ave only served to increase my deep affection for the
people of India, and the real pleasure that I find in their society.
The defects of Hindus come from their religion, which is deeply
steeped in idolatry, and neither gives them a code of morality, nor
grace to keep one if it had been given. The strongest denunciations of
Hinduism come from the people themselves. I often repeat what the old
Brahmin, who lived and died a Hindu, said when he roared out to me,
"It is a most infernal religion." And he proceeded to give instances
of its infernal nature which it is impossible to print, but which
justified the expression.

A Hindu admits the beauty of a moral life, but puts it aside as
impossible of fulfilment. He has no creed, and cannot tell you what he
believes. He is in doubt and uncertainty both as regards where man
came from, and whither he is going. Nearly every Hindu is an idolater
at some time or other, if only to please his wife, or to oblige a
friend. Some, nowadays, try to explain away the custom as being merely
an ancient tradition, but on that account to be respected; or as
edifying for the ignorant, who cannot find God in any other way.

The histories of the gods, like all heathen mythology, consist of
tales, some picturesque, some foolish, some dull and childish, some
obscene. How far the educated Hindu believes them it is difficult to
know. Those that are obviously absurd he will say are allegorical, and
in spite of their diversity he will maintain that they are all
manifestations of one god. The uneducated rustic, so far as he is
familiar with these stories, believes them.

The ascetic life, at any rate as represented by the professional
ascetics of India, is not held in admiration by the people of the
country. The real character of most of the wandering ascetics is
perfectly well known. But the people fear their curse; hence they give
them alms, and a measure of outward respect. That their profession and
their conduct are so often in contradiction does not apparently excite
surprise.

Some English translations of Hindu sacred books must be taken with a
certain amount of caution. Enthusiastic and poetically inclined minds
have produced translations which can only be said to remotely
represent the originals (if we are to accept the opinion of some who
are competent to know), into which they have read much more than is
really to be found there. Also, terms taken from Christian theology
have, of necessity