It is a great pity the deception was ever discovered; since nothing could have aided the views of government better, than the testimony of such an ancient authority, of the practice having been formerly common in Hindostan! We were certainly wrong in publishing that refutation, which deprived us of the best weapon we could have employed for the extension of our pursuit. In lieu of decrying the work in question, as ‘an impudent forgery, interpolated into a Sanscrit-book, by one of those frauds so commonly, and so dexterously, committed by the Hindu literati, for the purpose of supporting the claims of the Bramins to the prior possession of all kinds of science,’ we ought to have assented fully to that imposition; allowing the priests to enjoy the supposed antiquity of their knowledge, and contenting ourselves with the contemplation of those immense benefits produced by the concurrence in, or adoption of, our practice, by those infatuated foster-fathers. But the struggle for reputation caused us to quit our hold, in the most impolitic, and thoughtless manner! It may not be unpleasing to my readers, to be informed as to the manner in which the _Bramins_, or Hindu priests, who are the only persons of that sect allowed to inoculate, perform the operation: the following extract from Mr. Shoolbred’s treatise shews, that no alteration has taken place since Mr. Holwell, from whom Mr. S. quotes, gave the public an account of their practice, viz. ‘Inoculation is performed in Hindostan by a particular tribe of _Bramins_, who are delegated annually for this service, from the different colleges of _Bindoobund_, _Allahabas_, _Benares_, &c., over all the distant provinces. Dividing themselves into small parties, of three or four each, they plan their travelling circuits in such wise, as to arrive at the places of their respective destinations some weeks before the usual return of the disease. They arrive commonly in the Bengal provinces early in February; although, in some years, they do not begin to inoculate before March, deferring it until they consider the state of the season, and acquire information of the state of the distemper. The inhabitants of Bengal, knowing the usual time when the inoculating Bramins annually return, observe strictly the regimen enjoined, whether they determine to be inoculated or not: this precaution consists only in abstaining for a month from fish, milk, and _ghee_ (a kind of butter, made generally from buffalo’s milk). The prohibition of fish relates only to the native Portugueze and Mahomedans, who abound in every province of the empire. When the Bramins begin to inoculate, they pass from house to house, and operate at the door, refusing to inoculate any who have not, on a strict scrutiny, duly observed the preparatory course enjoined them. It is no uncommon thing for them to ask the parent how many pocks they choose the children should have. They inoculate indifferently on any part, but, if left to