The Sun.
London, England, 1851-11-18 00:00:00

Ott tiliutt

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LONDON, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1851

Fanaticism is again displaying its power in pro-
voking bloodshed among the ignorant multitude of
Hindostan. By the latest particulars conveyed to us
by the last Overland Mail we are informed that a
somewhat alarming riot had taken place in the streets
of Bombay, originated by the derision directed by the
Parsee newspapers against the doctrines of Mahome-
danism. It appears that these sarcasms were elicited
by the circumstance of two among the Parsees being
converted to the creed of Islamism. Among the re-
negades, the journals referred to must needs forthwith
insult thedwhole body of Mussulmen in the Presi-
dency by ridicule, partaking in no respect—not even
the faintest—of the character of a controversial state-
ment. This frivolous and ill-advised proceeding
seems so far to have outraged the feelings of the very
numerous believers in ManomaT resident at Bombay,
that they at once rose in large ma:ses,to wreak ven-
geance upon their satirists. Having assembled toge-
ther near the large mosque in the native town, the
religionists in question forthwith ,commenced an at-
tack upon the Parsec's indiscrimina'ely, and already,
at the hour when the mail stared on the 17th
ultimo, considerable injury had been inflicted;upon the
aggressors, and disturbances of a more fearful
character were fully anticipated. Accord-
ing to the simple but significant language
of the correspondent, the troops had
been ordered under arms, and rather serious work was
expected to be done before morning. It is lamentable
to record occurrences of this nature under any cir-
cumstances, but more especially when they are thus
wantonly excited by the foolish gibes of one party
and the hot-blooded zeal of their antagonists. Yet
miserable and melancholy as_these things are, they
will doubtless be reiterated so long as human nature
c mtinues to exercise its evil influences over the popu-
la•ion ; and may be recognised not merely among the
ranks of pagans or unbelievers, but even in the midst
of the most civillas,d communities of Christendom.
The incident which has thus recently transpired at
Bombay might well be borne in remembrance by
the journalists of Europe as well as of Hindostan.
For it evidences the folly of those insults levelled at
the religion of the minority, exciting in their bosoms
sentiments of the profoundest indignation, and f.,s-
‘eting, amongst classes that might otherwise be ami-
cably united, intense emotions of hatred, finding vent
at last only in acts of fury and words of execra-
tion. Strange and anomalous though it may ap-
pear, yet it is no less true, us evidenced
by the revelations of experience, that what
might be expected to germinate only emotions of be-
nignity, is in truth the provocative to the most atro-
cious and malignant demonstrations—that religion,
in other terms, has too often diffused ferocity among
the multitude. This, it is almost superfluous to add,
has arisen solely from its exaggeratio❑ into fanaticism
—affording a terrible illustration of the old proverb
about " too much of a good thing." One evil of this
kind has produced another ; each has acted upon the
other alternately : so that from time immemorial
Misrepresentation has engendered Fanaticism, and
Fanaticism Misrepresentation.
_ _ _

Madras, no less than Bombay, has recently yielded
example of the folly and atrocity of these rival senti-
timents ripening into animosity, and engendered by
so-called principles of religion. For caste in India
is so intimately connected with the popular idea of
religion, that we are perforce compelled to mention
the two occurrences recounted in our intelligence from
Hindostan as coming under the same mournful cate-
gory. From the accounts brought hither this morn-
ing by the overland mail, it would appear
that a revolt of a rather alarming kind
had taken place in the Government seminary known
as the Madras University, and this revolt seems to
have arisen from the fact of the admission into those
precincts of education of certain members of the out-
cast and proscribed race of Pariahs. These unfortu-
nates appear to have been introduced there at the ex-
press instigation of the Government. Being candi-
dates for admission into the lower grades of the medical
department,yet at the sarne time being not by any means
familiar enough with the English language so as to
benefit from the prescribed prelections of the
usual medical professors, these unlucky students were
directed to go through a regular course of preliminary
tuition at the Madras University. Immediately on
their entrance, the parties who had caused their ad-
mission were assailed rather violently by the objec-
tions of the Hindoos, who regard themselves as
insulted by the presence of the Pariahs. All their
remonstrauces, however, proving fruitless—some left
the Uuiversity, others drawing upon themselves by
their misconduct the wrath of the authorities
were expelled, and the whole mass of them
generally speaking, were reduced to the uttermost
state of insubordination. Ultimately, nevertheless,
by a stringent opposi'ion to their movement on the
part of the superiors, they were brought under some
e
dgreweeof subj,,ction ; " and thus," says
themr
tidra narrativekna
lb e,
a degree
conveying to
cannot us
but
te accountthink it
memorableof this re-
markable, -
agitation, " and thus has another, and by no means
the weakest, of the absurd prejudices which half com-
pose the Hindoo character, received its death wound.
The Brahmin, to whom the very sight of the Pariah
was profanation, now receives instruction with the
object of his former disgust, hatred, and tyranny, on
the same bench even in that institution where the
feelings and opinions of the Hindoos are treated with
the greatest tenderness. Only they who know what
the virulent bigotry of the caste feeling really is, can
properly estimate the value of the victory that has
been won." Unsatisfactory, therefore, though the
movement at Bombay unquestionably must be ac
knowledged to be, and lamentable also though it ap-
pears to be on the first blush, the latter circumstance
cannot be seriously regretted when the fortunate result
of it is borne in our remembrance. It has been seen that
the monstrous prejudice against the unhappy race of
the Pariahs, a prejudice hitherto very prevalent in
Hindostan, has at length, by the means here particula-
rised, been broken down; and, in consideration of the
benefit accruing to the population from the occurrence,
we rather rejoice than otherwise in the course pur-