Tr is a common impression that the Mogul dynasty which the English supplanted in India, was a rigidly Mahomedan one, and that our Mussul. man subjects hate us, not only with the instinctive dislike of Mussulman to Christian, but with the anger of a race dethroned from power. Mr. Talboys Wheeler shows, in his history of Mussulman rule, that this impression is inexact; and that, whatever were the faults of the Moguls in other respects, they were tolerant, to indifference, of other religions, They professed, indeed, more or less, to be Mussuls mans, and assumed power d believers, but the prof "was only a thin varnish over old idolatries. They were lax, indifferent, sceptical; sometimes the varnish dis. appeared altogether; they inclined to Brahminism, Buddhism, and Chris. tianity." Akbar, indeed, the real founder of the dynasty, established a belief of his own, called "the divine faith." He began by entertaining men of different sects "and religions—Brahmins, Safis, Parsees, and Chris. tians; and ended by the practical abolition of Mussulman prayers and feasts at Court. "A new worship was introduced, which was partly Parsee and partly Hindu. A new era and new festivals were established, all of which were Parsee." The new religion, however, does not seem to have made much way beyond the Court, and died with Akbar; but his successor, Jehangir, was equally indifferent, and systematically violated at least one ordinance of Mahomedanism—by drinking to excess, every evening. Outwardly, says Mr. Wheeler, Jehangir was more inclined.to Christianity than his father Akbar. "Like him, he allowed the Portuguese to establish churches and schools, to preach where they pleased, to convert whom they pleased. He sent two nephews, the sons of his brother Danyal, to be instructed in Christianity; be eyen
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.