GIFT OF rs. William H. I.ills University of California Berkeley k A C O M P A R I S O N OF THE INSTITUTIONS OF MOSES AV I T H THOSE Of THE HINDOOS AND OTHER ANCIENT NATIONS; \V I T II KS on MR. DUPUIS'S ORIGIN of 'all RELIGION The LAWS and INSTITUTION., ol MOSES MKTHODI z* A N' 1) An ADDST.SS to the J;:ws on the prefent flate of -the WORLD and the PROPHECIES rcl.iting to it. 3v JOSEPH PRIESTLEY, L.L.D.F.R.S. Tr id in a fo:-.: .-fin Horat*. NORTHUMBERLAND : PRINTED FJR THF AUTHOR. BY A 1 .... id fen* imcnts T H Jl DEDICATION, TO HIS GRACE T H Z DUKE OF GRAFTON. MY LORD, T TAKE the liberty to dedicate this work to your Grace, not fo much as to one of the mojl rcfpett- able of the Engli/h nobility, or one -whom I honour for his general maxims and conduct in the political world, as for having, in my opinion, done yourf elf much greater honour by ycur attachment to the caufe of Chrijlianity, in an age in which many who occupy a diftinguiflied rank in life pay little attention to it, in which many openly abandon the profejfion of it, and in which many ofthofe who prof efs tkcir belief cf it appear (if we may judge of men's feelings and fen- timcnts iv D E D I C A T I O N. timentsby their conduct) to have no juft fenfe of its real value. Not to Is afhamed of Chrift in fuck circumjlances asthef?, is nofmall merit, tho in thofe -who derive emolument from the prof ejjion, or whofe connections in life lay them under no great temptation to infidelity, it is little or none. It is our fujfering in the caufe 9 in whi$h the lofs of general ejlimatmi is no inconflder- able article, that is the brft proof of our fincerity, and of cur title to be acknowledged ly our Lard and ^af- ter as his good and faithful fervants, when he /hall come to receive the kingdom that is dcjlinedfor him and his true difciples. In that day, which I am wiWng to think is now at no great diftancc, to have given any countenance to thofe who have laboured to promote the caufe of Chfif- tian truth, and efpecially fuch as are expofed tofomc degree of odium on that account, will be conjideredas having bejlowed favours on difciples in the name of difciples, and will not be without its reward. That your Grace's very important fervices to the caufe of Chrijlwi literature, and Chnjlian truth, may DEDICATION. v may have all thefuccefs to which they are intitkd, is thefincere wiJJi and prayer of, My Lord, Your Graces mojl obedient humble Servant, J. PRIESTLEY. NORTHUMBERLAND, JVbv, i, 1799. THE PREFACE. T T has long appeared to me that a fair com- -* parifon of the ancient heathen religions with the fyftem of revelation would contribute in an emi- nent degree to eftablifh the evidences of the latter. Its fupcriority in fentiment and practice to any thing that the mod enlightened of mankind have ever devifed is fo great, that it cannot be rationally accounted for, but by fuppofing it to have had a truly divine origion. On this account I gave a general view of the ancient heathen religions, and of their philofophy as far as it was connected with religion, in the firft volume of my Difcourfcs delivered at Philadelphia, and a more detailed account of Mahometanifm, and the circumftances attending its propagation-, in the fecond volume. I then promifed to draw out a comparifon oftheinflitutions of the Hindoos, and thofe of other ancient nations, that have been moft admired for their early civilization and fcience, with thofe of Mofcs, with which they were cotem- porary. This promife I have endeavoured to dif- charge in the prefent performance, in which I have made the befl ufe that I could of the ample materials viii PREFACE. materials with xvhich we are now provided for the purpofe. With thefe I have been chiefly furnifhed by the friendfhip of Dr. Andrew Rofs, lately of Philadel- phia, but now returned to his native country, Scot- ;. He fhewed much zeal in promoting Uy undertaking ; and I think it a circumftance of fome weight even in the argument, that a perfon who has feen fo much of the world as he has done, and wfao is fo well acquainted with the principles . effects of religion in all parts of the Eaft, is finccrely attached to ChriRianity. Miferably as this religion is corrupted in the Turkiih dominions, he does not hefitate to declare that the Chriftians are a better people than the Mahometans, or the Hincfpos, much as many unbelievers affect at leafl to boaflof them, with a view to difparage Chrifli- I have not, however, in this work confined tny- fclf to the religion of the Hindoos, but have given the bed account that I have been able to coll eel: of -the general outline of the religion of the Egyptians, and that of other ancient nations of which we have any certain knowledge. And as general principles and cufloms continue long^unchanged, efpecially in the Eaft, there cannot be any doubt but that we are fufficicntly well acquainted with every thing of much confcquence with the refpecl: to the (late of religion PREFACE. ix religion in the time of Mofes, and from the very commencement of polytaeifm afl I irlohi ry. And to every thing relating to this tubjeft it > all the friends of revelation to give the clofeft attention. Judging of others by myfclf, I can afTurc tnem that the comparifon will perpetually fuggefl to th-m the mofl lively fentiments of gratitude to the fovereign difpofer of all things, that that they were born in a Chriflian country, and never had their minds bewildered, and debafed. by the miferable fuperflition of any fyftem of heathenifm, or of Mahometanifm . The religion of the moft enlight- ened of the heathens was always moft abfurd and defpicable, while that of revelation was from the beginning truly rational and refpeftable, and as favourable to every virtue, as the other was to va- rious kinds of vice. Having compared the inftittitions of Mofes with thofe of the Hindoos, and of other ancient nations, it feemed not improper to add fome remarks on tbe late elaborate work of Mr. Dupuis, on ihe origin of all religions. That I have combated his principles with fuccefs is no great caufe of boafting. It had, in- deed, been done before by Mr. Eftlin of Brif- tol in England, in his Difcourfc on the nature and caufes of Athcifm, which, together with another excellent and well written tracl of his on the evi- dences x PREFACE. deuces of revealed religion, (in which he takes parti- cular notice of Mr. Paine* Age of ReafonJ I take this opportunity of recommending to my readers. I will add that I am not a little proud of having had inch a pupil, fo judicious an advocate for Ciii ; (lian (ruth, in an age in which the faicination of worldly purfuits has withdrawn fo many from it. An Addrefs to the Jews feemed not improper to be fubjoined to a defence of their religion ; and the prefent moft extraordinary ftate of things in the political world led me to think there might be a ftill greater propriety in this, confidering the great interefl that, according to the prophecies of fcrip- ture, they have fn it. If my mind be thought to have been too ftrongly imprefTed by prefent appear- ances, and that I look (boner than we are authoriz- ed ^o do for the fulfilment of the prophecies which have been the fubjecl; of fo much difcuffion by Jews and Chrifiians, and my apprehenfions appear to be ill founded, I (hall only (hare the fate of many learn- ed and worthy men who have gone before me. In this publication little will be found more than I ad- vanced in my Fajt Sermon for the year 1794, which has been reprinted in this country, tho' in the pro- grcfs of the war in Europe Come events have taken place exceedingly favourable to the apprehenfions I then expreffed. As PREFACE. xi As I wifhed to quote all my authorities with as much exaftnefs as poflible, I have feldom depart- ed from each writer's mode of fpelling Hindoo words ; and in this rcfpect they differ exceedingly from each other. But in order to remedy this in- convenience, I mail give a lift of fynonyms, with the different names of the fame Hindoo deities. Alfo, as I often abridge the titles of fome of the books that I quote, I fh;i 11 give then more at length, that the lefs learned reader may be under no miftake with refpecl: to them. It was my intention at one time, inftead of the mere. titles of the methodical arrangement of the laws and inftitutions of Mofcs, with references to the pla- ces in which they may be found, to have printed the whole at full length, and with notes. But as this would have made another volume, about as large as the prefent, I was deterred by the confi- deration of the expcnce of printing it. The Notes that I had prepared will be found among thofc which I have drawn up on all the looks of fcrip- turc, which is a work of confiderable extent, and will be at the fervice of my friends and the public whenever it fhall be called for. This is alfo the fituation of my Church Hijlory, which I have now brought down to the prefent time?, xii PREFACE. times, and which will make about five fuch vo- lumes as the two that are already printed. Hav- ing no other works of much confluence in view, and being now too far advanced in life to under- take any thing very rJSew, I mall keep giving my time to the improvement of thefe two ; and when- ever I meet with fufficient encouragement they mall be printed. I do not mean profit (for I fhall chearfully give my time and labour to what I think to be calculated to ferve the caufe of truth and vir- tue) but fuch afiftancc as will enable me to print the works without more expence to myfelf than I can conveniently afford. I have encouragement enough to fend my works to be printed irj^England. But befides the riik of fending rnanufcripts to fuch a diftance, at fuch a time as this, I could not be fatisfied with- out the power of correcting the prefs myfelf. I muft, therefore, wait for a more promifing ftate of things, here or in Europe ; believing, in the meantime, that whatever mall appear to be the order of providence, tho' it mould be the total f upprefiion of all my labours, as it was of many of them at the riots in Birmingham, it will not be a fubjecl; of juft complaint. Ourfelves, and all our labours, are at the difpofal of the great Being who made us, and who has endued us with what- ever PREFACE. xiii ever powers we are poflefled of. A diligent and well intended application of them is all that we can command, and therefore all that will be re- quired of us. As before the riots in Birmingham I was engag- ed with fome friends in a new tr (inflation of the fcripturcs, and had nearly finimed the part that I had undertaken, which was the Hagiographa, and which was deflroyed at that time, I mail here pub- lifh the Plan which I drew of that undertaking. If there be any merit in it, it may be refumed by others in more favourable circumflances. Since thus much of this Preface was written I have met with a work of Mr. Robifon's, iniitltd Proof s of a Confpiracy againft all the Religions and Governments of Europe, carried on in thefecrct Meetings of Free Mafonsjlliiminati, and readingSocieties. In this work I am charged, p. 354 with " preaching the deteft- able dodhines of illuminatifm/' which he defcribes as " fubverfive of all religion, all morality, and all regular government/' He fays, p. 355, that " I have given the mod promising fpccimens of my do- cility in the pinciples of illuminatifm, and have al- ready paffed thro' feveral degrees of initiation. From my do6trine of materialifm/' he fays, p. 358, <: there is but a ftep to the atheifm of 'Dide- rot xiv PREFACE. rot and Condorcet;" and p. 355, "I have been preparing the minds of my readers for atheifm by my theory of the mind, and my commentary on the unmeaning jargon of Dr. Hartley." I rejoice in having my name connected with that of fo great and excellent a man, a friend of Chriftianity, piety, and virtue, if ever there was one ; and who has written infinitely more to the purpofe in their defence than Mr. Robifon. Ad- mitting the do6lrine of vibrations (on which he might have Teen that neither Dr. Hartley nor my- felf lay any ftrefs) or that any other hypothecs con- cerning the nature of intelligence, to be ill fqunded, do we deny thai man is poffefled of intelligence ? Do we deny that there is a fupreme intelligence, that there is a righteous moral government of the world, and that men will be rewarded for their vir- tues, and punimed for their vices, in a future ftate ? To advance iolid arguments in proof of thofe great doctrines, the foundation of all rejigion and morali- ty, which is the objel of Dr. Hartley's work, and of many of mine, is, furely, a better evidence of our fincerity than mere declamation, or than the de- teclion of focieties ho Mile to religion and govern- ment ; tho* I readily allow Mr. Robifon to have much merit on this account. He PREFACE. xv He has given me much information on a fub- jeft of which I am wholly ignorant, having never been a free mafon, a member of any fecret fociety, or of any political fociety whatever. I have no fecrets. I write for the public at large, and my writings are open to examination, and of courfe to mifreprefentation, and to fuch abufe as Mr. Robi- fon and many others have poured upon them. But the time is coming that will try every mans 'work, and every man's thoughts. With refpeft to myfelf, that time cannot be very diftant; and I hope I may fay without fubjecling myfelf to any harfh cenfure, that, after a life of much adivity, and many trials, I do not wifh myfelf any farther from that time than I am. Becaufe, writing foon after the French revolu- tion, and while the French king was living, I au- gured well of it, Mr. Robifon plainly enough in- finuates that I am an enemy to all good govern- ment, and wifh to introduce univerfal anarchy, and licentioufnefs. But is this candid, or fair ? Not- withftanding, however, all the evil that has taken place (which has chiefly been owing to a moft im- politic, and I will add wicked and unprincipled coalition of other powers to di&ate to, and opprefs, that country) I flill truft that the confequence of that revolution will be great and happy, and that the xvi PREFACE. the final iffuc of the prefent difturbed flate of the world will be that glorious and moft defirable ftate of things which is the fubjeft of fo many prophe- cies, tho', according to the fame prophecies, the flate of things preceding this will be moft calamit- ous. Prefent appearances greatly favour this ex- pectation. The eye of fenfe fees the calamity, and the eye of faith fees with equal clearnefs the good that is to follow it. Synonyms of Hindoo Names and Deities. HINDOO, Gentoo. Veda, Ved, Beda, Bhade. Vedam, Bedang. Shaftah, Shafter, Saftra. Caliougam, Cal Jug. Mahabad, Menu, Mouni, Adam, Noah. Satyavarman, Satiavarto, Sattiavattna, Satya- varman, Noah. Brahma, Birma, Burmha, Brumma. Vichnou, Biftnoo, Kiftna, Kiflen, Chrifhnou ; Chriften, Narayen, Jaggernat, Rhaam. Siva, Seib, Chib, Chiven, Tchiven, Mahadeva, Moideb, Mahadco, Moifoor, Ifuren, Routren, Ruddery. Budda. PREFACE. xv ii Budda, Bod, Pout, Boutta, Fo, Odin, Xaca. Bramin, Brahmen. Chatariya, Cheterec. Vaiflya, Bice. Sudra, Soodcr, Choutre. Muni, Menu. Beafs, Biache, Vyafa. Gayatri, Goitre. Gebre, Parfi. Faquir, Joguis. The Titles of feme of the books quoted in this Work. TAISSERTATIONS and Mifcellaneous pie- *^ ces relating to the hiftory, and antiquities, the arts, faiences, and literature of Alia, 3 vols. 8vo. 1792, &c. Ezourvedam, on Ancien Commentaire du Ve- dam. Iverdun, 1778. Hiftoire du Chriftianifme dcs Indes, par La Croze, 2 vols. i2mo. 1758. Sketches chiefly relating to the Hiflory, Religi- on, Learning, and Manners, of the Hindoos. 2 vols, 8vo. 1792. A Code ' PREFACE. A Code of Gent:oo Laws, or Ordinations of the Pandits, from a Perfian Translation, made from the original written in the Shanfcrit language, 8vo. 1777. Northern. Antiquities, tranflated from Mr. Mal- let by Dr. Percy, 2 vols. 8vo. 1770. The As c of the Cufloms of the Eafl- Indians with thofe of the Jews and other antient P.ec r 3. 1705. An Account of the Religion, Manners, and ..rning of Malabar, in feveral Letters written by fome of the moft learned Men of that Country to Daniih Miflionaries, By Mr. Philips, 1717. Hifloire de Li Religion des Banians, &c. tra- cluit dc I'Anglois, de Henry Lord, i2mo. 1667. The Ceremonies and religious Culioms of the various Nations of the known World. By B. Pi cart, abridged from the French Original, Folio, J 74> i A Relation of the Voyage to Siam performed by fix Jefuits, fent by the French King in 1685. London, 1688. A DiiFertation on the Languages, Literature, Manners, of Eafiern Na ions, by John Rich- , 8vo. 1778. Voyage PREFACE. Voyage de Niebuhr en Arabic, 2 Toms. 8vo 1780. A new Account of the Eafi;- Indies, by Alex- ander Hamilton, 2 vols, 8vo. 1727. A Journey over Land to the Eafi Indies, by Don- ald Campbell of Barbree, 8 vo. Philadelphia, i?97 Oeuvres de Boulanger, 8 Tom. 1778. N. B. The paffage of this work referred to p. 221, is vol. i, p, 58, is Antiquite dmoilce, Liv. i. cap. 2. Note. A PLAN to procure a continually improving Trc lation of the Scriptures. ! ET three perfons, of fimilar principles -*-* and views, procure the a Hi fiance of a number of their learned friends, and let each of them undertake the tranflation of a portion of the whole Bible, engaging to produce *'t in the fpace of a year. 1 1 . Let each of the tranflations be carefully perufed by fome other perfon than the tranilator kimfelf ; and efpecially let each of the three prin- cipals xx PREFACE. cipals pcrufe the whole, and communicate their re- marks to the translators. III. Let the three principals have the power of making what alterations they pleafe. But if the proper tranflator prefer his own verfion, let the three principals, when they print the work, infert his verfion in the notes, or margin, diftinguilhed by bis iignature. IV If any one of the three differ in opinion from the other two, let his verfion be alfo annexed with his fignature. V. Let the whole be printed in one volume, without any notes, except as few as poffible, relat- ing to the verfion, or the phrafeology. VI. Let the tranflators, and efpecially the three principals, give conftant attention to all other new tranflations of the fcriptures, and all other fources of information, that they may avail themfelves of them in all fubfequent editions, fo that this verfion may always be in a ftate of improvement. VII. Let the three principals agree upon cer- tain rules of tranfiating, to be obferved by all the reft. VIII. On the death of any of the three princi- pals, PREFACE. xxi pals, let the furvivors make choice of another to fupply his place. IX. Let all the profits of the publication be difpofedof by the three principals to fome public inftitution, in England or any other part of the world ; or in any other manner that they fhall think moft fubfervient to the caufe of truth. RULES OF TRANSLATING. I. LET the tranflators infcrt in the text what- ever they think it mod probable that the authors really wrote, if it has the authority of any ancient vcrfion or MS. but if it differ from the prefent He- brew or Greek copies, let the verfion of the prefent copies be inferted in the margin. II. If the tianflators give the preference to any emendation of the text not authorized by any MS. or ancient verfion, let fuch conjectural emendation be inferted in the margin only. III. Let the additions in the Samaritan copy of the Pentateuch be inferted in the text, but diftin- guifhed from the reft. IV. Let xxii PREFACE. Let not the prefent Englifh verfion be ehanged, except for the fake of fome improvement. V. In the Old Teftament, let the word Jehovah be rendered by Jehovah, and alto the word kurios in the New, in paffages in which there is an allufion to the Old, or where it may be proper to diftinguifli God from Chrift. VI. Let the prefent divifion of chapters be ad- hered to, with as little variation as poffible, and the whole be divided into paragraphs, not exceed- ing about twenty of the prefent verfes; but let all the prefent divilions of chapters and verfes bs no- ted in the margin, VII. To each chapter let there be prefixed a fumrnary of the contents, as in the common ver- fion. CONTENTS. THE CONTENTS. 1 HE INTRODUCTION Page i SECTION I. Of the Antiquity of the Hindoo Nation and Religion, - - 7 SECTION II. Points of Refemblance between the Religion of the Hindoos and that of the Egyptians, Greeks, and other wefteni Nations, 15 SECTION III. Of the Veda's, and other facred Books of the Hindoos, 24 SECTION IV. Of the Agreement of the Hindoo Principles and Traditions, and thofe of other ancient Nations, with the Writings of Mofcs, 33 SECTION V. Of the Creation, and the general Principles of the Hindoo Philofophy, 49 SECTION VI. Of the Hindoo Polytheifm, and Idolatry, 7j SECTION VII. Of the Religion of Egypt, - -92 SECTION VIII. xxiv THE CONTENTS. SECTION VIII. Of the Religion of the Schamans, 105 SECTION IX. Of the different Cafts among the Hindoos, n I SECTION X. Of the Bramins, 121 SECTION XL Of the Prerogatives of the Kings, 141 SECTION XII. Of the Situation of Women among the Hin- doos, 148 SECTION XIII. Of the Devotion of the Hindoos, 155 SECTION XIV. Of the Reftrictions of the Hindoos and other ancient Nations with refpeft to Food, - 1 68 SECTION XV. Of the Aufterities of the Hindoos and other heathen Nations, 178 SECTION XVI. Of the Hindoo Penances, 198 SECTION XVII. Of the Superftition of the Hindoos and others for the Cow, and alfo for the elements of Fire and Water, - 208 SECTION XVIIL THE CONTENTS. X xv SECTION XVIII. Of the licentious Rites of the Hindoo and other ancient Religions, - 223 SECTION XIX. Of Charms and Fortunate Times, 231 SECTION XX. Of Trial by Ordeal. SECTION XXI. Of various Kinds of Superftition, 247 SECTION XXII. Of the Devotion of the Modern Jews, 255 SECTION XXIII. Of the Hindoo Doclrine of a future State, 260 SECTION XXIV. Concluding Reflections, - 276 REMARKS ON MR. DUPUlS's ORIGIN OF ALL RELIGIONS. THE INTRODUCTION. 301 SECTION I. Of the Argument concerning the Being of a God, 304 SECTION II. Of the Age of the World, 310 SECTION III. Of the Hiftoiy, and the Inftitutions of Mofes, 31 8 SECTION IV. Of Chriilianity, 340 f APPENDIX. xxvi THE CONTENTS. APPENDIX. Of the Allegorizing Talents of Mr. Boulanger, 365 THE LAWS AND INSTITUTIONS or MOSES METHODIZED. The Principal Objeft of the Hebrew Religi- on, and fome general Maxims of it, - 373 The Introduction, containing an Account of the Cir- cumjlances attending the Delivery of the Law, Ex. xxix, I.. .25. PART I. Laws relating to Idolatry, 379 PART IL Criminal and Civil Laws, 380 PART III. Precepts of Morality, - 381 PART IV. Rules relating to Food, 382 PART V. Rules relating to Defilement, - 383 PART VI. Of Feftivals and Fafts, - ,. 383 PART VII. Of the firft Fruits, . - 384 PART VIII. Of the Tabernacle, and the things contain- ed in it, PART Of Offerings, . 387 PART X. THE CONTENTS. XXVll PART X. Of the Priefts and Levites, PART XI. Of the Nazaritcs, PART XII. Of Vows, PART XIII. Laws of War, PART XIV. Miscellaneous Articles. PART XV. Exhortations to Obedience, AN ADDRESS TO THE JEWS. 388 389 389 390 39 39 1 393 ERRATA. N. B. (b) fignifiei from the bottom of the page. Page 28. 1. I. (b} for myftical theology, read myftical philofophy. 53- . 8. for \vhom, read whofe. 56. 9- ' of, of a. 61. 9. (b) thcfc, there. 88. 6. i, in. 151. .13. their, thefe. 218. i. (b) the, for the. 294. n. (b) inftitution, inftitutions. 298. . 2. (b) it, is. 301. , 9 . (b) in, ne. 3'7- . 10. (b) and was, was. 3*7- 4. (b) our, own. 34i. 7- Chrift, ofChrift. 37J. 7 rcfpca, with rc:pe&. 39*- . i. (b) a, of. 405. 3- (b) Edomctes> the Edomttes. 410. 1. 8. (b) is, is fo. H E INTRODUCTION. TH E inftitutions of the Hindoos, civil and religious, are the moft refpe&able for their antiquity of any that now fubfift, at leaft of any that are extant in writing. The fundamental prin- ciples of them were probably prior to thofe of Mofes, the whole of the fyftem in its prefent ftate could not have been much later than his time, and we are now happily in pofleflion of the moft authentic documents concerning it. We only want a tranflation into fome European language of the Veda's, which contain all their laws, as they are faid to have come from the mouth of Brahma, by the immediate direction of the Supreme Being, The original we are informed is now in the pof- feflion of an Englifhma"., and therefore it is to be hoped : Tfe Trijlitutions of Mofes and -not be long without an Englifh verfion of books of fo much curiofity. In the mean time we have other works compofed by Hindoos, which contain a faithful account of every thing of importance in them; and therefore, as we connot be in any doubt with refpeft to their genuine prin- ciples, it is in our power to examine them without any danger of falling into the leaft mi flake of con- fequence ; tho' more exprefs and dire6l authorities may hereafter be produced from the Veda's them- felves. The Hindoos and their inflitutions are held in the higheft admiration by many Europeans who have cultivated an acquaintance with them. ' They * have/ fays Mr. Holwell, ' from the earliefl times * been the ornaments of the creation/ Mr. Langles the French tranflator of the Hitopades, a curious book of Indian Fables, calls the authors of the Hindoo religion ' venerable inflitutors, who de- 4 livered precepts of the foundeft morality, and a 1 fyflem of metaphyfics truly fublime, hid under 1 an ingenious veil of allegory. (Preliminary Dif- * courfe, p. 7.) Their religion, he fays, p. 10. re- 4 putable in its errors, boafts, like every other, a 6 celeflial origin/ Every thing of great antiquity relating to any part of the human fpecies muft be interefting, not only to their pofterity, but to all mankind; as the inflitutions Thofe of the Hindoos, &?c. compared. 3 jnftitutions of their remote anceftors mud be capa- ble of receiving fome illuftration from the know- ledge of them. For fome relation or other, by connection or oppolition, mufl have fubfifted be- tween them. ' In the religion of the Hindoos/ fays Mr. Langles, * notwithstanding all the alte- ' rations it has undergone, we diftinguifh in its ' morals, in its doctrines, and in its ceremonies, * thofe of the Egyptians and Jews; who have done nothing but ape (finger) the latter, of the * Chinefe, of the Greeks, of the Romans, and even ' of the Chriftians/ This writer farther fays, p. 22. " The five Veda's, * of which four only now remain, feem to be the ' prototype of the five kings of the Chinefe, and the ' five books of Mofes, who have only copied Egyp- * tian works, originally from India." Then, fpeak- ing of the Egyptians and Jews, he fays, p. 24, ' They have altered them, and mixed them with ' fables, to adapt them to the genius and tafte of ' their countrymen ; but they have not been able ' to efface marks of refemblance, which would be 6 more finking if we had a more complete tranfla- * tion of the Indian original, and of the Chinefe f imitation. I have, however, collected circum- ' fiances of comparifon fufficient to convince the ' mofl incredulous if they be honefl. This I re- * ferve for a particular dilTertation on the confor- ' mity 4 The Injlitutions of Mofes and * mity of the Chinefe, the Egyptians, and Jews, ' with the Indians. I confider," he fays, page 15, * the Pentateuch as an abridgment of the Egypti- ' an books, the original of which ftill exifts in In- * dia, where literature was cultivated long before 6 Egypt was made habitable by the labour of men. * Mofes," he fays p. 14, " educated at the court of ' Pharoah, endowed with talents and knowledge, * which never entered into the head of a Jew, made ' ufe ot it to form a body of laws for a fmall horde 6 of flaves, whofe efcape he favoured/ This having been advanced, it behoves both Jews and Chriflians to confider what relation their inftitutions bear to thofe from which they are faid to have been derived. Our author, we fee, has pro- mifed to do this for us in another work ; but as I have not heard of its being executed, and it is uncertain whether his defign will ever be carried into executi- on, it is worth our while, in abufmefs of fo much importance, to examine the probable ground of his opinion. And from the attention that I have gi- ven to the fubjeft I am under no apprehenfion of the inftitutions of Mofes loiing any part of the ref- pecl: that has hitherto been paid to them, in con- fequence of a fair comparifon with thofe of the Hin- doos, or thofe of any other ancient nation. On the contraiy, I am perfuaded that the wif- dom of the laws, and of the religion, prefcribed in the Thofe of the Hindoos, &c. compared. J the writings of Mofes, and in the books of the Old Teflament in general, which are written in the fame fpirit, will appear to fo much advantage, when con- traded with thofe of the Hindoos, that, confidering the little opportunity that Mofes, or any perfon of his nation, could have had for acquiring fupc- rior knowledge, the origin of his inftitutions can- not but be concluded to have been divine. That the five books of Mofes could have been compofed; from the five Veda's, if ever there were five (for* three only are mentioned in the oldeft Hindod writings and a fourth was added afterwards) could hardly, I mould have thought, have been aflerted by any perfon who had read the pentateuch, and fuch accounts as we have of the Veda's. The Inftitutions of Menu are next in authority to the Veda's themfelves, and they contain a faithful account of every thing that is of much importance in them ; and of this work Sir William Jones, who tranflated it, fays, " It is a fyftem of defpotifm and 6 prieftcraft, both indeed limited by law, but art- * fully conftru&ed to give mutual fupport, tho' ' with mutual checks. It is filled with ftrange con- ' ceits in Metaphyfics, and Natural Philofophy, * with idle fuperilitions, and with a fcheme of the- ' ology moft obfcurely figurative, and confequent- ' ly liable to dangerous mifconception. It a- * bounds with minute and childifh formalities, with ceremonies 6 . The Inflitutions of Mofes and ' ceremonies generally abfurd, and often ridicu- ' ,lous. The puniCbments are partial and fanciful ; * for fome crimes dreadfully cruel, and for others 6 reprehenuvely flight, and the very morals, tho' ri- ' gid enough, on the whole, are in one or two in- * fiances, as in the cafe of light oaths, and pious per- * juries, unaccountably relaxed. Neverthelefs,. a * fpirit of fublirne devotion, of benevolence to ' mankind, and of amiable tendernefs to all fenti- ' ent creatures, pervades the whole work." (Dif- fertations relating to Afia, Preface, p. 18.) Thefe two men, Mr. Langles and Sir William Jones, both tranflators of Hindoo writings, muft have had very different ideas of their inftitutions ; and when men of learning, equally acquainted with the religion and language of thefe people, dif- fer fo widely in their opinion, on a fubjecl: of fo much importance, it behoves every perfon who can do it to judge for himfelf. Having attentively con- fidered all that Europeans as yet know of the Hindoos, I muft fay that I entirely agree with Sir William Jones in the former part of the opinion gi- ven above, but not in the latter part of it. There are, no doubt, fome fentiments of juft, and what may be called fub lime, devotion in the Hindoo wri- tings. For if devotional fentiments be juft, they muft, from the greatnefs of the object, partake of the fublirne. Brit the general character of the de- votion Thofe of the Hindoos, ?<;. compared. j votion of the Hindoos is that of a debating fuper- ftition ; and their tendernefs for animals is chiefly fu- perflition and weaknefs, derived from their do&rine of tranfmigration. But tho' I give my opinion with this freedom, my readers will have it in their power to judge for themfelves, from the copious ex- tracts which I ihall lay before them from Hindoo books, and the teftimony of travellers of the great- eft credit, fuch as are allowed to have been thebeft informed concerning the religion, the cuftoms, and the government, of Hindoftan. SECTION I. Of the Antiquity of the Hindoo Nation and Religion. THE Hindoos, like the Egyptians, and moft other ancient nations, make a boaft of the moft extravagant antiquity; and fome perfons, evi- dently with a view to undervalue the Jews, give or affeft to give, them credit. Mr. Langles fays, (H'itopades, Difcours Preliminaire, p. 12,) 'many ' thoufand years before thefe people' (among whom he includes the Egyptians, Jews, and Chi- nefe,) < formed themfelves into focieties, or ever ' thought 8 The Injlitutions of Mofes and * thought of forming a religion, the civilized In- ' dians adored the Supreme Being, eternal, almigh- ' ty and allwife, divided into three perfons/ Happily, thefe extravagant accounts contain data by means of which we are able, from our know- ledge of the courfe of nature, to reduce thefe enor- mous antiquities within the bounds of reafon and probability. An excellent fpecimen of this has been given by Sir Ifaac Newton, in his Chronology of ancient kingdoms amended. By fuch lights as thefe, perfons of fagacity and good judgment have made it appear with fufficient evidence, that the oldefl accounts of the Hindoo nation do not in reality go any farther back than to the deluge mentioned in the books of Mofes, and that their religious in- ftitutions were confequently poflerior to that event. Some unbelievers in revelation have had the can- dour to avow this opinion. There is, however, no doubt of the very great antiquity of the Hin- doo religion. Sir William Jones fays. (Diflertations relating to AJia, vol. i. p. 199) ' The firft corruption of the { purefl and oldeft religion, which confifted in the * worfhip of one God, the maker and governor 6 of all things, was the fyftem of the Indian theo- { logy, invented by the Bramins, and prevailing in c thofe territories where the books of Mahabad or ' Menu is at this hour the ftandard of all religious and Thofe of the Hindoos, (3c. compared. A and moral duties.' In his preface to the Inftitu- tions of Menu he fays, p. 4. " They are fuppofed * by the Bramins, to have been promulgated by * Menu, the fon or grandfon of Brahma, or the ' firft of created beings. This work, he fays, p. 7, ' is one of the oldefl competitions exifting, writ- ' ten about three hundred years after the Veda's, ' or about 1280 years before Chrift/ According to this account, the Veda's were* compofed about 1580 years before Chrift, or about one hundred years before the time of Mofes. Me- nu himfelf, to whom thefe Inftitutes are afcribed, was, Sir William Jones is of opinion, the fame with Adam. (Preface, p. 12) and that a fecond Menu Was Noah ( Differtations relating to Afia, vol. i, P- 3^40 The opinion of Mr. Freret and Mr. Bailly, no friends of revelation, are nearly the fame with this of Sir William Jones. According to the former, the period called Caliougam is the commencement of real Hindoo hiftory, every thing preceding id being merely fabulous ; and then the year of Chrift 1778 will correfpond to the Hindoo year 4880 (Ezourvcdam, vol. 2, p. 216) Mr. Bailly fays the Indian aftronomy had its origin 3 102 years be- fore Chrift (Sketches relating to the hi/lory, &. of the Hindoos, p. 307) Nay the moft learned of the Bramins themfclves fay that the Veda's are not ol- B io The Inftitutions of Mofes and derthan 4866 years (Ezourvedam, vol. 2, p. 216) which carries them to about 260 years after the de- luge. Thi5 is the date that Mr. Holwell affigns to the original Chartah Bhade Shajlah, as he calls the work. A thoufand years after this, he fays, fome expounders of the work publifhed a paraphrafe of it, retaining the original intire. This was called Chahta Bhade. From this he fays the polytheifm of the Gentoos took its rife. ' Five hundred years c later a new expofition of the Shaftah was pub- 6 limed called Auchtorrah Bhade Shajlah, or the 1 eighteen books of divine words, in which the origi- ' nal text was in a manner funk, and alluded to on- 1 ly. At this time many of the ceremonies and ex- ' terior modes of worfhip were introduced, and the ' whole of their religion enveloped in impenetrable ' obfcurity and allegory, and the laity excluded from ' the knowledge of the ancient fcriptures. This,' he fays, c occafioned a fchifm among the Gentoos, * the Bramins of Coromandel and Malabar adhe- * ring to the old fyftem, and thofe who refided near e the Ganges adopting the innovations/' (Inter- ejling Hijlorical Events, vol.2, p. 14, &c.) Mr. Dow fays, * the firft credible account we ' have of the Beda's is that about the commence- 1 ment of the Cal Jug, of which the year of Chrifl ' 1769 was the 4887^1, they were written, or ra- ther Thofe of the Hindoos, G?c. compared. 1 1 colle&ed, by a great philofopher called Beafs Mw- ni s or #e<2/s tfAe infpired. This learned man is o- therwife called Crijhen Bafdeo, and is faid to have lived in the reign of Judifhter, near the prefent city of Dehli." (HiJIory of Indoftan, p. 27.) According to the learned Pundits who compiled the Code of Gentoo laws, the Shafler, that is the Veda's, were not compofed till crimes became com- mon. (Introdu&ion, p. 101.) They fay, p. 102, that for fome periods after the creation, there were no crimes, magiftrates, or punifhments ; and as the Hindoos believe in the deluge, which they fay deflroyed all the human race, except eight perfons, the compofition of thefe books muft neceflarily have been a confiderable time after that event. For their laws are contained in thefe books. It is the opinion of Sir William Jones that the origin of the Hindoo nation and government is to be looked for in Iran, or Perfia, where a great mo- narchy was eftablimed before the Aflyrian, called by the Oriental hiftorians the Pifhdadian dynafly ; and they fay that " the firft of thefe ancient mo- narchs, whom they call Mahabad, or Menu, re- ceived from the Creator, a facred book, in a hea- venly language, meaning the Veda's (Differ tat ions relating to Afia, vol. 2, p. in.) This firft mo- narch, they alfo fay, divided the people into four orders, the religious, the military; the commercial, and 1 2 The Inflitutions 'of Mofes and the fervile, ( Dijfertations relating to Afia> vol. i, p. 197. 206.) This, therefore, muft have been a Hindoo government. In the reign of Hufhang, the third of the Pirn- dadian race, " a reformation^ he fays was made in the religious fyftem, when the complex polytheifm of the preceding times was rejected, and religion was reduced to what is ufually called Sabaifnt^ which confifted chiefly in the worfhip of the fun, moon and ftars * ib. p. 198. The laws of Ma- habad were, however, retained, and his fuperfti- tious veneration for fire, p. 200. On this the favourers of the old religion retired to Hindoftan, and their oldeft exifting laws forbad them ever to return, or to leave the country they now inhabit, p. 206. Another reformation, or change, in the fyftem was made, he fays, under Gufhtafp, in the next, or the Kaianite dynafty, thought to have been the fame with Darius Hyftafpis, &c, " This was ef- fected by Zeratufht, or Zoroafter ; he introduced genii, or angels, prefiding over months and days, new ceremonies in the veneration fhewn to fire, and gave out a new work, which he faid came from hea- ven, but withal he eftablifhed the adoration of the Supreme Being, ib. p. 200. This work was loft * Sabaifm, being a much more {imple religion than that pf the Hindoos, muft, I doubt not, have preceded it. Thofeof the Hindoos, &c. compared. 13 at theconqueft of Perfia by the Mahometans ; but the priefts of that religion have compofed another from what they were able to recollect of their in- ftitutions. It is called Zcndavejla, and has been tranflated into French by Mr. Anquetil." The followers of Zeratufht, now called Gebres, or Parfi's, perfecuted thofe of the religion immedi- ately preceding, and thefe alfo took refuge in In- dia, where they wrote a number of books, which are now very fcarce, p. 182. They refemble, Sir William Jones fays, the Hindoo fe&s of S auras, and Saguinas, of which the laft mentioned is very numerous at Benares. Another innovator in the religion of the Eafl before the chriftian aera was Budda, generally fup- pofed to have been the fame with the Fo of the Chinefe, the Somonocodom of Siam, the Xaca of Japan and the Odin of the North of Europe. Ac- cording to Sir William Jones, he difapproved of the Veda's ; becaufe they enjoined the facrifice of cattle, p. 23, and made his appearance in 1027 B. C. His difciples are thought to have been the fame with the Sammanes who were oppofed to the Brachmanes of the Greek hiftorians. But the Sam- manes were, I doubt not, of much greater antiqui- ty, as alfo was Somonocodom. The followers of Budda gave great umbrage to the Bramins, who never ceafed to perfecute them till they had effect- The Inftitutions of Mofes and ed their extirpation from Hindoftan by fire and f word, about five hundred years ago (Ezourvedam, p. 72, 105, Modern Univerfal Hijlory vol. 7, p. There is, however, a great refemblance between the fyftem of the Hindoos and that of Budda ; and perhaps with a view to conciliate thefe people, the Bramins of Cafi make Budda the ninth avatar or transformation of Vichnow ( Differ tations relating to AJia, vol. 2, p. 13.) This religion is that which prevails in India beyond the Ganges. It was re- ceived in China A. D. 65, and is eftablifhed in Japan. A religion very fimilar to this is alfo that of the Lamas of Tibet. Indeed, all the deviations from the original Hin- doo fyftem retained the fame general principles. The advocates of them all held the do&rine of the pre-exiftence of fouls, their fubfi fling and acting independently of bodies, and their tranfmigration into other bodies after death. They had the fame low opinion of matter, and the fame veneration for the elements of fire and water, as purifiers of the foul. They had fimilar reftriftions with refpeft to food, the fame addi&ednefs to divination, and the fame idea of the ufe of corporeal aufterities for the ex- piation of fin. I fhall, therefore in this work con- fider what I find concerning any of them, as equal- ly to my purpofe. tho' I fhall not fail to diftinguifh what Thofe of tht Hindoos, &7c. compared 15 what belongs to each. They are all very ancient oriental religions, and it may not be amifs to com- pare the inftitutions of Mofes with the mofl im- proved of them, as well as with thofe that were coeval with himfelf. SECTION II. Points of Refemblance between the Religions of the Hindoos and that o/ the Egyptians, Greeks, and ether wejlern Nations. IT may be thought to be of fome importance to compare the inftitutions of Mofes with thofe with which he may be fuppofed to have been ac- quainted, rather than with thofe which were mere- ly of equal antiquity. But in faft thofe of the Hindoos are in this ftate, fince the fame general principles may be found in them and in thofe of the Egyptians and other nations in the neighbour- hood of Paleftine. Indeed, it is probable from this and other circumftances, that the commence- ment of all thefe fyftems which deviated from the religion of the patriarchs (which is prefervedin the writings of Mofes) was prior to the general difper- fion of mankind. A 1 6 The Inftitutions of Mofes and A fyflem fo ancient as that of the Hindoos mail have been formed about the fame time with that of the Egyptians, from which that of the Greeks, and other weftern nations was in fome meafure deriv- ed ; and accordingly many points of refemblance have been obferved between them, too many and too (hiking, to have been fortuitous. Even fome of the inhabitants of Ethiopia appear to have been of the fame origin with thofe of Hindoftan (Dif- fertations relating to Afia, vol. i, p. 112) and both the Ethiopians and Egyptians feem to have had fome connection or intercourfe with the Hindoos ; but of what kind it was, or when it fubfifted, we have no certain account ; and they have been fo long feparated, that at prefent they are in total igno- rance of each other. According to Eufebius and Syncellus, fome! people from the river Indus fettled in the neigh- bourhood of Egypt in the reign of Amenophis, the father of Sefoftris, and many Egyptians, ba- niflied by their princes, fettled in other countries, and fome went fo far as India (Ezourvedam, p. 15. 1 6- ) It is alfo fuppofed that many of the priefls of Egypt left the country on the invafion of it by Cambyfes. But fuch circumftances as thefe are not fufficient to account for the great refemblance between the two fyftems. The Hindoos them- felves fay that their facred books came from the Weft, Thofe of the Hindoos, G?c. compared. 1 7 Weft. Ib. p. 17. But themfelves, no doubt, as well as their books, came from that quarter, and their facred books were probably compofed while the feat of the empire was in Perfia. There are a few Egyptian words fimilar to thofe in the ancient language of Hindoftan, which feem to fhew that the two people had fome affinity to each other. Brama, pronounced birouma in Ma- labar, fignifies man, and fo did pirouma in the Ian* guage of Egypt. (La Croze, p. 225) The name of the river of Egypt, Nile, is probably Sanfcrit, fince nila in that language fignifies blue (Differta* tions relating to AJia, vol. i, p. 58) and the ancients fay it had its name from that colour. But circumflances of much more importance than thefe difcover fome early connexion between Hindoftan and Egypt. The names and figures of the twelve figns of the Zodiac among the Hindoos are nearly the fame with ours, which came from Egypt thro* Greece, and each of thefe figns is di- vided into thirty degrees (Sketches relating to the hiftory, &?c. of the Hindoos, p. 312) Both the Egyp- tians and Hindoos had alfo the fame divifion of time into weeks, and they denominated each of the. days by the names of the fame planets (La Croze, P- 309) The refemblance between the Oriental and Occi- dental fyftems extends much farther than Egypt, C The 1 8 The Inftitutions of Mofes and The office and power of the Druids in the nor- thern parts of Europe, did not differ much from thofe of the Bramins ; and the Etrufcans, from whom the Romans derived the greateft part of their learning and religion, had a fyflem which had a near affinity with that of the Perlians and Indians, and they wrote alternately to the right hand and the left ( Differtations relating to Aft a, vol. 2, p. 348.) Several remarkable general principles were held alike by the ancient Egyptians and the modern Hin- doos. They both believed that the fouls of men exifted in a prior (late, and that they go into other bodies after death. They had the fame ideas of the body being a prifon to the foul, and imagined that they could purify and exalt the foul by the mortification of the body ; and from the idea of the great fuperiority of fpiritual to corporeal fubftances, they held all matter in great con- tempt. They alfo both believed that plants had a principle of animation (La Croze p. 232) Several religious ideas and cufloms were com- mon to both countries. The Egyptians of Thebais reprefented the world under the figure of an egg, which came from the mouth of Cneph, (Ezourve- dam, p. 18) and this we mail mew, refembled the firfl production according to the Hindoo fyflem. Several of the Egyptian deities were both male and female Thofe of the Hindoos, ?c. compared. 10, female, which correfponds to the figure of the lin- gam with the Hindoos, ib. p. 24. This obfcene figure, at leaft the phallus, was much ufed in the Egyptian worihip, and from Egypt it was carried into Greece, where it was ufed in the myfteries of Bacchus. As the Hindoos worfhip their god Ifu- ren under this figure, and likewife carry it in pro- ceffion, the Egyptians and Greeks did the fame with the phallus (La Croze, p. 227.) Alfo the laf- civious poftures of the Egyptian women before their god Apis, were the fame with thofe of the Hindoo women before their idols (Ezourvedam p. 33) Laftly, the Hindoos chufe their facred bulls by the fame marks that were ufed by the Egypti- ans (Differtations relating to Afia, vol. 2, p. 196.) The account of the flight of the Egyptian gods, as given by the Greeks, and their concealing them- felves under the forms of animals, bears fome ref- emblance to the various transformations of Vich- now, of which an account will be given hereafter. The Egyptians worfhipped the Nile, as the Hin- doos do the Ganges. Some of the Hindoo temples have the fame remarkable form, viz. that of a pyra- mid, or cone. For that the pyramids of Egypt had fome religious ufe can hardly be doubted. All the pagoda's are in that form, or have towers of that form in the buildings which furround them. The temples in Pegu are alfo of a conical form (Modern 20 The Injlitutions of Mofes and (Modern Univerfal Hi/lory, vol. 7, p. 58.) Sir William Jones fays that the pyramids of Egypt, as well as thofe lately difcovered in Ireland, and probably alfo the tower of Babel, feem to have been intended for images of Mahadeva, or Siva, ( Dif- fer tations relating to Aft a, vol. i, p. 34 J Laftly, the onion, which was held in veneration by the Egyptians, is not eaten by the Hindoos. (Sketches relating to the hiflory, &c. of the Hindoos, vol. 2. p. 6.J Not only do we find the fame general princi- ples, and the fame, or fimilar, religious cuftoms, but fome of the fame gods among the Hindoos, Egyptians and Greeks. The Egyptian Cneph was the Supreme intelligence, which was never loft fight of by the Hindoos. With the Egyptians I/is represented not only the moon, but fometimes the powers of nature, which were fuppofed to have been in a great meafure derived from the moon ; and in Bengal and Japan alfo the fame is called Ifari, or Ifi, and is defcribed as a god- defs with many arms (Differtations relating to AJia, vol. i, p. 232) But according to Sir Wil- liam Jones, If war a of the Hindoos is the Ofe- ris of the Egyptians, ib. p. 49, and Nared, a diftinguifhed fon of Brahma, refembles Hermes, or Mercury. A ftatue of Jupiter had a third eye in its forehead, and Seva has three eyes, ib. p. 42. Difdorus Thofe of the Hindoos, &?c. compared. 21 Diodorus Siculus and Plutarch fay that Ofiris fig- nifies a perfon that has many eyes, and Ifuren is drawn with an additional eye in his forehead, tho* the phallus is his ufual form. (Ezourvedam, p. 229) Ofiris was faid to have been killed by Ty- phon, and Chib cut off the head of Brahma ib. P- 23. Indra of the Hindoos, called alfo Divefpiter, is Jupiter, or Diespiter; the bull of Ifwara is the Apis, or Ap, of Egypt ( Differ tations relating to Afia, vol. i, p. 50) Cartraya, with fix faces and many eyes, was the Egyptian Orus, and the Mars of Italy, ib. p. 49. Sri, or Sris, called alfo Ped- ma, and Camala, was Ceres, ib. p. 30, and accord- ing to Herodotus (Lib. 2, fee. 63) fhe was the E- gyptian Ifis. Ganefa was Janus. ( Differ tations relating to AJia, vol. i, p. 8.) Vifuacarman, the Indian forger of arms for the gods, was Vulcan, ib. p. 64. The Rama of India is Dionyfos, cal- led alfo Bromius by th^ Greeks ; Chrifhnou, or Vichnou, is Apollo, and in Iriih it fignifies the fun, ib. p. 66, According to the Veda's, and other facred books, a bad genius, or giant, feizes on the fun and moon when they are eclipfed, and the Egyptians afcribed the fame thing to their Ty- phon, who was faid even to have fwallowed their god Horus, or the Sun, (Ezourvedam, p. 21.) The Egyptians at certain feftivals carried the images 22 The Inftitutions of Mofes and images of their gods in proceflion. Herodotus fays they drew one of them on a carriage with four wheels, (Lib. 2, Sec. 63. ) and the fame is now done by the Hindoos. The Egyptians held cows, in much greater veneration than any other animals ib.fec. 41. They were facred to Ifis, and never facrificed. Some fuperftitious refpecl was alfo paid to horned cattle by the ancient Perfians. In an ac- counlof the Zendavefla, Ormufd, the Supreme Being, directs Zerdufht to render worfhip and praife to the Supreme ox, and to the rain, of which the angel Jaflater, who fubfifts in the form of an ox, is the diftributer (Annual Regijler for 1762, p. 117.) The Hindoos make fome ufe of the image of a bull, as Mr. Sonnerat informs us in his ac- count of fome of their temples, tho* they do not carry their fuperftition in this refpeft fo far as the Egyptians, who made live bulls the immediate ob- jects of their worlhip. Tho' there may be fomething of bold conjecture, and confequently of uncertainty, in fome of thefe fuppofitions, they feem to be pretty well fupport- ed by the writers referred to; and it is evident on the whole, that at leaft a fyftem very fimilar to that of the prefent Hindoos muft have been of very great antiquity, and prior to the general dif- perfion of mankind. For tho' fimilar fituations may lead to fimilar fentiments, and correfponding practices Thofc of the Hindoos, fc?c. compared. 23 practices, to men living at a great diflance from each other, the above mentioned fimilarity is too great, and extends to too many particulars, to be accounted for in this way. It is not at all extraordinary that men who had no communication with each other mould be equally worfhippers of the fun, moon and ftars, that they mould fancy deep caverns, or thick woods, to be haunted with fpirits, that particular rivers mould have their feveral genii, or deities, dif- penfing their waters at their pleafure, as the fun, they might fuppofe, did his heat, and the moon, the ftars, and the planets their peculiar influences. But that they mould adopt the fame rites in the worfhip of thefe natural deities, and efpecially that they mould give them attributes, and even names, fo nearly alike, is beyond the effe 61 of accident. But tho* this confideration proves the great anti- quity of the general outline of the Hindoo religion, it is impoflible that a fyftem fo extenfive and com- plex as this is, and implying fuch abftrufe meta- phyfics, mould have been completed at a very ear- ly period. Tho' erroneous, wild, and abfurd. in the extreme, as it will foon be feen to be, it mufl have been the refult of much reflection, which neceflarily requires leifure ; and this muft have been fubfequent to the rudeft ages of mankind. I cannot help concluding, therefore, that indepen- dently 24 The Injlitutions of Mofes and dently of any pofitive evidence, it could not have had its origin long before the time of Mofes. There is, confequently, nothing unfair in the comparifon that I propofe. Whether Mofes was acquainted with this fyftem or not, it will appear, contrary to the opinion of Mr. Langles, that he was far from de- riving any advantage from it ; and there is not in his writings any allufious to books pretended to be facred, as the Veda's, but only to fuch practice s as were common to the Hindoos and other heathen nations. SECTION III. Of the Veda's, and other facred Books of the Hindoos, THE books called Veda's, or the facred books of the Hindoos, the antiquity of which has been conlidered, are faid to have been originally numerous, but to have been reduced to four by Vyafa. (Diffirtations relating to Afla, Vol. 2, p. 99) In Mr. De la Croze, I find the mention of five, p. 291, and in imitation, or abridgment of them, Mr. Langles fuppofes the five books of Mofes to have been written. However in the moft ancient writings in which they are quoted, or referred to, efpecially Tfofe of the Hindoos, &c. compared. 25 efpecially the Inflitutes of Menu, a work next in antiquity and authority to the Veda's themfelves, no mention is made of more than three, ib. vol. 2, p. io5. The fourth Sir William Jones fays is a later compofition, as he fays is evident from the lan- guage in which it is written, which is comparatively modern, and therefore eafily underftood ; whereas there are but fw Bramins who can read the three firft, ib. vol. i, p. 107. They are now very fcarce, but there are comments upon them written in a very early period (Code of Gentoo Laws, Preface, p. 22.) Thefe Veda's are faid by the Hindoos to have been diclated by the Supreme Being, or at leail by Brahma, the creative power, to the firft man. Me- nu, who is the fpeaker in the Inftitutes, fays, what however I do not pretend to explain, " From fire, from the air, and from the fun, he (viz. Brahma) milked out the three primordial Veda's, named Rich, Yayuch and Saman, for the due performance of facrifice. He gave being to time, and the divifions of time, to the ilars alfo, and to the planets, to rivers, oceans, and mountains/' &c. p. 4. From the French tranflator of Ezourvedam, I colledt the following account of the compofition of the Veda's. The fon of Brahma, he fays, p. 113, retiring to a defert, compofed the Vedam in four books each being tranfcribed by a different perfon j but the lad was written in a dialeft different from the 26 The Inftitutions of Mofcs and the three firft. Afterwards, he fays, VyafTa added a fifth book, the four firft being forbidden to the Choutres, p. 121. In whatever manner thefe books were compof- e