opposition and resistance, and induced them to burn their widows with greater zeal than ever, is the assertion which he himself has elsewhere made, and which has already been noticed in a preceding chapter*, that these tracts "are perused by no one, and are above the comprehension of all." (pp. 207-8.)

How, it is inquired, can tracts, which no one reads, and which no one can understand, be capable of producing such an effect as that ascribed to them by this author?

But it may be further noticed, that the accusation which the Abbé has brought forward refers especially to Bengal, and to districts north of that province; and it is worthy of regard, that the accuser, whose exclusive sphere of labour was the southern part of the Indian promontory, more particularly Mysore, is not laying his indictment upon facts which he can aver have passed under his own observation, but either upon reports devoid of truth, or upon surmises devoid of foundation.

Having adverted to the inconsistency of the Abbe's own statements, and his incompetency as a witness, I will now beg the reader's attention to a proof of such & nature as will, I apprehend,

* See Chapter XIII.

fully overthrow the unjust insinuation, and determine the point at issue in favour of the missionaries. It is a document emanating from the Government itself in India, and from which the following is a quotation :

"Extract from the proceedings of the Nizamut Adawlut, under date the 21st May, 1819. "Remarks and Orders of the Court on the Suttee Statements and Reports, for the year

1818.

"The court of Nizamut Adawlut, having had before them the reports of Suttees received through the courts of circuit from the several Zillah and city magistrates for the year 1818, together with detailed and abstract statements prepared from those reports, record the following remarks and orders.

"The court observe with concern, that the total number of Hindoo widows, ascertained to have been burnt or buried alive in 1818, considerably exceeds the number reported in each of the three preceding years; viz.

"The court are willing to believe that this

increase may, in some degree, be ascribed to

two causes; viz. 1st, to greater vigilance on the part of the police in ascertaining and reporting Suttees which take place, than formerly existed: and 2d, to the effect of the epidemic disease which has prevailed during the last two years; but still the fact of the increase, which appears to have been hitherto progressive, must, in the opinion of the court, unavoidably excite a doubt whether the measures publicly adopted with the humane view of diminishing the number of these sacrifices, by pointing out the cases in which the Hindoo law is considered to permit them, and those in which that law forbids them, have not rather been attended with a contrary effect, than the one contemplated. It is possible, indeed, that some cases, in which the sacrifice may properly take place, may be known now, which were not thought of before: if otherwise, however, and if the two causes first noticed be not sufficient to account for the result, the court fear that the only other assignable cause is, a spirit of fanaticism, rather inflamed than repressed by the interference of the public authorities."

In the above official document, it appears that several reasons are alluded to, as probable or possible causes of the increase in the number of widows devoted to the flames upon the death of their husbands; but not the least intimation is given, that the indiscreet zeal of the missionaries,

or their profusely scattered religious tracts, formed a material part, or any part of the latent causes which government were thus diligent in investigating.

The administration of affairs in British India, has indeed been intrusted to men of too much candour, and possessed of minds too noble and ingenuous, to ascribe to the conduct of missionaries, effects resulting from other causes.

Rather than so act, they would, as that document shews, call in question the expediency of the measure they themselves adopted, and honestly surmise that possibly their own mode of interference may have produced the result which they deplore. Conduct, thus amiable and upright, will ever endear the British government in India, to all classes of its subjects, and excite in the minds of missionaries in particular, a very ardent glow of gratitude and attachment towards such rulers. How different the conduct of the individual who has laid the accusation in question!

As confirmatory of the above-cited document, I would refer to a letter, dated 19th December, 1818, addressed, by Mr. Oakely, the magistrate of Hooghly, to Mr. Ewer, superinten-. dant of the police, containing much valuable information, and some important suggestions, on the subject now under consideration. From this letter, the following is an extract:-"The fre

quent occurrence of these horrid sacrifices (Suttees) in Zillah Hooghly, has, for a considerable time, attracted my attention, and induced me to take into serious consideration the causes of their increasing prevalence, and the possibility of checking so horrid a custom, without exciting any general feeling of dissatisfaction amongst the Hindoos. The importance of the subject must serve for my apology, should the present address seem of unreasonable length, and of irregular form.

"The statement which I lately furnished at your request, will shew, that the practice of Suttee has of late become much more frequent in Hooghly than formerly; and although the fatal epidemic, which visited the district during the two last rains, may be supposed to have caused the increase, yet this conclusion is not supported by facts; for, in the first four months of the present year, when the epidemic did not prevail, there were respectively seventeen, ten, fourteen, and seventeen Suttees; and in July, August, and September, ten, sixteen, and sixteen: we must therefore seek other causes for the increased prevalence of the custom.

"Previous to 1815, no interference on the part of the police was authorized, and widows were sacrificed, legally or illegally, as it might

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