Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1801-10-10

No. J..
L z T r 2 z

IadellbSia, to bis Frirxd III DcLbi.
Dearly beloved Ell Hanen,
Thou knoweit how, induced by Thrift
for knowledge, I left the delightful fields
OF Agra, where fragrance floats in every
breeze, and beauty CLOVIS in every prof
pect; and itcered my courle to the Britiih
lies. Thou knoweit, how explored e.
very European region, from rocky and
inhottpitable Norway, to the luxurianr
plains of Sicily /; noting in my progrels,
the various fhades of character and man
ners, and tranfmitting thee from time to
time, the tory of my travels.
Purfuing fill the path of knowledge, l
am now fixed for feafon, in this great CT
ty, the emporium of this weGefn world.
Thou rememb're that l told thee, of
new feet of Philosophers, lately arifen in
Europe, who protefs TO teach mankind the
way TO virtue, and to happiness. The Old
eitablifhed cuttoms, laws, religion, man
ners and maxims of their country they
condemn, ard teach that man, by nature
perietf, needs but to follow natures
impulic, and his own native energies,
will carry him to virtue and to glory.
This new Philofophy has lpread in a
greater or lefs degree over the whole of CT
vilized Europe, and it is ;uealcntea and
believed by multitudes in America. To
Hindu, who has been taught from his
cradle, to believe implicitly the holy
BsAMINs, to copy the manners of his an
ceitors, and to venerate the religion of
the great BRUMMA, fuch doctrines appear
imp'ous and horrible. But you mutt not
think that am in country like EIindui-
tan. Here the God Of the land whom
they call JEHOVAH; his fon and the part
ner OF his throne, JESUS the SAVIOUR;
and third perfon of tile Godhead. the
sANcrIFYER; thus reiembI.ng the three
great cmirations of the divine Brunma
are every day infulted and blafrhemed -
lneir holy vIDAM and sHAHsTAH, demo-
minated the BIBLE, are nor only queftion-
ed, but made the fubjetts of Handing ridi-
culc; and quoted and alluded to, to their
mott lewd and proiane conceptions. The
bramins or priefts, whom we in Hindu.
tan venerate and owe, wnofe perfons ard
-nploym n. we believe too holy TO he
made the theme of family difcourl-, are
here loaded with obloqu, and contem, t,
and charged with fuch netarious detigns.
as are imputed by US only to the defpiled
vagahonds of,he CAST of Harri.
The pagodss or temples, 10 which 4ue
place the image Of the great Brunms, of
Vavafawota, Of Mahadeva and of the O.
iher Gods; into which we never enter
Without ablution, and from which we ne
yer depart without prohrate devotion, are
here thrown open upon Common and pro.
iane occaions. In them they aiIemble TO
DEBATE concerning their public affairs to
elect their Rsjahs and Sultans and fome.
times, to exhibit arrange kind of per-
Torrance, called comedy or tragedy, in
which the icenes of real life are profehed-
ly exhibited, perfons and manners are ridi-
culed, blood IS ihed and war waged in left
Thou knowett that Hindu never fpeaks
OF his Sultan, but with the mott reveren-
tial reipett; his character he always lie.
tends; his mandates he ever obeys and
his death he fincerely deplores. The Sui.
tan is confidered as the head, the prince
and The father Of his people; and to ena-
bic him to promote their welfare, their
lives, their talents and their fortunes are
entirely at his dipofal. His glory is
their glory, and his PROPERTY their hap
pinefs. But IN this country the Sultan is
the (frOa~t IF tbe people,. BY them his
merits are freely difcuhed, his failines
nagnlfied, aud his virtues dimini(hed he
Is the jeff OF every vulgar tongue; his
meafures are examined, centred and ,op.
pofed, and, as he is indebted TO the beo-
pie tor his elevation, 70 he depends Upon
them for the exitencc of his dignity, and,
therefore, defends from his precarious
throne ubepeVar IL. it,