the Minisa-Geetů, the Dhurmu-Geētu, the Shivu-Gectă, the Shushtee-Geet, the Pănchanunu-Geetù, &c. Among the voiragees and common people a number of small pieces are found not much superior to an English story in verse or a common ballad. The contents of these trifling publications relate to the mythology of the country, to ascetics, to the miracles of Hindoo saints, and to the advantages of devotion to the gods: here and there will be found sentiments of a moral nature, but mixed with a far greater number relative to the revels of Krishnú. The great bulk of the people are perfectly unacquainted with letters, not possessing even the vestige of a book, and what they hear read or recited neither enlightens nor improves the mind. It is supposed, that of the persons grown up to maturity among the male population in Bengal, not more than two hundred in a thousand can read, though there are schools all over Bengal, for the instruction of children in reading, writing, and accounts.* The women are almost in every instance unable to read. The jealous Hindoos are afraid lest such an acquirement should make them proud, and excite them to engage in clandestine correspondence. Hence they declare, that if a woman learn to read and write she will most certainly become a widow, or fall into some calamity; and many stories are circulated of the dreadful accidents which have befallen such presumptuous females. The Hindoos, therefore, have never been able to boast of a body of female writers, who have contributed to enlarge the stock of knowledge.-A few years ago, there lived at Benares a female philosopher named Hutee-Vidyalunkară. She was born in Bengal ; her father and her husband were koolēēnŭ bramhins. It is not the practice of these bramhuns, when they marry in their own order, to remove these wives to their own houses, but they remain with their parents. This was the case with Hotee; which induced her father, being a learned man, to instruct her in the Sungskritů grammar, and the kavyů shastros. However ridiculous the notion may be, that if a woman pursue learning she will become a widow, the husband of Hutee actually left her a widow. Her father also died; and she therefore fell into great distress. In these circumstances, like many others who become disgusted with the world, she went to reside at Benares. Here she pursued learning afresh, and, after acquiring some knowledge of the law books and other For an account of these schools, see page 119. LITERATURE.-Present state of learning.] OF THE HINDOOS. 599 shastrūs, she began to instruct others, and obtained a number of pupils, so that she was universally known by the name of Hătee-Vidyalŭnkară, viz. ornamented with learning. -The wife of Jushomăntă-Rayŭ, a bramhun of Năshee-Pooru, is said to understand Bengalee accounts; and the wives of the late raja Năvŭ-Krishnů, of Calcutta, are famed for being able to read.-At Vashŭvariya resides a widowed female, a considerable land-owner, who possesses a good knowledge of the Bengalee, and of accounts, and is honoured with the name of ranec, or queen.-Many female mendicants among the voiraginees and sănyasinees have some knowledge of Sungskrită, and a still greater number are conversant with the popular poems in the dialects of the country. From hence an idea may be formed of the state of female learning in Bengal. Some persons place their books on two beams which almost touch each other, the ends of which are fastened in the opposite wall. The expence of books is considerable : besides the paper, the natives pay, for copying, one roopee or twelve anas for every 32,000 letters: according to this, the price of the Mŭhabharŭtŭ will be sixty roopees; of the Ramayana, twenty-four; of the Shree-Bhagavătă, eighteen, and of other books according to their size. The paper upon which books are written, called toolatu, is coloured with a preparation composed of yellow orpiment and the expressed juice of tamarind seeds, to preserve it from insects. The price varies from three to six quires for a roopee. The Hindoo books are generally in single leaves, with a flat board at the top, and another at the bottom, tied with cords, or covered with a cloth. They are about six inches broad and a foot and a half long. The copying of works is attended with the creation and perpetuation of endless mistakes; so that a copy can never be depended upon until it has been subjected to a rigid examination. A great portion of what has been written by Europeans respecting the Hindoos, ought to be considered as having decided nothing; all the real knowledge that has been obtained of the Hindoo philosophy and mythology is to be attributed to the different translations from the Sungskritu. As these translations increase, these systems will be better known; and whenever the time shall arrive that translations of their principal learned works shall have been accomplished, then, and not before, will the public be able completely to decide respecting a system of philosophy spread over so large a part of the 600 HISTORY, LITERATURE, AND RELIGION, [PART II. CHAP. VI. eastern world. If the British Government, or the East India Company, or any joint bodies of learned men, would encourage translations, or send out a few ingenious young men to study the Săngskrită, and then employ them, at proper salaries, in making the necessary translations, in a few years not a vestige of important knowledge respecting the real nature and principal features of the Hindoo philosophy and mythology would remain concealed. This is an object which every friend of true science must desire. The council of the College of Fort William and the Asiatic Society, in coming forward to patronize translations from the Sungskritů, deserve the thanks of the literary world; but the operations of these two bodies alone are too slow to accomplish what is desired in any reasonable time. A similar plan, on a more extensive scale, is wanted. END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. GLOSSARY TO THE FIRST VOLUME. OKT A. Acharyй, from a, augmentative, and chur, to move. Ashrămă, from a, augmentative, and shrumu, exertion. Atma, from a, augmentative, and it, to move continually. B. Badyŭkară, from badyň, music, and kree, to do. Bharătă-Vărshŭ, from Bhōrătă, and vărshŭ, a place. Bhashyй, from bhasha, a tongue. Bhoirŭveechōkrů; Bhoiruvee is a name of Doorga, and chŭkrů signifies a circle. Bhoo-Loků, from bhoo, the earth, and loku, a world. Bhootu-Shooddhee; bhoota signifies the four elements, and shooddhee, purification. Bhoovǎnéshu, from bhoovănů, the world, and eeshů, lord. Bhoovŭ-loků, from bhoovů, the sky, and loků, a world. Bramhun, from Brümhö. Brimhottură, from bramhùn, and ooturu, belonging to. Brümhŭ-Pootrů; pootrů means a son. Bŭstru-Hărănă, from văstră, clothes, and hărănă, to steal. C. Chasakoivǎrtă; chasa signifies a cultivator of the ground, and koivŭrtů, a fisherman. Chironjeevo, from chiră, long as relating to time, and jeevă, life. Choora-Kurunŭ, from choora, the bunch of hair on the crown of the head, and kree, to do. Chulu, to go, from chul, to go. A Chandň, furious, from chud, to rage. Chandrika, the rays of the moon. Chürmükarů, from churmun, skin, and kree, to do. D. Danй-Khündă, from dană, a gift, and khundŭ, a piece. Dasi, a slave. Day-Bhag, from dayŭ, an inheritance, and bhagi, a share. Dayu-Tattwй; tuttwŏ means exactitude, or truth. Déhŭ, from dib, to collect or increase. Dévŏ-Dutto, from dévă, a god, and dŏttů, given. Dévottără, from dévé, and ootără, belonging to. Deepika, a light. Dharina, from dhree, to hold. Dhova, from dhav, to cleanse. Dhyani, from dhyoi, meditation. Dig-Vijayu, from dish, the quarters of the earth, and vijŭyň, conquest. Doivugni, from doivu, fate, and gna, to know. Doshi, from dooshň, evil. Dōōtee-Sumbodhŭ, from dōōtee, a female messenger, and simbodhi, a call. Drůvyň-Goonú, from drŭvyŭ, a thing, and goonu, a quality. Drūvyň, a thing. Dăndavit, from dundă, a walking-stick; to fall in a straight posture like a stick, at the foot of a bramhún. Dörpünů, from drip, to shine. Dishŭ-Koomară, from déshéu, ten, and koomară, a sɔn. Dusha-Rut❜ho, from dushun, ten, and răt’hă, a chariot. Dushu-Dik-Pală; palň signifies the cherishing of a person. Dwapiri, from dwee, two, and pără, after. Dweepň, an island, from dwee, two, and ap, water. E. Eeshwů, the glorious, from eesh, to be grand. |