The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-05-30
MISCELLANY.
THE HINDOO ANCHORITE.
BY MRS. L. MARIA CHILD.

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inferior caste; whom the laws forbade
him to marry. The more sinful it wa
represented, the stronger became the
temptation; according to that powerful
law of human nature which impels man tC
desire most that which is forbidden. AT
ter terrible conflict with himself, he re
signed his aspirations after sanity char
acter. and hid himself in the depths of the
forest with his beloved. There she bore
him a son, and there she lived four years
without seeing a human face beyond her
own little circle. Excepting the spiritual
conflict, which was now and. then renewed
within him, the hermit was as happy as
Robinson Crusoe might have been, if in
stead of being waited upon by his man
Friday, he had found some gentle, pretty
Fayaway. He built his hut under great
bower of verdure, formed by interlacing
trees, of luxuriant East Indian growth,
through which the sunshine cast golden
glimmer. Gorgeous parrots glanced about
in the bright atmosphere, and swarms OF
bees hummed cheerfully at their work a.
mong the flowers. A small river flowed
near by, on which sailed troops Of daz-
zling white swans. No sound was heard
there, except the buzz of insects, the song
of birds, the cry of wild deer, and the
voice of the hermit chanting hymns 10
his gods.
Very beautiful was the boy who grew
there alone with nature. He was flexible
as an osier, nimble as a fawn, and whole
tropical heaven looked out from his ardent
eyes. 1t was trul, an Eden for love and
but the demon Fear cast his
shadow there. The poor hermit could
not, for any length of time, disPel the idea
that he was forfeiting hopes of paradise
hereafter, by making to himselfa paradise
below. His eyes melted with tenderness
as he gazed on the beautiful child sleep
ing on the breast of his beautiful mother
then he would Turn away and sigh at the
thought that for loving them so dearly, he
might be obliged to return on earth again
in some inferior shape; perhaps in that of
pariah,* a goat, or even an ape.
" hen the little Manou was three years
old, his mother died. The hermit buried
her in the silent forest, and then there
came over him in his loneliness renewed
desire to be purified from every earthly
stain. to arise above every human afiec
ton, and become completely absorbed in
the contemplation of the Divine Being
But the little one clungto his heart-strings,
and tied him to this earth. He resolved to
forego extraordinary pllgrimages and pen
ances, until the boy became man for
the sacred books assured him, that IN full
filling the duties of father, he was doing
something for his own happiness in fu-
lure existence and in this particular,
their teachings harmotized with the
promptings of his own heart But what
If he should die while Manou was sill in
his childhood Die without atoning for
his human enjoyment by severe penan>
ces and notifications of the body lie
shuddered at the possibility of coming in
to the world again in the form of a pariah
or an ape. Thus did a spectral theology
haunt his brain, as in various forms it has
haunted the brains of thousands.-Mean-
while, the friendly old earth carried him
on her bosom, and soothed him with muir
muring waters, the song of birds, and the
prattle of his little Manou.
The hermii's most earnest wish was 10
have his son renowned as SAINT and in
order to keep him perfectly safe from the
which had dragged him down.
ward in his own sanity career, he re-
solved that he should never hear there was
such being in the world as woman.
The child pinned for his mother at first,
but never hearing her name mentioned,
he at last forgot her. He spent his youth
in gathering wild grain, fruit and flowers,
offering sacrifices to the gods according
to the instruction of his father, feeding his
tame deer, and learning portions of the
Vadasf by heart Never coming IN con,
tact with any of the stormy passions Of
life. his countenance was sing1larly calm
and innocent; but in the IanguiG dreami-
ness of his eye, there was something that
indicated latent fire.
Existence passed smoothly and pleasant
ly with him, till he attained his fifteenth
year. At that time it CHANGED that por-
ton of the British army, passing across
to new destination, came into the neigh
borhood, and were quietly encamped fol
few days among the surrounding hills.
A company of the officers, one or two Of
them with wives and children, took an ex-
cursion in the forest to enjoy the beauty
OF the scenery. Manou wandering as usu-
al IN search of fruits and flowers to offer TO
the gods, heard such sweet sounds as he
had never heard before. He stopped and
listened eagerly. Did they come from
birds in paradise? As he stood gain g
all around him in the air, The tones ceased;
then suddenly they burst forth again in
lIveller measure. He followed them. and
drew ever nearer, pausing oft to listen with
timid wonder. At last, he came within
sight of vision that almost gave him
wings. A lad with the European COM
Dlexion, which Manou had never seen, was
Gaming against tree warbling on his
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