MORAL AND POLITICAL IMPROVEMSNT. 281

India by England, the British rulers have been care-*
fully annihilating a chain of feudalism which ever
marks an age of barbarism ; society which heretofore
consisted of only two classes, is now being levelled,
by the removal of the slavish dependence of the low
upon the higher castes, and millions of human beings
are now for the first time learning to know their own
worth, and to be conscious that by industry, talent,
and integrity, they may elevate themselves to the
foremost rank in society ; human sacrifices have been
abolished, infanticide materially checked, and the
horrid rite of female cremation completely prohibited;
those palladiums of liberty, the press and trial by
jury> are being gradually extended; the natives sit
on the judgment seat and fill the magisterial chair :
and if common justice be done them in their com-
mercial dealings with England, (and no insane at^
tempt be made to interfere with their religious prin-
ciples before couching them for the moral cataract
which yet dims their mental vision,) the future may
be looked forward to with glowing anticipations ;
but when we witness the powerful opposition that
even yet exists to the abolition of the diabolical rite
of widow burning among the Hindoo population (re-
membering that the proportion of Europeans to
Asiatics in India, is as one to five thousand! and of
Mahomedans to Hindoos as one to ten) let us beware
not to proceed too fast, let us temper benevolence
with prudence, principle with policy, and justice with
expediency.
Sir Thomas Munro has placed on record a minute
which has reference to the precipitancy of some of


282 BENGAL, MADRAS, AND BOMBAY.
