Charles Stuart (East India Company officer)

Charles Stuart (c. 1758 – 31 March 1828) was an officer in the East India Company Army and is well known for being one of the few British officers to embrace Hindu culture while stationed there, earning the nickname Hindoo Stuart. He also wrote books and several newspaper articles extolling Hindu culture and tradition and urging its adoption by Europeans settled in India, and deploring the attitudes and activities of the Utilitarians and missionaries who deprecated Indian culture. He is mentioned in William Dalrymple's book White Mughals (2002).

Quotes

• Whenever I look around me, in the vast region of Hindoo Mythology, I discover piety in the garb of allegory: and I see Morality, at every turn, blended with every tale; and, as far as I can rely on my own judgment, it appears the most complete and ample system of Moral Allegory that the world has ever produced."
  • [1] quoted in Londhe, S. (2008). A tribute to Hinduism: Thoughts and wisdom spanning continents and time about India and her culture. New Delhi: Pragun Publication.

• In the course of a long residence in India, I have had numerous occasions of contemplating the Hindoo character; have mixed much in their society; have been present at their festivals; have endeavoured to conciliate their affections and, I believe, not without effect: and I must do them the justice to declare, that I have never met with a people, exhibiting more suavity of manners, or more mildness of character; or a happier race of beings, when left to the undisturbed performance of the rites of their religion. And it may be truly said, that if Arcadian happiness ever had existence, it must have been rivalled in Hindostan. In order to shield this eulogim from the possible imputation of partiality, I shall interpose the decision of Abulfazel, whose situation and pursuits furnished him with more ample means of appreciating the Hindoo character. Summarily, says he,"the Hindoos are religious, affable, courteous to strangers, cheerful, enamoured of knowledge, fond of inflicting austerities upon themselves; lovers of justice; given to retirement; able in business; grateful, admirers of truth;and of unbounded fidelity in all their dealings. Their character shines brightest in adversity:-they have great respect for their tutors:-they make no account of their lives, when they can devote them to the service of God." Cease, then, worthy Missionaries, to disturb that repose that forms the happiness of so many millions of the human race; a procedure that can only tend to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law...>>
  • "Vindication of the Hindoos from the Aspersions of the Reverend Claudius Buchanan with a Refutation of the Arguments Exhibited in his Memoir..."