Philip Meadows Taylor (1808–1876)
Author of Confessions of a Thug
About the Author
Works by Philip Meadows Taylor
The story of my life 2 copies
Confessions Of A Thug Volume III 2 copies
Confessions Of A Thug Volume I 2 copies
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1808-09-25
- Date of death
- 1876-05-13
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- UK (birth)
- Birthplace
- Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK
- Place of death
- Menton, France
- Places of residence
- Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK
Bombay, India - Occupations
- clerk
Colonel (British Officer, Indian Army)
author - Organizations
- The Times
- Awards and honors
- Knight Companion of the Order of the Star of India
Members
Reviews
Lists
To read (1)
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 19
- Also by
- 1
- Members
- 184
- Popularity
- #117,736
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 5
- ISBNs
- 37
- Languages
- 2
Here's what the protagonist believed was "heaven" in his religion:
"the old moola of the mosque had hitherto appeared in my eyes the most learned of men; he had stored my mind with passages from the Koran, which had made me an enthusiast. When he spoke to me of the glories of heaven, of the thousands of houris who would be at the command of every true believer, described their beautiful forms, their eyes like sapphires, their teeth of pearls, their lips like rubies, and their breath like the perfume of musk; the palaces of jewels, and the fountain of immortality and never-ending youth;- I believed that I was destined to enjoy all." Now, what do the women that believe in the Muslim religion get when they go to heaven?
In the Muslim religion, you are allowed to eat cows, but not picks. In the Hindu religion, you are not supposed to eat any dead animals. The protagonist is refreshing himself with a eating-house keeper, when they discuss their religion's different menus: " 'you appear comfortable,' said Bhudrinath.
'I am so,' i replied; 'and I doubt not you envy me, in spite of your Brahminical belief.'
'perhaps I do,' said he; 'yet having never tasted the luxuries of meat and other things you set such value upon, I cannot estimate them sufficiently, and I care not about them: nay more, the very idea of meat, the sight of it in its raw state, the blood, the garbage accompanying it, are loathsome to me; and I very much question, were I to become a mahomedan, whether I could ever bring myself to eat it. Pay! The idea is horrible.' "
I have to agree, Bhudrinath.
The protagonist has an enemy, Ghuffoor Khan, that he has sworn to kill. He makes plans with his homies to get the Ghuffoor Khan drunk, with wine and opium, and then they'll do him in. This is a funny scene, because they imitate British men drinking:
Khan: " 'it will not do, meer sahib, after the fatigue ( a hiccup ) and the trouble I have had (hiccup ) all day, shouting and bullying these rascally Pindharees ( hiccup ). How can it be expected, Meer sahib, that i, Ghuffoor Khan, the leader of 3,000 horse, should play and sing like a Goweya? By Alla I will not (hiccup ). But these hiccups, meer sahib, what is to cure them?'
'some more wine, Khan sahib; nothing but liquor can cure them. And there is more; there is still another cup.'
'then give me all!' cried the Khan; 'I will drink it standing like a kafir feringhee - May their sisters be defiled, ay and their mothers too! Nevertheless, as I said, I will serve them and drink among them, and none shall drink more than Ghuffoor Khan. Thou saidst they drink standing; and what do they say?'
'hip, hip, hip!' Said i; 'I learned the words from a vagabond who had been a khidmutgar among them, and had seen their wild orgies.'
'what, hip, hip, hip! Those are the words, eh? I wonder what they mean.'
'they are an invocation to their prophet, I believe;' said i, 'much as we say "bismilla ir ruhman ir ruheem!" '
'I do not doubt it, meer sahib. Now help me to rise, for the stuff is in my brain, and the tent goeth round about; help me to rise I say, and I will quaff the last drop both as a true Moslim and as a feringhee. Ha! said I not well?' "
The author makes really funny spellings of words he uses to refer to Indians, and some of their vocabulary. For example, he will put h i n d o o, instead of Hindu. All throughout the book, he repeats that "oo" instead of the "u."
The author worked really hard to convince us of the ruthlessness and cutthroatedness of these "Thugs."
Poor India.
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