English
Among all the different modifications of Pagan- ism, which have been exhibited and praised, as inspiring this benevolence and forbearance, the Brahminical system has been the most highly commended, for the liberality of its sentiments, and for the toleration which it so frequently,' and it cannot be denied, eloquently enforces. " God is" by them declared to be ** the God 1^5:3 of all mianlqn(J. The Pagan and ihe Mussulman are equally in his presence. DistinSions of color are t of his ordination. To vilify the re- ligions or customs of other men, is to set at nought' the pleasure of the; Almighty. When we ^efa^e a,pJ!£)aire, we naturally incurthe resent- ment of the Painter;, and justly has the Poet said — presume not to ; arraign or scrutinize the various WiG#1s;§ of power d^Vine."' Jt ha& indeed been, asserted by one whdimight bpj thought, qualified to judge oh the subjeft, that if ever superstitidii (produced a universal good, it is in Hindoostan, v^here '^e see it made th,e foundation of ufliyersal benevolence. Thpre,. will be no difficulty in shewing, that tbe^e indiscriminate comfn^ndations, which have been bestowfed on the tolerance and liberality of polytheism, eifher in ancient or in modern times, have beePi afdmitfed- wil3i;:little icoritroversy, only because, they have ifeepn urged with unbounded confidence;. . They have ^hpen adopted from dis- tiarjt and partial views of the subjeft, by-no means from an accurate investigation of ;tbe ;piaSical efFefts of Paganism. Thefbrbearance wliid|iis said to charadlerise the Religion of Pagan Greece or Rome con- sists in positive assertion, and not on any con- clusions drawn from historical fa6ts. These will support rather a contrary opinion. It rs not from that spirit of persecution which coiiid condemn Anaxagoras or Socrates to death, that we selefit a solitary example to prover a broad assertion: but fr6m' regulations which decidedly shew their whole religious constitution to have been founded on intolerance. We shall hear Mae- cenas though polished by Augustan refinementancj enervated by Epicurean indifference, giving the following advice to the EfAiperor of the civihzed worlds "perform divine worship in all things exa£lly according to thepraStice of your ancestors, and compel others to do the same ; and as for those who niake innovations in Religion, detest and punish them, and that not only for the sake of the Gods, but because they who introduce new Deities, excite others to ihake changes in civil affairs." The faith of the ancient world, was loose rather than" comprehensive ; its forbear- ance proceeded from a spirit of indifference j but its rigor was- exercised with capricious and un- relenting severity. < The Brahminical system has'indeed one tenet, which some have thought highly favourable' to the 255 cultivation of universal benevolence. It admits of no converts. While it vigilantly guards against any innovation from foreign sources, it equally precludes any extensiopof itself. , Qne great source of religioiis discord, that of controlling f he opinions of other nations, is therefore necessarily removed. I It may jstly however be'i questioned whether this absolute prohibition bf? all intercourse with the professors of other fornis of religion, and the indifference to their tenfets resulting from this prohibition, can properly be honoured with the praise of liberality. Liberality consists in yield- ing to the errors and infirmities of others however repugnant they may be to our own convi£tion or interest, but to yield, when forbearance is not opposite tOi our inclinations, as it calls for 'neither exertion nor self-denial, can never be accounted a virtue. A form of religion founded on this princi- ^pleofexclusipn, absolutely precludes the exej"cise of some of the noblest sentiments of our natUrCiil ■■' b-jf Toleration and forbearance arising from true liberality, may be considered under two different points of view. First, with respe£l to diversity of sentiment among those who profess the same faith J secondly vyith respeO: to the professors of different modes of faith. 256 •It will be the objeft of this discburse to shew, in what manner the Brahminical system operates in promoting benevolence among them- selves : in wha;t manner it tends to cement and strengthen that peculiar strufiture of society v^rhich Brahminism has established. On a former occasion it was shewn, that the arbitrary division of society into distifl£t castes among the Hindioos, had a powerful influence in contracting the intelleftual faculties ; but it yet remains to shew how far this division operates in conttafting the social affeftions. In the one case, its pernicious effefts, have been iUcreased, by the corruptions introduced into the institution, during a long course of time ;iii the other case^ its efFefts must have been iinmediate and irriesistible.- The mental powers duftile in their nature, elastic in their force, will sometimes surmount every tie which the pressure of civil institutions has formed to prevent their free exercise and expansion. But: the aflfeftions of the heart, when once chil- led by a cold and unfeeling superstition, re- main in that inertion, which no pciwef can call intoaQion. Were we indeed to judge of the Brahtoinical system from the precepts of benevolence which 257 it contains, there w^uld be sufikient cause: for admiration. Although an insurniountatle.jbaf- rier has been placed bet\yeen the diiffe rent orders of society ; yet " God" says the sacred Veda, ''having created the four classes, had not yet completed hi^' work; J but in additjpn ;fe itj Je:St "the royal and' military class-shpuldi become insjir- mountable on accp'unt of their power and ferocity, he producedthe transcendant body of law ; since law^ia the King of .Kings, far more powerful $nd rigid than they, r Nothing can: be mightier than Law,. by whose; aid, as by ;thaft.o|!:th^ highest monarch, the' weak prevail oyer the, strongi"fs;i ' '-.A- ■ ' •■' : ■' fi ■ ' .:■■.: 3->fr • ■ < .-.■ To t^is sentence it iS: impossible; to; deny)the praise of sublimity, as well of the inost inflexible justice ;;, but nugatory are such professions, in an institution, whiph is foundedj on oppression. ,In those countries, where a purer religion has intro- duced a more liberal spirit of government, thd gradations bet weeiat the di^iient orders of society, however distant, are not impassable. Hence, as the lowest are aniihated by hope/ and. incited to exertion, so there is a powerful restraint on despotisni. in the highest. The ties which bind society are then equal in their pressui-e, "and the •laws impartial in their application^ M ; IColebrobkfe, Digest of Hiiidbcr Law, • S 358 But, in a country, where the superior orders have repressed every hope^ and precluded even the possibility of advancement in those below them, where indolence may be indulged without any call to aftivity, and where tyranny may be exer- cised without fear of resistance, it is impossible that there shduld not be on the one hand, capri- cious rigor, and on the other hand ignorance and servility. Though such a variety of opinion on religious subje6ts is prevaleiit throughout Hin- doostan, and though even the Brahminical hierar- chy itself is, at the present time, nothing more than an oligarchical form of government, yet its power is not less arbitrary because its operations are desultory and partial. Its influence is felt in a greater or less degree throughout India ; and wherever it is felt, it is converted into an instru- ment of evading just demands, or of enforcing immoderate ^xaftions. Nor let it be supposed, that the Brahminical system has repressed all religious animosity, to- wards those'who are not subjefted to its authority. The Brahmins are sard to speak of the foljowers of Boodh "with all the malignity of an intolerant spirit." If the governmerit: of India established under the Brahminical priesthood, were at the present time, subsisting in its ancient vigor, we 259 should behold k not less domineering' in its cxternial deportment, than severe in its' internal ^tOTtotny. ' ' ' '' Thus far we have taken a Vieviridf the institu- tions of Brahminism, as they tend' to expand 'and refifie the social affefitioris, in the' different Ordei'^ of society among THEMstLVEs; it yet remains to shtevv; iri*what manner they operate in their ih- tfei'conrse with- other nation^ j how far they promote a disposition of universal benevolence. It has been said 4hat' the principle of exdlusioii^ ^hich is^a fundainidntal 'tenet in' the Brahniimcsil religion, has not doMfafted their b^neficence'or limited iheir jihilahthrOphy. Kindness to'^ stran- gers is a leading maxim of their faith/ and' enjoin- ed' ifl the strongest tennis. ' ' " ■^ire is ^he siiperior of'ifhe B^ahmirisi'the'B'rahihirii's iW ^iipefiotoi the tribes, the iitisb^ritf^is''the 'superior "dfwbnien; but the Strah^e¥ is' the superibi''Gf ali.'^^ banqq/; But thatithe'se predepts can have an|)r'c<Jft9idfe^ able" efficaty, iti dOiinterafting that niisdcial spirit whidh dharaSeriseS their othfer-' institutions, inay re^asbnably bb doubted; Hieufffdllgion has hi- , i Heetopade; S2 260^ spired them with vast and unboundi^d idea,s, p£ • their own superiority overjthe rest of mankind, ideas, which can never be entertained, consist- ' ently with the genuine spirit of benevolence. It They have ajways , encouragqd that eontptppt for, the, persons; and ^ opinions of other .; nations, \vhich is ^Jwaysj I found to exi^t among nien unused to a geijeral intercourse with the world.