The Sun.
London, England, 1837-01-27 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

EDINBURGH REVIEW, No. CXXX.
London, Longman, 1837.
The most striking article in this Number, and that
which will attract the greatest attention, is an account
of the rise and progress of the " Thugs, or Secret Mur-
dcrers of India"—a fraternity which has flourished for
centuries in the East, and till lately has eluded every
attempt made to put it down. This account is drawn '
up from official documents, and is of course every way
authentic. We gather from it that the Thugs, whose
secret association ramifies throughout India, are mur-
derers, not so much from the desire of plunder—
though this unquestionably has its weight with them—
as flout a sense of religious duty. They recognize
the existence of a sort of Moloch, or evil spirit, who,
they conceive, is only to be propitiated by blood.
Hence, he who has committed the most murders
is held in the greatest esteem among them,
and even reverenced, as though he were a high
priest. The way in which these itinerant scamps
despatch their victims, is peculiar. They wander over
the country in parties of from ten to thirty, assuming
all sorts of disguises ; and whenever they chance to
fall in with a body of travellers whom they imagine
they can overpower, they accompany them on their
road ; endeavour to obtain their confidence ; and at
the first suitable spot they reach, prevail on their vic-
tims to halt ; sit down to a social meal with them ;
and then, wheir they are reposing after the fatigues of
the day, strangle them one by one, dig a grave for
them with a " consecrated spade ;" and move off' to
look out for other travellers. In this way the Thugs
have been known to murder upwards of thirty
people at a time ; and so expert have they al-
ways been in their proceedings—which are conducted
on the most scientific principles—that until Lord
William Bentinck hanged a few dozen of them, by
way of a delicate hint to the rest, they invariably
escaped discovery. If we except this amiable weak-
ness, the Thugs are the politest, the most companion-
able, and the most moral of the native Indian tribes ;
they are rigid to a degree in the discharge of their so-
cial duties ; are good husbands, friends, and fathers ;
and, could they but keep their hands off a gentleman's
throat, would be absolutely perfect. In perpetrating
their murders, they are careful to avoid the shedding
of blood, which is contrary to their religion ; and
equally careful to avoid being betraye 1 into anything
like remorse or pity, which would at (vice ensure them
the loss of caste. They are trained to assassination
from the very cradle. The father apprentices his child
to the trade ; accustoms him to the sight of death ;
supplies him with, and teaches him bow to use, the
implements of murder ; and having thus given him the
best education his means will allow, turns him adrift,
to make his own fortune. " The Thugs," says the
Reviewer—
" Travel along the road under various assumed characters,
in parties varying from ten to twelve, to several hundreds.
They appear as traders, as pilgrims, as sepoys, seeking or re-
turning from service, and sometimes one of their number figures
as a Rajah, with all the necessary equipments of tents, car-
riages, &c, and the rest act the part of his obsequious follow-
ers. If the gang is numerous, they are divided into separate
parties, who follow each other at some distance, or taking dif-
ferent routes, rendezvous at an appointed place in advance.
Their victims are almost always travellers. The most expert
members of the gang are employed to collect information,
and insinuate themselves into the confidence of the travel-
lers whom they find at the resting-places, or overtake
on the road. They usually propose to them to join
company for mutual safety, and if the traveller suspects
one party, he soon falls in with another, who pretend to
enter into his feelings of distrust. A person is sent on
before to select a proper place for the murder, and scouts
are employed to prevent intrusion. The travellers are gene-
rally induced to sit down under pretence of resting themselves,
and they arc strangled at once on a given signal. The bodies
are then buried, after having been mangled to expedite disso-
lution, and to prevent their swelling, and causing cracks in the
ground. Two Thugs are employed in the murder of each in-
dividual, one of whom holds his legs or hands, while the other
applies the noose. If a traveller have a dog, it is also killed,
lest the faithful animal should cause the discovery of the body
of its murdered master."
The Thugs, it seems, " are remarkable for their
benevolent countenances," and Captain Sleeman, who
was engaged in the apprehension of many of them,
speaks in the highest terms " of the propriety of their
conduct, and the mild decorum of their manners." The
most hardened murderers are invariably the best be-
haved ; and take a modest pride in their profession,
such as becomes men conscious of the high antiquity
of their art. Towards women—handsome ones espe-
cially—they behave with chivalrous respect, and never
pass the noose about their necks, but with the most
scrupulous regard to etiquette and propriety. So at-
tached are they, one and all, to their profession, that
no inducement, short of the gallows, can prevail on
them to quit it. They are now, thanks to the exer-
tions of Lord William Bentinck, in a fair way of
being extirpated ; still many years must elapse before
" this consummation so devoutly to be wished," is
accomplished.
" Lord Brougham's Discourse on Natural Theology"
is a review of one of the soundest works of the sort
that modern times have known. Alluding to the
little favour that this imperishable production has met
with from the heads of the Church, the Reviewer
justly remarks
Every period of our history presents to us examples of a
political piety whose maxims and whose fruits stand in direct
opposition to the spirit of genuine religion. The timid Aris-
tocrat—the reckless partizan—the venal courtier—and the ex.
hausted profligate assume its saintly mask as a cover for their
ambition and their crimes. Staunch members of our Estab-
lished Church too, those modern Pharisees, class all other
men under the heads of enthusiasts and infidels, and push
them aside as less holy than themselves. These are the men
who pay the great tithes of mint, and anise, and cumtnin, but
start at the small ones of the decalogue. These are they who
swear by the gold of the Temple, and forget that which sane-
tifieth the gold ; who strain at the gnats of ecclesiastical abuse,
and yet swallow the whole carcase of the bloated camel. Such,
we fear, is the character and principles of many of those who
have rejected Lord Brougham as an auxiliary, and who have
derided his support of natural and revealed religion."
In the notice of " Hazlitt's Literary Remains," the
Reviewer gives an able analysis of this shrewd meta-
physician's character, observing of him, that to all his
" various employments lie brought one qualification—
a light, discursive, active intellect, always capable of
making out a plausible case in terse language, and of
sometimes hitting on a discovery ; but wanting in
force and concentration by which alone great things are
effected." The great defect of Hazlitt's writings is
spirit that pervades them. He is
the sour, splenetic
constantly intruding his own grievances on the notice
of his readers ; and appears as if he never sat down to
mite, except when under the influence of dyspepsia.
He reverses Pope's maxim, and takes every opportu-
nity of impressing on the public mind, that " whatever
Then again, he is perpetually contra-
is, is wrong."
dieting himself ; extolling Wordsworth to the skies
in one page, and ridiculing him in another ;
expressing opinions of women this moment, which he
hastens to contradict the next. As a critic, when
temper did not interfere to cloud his judgment, he was
unrivalled ; but as a moral essayist—though he has
occasional passages of surpassing truth and beauty—
his authority is not worth much. The best criticism
he ever penned, is his comparison between the wit of
Voltaire, Rabelais, and Swift, than which nothing
juster or subtler was ever written. He was not, how-
ever, so original a thinker as he fancied himself ;
for the germ of his most elaborate essay, on
the " Fear of Death," may be found in Montaigne,
where the thought is much more simply expressed, and
adroitly worked out. Of the remaining articles, the
best is that on " the Character and Writings of Mr.
Malthus," in which justice is done to a philosopher
whose opinions have been mistaken, and undervalued
by the community.

The Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, Lord and
Lady Suffield, and Lord and Lady Gardnor are expected
in town to-day from Badminton,

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

TRANCE.

PARIS, JAN. 25.—There is nothing in the _Moldleut
to-day. We learn from Pampeluna that the French Le-
gion is treated a little better ; it has moved towards Puente
la Reyna, in order to get into better cantonments.
The Gazelle ()nate contains the nomination of Don
Jose de Morejoro as Minister of the General Council of the
Affairs of the Kingdom. Don Jose Morejoro had been
Member of the Supreme Council of War, and Secretary.
General of the War Department during the administration
of M. Erro. By a decree of Don Carlos, all men from the
age of 18 to that of 50 are summoned to take arms,
The Infant Don Sebastian has given. orders to shoot a
colonel named Manzatios, and a captain belonging to the
battalion of Alava, who have been convicted before a court-
martial of having wilfully exposed the flanks of the line in
the action of the 24th.

The above accounts are taken from the Sentinelle. The
Committee appointed to examine the extraordinary votes
of credit for 1836, among which are those relative to the
expedition to Constantine, has met to-day for the first
time. General de Rigny is gone to Marseilles, where
the Court Martial which he had called for is to meet.
The equipment of the Hercule is nearly complete. The
internal arrangement of this line vessel is magnificent.
The Commander, Capt. Cary, personally superintends all
the operations. The Prince de Joinville is to make his
fourth campaign on board this ship.
The .litemise frigate, Captain Laplace, has sailed front
Toulon on a voyage round the world, for three years.
Several journals announce the disappearance of General
E-, fornierly partner, now the only chief, of one of the
oldest banking houses in the capital. It is said that the
bankruptcy will be from four to five millions. Journal
du Commerce, Jan. 25.
FRENCH Ft/ NDS.—Psitts, JAN. 25.
Five per Cents., 109 f. 15e. 25c. 20e. 15c.
Four and a Half per Cents. 10311
Three per Cents. 79E 85c.
Bank Actions, 2,380 f.
Rente de Naples, 98f. 75c. 65c. 70e,
Roman Five per Cents., 102,
Spanish Actives, 2614%X,
Spanish Diares, 11h.
Spanish Passives, 714%,
Belgian Loan, Five per 103,
Portuguese Three P",r Cents. 31%.
liaytian Loan. 376 f.
EXCHANGE ON LONDON.
One month, paper, 9.5 f. 27 ; money, 23f. 27tgc.
Three months, paper, 25f. 734 c. ; money, 25E 7%0.
—C 'ours Antheut,pue.
LAST PRICES.
Five per Cents., 109 f. 20c.
Three per Cents. 79f. 90c.
Bank Actions, 2,380 f.
Rente de Naples, 99C 10e.
Roman Five per Cents., 10,14.
Belgian Loan, 103.
Belgian Society, 1,325 E
Portuguese Three per Cents., 31%. •
Haytian Loan, 375 E
Spanish Actives, 204,
Spanish Passives, 73k.
SppaawniltitirftareNti,

GERMANY.
BERLIN, JAN. 17.—The English Gas Company spins no
silk from its operations here in Berlin. Its plan was ori-
ginally calculated on the supposition that 10,000 lamps
would be required ; but up to this day it has only 6,623,
and it is very unlikely that the number will be increased to
7,000, because it cannot extend the pipes from an esta-
blishment at the Halle Gate to the opposite end of the
city. The first cost of the establishment was one million of
dollars ; in the first eight years the Company not only re-
ceived no interest, but was several times obliged to send to
England for money to meet the current expenses—in one
year no less than 35,000 dollars. It is only within these
few years that it has been able to make remittances to
England, but the payment of the arrears of the interest is a
thing not to be thought of.

BEL GI UM.
BRUSSELS, JAN. 25.—The average prices of Wheat and
Rye in the third week of January (16th to 21st) were
—Wheat, 16f. 24c., Rye, 10f. 72c. per hectolitre ; and the
import duties as bfore, 37f. 50c., and 21f. 50e. per thou-
sand kilogrammes.
M. Miossec, captain of the ship Providence, met with
at sea, 6th of January, on the Grand-Soles the English ship
Albion, of London, between three and four hundred tons
burden, entirely deprived of its topmasts, and half under
water. It appeared that the vessel had been abandoned for
some days. The deck was battened, and the hold loaded
with: wood, and full of, water. M. Miossec supposes
that the crew was forced to take refuge on the mainmast,
and having there perished, by cold or hunger, had fallen
into the sea. One man only, a negro, suspended by
the legs, seems to have been caught in his fall.

BELGIAN I. UNDS—BRUSSELS, JAN. 25
Actual Debt, 2342 per Cent.
Rothschild's Loan, 5 per Cent. loo4'
,s
Loan of Thirty Millions 92t;
Loan of City, 1832, 4 per Cent. lO2
Society of Commerce, 4 ,', per Cent 132
Bank of Belgium, 5 per Cent 129
Brussels Papers, Jan. 26.
DUTCH FUNDS.—Asormaniku, JIM 24.
Actual Debt, 21, per Cent.
Do do. 5 per Cent.
Amort Syndic 434 per Cent~
Do. do. 334 per Cent.
Commercial Company, 434 per Cent 184!4
New ditto
—Journal du Commerce d'ilnvers, Jan. 26.
AUSTRIAN FUNDS.—VIENNA, JAN. 17.
rive per Cents. Metalliques
Four per Cents.
Three per Cents.
Bank Shares 136334
—Allgemeine Zeilung, Jan. 2-2.
HAMBURG BORSEN HALLE, JAN. 20.
Bills. Money,
Austrian Metalliques, 5 per cent. .................. 103 1024(,
Ditto ditto 4 per cent. ..................
Ditto
Dpluttteah, 3.2
~, per
per ditto 3 per cent. .................. 73% 73%
Ditto Bank Shares 1395 13118
Anglo-Russian Loan 10534 105
100 99%
Russian Inscription, Hope and Co., 9d and 4th
Series Metal.
RPautsiesiranln6scpreitrAcieonnts.. II per cent
95 04?
Ditto, Certificates
Portuguese Regency Bonds, 5 per cent ........
30 471 A
29,i
54 _
Ditto 5 per Cents ..
Polish Bonds, 3 per cents
New Tickets 114% 160 i•
A ugh). Danish Loan, 3 per cents 724
ecreCntents.
Norwegian Lean Of 1834, 4 per cents.
Spanish, in piastres, 3 per Cents
Cortes oan. 5 per Cent
,JEJAI:XN.C.29HI.S—A..:4I3IG,wBIS ON LONDON. 24 23%
Greek 4 per cents. 1933, guaranteed by France 93
tmwoonitnhosn tihis,l,?l.3 634 . 921,kci
sflitticrattooL,m
CHRISTIANIA. JAN. 11.-Ihreo months, 5 0.
Si.,
71:
~: IN:
iNE.NTAit:
jiijitsAnoNo.stl76lo.lllJ;ta,ireo. e
il
niOno. months,—'Three
—.Hamburg Pavers, Jan. 20.

THE NEW SESSION.—The following Summary is
extracted from a List of the House of Commons, classed
according to their political sentimente, published by Mr.
Lowe, of Lamb's Conduit-street :
Radicals
Liberals lOO 332
'' Whigs 152
Conservatives BO
Tories 139 319
Ultra Tories .,... 100
The Speaker
Suspended Writ—Stafford
Vacant—Evesham, Renfrew, Anglesey, Bucks, 1 5
and Dungarvon

Total Number of Members 658

SILVER WATCHES TWO GUINEAS EACH•
An Assortment of Second-hand Watches, all of them warranted,
and of various sizes, may be selected from, for the above price, st
T. COX SAVORY'S,

Working Silversmith, Goldsmith, and Watchmaker, 47, Cornhill,
London.

N.B. A pampldet, containing a detailed list of the prices of
Plate, Plated Goods, Watches, Clocks, &c., may be had gratis, or
will be forwarded in answer to a post-paid application.

1111?7'IlS.

On the 24th inst., the Countess de Palatiano, in Great Cumber-
land-street, of a daughter.

On the 25th inst.,-Mrs. W. Bird, of Connaught-terrace, Hyde'
park, of a daughter.
On the 23d inst., in Bedford-square, Mrs. Gibbs, of a son.
On the 24th inst., in Wellington-road, St. John's-wood, Mr%•
sihnsatil., °a Sft
askoinrb.eck Rectory, Lincolnshire, the lady of
Choapnin thean 33 21ad r
the Rev. W. Roy, D.D., of a daughter.