every situation, and I can affirm, that they are not litigious[1].'
But Mill goes further still, and in one place he actually assures his readers[2] that a 'Brahman may put a man to death when he lists.' In fact, he represents the Hindus as such a monstrous mass of all vices that, as Colonel Vans Kennedy[3] remarked, society could not have held together, if it had really consisted of such reprobates only. Nor does he seem to see the full bearing of his remarks. Surely, if a Brahman might, as he says, put a man to death whenever he lists, it would be the strongest testimony in their favour that you hardly ever hear of their availing themselves of such a privilege, to say nothing of the fact—and a fact it is—that, according to statistics, the number of capital sentences was one in every 10,000 in England, but only one in every million in Bengal[4].
Colonel Sleeman's Rambles are less known than they deserve to be. To give you an idea of the man, I must read you some extracts from the book.
His sketches being originally addressed to his sister, this is how he writes to her:—
- 'My dear Sister,
'Were anyone to ask your countrymen in India, what had been their greatest source of pleasure while there, perhaps, nine in ten would say, the letters which they receive from their sisters at
- ↑ 1 Manu, VIII. 43, says: 'Neither a King himself nor his officers must ever promote litigation; nor ever neglect a lawsuit instituted by others.'
- ↑ Mill's History, vol. i. p. 327.
- ↑ L. c. p. 368.
- ↑ See Elphinstone, History of India, ed. Cowell, p. 219 note. 'Of the 232 sentences of death 64 only were carried out in England, while the 59 sentences of death in Bengal were all carried out.'
