Indian Antiquities: Or, Dissertations, Relative to the Ancient Geographic Divisions, the Pure System of Primeval Theology ... of Hindostan: Compared, Throughout, with the Religion, Laws, Government, and Literature of Persia, Egypt, and Greece, the Whole Intended as Introductory to the History of Hindostan Upon a Comprehensive Scale, Volume 6

Front Cover
T. Maurice, 1812 - India

From inside the book

Selected pages

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 54 - During the Huli, when mirth and festivity reign among the Hindoos of every class, one subject of diversion is to send people on errands and expeditions that are to end in disappointment, and raise a laugh at the expense of the person sent. The Huli is always in March, and the last day is the general holiday. I have never yet heard any account of the origin of this English custom ; but it is unquestionably very ancient, and is still kept up even in great towns, though less in them than in the country.
Page 80 - He observed great ceremony in approaching Edward ; and though our hero was writhing with pain, would not proceed to any operation which might assuage it until he had perambulated his couch three times, moving from east to west, according to the course of the sun.
Page 165 - fore th' autumnal moon ? When, in undulating twine, The foaming snakes prolific join ; When they hiss, and when they bear Their wond'rous egg aloof in air ; Thence, before to earth it fall, The Druid, in his hallow'd pall, Receives the prize ; And instant flies, Follow'd by th' envenom'd brood, 'Till he cross the chrystal flood.
Page 170 - As far as vital souls, addicted to sensuality, indulge themselves in forbidden pleasures, even to the same degree shall the acuteness of their senses be raised in their future bodies, that they may endure analogous pains.
Page 54 - English custom : but it is unquestionably very ancient, and is still kept up even in great towns, though less in them than in the country. With us, it is chiefly confined to the lower class of people ; but in India high and low join in it ; and...
Page 61 - ... gilt banners and flags ; and eight or ten elephants waiting on him, clothed in gold, silk, and silver. Thus passed about twelve companies, most richly furnished ; the first...
Page 127 - VIII. was found here a plate of tin, inscribed with many letters, but in so strange a character, that neither Sir Thomas Elliott, a learned antiquary, nor Mr. Lilly, master of St. Paul's school, could make them out. This plate, to the great loss of the learned world, was soon after lost.
Page 53 - Aries, the New Year, and with it the season of rural sports and vernal delight was then supposed to have commenced. The proof of the great antiquity of the observance of this annual festival, as well as the probability of its original establishment in an Asiatic region, arises from the evidence of facts afforded us by astronomy.
Page 155 - These fires were in honor of Beal, or Bealan, latinized by the Roman authors into Belenus, by which name the Gauls and their colonies understood the sun...
Page 70 - I have little doubt, therefore" says he, "that Mayday, or at least the day on which the sun entered Taurus, has been immemorially kept as a sacred festival from the creation of the earth and man, originally intended as a memorial of that auspicious period and that momentous event.

Bibliographic information