Sorrow and remorse can scarcely fail sooner or later to be the portion of him, ,who is conscious of having neglected opportunities of rendering benefit to his fellow creatures.
From considerations like these, it has been that I,(although born a Brahmin, instructed in my youth in all the principles of that sect,) being thoroughly convinced of the lamentable errors of my countrymen have been stimulated to employ every means in my power to improve their minds, and lead them to the knowledge of a purer system of morality.
Living constantly amongst Hindoos of different sects and professions, I have had ample opportunity of observing the superstitious puerlities into which they have been thrown by their self –interested guides;
Who, in defiance of the law as well as of common sense have succeeded but too well as in conducting them to the temple of Idolatry; and while they hid from their view the true substance of morality, have infused into their simple hearts a weak attachment for its mere shadow.
For the chief part of the theory and practice of Hindooism I am sorry to say, is made to consist in the adoption of a peculiar mode of diet; the least aberration from which, [even though the conduct of the offender may in other respects be pure and blameless]is not only visited with the severest censure, but actually punished by exclusion from the society of his family and friends. In a word, he is doomed to undergo what is commonly called loss of cast.
On the contrary the rigid observance of this grand article of Hindoo faith is considered in so high a light, as to compensate for every moral defect. Even the most atrocious crimes weigh little or nothing in the balance against the supposed guilt of its violation. Murder, theft, or perjury, though brought home to the party by a judicial sentence, so far from inducing loss of cast, is visited in their society with no peculiar mark of infamy or disgrace. A trifling present to the Brahmin, commonly called Prayaschit, with the performance of a few idle ceremonies, are held as a sufficient atonement for all those crimes; and the delinquent is at once freed from all temporal inconvenience, as well as all dread of future retribution.
