those of a private nature. Not long ago there were two children offered to the cruel goddess Kāli; and one of the supposed perpetrators was arraigned and tried before the Supreme Court, but escaped for want of evidence.

XIII. 5.- "That dreamer of dreams." Zech. x. 2. "The

diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams." The Hindoos may be called a nation of dreamers: they are often elevated or depressed by the gay or sorrowful scenes of their sleeping hours. The morning is the time for the young and the old to tell their wondrous stories, and many a sage prognostication is then delivered to the attentive hearers.

Men and women often take long journeys, perform arduous penances, and go through expensive ceremonies, from no other cause than a dream. The crafty Brahmin finds this to be a powerful medium of access to the superstition and purses of the people. How many a splendid temple has been built or repaired; how many a rest-house erected; how many a costly present has been the result of a real or pretended dream. Mendicants, pandārams, priests, and devotees, have all had their profitable revelations from the gods. Does a needy impostor wish to have a good berth and a settled place of abode, he buries an idol in some lonely place, and at the expiration of about twelve months he has a dream, and a vision into the bargain, for the god actually appears to him when he is not asleep, and says, "Go to such a place, and you will find my image: there long, long has it been in disgrace; but now you must build a temple to my glory." The knave affects to be greatly excited, and relates the whole as a profound secret to a few of his select friends. The story soon gets abroad, and numbers of people beg of him to go to the sacred place in search of the deity. At last he consents; but expresses many a fear, as they proceed, that he has been deceived, or that his or their unbelief will hinder him from finding out the place. In approaching the scene of operation,

he hesitates, thinks he cannot be far off-"the country had just such an appearance in his dream :" he then says, "Dig;" and numbers of the people set to work in good earnest. After some time, he shakes his head, repeats his incantations, and says, "It is not here." He then points to the real spot, and again his gulled attendants commence their meritorious operations. At last the god is found, and the multitude make the welkin ring with their shouts of joy. They fall before the grave impostor, and worship at his feet. His object is gained; money and materials come in on every hand; and. shortly after a temple and its goodly courts arise, in which he dwells for life.

The good or evil of dreams is minutely described in some of their scientific works; and it is not a little amusing to see that some of their notions agree with the English, and especially with those of the inhabitants of North Britain.

Does a man dream about the sun, moon, the gods, a mountain, river, well, gold, precious stones, father, child, mother, elephant, horse, car, temple, Brahmin, lotus, flesh of animals, flowers, fruits, swan, cow, fowl, toddy; or that he has his hands tied, or is travelling in a palankeen; that the gods are making ceremonies; that he sees a beautiful and fair woman, arrayed in white robes, coming into his house; that his house is on fire; that he sees a chank, or lamp, or full water-pot; that he roasts and eats his own flesh (he will be a king); that he wears new cloth; that he plays in the mud; that he climbs trees; that swarms of ants creep over his body;-these are all good" he will have great felicity."

But to dream the gods laugh, dance, run, sing, weep, or clap their hands, is for the country very evil. That you see a crow, eagle, hawk, ass, black cobra capella, pig, monkey, jackall, or salt, curds, milk, sandals, butter, lime, cotton, mud, red flowers, firewood, a black dog, a devil, a giant, a water melon, jack fruit, pumpkin, a hare, an alligator, a bear, a tiger, a ghost; that you go to, or come from, the sea; that

I

the teeth fall out; that the hand is broken; that you wear dirty clothes; that the walls of the temple fall; that you miss your way; that you travel towards the south; that you fall into a pit; or that you see a company of serpents ;-these are all evil tokens.

To avert the evil implied by those dreams (and a thousand others not enumerated), a person must make offerings to the Brahmins, and give articles of food. Alms must be bestowed on the poor, and on the Pandārams and other religious men⚫ dicants, and the person must bathe in holy water. Let him also listen to the song of Paratham, and all the malignity of his nightly visitations shall be removed.

6."The wife of thy bosom." (Gen. xvi. 5. 2 Sam. xii. 3. Ps. lxxxix. 50. Luke xvi. 22. John i. 18. and

xiii. 23.)

These, and many other passages, show how much the term bosom is used in the Scriptures, and that it generally denotes something of great value or security, affection and happiness. Any thing which is valuable or dear to a person is said to be madeyilla, i. e. in his bosom. When a husband wishes to express himself affectionately to his wife, he says, "Come hither, thou wife of my bosom." Is she dead, “Ah! I have lost the wife of my bosom." In the Scanda Purana, the goddess of Vishnoo is said to rest in the bosom of the god "Vishnoo, whose bosom is the abode of Lechimy."

To a father it is said respecting a bad son, "Notwithstanding this, you press him to your bosom ;"- and of a flatterer, "He would cause the child to fall from the bosom of its mother." (See on Luke xvi. 22.)

XV. 6.- "Thou shalt lend unto many nations."

From the numerous allusions, in the sacred writings, to the subject of lending and of usury, it is easy to perceive that this was a very common practice amongst the ancients of the East. There are thousands at this day who live on the

interest of a very small capital, and thousands who make immense fortunes by nothing but lending. So soon as a man has saved a small sum, instead of locking it up in his box, it goes out to interest at the rate of twelve, and sometimes twenty, per cent. People of great property, on account of their anxiety to put out every farthing, often leave themselves in considerable difficulty. Children are taught, in early life, the importance of this plan: hence, striplings may be heard to boast they have such and such sums out at interest. This propensity often places government in circumstances of great loss in reference to their shroffs, or native treasurers. They lend out money from the chest to a great amount, merely to gain the interest. "Ah! you shall lend money to many people," is one of the blessings pronounced on a youthful pair. When a person acquires a new situation, when a man is prosperous, it is said, "He will lend to many people;" which means, he will be rich, and have much influence.

8.

"Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him.” Of a liberal man, it is said, "He has an open hand." "That man's hand is so open, all will soon be gone." When a poor man asks a favour of a rich man, in the presence of another, the by-standers will say, "Open your hand wide to him." A person who has been refused a favour, says, on his return, "Alas! he would not open his hand; no, not a

little."

XVIII. 10. "There shall not be found among you

an enchanter."

Sorcery is the fruitful source of numerous evils in the East. Charms and counter-charms call for the ingenuity, the property, the hopes, and fears of thousands. They are often used to effect the most diabolical purposes, and many a seduction is attributed to their supernatural power.

11.-" Or a consulter with familiar spirits."

The prophet Isaiah gives a description of the voice of a familiar spirit, and of its proceeding like a whisper from the dust. "Thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust." Isa. xxix. 4. The Margin has, for whisper, "peep or chirp.” (Lev. xix. 31. 1 Sam. xxviii. 7.)

The deluded Hindoos, in great emergencies, have recourse to familiar spirits, for the purpose of knowing how they may avoid the evil which is expected, or has in part already come. In the distraction of their minds, they run to the "consulter with familiar spirits," make known their desperate case, and entreat him to lend his assistance. Those "wizards that peep and that mutter," and who seek " for the living to the dead,” (Isa. viii. 19.) are generally frightful in their persons, and disgusting in their manners. See the aged impostor, with a staff in his hand his person bent by years; his wild, piercing, cat-like eye; a scowling, searching look; a clotted beard; a toothless mouth; dishevelled hair; a mumbling unearthly voice; his more than half-naked body, covered with ashes; a wild unsteady gait, joined with the other insignia of his office; give a fearful influence to his infernal profession.

A man who is in distress, and who has resolved to consult with a familiar spirit, sends for two magicians: the one is called the Mantheravathe, i. e. he who repeats the incantations; the other, the Anjanam-Pārkeravan, i. e. he who looks, and who answers to the questions of the former. His hand is rubbed with the Anjanam, which is made of the burnt bones of the sloth, and the skull of a virgin; and when the ceremonies have commenced, he looks steadily into his hand, and can never wink or take off his eyes till all shall be finished.

On the ground are placed rice, cocoa nuts, plantains, areca nuts, beetel leaves, milk, camphor, and frankincense. The chief magician then, with a loud voice, begins to invoke the nine gods - Ammon, Pulliar, Scandan, Aiyenar, Iyaner, Vee