ns like to
eat it, gives a great deal of trouble to those who have to get it
ready. Not only is there the grinding of the flour to be done, but it
has next to be made up into thin flat cakes which look something like
pancakes, which are then lightly baked on a hot plate, and are eaten
at once by preference while hot. The preparation and baking of these
means that the women of the household have been busy in the kitchen
from an early hour, especially in Christian schools, where the
children's day begins earlier than in most Hindu households. Hindu
schools and colleges commence work very late in the day, because of
the necessity of getting the bathing and feeding over first.

Even the most orthodox Hindus have now no scruples about touching
Christians, except after they have taken their bath, but previous to
their meal. Having occasion to consult a Brahmin pleader rather
frequently concerning the purchase of some land, he always made a
point of shaking hands rather effusively, with an eye to business. But
I called one morning when he had just emerged from his bath, and he
was then careful to keep at a safe distance, because contact would
have involved the necessity of bathing again before he took his food,
in order to get rid of the ceremonial pollution.

CHAPTER XVI

HINDU PHILOSOPHY

The barrenness of Hinduism. _The Golden Threshold_; its
authoress--her poetry; the four kinds of religion; her
motherly instincts; her letters; her father; her search for
beauty; her portrait. Rarity of happy Hindu faces. The
picture of "Jerome."

People sometimes say, when asking about Hinduism, "Surely if the
idolatry, and folly, and indecency, which we know exists in the
religion as it now is could be cleared away, we should find remaining
some deep philosophic thoughts and mystical poetical fancies which we
might admire?"

The reply to this question is that, if Hinduism was subjected to this
purging process, what would be left would be practically nothing at
all. This can be strikingly illustrated in the following way.

An Indian lady, Mrs Sarojini Naidu, has published a little volume of
poems called _The Golden Threshold_. There is an introduction to the
book by Mr Arthur Symons, giving a few particulars of the life of the
authoress. She is apparently a thoroughgoing Hindu, although one of
sufficient independence of character to marry another Hindu who was
not a Brahmin like herself, and on th