demonstrations, excited that discouragement in his troops, which effectually, barred his further progress. The embassy of Megasthenes to the sovereign of this extensive monarchy, from Seleucus Nicator, one of the successors of the Macedonian Conqueror, has made us acquainted with the sovereign of Palibothra and the details of his greatness ;-but whoever has attentively considered the Sculptures of Elora, will be inclined to refer them to a date much more remote than the reign of Sandracotta, which was about three hundred years before the Christian era.

In the expedition of Alexander, we have positive proof of the early existence of India in a very highly civilized state, and of its power and warlike spirit. The progress of this greatest of conquerors was here effectively stayed, by a barrier more formidable than the one hundred and twenty provinces and myriads of troops of the great Persian monarchy. If the true character of Alexander should ever receive an adequate illustration, (and a finer subject for the pen of a philosophical historian could not be selected,) a very different account will require to be given of the true causes of that retrograde march which turned back the undaunted Macedonian in bitterness of heart from a prize of which he well knew the value. It was not the natural strength only of the hill countries of India, but the rooted faith, stubborn allegiance, and self-devoted valour of the subjects of the Indian kingdoms, which overawed the genius of Alexander, and struck a panic into his followers. Whoever carefully peruses the pages of Arrian and Quintus Curtius, must be led to conclude, that a paramount necessity alone compelled Alexander to yield to the wishes of his troops, and to content himself with the nominal triumph of having marched as far as the Hyphasis. The fact seems to be, that the whole strength of Hindoo superstition, as wielded by the priesthood, was powerfully exerted against him, and a spirit of resistance was kindled, of a nature not to be subdued or put down-for it was the resistance of a whole people. So decided was this feeling as to lead the inhabitants of one city to devote their temples and habitations to the flames, rather than submit to a foreign yoke, thus setting the example which we have seen followed in our own days at Moscow, by which the would-be Alexander of the nineteenth century was arrested in his career. And there is some reason for presuming, that had the Macedonian led forward his army into the defiles of Malwa, Kandeish, and Guzerat, he would have furnished as striking an example of the instability of fortune in his own destruction. As it was, he contented himself with assuming the honours of divinity, and enacting the Dyonisiac orgies. Vol. XXV. N.S.

F

He had penetrated to the regions of Pandion, the fabulous king of the Shanskrit Puranas; and, possibly, in seeking to invest himself with the sacred character of an Avatar, he might contemplate re-appearing under more favourable auspices on this magnificent stage of conquest, strengthened by the prejudices and superstitious reverence attaching to his divine cognomen. At all events, he did not perform an empty act of vanity in the Bacchanalian processions by which he celebrated his return, but closely copied the revered Dyonisiac rites in conformity to his assumed character, which was better adapted to forward any future views on India, than the most splendid victories.

In the Caves of Elora, then, there can be little doubt, we have the memorials of that powerful monarchy and priesthood which turned back a tide of conquest that had entirely swallowed up the western world. Thus far Alexander came, and no further. At what anterior period these caves were executed, can only be matter of conjecture; yet, amid all the mythological enigmas and extravagant fictions of the Mahabarat and the Ramayana, some leading features of authentic history may be distinguished, which may serve to throw a ray of light on their history. Thus much appears certain, that, at a very early period (supposed to be about 1700 years B.C.), when a sovereign named Pandion reigned at Hastinapur, the capital of these regions, the established faith, which was that of Buddhism, was overthrown by a violent and sanguinary revolution, which appears to have been partly of a religious, and partly of a political character. In this conflict, the whole peninsula is said to have been inundated with blood, and the tribe of warriors (the Cshatruya caste) are represented as having been annihilated. Vishnû, the deity of the Brahminical idolatry, under the form of Ramaswara, is feigned to have gained this triumph ; and, as has already been mentioned, finding no sacerdotal race to sanction his rule, he established an order of Brahmans, from whom the Concan Mabratta deduces his descent. The substitution of the present complex ecclesiastical system for the more ancient institutions of Buddhism, is, with great appearance of probability, referred to this revolution, when the sovereignty of India passed from the Paudion dynasty of Hastinapur to the race of Magadha, and the votaries of Buddha were driven from the peninsula to the higher regions bordering on Caucasus, or scattered eastward and among the Indian isles. It is remarkable, that the Chinese are believed by the Brahmans, to have had their origin in an emigration of the Cshatruya or military caste of Hindoos, who, abandoning the privileges of their tribes, rambled

in different bodies to the North-east of Bengal, and forgetting by degrees the rites and religion of their ancestors, established separate principalities, which were afterwards united in one empire. Many circumstances, Sir William Jones says, seem to prove, that the Chinese and Hindoos were originally the same people, but having been separated nearly 4000 years, the former have retained few traces of their ancient consanguinity. The date of this supposed separation sufficiently answers to that which is assigned to the overthrow of the Pandu dynasty, and seems to confirm the idea that some great revolution, anterior to the establishment of the Brahman polity in India, led to an extensive dispersion or emigration of the Buddhist tribes. Now, on examining the sculptures of these celebrated temples, we have no difficulty in recognizing the leading events celebrated in their poetic annals; the overthrow of the enemies of Vishnu, whose heads are laid at the feet of their conqueror, and the establishment of the polytheistic mythology, in which the mighty Buddha is reduced to a subordinate deity in the thronged Pantheon. The traditions of the Hindoos ascribe all these excavations to the earliest period of their history; and the most probable epoch which can be fixed upon, is that of the conquest of the Peninsula by the founder of the Magadha dynasty, supposed to be about 1900 years before the Christian era. The models of these caves, M. Langles thinks, were clearly the Tombs of the Kings at Thebes; and he observes, that the conquering hero represented in his chariot on the walls of Elora, is distinguished by the same benign physiognomy that is so remarkable in the Egyptian hero. The affinity of the Indians to the Ethiopians of Africa, in appearance as well as in religious rites, is attested by all the ancient writers. Diodorus Siculus states, that Osiris was an Indian by extraction; and Bacchus is stated by another ancient writer cited by Plutarch, to have brought the worship of Apis and Osiris from India to Egypt. The Indi are represented as the wisest of mankind, and the Ethiopians are said to have been a colony from them. The Elephantine dynasty was doubtless of Indian origin. M. de Guignes contends that the Chinese were originally a colony from Egypt,-a most roundabout way of bringing them from India, yet coming to much

Sir William Jones gives the following passage from the Institutes of Menu. Many families of the military class, having gradually • abandoned the ordinances of the Veda, and the company of Brah'mans, lived in a state of degradation, as the Pahlavas, the Chinas, &c.'-Sir W. Jones's Works. 4to. vol. i. p. 96.

+ See Bryant's Mythology, vol. iv. pp. 269, 273, 281.

the same thing. But we must no longer pursue this seductive subject. The temples of Elora and those of Egypt and Nubia have at all events much in common, in their mystic character, their mythology, and their workmanship; and in both countries, these elaborate and wonderful works must be ascribed to the ascendancy of a powerful hierocrasy or sacred class, the magi and freemasons of the country, who, uniting in themselves the privileges of an hereditary nobility and a religious order, succeeded in imposing upon the millions of India, a degrading yoke which has been the curse of the country to the present hour. The institution of castes, which has placed an insuperable barrier between a proud, self-sufficient, artful, and cruel priesthood, and the great bulk of the population, has condemned the people to perpetual ignorance and slavery, extinguishing all love of country, all social virtue, and leaving the country the defenceless prey of every invader.

We are glad to find even Captain Seely bearing testimony to the utter worthlessness of the modern Brahmans. The 'primitive Brahmans,' he says, 'were philosophers and sages, while their successors have, to confirm and enslave the minds of the people, rendered a beautiful system of mythology and science vicious and stupid.' (p. 292.) Whatever enthusiasts may say to the contrary, this symbol (the symbol found in all the Hindoo temples) is grossly indecent and abhorrent to ' every moral feeling, let the subject be glossed over as it may.' (p. 292.) It is deeply to be lamented, that a degenerate, besotted, and fanatical priesthood have, to answer their own ends, defiled and disgraced the original ethics of a pure and 'moral people.' (p. 296.) Human sacrifices were formerly offered to this Hecate (Maha Cali). Bengal was the great 'seat of her superstition. In the Calica Purana it is enjoined: "Let the victim offered to Devi, if a buffalo, be five 'years old, if human, twenty-five." (p. 308.) There is nothing too depraved or lascivious for the Hindoo mind to con'template.' (p. 281.) Once more.

Where is now the whole mechanism of Elora's splendour-the mystic dance, the beautiful priestesses, the innumerable midnight lamps, the chorusses of hundreds of devoted victims, the responses of music, the shouts of fanatical fakeers, the solemn supplications of the graceful-looking Brahman of the "olden day," clothed in long white vestments? All are fled, and are succeeded in the revolutions of time by a degenerate, stupid, and oppressed race, whose very presence in the halls of their noble sires is a disgrace. Great has been and great is the revolution going on among the millions of Hindoos; but, if we consider the very vicious system of their native governments, five times invaded and thrice subjugated, the only surprise is, that the moral fabric has not been more deteriorated.' p. 275.

Yet, strange to say, like the Abbé Dubois, who attributes to the Hindoos every vice that can disgrace human nature, and whose description of the people of India, in his first work, certainly exhibits them in a darker light than any other writer has placed them in,-Captain Seely, after this revolting and honest picture of the character of the Hindoos, is very angry at having them spoken of with disrespect by any one but himself.

• I love the Hindoos,' he tells us, and do not like to see them calumniated by men sometimes more ignorant than themselves, and not always more virtuous, Weak, ignorant, and prejudiced men, half fanatic and half mad, think proper to vilify and traduce an affectionate, intelligent, and loyal people, because they will not abandon the gods of their forefathers, and take up a creed at the mere fiat of a foreigner, and learn doctrines about which in fact some of our most learned and pious men have differed in opinion.' p. 319.

What persons are here alluded to as half fanatic and half mad, we can only conjecture : they must evidently be persons that Captain Seely thinks it no sin to vilify and traduce. yet, if to vilify the Hindoos be a sin, he will find it hard to shift the charge from himself. Unless, therefore, it be the result of wisdom, and knowledge, and liberality in him, to make the same representations that proceed from weakness, ignorance, and prejudice in others, he must bear his share of the reproach. But does our Author imagine it to be no crime, to vilify men far wiser and holier than himself, because they love the Hindoos so well as to devote their lives to the attempt to enlighten and save them? It is true, those men differ from Captain Seely in deeming idolatry an infinite abomination, and in thinking that' a vicious and stupid,' a lascivious and bloody system can neither be acceptable to God nor good for society. Our Author actually defends idolatry as sanctioned, or at least not censured by Scripture, and as a means of glorifying God! (p. 316.) and is indignant at the hue and cry raised at suchhomage,' by 'cant and hypocrisy, against the 'poor idolater, the poor benighted heathen!' But as we do not vituperate him for holding these opinions, deplorably mistaken and pernicious as they are, we submit whether it is quite consistent with his claims to superior light and liberality, to vituperate those who read their Bible somewhat differently, and who even imagine that the conversion of the Hindoos is not more hopeless an undertaking, than was the conversion of the Saxons or the Romans of former days. Of all cants, the cant of a pharisaical infidelity is the worst. Should Captain Seely's work reach a second edition, which we sincerely wish,