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the rich dye for which Tyre was celebrated throughout the Oriental world, and which, in fact, confifted of a deep dark RED. The paffage in queftion particularly specifies

"All woven cloth, DYED RED, cloth made of Sana, of Cfhuma bark, and of wool, EVEN THOUGH NOT DYED RED," as prohibited the mercantile Brahmin.

In reality, this is by no means the only evident remain of the connection anciently fubfifting between the Tyrians and Indians that may be difcovered in the hiftory and commerce of the two nations. The immemorial cuftom established in India, of women facrificing themselves to the manes of their deceafed husbands, may be discovered in the conduct of Dido, wife of Pygmalion, king of Tyre, who, rather than devote herself to the embraces of a fecond husband, publicly afcended the funeral pile.

Befides the above-mentioned articles, forbidden the Brahmin, it was unlawful for him to deal in "gems, falt, cattle, human flaves,” (that ancient but difgraceful traffic!)" medicinal drugs," and, among others, the baneful claffes of poisonous herbs; (for the old Indians feem to have been well skilled in poifons;) he was forbidden to fell" iron, honey,

wax, perfumes, SUGAR, NILI or INDIGO, and lac.". P. 300.

PRECIOUS STONES, PEARLS, METALS, IVORY, &c. &c.

2

THE above lift of prohibited articles from fo authentic a fource is extremely important in an investigation concerning the commerce of a country in fuch very remote æras. But in another paffage, on the purification of articles used at that time in diet and in drefs, we are still farther introduced to a knowledge of their great advance in arts and manufactures; for, as to their fciences, they will become an article of feparate confideration hereafter, while the curious enumeration of their fuperftitious customs, as to clothing and diet, will not fail to excite wonder and gratify curiofity. With refpect to utenfils used in diet, it is obferved,

"Of brilliant metals, of gems, and of every thing made with stone, (as pots or vases,) the purification ordained by the wife is with ashes, water, and earth." P. 137.

"A golden veffel, not fmeared, is cleanfed with water only; and every thing produced

in

in water, as coral-fhells or pearls, and every ftony fubftance, and a filver veffel, not enchafed." Ibid.

"From a junction of water and fire arose gold and filver; and they two, therefore, are beft purified by the elements whence they fprang." Ibid.

"Veffels of copper, iron, brass, PEWTER, TIN, and LEAD, may be fitly cleanfed with afhes, with acids, or with water." Ibid.

"The purification ordained for all forts of liquids, is by ftirring them with cusa-grass; for clothes folded, by fprinkling them with hallowed water; for wooden utenfils, by planing them." Ibid.

"For the facrificial pots to hold clarified butter and juice of the moon-plant, by rubbing them with the hand, and washing them, at the time of facrifice." P. 138.

"Leathern utenfils, and fuch as are made with cane, muft neceffarily be purified in the fame manner with clothes; green vegetables, roots, and fruit, in the fame manner with grain." Ibid.

"Silk and woollen ftuff, with faline earths; blankets from Nepaul, with pounded arishtas, or nimba-fruit; vefts and long drawers, with

the

the fruit of the bilva; mantles of cfhuma, with white muftard-feeds." Ibid.

"Utenfils made of fhells or of horn, of bones or of ivory, must be cleansed by him who knows the law, as mantles of chuma are purified." Ibid.

In page 261, we find punishments ordained "for mixing impure with pure commodities, for piercing fine gems, as diamonds or rubies, and for boring pearls or inferior gems improperly."

How feverely indeed they punished fraud in traffic, and with what jealous vigilance the Indians guarded from base alloy that gold which they received in fuch plenty from all quarters of the known world, will be evident from the following fevere law, which may be given as a striking fpecimen of the unrelent ing aspect of Hindoo justice.

"The feller of bad grain for good, or of good feed placed at the top of the bag, to conceal the bad below, and the destroyer of known land-marks, muft fuffer fuch corporal punishment as will disfigure them;" as, for inftance, depriving them of their eyes or hands. P. 283.

"But the most pernicious of all deceivers is a goldfmith, who commits frauds; the king

VOL. VI.

fhall

fhall order him to be cut piecemeal with razors." Ibid,

The duty of a Bice, or merchant, is thus fummarily recapitulated towards the clofe of chapter the ninth :

"Of gems, pearls, and coral, of iron, of woven cloth, of perfumes, and of liquids, let him well know the prices both high and low." P. 287.

"Let him be skilled likewife in the time and manner of fowing feeds, and in the bad or good qualities of land; let him also perfectly know the correct modes of measuring and weighing." Ibid.

"The excellence or defects of commodities, the advantages and disadvantages of different regions, the probable gain or lofs on vendible goods, and the means of breeding cattle with large augmentation." Ibid.

"Let him know the juft wages of fervants, the various dialects of men, the beft way of keeping goods, and whatever elfe belongs to purchase and sale." P. 288.

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