Copy 1, Volume 1

Interesting historical events, relative to the province of Bengal, and the empire of Indostan. With a seasonable hint ... to ... the Court of Directors of the East India Company. As also the mythology and cosmogony, fasts and festivals of the Gentoo's, followers of the Shastah. And a dissertation on the metempsychosis ... / [J.Z. Holwell].

  • Holwell, J. Z. (John Zephaniah), 1711-1798
Date:
1766-1771
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Interesting historical events, relative to the province of Bengal, and the empire of Indostan. With a seasonable hint ... to ... the Court of Directors of the East India Company. As also the mythology and cosmogony, fasts and festivals of the Gentoo's, followers of the Shastah. And a dissertation on the metempsychosis ... / [J.Z. Holwell]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    23/264 (page 11)
    I am forry to fay, that in general the ac? counts publifhed of the manners and reli¬ gious principles of the Eaft and Weft-Indies* have been in the light and fuperficial way before objected to : but as my knowledge extends only to the former, I fliall confine my remarks to them ; and endeavor to ex¬ tricate them in fome degree from the grofs abfurdities we have conceived of them: con- feffing myfelf amazed that we fhould fo readily believe the people of Indojlan a race of ftupid Idolaters ; when, to our coft, in a political and commercial view, we have found them fuperior to us. Having tranfiently mentioned the Vie- dam and Shaftah (the Gent00s fcriptures) it is necefiary, I fhould inform you--The book firft named, is followed by the Gentoos of the Mallabar and Cormandel coafts: and alfo by thofe of the Ifland of Ceylon.—The Shaftah is followed by the Gentoos of the provinces of Bengali; and by all the Gen¬ toos of the reft of lndia9 commonly called India proper; that is to fay—the greateft part of Orijftay Bengali proper, Bahar, Ba~ naras, Oud, Eleabas, Agra, De/by, &c. all along the courfe of the rivers Ganges, and Jumna, to the Indus. Both