hypothetical cases; it is positively stated that the Hindoos at this
day believe "the honourable East India Company" to be a venerable old
lady of high dignity, residing in this country. The Germans, again, of
the present day derive their name from a similar mistake: the first
tribe of them who invaded Gaul[24] assumed the honourable title of
"_Ger-man_" which signifies "warriors," (the words "war" and "guerre,"
as well as "man," which remains in our language unaltered, are
evidently derived from the Teutonic,) and the Gauls applied this as a
_name_ to the whole _race_.

However, I merely throw out these conjectures without by any means
contending that more plausible ones might not be suggested. But
whatever supposition we adopt, or whether we adopt any, the objections
to the commonly received accounts will remain in their full force, and
imperiously demand the attention of the candid sceptic.

I call upon those, therefore, who profess themselves advocates of free
inquiry—who disdain to be carried along with the stream of popular
opinion, and who will listen to no testimony that runs counter to
experience,—to follow up their own principles fairly and
consistently. Let the same mode of argument be adopted in all cases
alike; and then it can no longer be attributed to hostile prejudice,
but to enlarged and philosophical views. If they have already rejected
some histories, on the ground of their being strange and
marvellous,—of their relating facts, unprecedented, and at variance
with the established course of nature,—let them not give credit to
another history which lies open to the very same objections,—the
extraordinary and romantic tale we have been just considering. If they
have discredited the testimony of witnesses, who are _said_ at least
to have been disinterested, and to have braved persecutions and death