New-York tribune., 1872-10-15

chief would master hls nelenbOie' "hV """" "P
some brilliant dynasty. But every movement OF
this kind lasted but little while, and disappeared
like the heeting thoughts in the heaven of Hindu
dreams They reasoned of war itself as if it were
fash of the brain. or a piece of metaphysics But
their progress in the exact sciences was not incon-
siderable.
cv loved 70 press beyond material SUGGESTIONS con-
dons general forms and essential pro- proeessss so1 RIb Rbe
iergest field FOR abstraction and contempation,-the
orderly movement OF the stars the Jaws Oi nninues'
They made much progress in analytic arithmetic, and
not only applied algebra TO astronomy and geoneLnS'
hut geometry to the demonstration OF algebrac ru%Ts %
They seem to have invented numerical Signs at nrV
the decimal SYSTEM the itself being oil sahshIt
traceabie in those of the later Arabic digts. Inc
introduction Of these numerical signs IN PaCt tb or
the alphabetio characters before used Dy an r UtnT
nations OF antquy-a change aseribed py olu WIelLs IL
TO the Pythagoreans, those Orentasts OF e uieeh h
the Arabians OF Bagdad~was the finest ideal Impulse
ever given 10 aTithmetcal studies The deelmal system
was developed IN lDla as epecmatlle cai,uiuo 80 90
earnestly, that special names we're gwen 10 every
power in an ascending scale OF enormous reach Ihe
hltythird power OF ten was TAKEN as ul anu Oh ,e
new base another scale OF numbers rose ul a
figure was reached consisting OF unity followed 10y
four hundred and twenty-one zerOs: Ana these ele-
ments applied TO the solution OF ideal problems,
such "the number Of atoms containaDle IN tne ne
limits OF the World taken as hACu Hlnleision, , e.
representing mathematical reality none the less loI
beng so utterly past eChoePlion,, dho i Icnns
Eighteen centuries ago least, the Hndus had elaO
numerical values attached TO letters OF tne ARnapeu
"Tney reached stage OF agebralc science, saws NepI
(which arrived at in Europe till the close OF the
last century; and If their writings nad Deeh knowh
earlier, they would certainly nave credteu
new epoch" Aryabhatta their greatest astronomer
and mathematician, in the fourth century delerInlhee
very closely the relation of the diameter OF circle 10
az q i6d e % nVentd methods also for solving
equations OF a Ingh degree.
Mr. Johnsons explanation of the phi ply OF
caste is both ingenious and suggestive.
The idea Of caste everywhere rests upon abstract
pOstulate of organic differences among men, Ihns, IN
light of Vaisya to labor, Of sudra TO serve This be
its distinctions hereditary 1hen lle "a
priesthood went further, 10y necessary law OF develop
ment WIN those suoe 3Iahs Oh tneis IneS Su tS
an OniOOgy Of caste. The aOOrng class represented INC
physical world OF acton, IN thelr phAosOphy nn
eay EAgSUm caste Of SeSidSted Se5TSy ana 1be Gs %
which struggles mp ont OF this lower region, anu
Tne BTahmans themselves represented the purely sp
ua realm, the only real lie, absorbed P Qeiy: AS Ior
posite pole OF negauOn, though even mere ~ Woa seem
that no absolute evil affirmed, since from the lOW-
est caste one might rise into the highest through trans
migration. Thus IT was attempted toJusuiS eeossai
seTvtude by the structure OF the soul ana t4e cons
ton OF the universe To us the chicf yalue OF this at
| tempt Is IL ITS illustration OF me hesessly Whleh
cOmpels every form OF injustice to render ac-
| count TO the natural sense OF justice IN manKmd'
/ Mere power never suihtea TO NlhglcalG any 9e-
spOtic system IN the sight of man. And IN TINS 1Hct lay
!
and appreciation Of social ethics The ceaseless en-
iorcoment Of all institutions to plead their az the
ideal bar OF conscience leads at last without need OF
| miracle, to a true commonwealth.
With regard to the traits of Hindu character, Mr..
johnson presents a far more favorable view than is
usually taken by English travellers but he confirms
his statements by ample testimonies from intelli-
gent and unprejudiced observers.
Charges Of gross depravity are constantly brought
tho flnaa non r md
Ward TO be incapable OF hnone any good in them.
or these sweeping accusalons, IaseIood VlndlctIye-
best authorities agree in refuting them. Dr. Jefreys
allows himself the eXtrayagant statements that "eyery
child educated carefully to avoid speaking the truth
except matter Of interest or necessity" and that
they viii compass each others ruin or death for the
us he has had hundreds Of cases before him I'm which
mans property liberty or life depended his telling
a lie and he has refused TO tell 1t, TO save either Mr.
EphinstOne whose opportunities those of thirty
years in the highest positions IN Indian service, de-
scribes the Riputs as remarkable "fOr courage and
seli-devoton, combined with genteness of manners
almost niSnnne simplicity" No set of peo8e ann amop 1
| the Hindus" he continues are SO depraved the
everywhere amiable a1ectonate to their families, kind
to their ueigbbOrs and toward all hut the Government
honest ana sincere; Inc tOWnspeOpe are different,
| but quiet and orderly. Including the Thugs and
DecOits, the mass of crime Is less India than in
England. The Thugs are almost a separate nation,
and the DecOts are desperate ruians i'm gangs. Tic
to prisoners than any other Asiacs. Their freedom
from gross debauchery is the point in which they
I
purity Of manners not tatteriug to our sffeseen
Domestic slaves treated exactly like servants e
doubt if thcy are ever sold" 1t is highly creditac
TO the Hndus that siya-worship through ihe symbol
INDIA is now found to have "no hold on the
popular feeling, and to suggest no offensive ideas"
" Ii is hut Justice to state" says Wilson, "that il is
unattended III Northern India 10y any indecent or
indicate ceremonies; and 1t requires lively imaen-
alton 10 trace any resemblance in its symbols to the
objects they supposed 60 represent. The general
absence Of indecency from public worship and re-
fully established by the late Cen Stuart, and in
everything relating to actual practice better authority
cannot be desired" The HcentiOus customs attrib
uted TO the sakti-worsnipers the same authorities
sfate 10 be seldom practced and then in secrecy. and
to be held illicit even by their supporters II Instituted
he yIodeacv nj tbe iaree cities of TrItis To6i bod
exceeds that Of European communities OF similar eX
tent And 10 the amount actually existing the habits OF
Tnropeans have largely contributes while the eftorts
Of me Government To diminish this form of irnruo~
have done much 10 cOunerbaance these bad influences
as well as to suppress the older religious ceremonies
Tie great diversity Of 'oprion as to the practical
morals Of the Hindus is doubtless due part to the
great varieties Of moral type that must exist in so I'M
Inense and complex population that OF India sub
ected to such variety OF foreign influence for Thousands
of years It does not appear however that the Hindus
have been more inclined TO sensuaty than other races
This true or them even e shdhg the almost universal
cuus Of the productive principle IN nature whose SYM
bos TO have represented the sacred duty Of man TO
of Iroprety the statue Of their gods in not
10 ve oense 10 modesty. Yet their vices must the
whole have been such as belong TO the npressbe tenn
peTament of tropical races the passive yielding hDer
the luXIy ILLUSION ana revere. Inc tIutl
must be somewhere between the uubOunded praises Law
iehed by Greek writers the ancient Hndus and the
excessive censure OF their descendants by CHRISTIAN
II is I'm no uuminduness OF these probabilities in the
case that / add a few more good words for this nom
Christian people from competent witnesses. Malcolm
could not think OF the Bengal sepoys IN bis day without
admiration" Hastings said Of the Hndus in general
that they were gentle aud benevolent more suscep-
tible OF gratitude Tor kindness shown them and less
PROMPTED TO vengeance for wrongs inflicted than any
ueope on the face OF the earth; faithful aecuOnate
submissive TO legal authority Heber, whose detesta-
a. of Indie int la
similar impre essOns. 1.-THE Hindus brave, cOuT-
teous intelligent most eager for knowledge and i'm
movement: sober Industrious duu TO parents afec-