whofe lot it is to poffefs the most of the Comogun, viz. those who are the most robuft in body and weak of mind, will be employed in the more fervile offices of humanity."

"In this paffage, we may discover the true origin of the four cafts or tribes of the Indians, or rather the four different conditions of human fociety. It would be difficult, in fact, to fettle the basis of the inequality of conditions in life, unless on the primitive inequality of natural talents."

'TheWedam proceeds, "The fupreme being hath neither body or figure." And the Ezourwedam adds, that "Thofe who fuppofe him poffeffed of feet or of hands, are the children of folly." After which Chumontou quotes these words from the Wedam. "At the time when God created all things out of nothing, he created severally an individual of every fpecies; willing that it should contain the germe of that fpecies for its propagation. He is the lord of all things. The fun is a mere body without life or fenfibility; it is in the hands of God, as a candle in the hands of a man." After this the author of the commentary goes on to combat the novel opinion of the modern Bramins, who admit of the feveral incarnations of the God Brama and of Vifnou: on which head he expresses himself as follows. "Tell me then, thou abfurd and senseless man, who were the Kochiapo and the Odité, which thou pretendest gave birth to thy deity? Were they not human beings as well as we? And would that God, who is pure in his nature and eternal in his effence, fo far debase himself, as to enter into the womb of a woman, there to affume the substance of a man? Do you not blush to represent that God in the form of a fuppliant before one of his creatures? Are you loft to common-fenfe? Or how did you arrive at that height of impiety, not to be ashamed of reprefenting the fupreme being in the charaeter of a liar and impoftor?-Ceafe to deceive mankind: for its only on that condition I will proceed to explain

the Wedam; for while you retain your present sentiments, you are incapable of understanding it; and it would be only proftituting it to endeavour to explain it to you."

In the third book of this commentary, the author, Chumontou, refutes the fable which the new Bramins invented concerning the incarnation of the God Brama; who according to them, appeared in India under the name of Kopilo, that is to fay, the Penitent. They pretended that he'chose to be born of one Dehobuti, the wife of a man of some fubftance, named Kordomo. If it be true, fays the commentator, "that Brama was really born upon earth, why doth he bear the appellation of eternal ? Could that being, who is himself fovereignly happy, and in whom alone our happiness confifts; could he resolve to fubmit himself to the various imbecilities and fufferings of an infant?" Next follows a description of hell, exactly resembling what the Egyptians and the Greeks have given us of Tartarus. "What shall we do," it is afked, "to avoid hell?We must love God? answers Chumontou, "We must do every thing that we are commanded by the Wedam, and that also in the manner prescribed." There are, fays he, four ways of loving God. The first, is that of loving him merely for his own fake, without any perfonal view. The fecond, that of loving him with a view to our own interest. The third, that of loving him only in thofe moments when our paffions are dead or filent. And the fourth, that of loving him only to obtain the object of these paffions; a kind of love that merits not the name.'

Such, fays Mr. de Voltaire, is the abstract of the principal fingularities of the Wedam; a book hitherto unknown in Europe and to almost all Afia. The commentary he conceives to have been written before the conquests of Alexander, as there appear in it none of those names, which the Greeks afterwards imposed on the rivers, towns and provinces of that country. Thus India is called Zomboudiffo ; the mount Immaes

1 2

Meron,

Merou, and the Ganges Zanoubi; ancient names no longer known but to the learned in their facred language.

fo doing, concern not me; I would not give a straw to convert their cenfure into applause. As for the relt, to take things in the worst light, what can the

From the St. JAMES'S MAGAZINE.
An original Letter from the celebrated
Mr. Rouffeau, of Geneva, to his
Bookfeller at the Hague.
SIR,

I

AM very forry for that embarraffment which, you tell me, you lie under, on account of the Savoyard's creed, inferted in my Emilius; but I declare to you again, once for all, that no power on earth, no cenfure, no threats, no violence shall ever prevail on me to fupprefs a fyllable of what I have written. As you did not think it neceffary to confult me with regard to the contents of my manufcript, when you treated for the copy, you have no right to make application to me now, on account of the obstacles you may meet with to its publication; efpecially as the bold truths, fcattered up and down in my other works, might very naturally fuggeft to you, that this was by no means exempted from the like. I am aftonished you fhould ever conceive that a man, who takes so many precautions that his works may not be altered after his deceafe, would permit them to be mutilated during his life time.

With respect to the feveral reasons you have urged, you might have fpared your felf that trouble, by fuppofing that I had myself reflected on what was proper to be done. You tell me, that I am cenfured even by perfons of my own way of thinking. But this cannot poffibly be; for I, who certainly am of my cwn way of thinking, approve what I have done; nor is there any action of my whole life, with which my heart is more perfectly fatisfied. In afcrib. ing glory to God, and endeavouring to promote the real good of mankind, I have done my duty. Whether they profit by it, or not; whether they approve or blame me for my conduct in

Feb. 23, 1758. His ferene highness formed the town of Hoya, capital of the county of that name, and obliged the French commandant, count de Chabot, to furrender the place by capitulation, after a lofs on the part of the lat ter of 670 men.

June 23: At the battle of Crevelt, in which the French army, under the count de Clermont, was entirely routed, the hereditary prince, at the head of two battalions of grenadiers, made an attack on the French, who were in a neighbouring wood, and maintained a fire for two hours and a half without ceafing, till the enemy were thrown into

con

confufion, and entirely defeated. It was in this battle that count Gifors, only fon of marshal Belleifle, was mortally wounded. He was fon-in-law to the duke of Nevernois, the late French minifter at this court.

July 29. He diflodged the French from Bruggen, and took poffeffion of

the town.

Aug. 3. He attacked a strong French poft at Wachtendonk, and drove the enemy away with the lofs of only two grenadiers.

April 1, 1759. He took poffeffion of Meiningen, and made two battalions of the Cologn troops prifoners. He reached Wafungen the fame day, took it, and made prisoners the battalion of Nagel. He likewife obliged count d'Arberg, who was coming to its relief, to retire.

5. He repulfed a body of Auftrians from Smallkalden and Thuringia.

July 23. He diflodged the French from Lubeke.

Aug. 1. He made an attack on 8000 French at Thornhaufen, under M. de Briffac, whom he routed, and took five pieces of cannon, and near 2000 prifoners.

17. He diflodged a French corps under M. d'Armentieres from Wofsh gen. Sept. 2. He furprized a party of French at Nieder Weimar, took two cannon, and several prisoners, without any lofs.

Nov. 30. He attacked a body of French at Fulda, under the duke of Wurtemburg, cut feveral of them to pieces, and took the reft, with two cannon, two colours and the baggage. Dec. 25. He arrived with his troops at Chemnitz, in Saxony, and

Jan. 12, 1760. Was at Freyberg with the king of Pruffia. Having continued a little time in Saxony, he left that electorate, and, with his army,

Feb. 26. Paffed the frontiers of Thuringia.

June 28. He arrived in Heffe, after feveral fuccessful skirmishes.

July 10. He engaged 10,000 French at Corbach; but being inferior in men

and artillery, it became necessary to make a retreat, which was accomplished with fome lofs. In this action he received a flight wound in his shoulder.

16. He gave battle to the French under gen. Glaubitz, at Emfdorff, and took two battalions, and the commander, prifoners.

22. He took Dillenburg, and made the garrifon prifoners.

Aug. 1. In the battle of Warburg he attacked and forced the enemy's flank, and drove them to the town.

5. He made an attack in the night upon Ziegenberg, and brought off 40 officers and 300 men.

Sept. 30. He paffed the Rhine, after having fcoured the country, and taken Rees and Emerick

Oct. 16. He attacked M. de Caftries, and was engaged from five in the morning till nine at night, but was obliged to retire. His highnefs received a flight wound in his leg, and his horfe was killed under him.

March 2, 1761. He diflodged the French from Budingen.

May 20. He routed feveral French advanced posts at Wefel, &c.

July 16. In the defeat of the French at Movenover, his highness was present, and formed part of the right wing.

20. He had a fmart fkirmish with the French, in which his brother, prince Albert Henry, received a wound, of which he died on the 8th of August at Ham.

Nov. 13. He routed a large French detachment of Cavalry under M. de Clofen, near Katlenbourg.

April 19, 1762. He took the castle of Arenberg, the garrifon of which, confilting of nine officers and 231 men, commanded by M. Muret, furrendered at Difcretion.

June 24. He was present at the battle of Grabenftein, when the French were defeated with the lofs of near 5000

men.

July 24. He arrived at Mark, near Ham, after diflodging fome French detachments from Ofnabrug, and harras fing the prince of Conde in his march.

Aug.

Aug. 25. Being on a march with fome light troops near Franckfort on the Main, he fell in with the main body of the French, and loft 30 men and three

cannon.

31. He engaged count Stainville, near Friedberg, in which, after a brave resistance, he was unsuccessful, and received a musket ball in his fide, which made a deep perforation. He was conveyed fucceffively to Homberg, Fritzlar, and Munden, at which laft place the wound was opened. This operation which was very painful, was fucceeded by a fever, occafioned by the working of a splinter; but in about three weeks

of the coldness of the season, he arriv ed at the Hague about the middle of June, where he continued for a few days at the palace of his uncle prince Lewis. He then went back to Aix, and ftaid there three weeks; and after vifiting the Spa, and fome other places, returned to Brunswick, where he continued till his departure for England, at the close of the year 1763.

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From the LONDON MAGAZINE.

Oppofite Female Characters.

WO young ladies, married two

His highness was attended by Dr. Woftoff, the king's physician ; and was vifited, during this confinement, by his father, the reigning duke.

This was the last action in which the hereditary prince was engaged; as in lefs than three months after this event hoftilities ceased.

Prince Frederick, the next brother to the hereditary prince, has likewife diftinguished himself in military life. This prince, after the furrender of Wolfenbuttle to prince Xavier of Saxony, in October 1761, marched with General Luckner to the relief of Brunf. wick, which was then befieged by the French. His highness, while the general marched to Peina, attacked the enemy in their entrenchments, forced them, made above 200 prifoners, and took poffeffion of the town; in confequence of which fuccefs, Wolfenbuttle was likewife evacuated in a few days. He had likewife the command at the investing the town of Caffel in 1762, and in fome fucceeding expeditions; and was prefent with his elder brother at the battle of Grabenstein: he is now in his twenty-third year.

The hereditary prince, after his recovery, went to the head quarters of the army at Neuhas, near Paderborn, and Christmas-day arrived at Brunswick. The following fummer he went to Aixla-Chapelle to drink the waters; but being diffuaded from them, on account

brought them three thousand pounds apiece. They had the fame education in all respects; and as there was not quite a year's difference in their ages, they received their inftruction together. I fhall pass by their qualifications, as not neceffary to my story, and only take notice of their different turn of temper. From very infants, they discovered their real inclinations; one being taken up with decorating her perfon, the other in pleasing her palate If a friend called upon them at school, and gave each of them fixpence, Jenny bought a topknot with it, and Sukey laid it out in apples and pears. The fame humour continued as they grew bigger; and when a kind godfather, or generous relation, made each a present of a crown piece, mifs Jane as certainly purchased a cap or ruffles with it, as mifs Sufan was fure to expend it in maccaroons or chocolate-drops. It happened that the fifters married men, not only of fuitable circumftances, but fimilar in their inclinations. Mr. Gaywood took Jane, and Sufan chofe Mr. Trenchard. By the interest of their fortunes, and the profits of the trade, each family was enabled to live in a genteel way, and to give their children a proper education.

After a few years, when business was tolerably established, the respective parties, perfectly well agreed, began to fhew their humour, and to indulge the

par

particular paffions they were born with, The Gaywoods were all on fire to keep a coach: the Trenchards were determined to eat and drink well. Every thing gave way to the prevailing fancy. The former ftraited themselves in every meal, in order to fupport the expence of an equipage: the latter were quite indifferent to all external appearance, but were fure to be splendid at their table. It was pleasant enough to see the oppofition of oeconomy in the two fifters, and how differently each conducted her family. As I was admitted freely into both houses, I had an opportunity to fee them thoroughly. I have often made an hafty dinner with Mrs. Gay wood upon eggs and fpinage, while the coach was waiting at the door : but I was amply repaid the next day at Mrs. Trenchard's, who, though she appeared in a scowered mantua, gave me all the dainties of the feafon. I often went to the play with them: the delicate Gaywoods were dressed in the height of the mode, and conveyed in their own carriage to the front boxes; and when they returned home had no other refreshment, before they went to bed, thau a piece of dry toalt, with fome wine and water: whereas the jolly Trenchards tucked up their gowns and walked into the pit, or took a long thilling drive in a hackney-coach; and then came home, fat down to fupper, and made a noble attack upon a fine dish of fish, or a roafted turkey.

the refidence of the bleffed; but after the decline of the Roman empire, they feem to have been wholly unknown in Europe, till fome time between the years 1326 and 1334, when a French fhip was driven among them by a storm.

Some time after this difcovery, the count of Claramonte, a Spanish nobleman, obtained a grant of these islands from pope Clement VI. with the title of king, upon condition that he should caufe the Gospel to be preached to the natives

The count died without availing him. felf of the grant, and nothing was done with respect to these islands, till fome Biscayners, and fome inhabitants of Seville, fitted out a fleet of five fhips from Cadiz to plunder them.

Thefe fhips, commanded by one Ferdinand Peraza, arrived at Lancerota, and the Spaniards going on fhore, the natives came in crowds to the port to behold them. The poor Pagans were defenceless and unarmed; they had curiofity in their looks, and kindness in their hearts; but the pious Chriftians, thinking, perhaps, like that venerable Father St. Auguftine, that the virtues: of Heathens were no better than splendid fins, and the worst treatment was too good for them, immediately difcharged a flight of arrows among the unfufpecting multitude, killing fome, and wounding others: upon which the reft, feized with terror and astonishment, ran away and hid themselves. Who can reprefs his indignation at fuch unprovoked inhum mity, and the difgrace which it brought upon the religion of the meek and merciful Jefus, the teacher and example of the purest and most exalted benevolence!

This execrable band of thieves and

murderers immediately pufhed forward to the town, which they facked, and carried off a large booty of goatskins, tallow, and fheep, with no less than a 170 of the inhabitants, among whom were the king, Guanarame, and the queen, Tinguafaya.

The poor inhabitants of this ifland were many times afterwards robbed,

mur.