A DEFENCE OF HINDUISM [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—Mr. Pennington, in your issue of May 11th, referring to a certain evil existing in the south of India, remarks, "a religion" (meaning Hinduism)-." which not only sanctions, but
insists on both" (italics mine). ,„ I do not know what justification he has to. accuse one of the oldest religions in terms which appear to me to be recidessly bold. But to him the statement seems so axiomatic that he has not deemed it necessary to substantiate such a thoughtless charge by any authentic reference. As far as I,am aware, no such evil exists in the northern parts : I repudiate his charge most emphatically. It does not do his intelligence much credit to be so credulous as to believe that sanction for such an evil can be found in Hinduism. Following his way of reasoning (as far as it can be inferred from his letter), it would be equally logical to state that Christianity sanctions ,war because the Christian nations of Europe practise it. I hope he will have the fairness to withdraw this wholesale denunciation or offer some :goad evideride in support of his thesis.
If we were to practise some of the simple virtues instead of concerning ourselves with evils in others hovf much happier
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