ceremonies of their most learned, still more so in the medical thaumaturgy intended to affect the popular mind. This will account, perhaps, for most of the forms above described. But there are some still more curious ones, which we shall now add, that seem to require a different explanation. These, though belonging to the general system of thaumaturgic medicine practised by the Waren Bhukts, are occasionally resorted to by other parties.

In some cases metallic rings are drawn along the body and limbs, for the purpose of relieving pain.

A medical gentleman who attended the patients in the Bombay Native Dispensary in 1842, observed a woman with a sick child, whose sufferings she endeavoured to alleviate by drawing the points of her fingers up and down in front of its body. He could not imagine her object at the time, but happening to read soon after an account of the Baron Du Potet's Magnetic Séances, the identity of the process immediately struck him.

In particular kinds of colic or indigestion called RECH, and other pains supposed to arise from the falling of the evil eye, or the intrusion of the impure foot during the time of eating food, they place at the feet of the patient a shallow metal dish filled with water; upon this they reverse a small narrow-mouthed metal pot containing fire, which sucks up all the water from the dish. The operator then takes a broom, and placing its point within a few inches of the affected part, draws it down repeatedly in raking passes towards the dish, making the motion of sweeping, into which he at length succeeds (so it is asserted) in sweeping the pain.

A lady informs us she has seen the same process adopted at Nuggur with perfect success, in the case of a man who had been stung by a scorpion. The pain, at first intense, was in a few moments completely alleviated.

In all these cases there appear disinct traces of mesmerism. In others,

the operator performs a remarkable rite which is called muntru-dene, or "administering the spell." This consists in taking a knife, holding it opposite the part of the stomach where the pain is felt, and while he pronounces some mystic words (whence the name of the process), passing it backwards and forwards from and towards the stomach, as in stabbing, or moving it down in front of it, as in cutting. The external action of the knife, by the virtue of the mystic words, extends into the stomach, cuts the supposed knot in the intestines, and removes the pain! How curiously blended in this operation are the practice of mesmerism with the magical or rather symbolical theory of India! The process and the effect are exactly the same as those of Mesmer, and those who, like him, at first made use of metallic tractors. But the Hindoo adds an incantation to give the process a magical character, while his own explanation of the manner in which the process takes effect would show the latter to be an action purely symbolical, invented for the purpose of affecting the imagination, and producing that unstaggering faith, which, where it exists, a wiser than Solomon has told us, is able to move mountains.

In jaundice an equally singular process is adopted. The operator, after placing a metal cup containing some water at the feet of the patient, takes two needles, one in each hand, and, pointing them one at each eye, passes them slowly down before his face for about an hour or half an hour. He then throws the needles into the water in the metal cup, and leaves them there. In the morning the water, which has by this time become quite yellow, is shown to the patient, who is sometimes cured in a few days. Here again is a process seemingly mesmeric, frequently operating an undoubted cure; yet the yellow water must make us hesitate whether we should class this among mesmeric or among symbolical processes; it seems to combine both. The water, it is to be remarked, does not turn yellow at the time, but next morning,-something is doubtless put in to make it yellow,-seeing which, the patient believes the jaundice is departing, and is cured perhaps by faith.

The practice of sweeping disease down from the head to the feet, whe

the ground from which the crock was to be removed. The Potter then became inspired, and said that the spirit of the deceased Doming had entered into him and must be appeased. The Devil he said had appeared to him in the shape of a Caffree who called himself Doming. I did not think the story at all improbable. For performing the necessary ceremonies my share was to be one-fifth of the contents of the pot, and the agreement between myself and Wittoo the Potter was, that Namdeo and I were to furnish the gold On the first necessary for making the cross.

day that I went to the Potter's hut I took nothing with me. The Potter gave me some rice and made me take an oath of secrecy. I told him I would inform Government of what occurred, because they have a right to all treasure-trove. When I next went to the Potter's hut, which was next day, I was again accompanied by Namdeo. We then all went to the place where the pot was deposited, which was situated about 200 paces from the hut. Namdeo and Wittoo shewed me the pot. This was in the night, and by means of a light Wit too shewed me something in the hole in the side of it which looked like gold Mohurs. I was going to take out the Mohurs, when the Potter suddenly became inspired, and told me not to touch it. He did not allow me to touch the Mohurs, but seized hold of my hand and asked why I was in such a hurry. He said I must first bring him all that was wanted for the purpose of allaying the Caffree, or evil spirit of the defunct owner of the property. He then gave me a list of articles required for the first day's incantations, which came to Rupees 16. 4as. Amongst other articles enumerated were two pylees of bread, some butter and some brandy, besides Rs. 33 in cash. On the second day, I had to provide 12 bottles of brandy. Subsequently I gave him a bank note of 100 Rs. and 150 Rupees worth of gold ornaments belonging to my wife and daughter. It was decided, as much time would be lost in making the gold cross, that the ornaments, &c. should be buried in the hole where the pot was lying and that it should be at once removed. When we next went near the pot in pursuance of this decision, I gave all the articles I have enumerated to Namdeo, who added to it some gold ornaments of his own of the value of 150 Rupees. All the ornaments were placed together in a bag. The pot was then taken up, and the bag containing the ornaments was carefully placed in the hole in the ground from whence the pot was removed.

The pot

was placed on Wittoo's (the second prisoner) shoulders, and I and my son, who had accompanied me, walked behind muttering the incantations usual on such occasisons. Namdeo, the first prisoner, remained behind at the hole, and on my calling to him he said he was filling it up, and would make the ground even, so that it might not attract observation. Having walked on about two hundred paces

from where the pot had been removed, a short fat man, of a dark complexion, ran towards us from the East. His head was tied up in a handkerchief, after the fashion of the Malabar people. On passing me he gave me a push, passed on to the Potter who was walking in front of us, and threw him down and took away the pot with which he ran back to the spot from whence it had been taken. I saw the black man reach the spot and instantly disappear. I thought he was a devil and had passed into the ground. Namdeo, who had come up at this time to where I was standing overcome with amazement and fear, said, let us go back to the hole, the devil will now appear in the body of one of us. He immediately appeared in the body of Wittoo, the inspired Potter, and addressed us, saying, that the sweetmeats and the brandy had become impure in consequence of Wittoo having tasted them. This had made the devil very angry, and caused him to bring back the pot of gold. Namdeo calls himself a Mahratta, which is a higher caste than a Potter, but I have learned since this affair took place that the Potter's daughter has been given in marriage to the son of Namdeo. The devil, still speaking through Wittoo, said in reply to a question I put to him, that he was of no caste. He said he was a Christian Padre. He also said that Caffree devils were very cunning, and not to be put off with impure spirits in the shape of bad brandy. He, however, assured me that the pot was all right in its old place, and on stooping down I felt the edge of it, and became confident that I had made some mistake in my incantations. The devil then informed me that I could not expect to make myself master of the pot unless I increased the quantity of brandy and sweetmeats, and recommended that I should not trust the Potter again, but make the offering with my own hands. We then all went away, and next day I purchased more brandy and sweetmeats, when Wittoo the Potter became again inspired, and pointed out another spot at some distance from where the Pot of Gold was buried, and desired me to make my offering there. The demon Caffree, who had again entered into the inspired Potter, told me that as Namdeo would be impure for twelve days owing to his sister having been confined of a daughter, we should all now go away and return again after the lapse of that period. I did as the evil spirit bid me, and on proceeding to the spot on the thirteenth day I found only Namdeo there, but no sign whatever of the inspired Potter and the pot of gold. I was put off in this sort of way from day to day for two months and a quarter, and after losing by the prisoners the sum of Rs. 266. 4 as. in bank notes, gold ornaments, brandy, and sweetmeats, in a vain endeavour to make myself master of the property so carefully guarded by the Caffree, I at last began to think the whole thing a deception, particularly as, when I remoustrated with Namdeo,

he told me he did not care if I complained to the Police. This convinced me that I had been defrauded, because at first they had bound me by an oath of secrecy not to divulge what was to happen.

"In reply to a question from the Judge, the prosecutor said that although it was true that he belonged to the learned and intelligent caste of Brahmins, and the prisoners to the low and ignominious caste of Potters, who are mere grubbers of the soil, he could not satisfactorily account for being thus brought into companionship with them. It was he said a fact, that he had been de

frauded as he described, and this had probably happened to him as a punishment for sins committed by him in a former life.

"Much of the testimony of the prosecutor was corroborated by other witnesses, and it appeared that the prisoners had made a false charge of assault against him at the Mazagon Police Office, which had been dismissed by the magistrate, thinking probably to deter him from prosecuting them for the robbery.

"The jury found both the prisoners guilty, and they were each sentenced to be imprisoned for twelve months in the House of Correction with hard labour.

THE works of Mr. Laing and of Mr. Kay are already numbered amongst the most successful of the past year; and they owe this high distinction, not alone to their native vigour, or to the industry which they attest, but very materially to that deep interest which the public takes in what is, in fact, their common subject-the social condition of Europe, as compared to that of England. It may be regarded as fortunate that they have, as the phrase is, come out together. In examining their leading topics, these intrepid writers have had to deal with questions which are, perhaps, the most vexed and perplexed of our stormy day. These are, by both, discussed with such obvious earnestness, so clearly, and with such a skilful array of what are called facts, that either would, were his work alone, go far towards impressing the public with his own convictions. But, happily, philosophers, as well as doctors, differ; and these gentlemen are, to a great extent, at variance on almost every matter of moment to which they refer. Mr. Kay, for example, views only the advantages of the Landwehr system, while Mr. Laing points out its oppressive working and injurious effects. The former sees the Continental systems of national education all coleur de rose. The latter, admit

ting their partial good, maintains that their results are far from satisfactory; that there is no millennium of moral and social improvement; that it is more than ever evident that knowledge is not mental power; that this school-room training don't do; and that free trade in education, as well as in political opinion, is the best for every people, and the safest for every government. Mr. Laing and Mr. Kay concur in estimating the beneficial attributes of the peasant proprietor, or small estate system, as developed in many parts of the Continent; but the latter dwells solely on its attendant good-sees in it only Arcadian innocence and primitive content, while its imperfections, failures, and resulting evil, as well as its unsuitability to the condition of England, are forcibly put forward by Mr. Laing. It is, therefore, as we conceive, fortunate that these authors have come before the public at the same moment. The reader who avails himself of their mutual aid, may profit by their disagreement, while disenthralled from all separate influence, and seeing their strong opinions in striking contrast, he the more easily decides between them.

We shall first open Mr. Laing's work, as being the more popular of the two, and, before we close it, shall have many