Of the Serampore Missionaries (particularly Drs. Carey and Marshman) it is impossible to speak in sufficiently laudatory terms, without hurting the feelings of those amiable pioneers of civilization. They have twenty-seven missionary stations, containing forty-seven missionaries, spread over an immense extent of country. It is truly observed that the missionaries sent from Serampore are prepared for their labours at a moderate expense; they are generally content with a style of living which persons brought up in Europe could not endure without loss of health, and every member of the mission is taught, not only that it is lawful, but desirable, for him to secure the means of his own support, by any employment which does not obstruct his usefulness.'

Shortly before leaving India, I visited the College at Serampore, and was really at a loss which to admire most, the active industry, skill and intelligence put in operation, or the profound and unaffected piety which pervaded the whole establishment. In one part of the College types in every language were being cast; in another a capital steam-engine was plying its powerful machinery for the manufacture of excellent paper; in a third place were numerous compositors employed on books, pamphlets, newspapers, school tracts, hymns, catechisms, &c., and in a fourth spot printers, ink-makers, binders, &c. &c.

Since the first edition of this work went to press, Dr. Carey has descended, full of honours, to the grave. An interesting memoir of this venerable character will be found in the Gentleman's Magazine' for April, 1825, written by Mr. Fisher.

all, in fact, was peace, harmony, and holiness. It is stated in the Serampore account, that, since 1825, from 40,000 to 50,000 volumes or pamphlets (not copies of them) have been thrown into circulation by the native press!

The English language is making rapid strides in every part of India; a recent Bengal newspaper, the Sumachur Durpun (which has been established by the Serampore missionaries, one half being in the English, and the other half translations into the Bengallee) states that, with the view of encouraging the study of this language, Lord W. Bentinck has adopted it in his correspondence with Fyz Mahomed Khan, one of the native chiefs in the west, which has created a considerable sensation in Delhi. A demand for English tutors and secretaries is already perceptible. The teacher who recently resigned his situation in the Delhi College, said he could easily get a tutorship and secretaryship under a native prince. Mr. Rennel, of the collector's office, having been discharged, has also the offer of a situation from a native prince. Kishenlall has already engaged an English teacher for his two sons, whom he intends to make secretaries to Fyz Mahomed Khan. Lord William's letters in English to the native chiefs, are likely to draw their attention to the acquisition of English. As soon as the chiefs begin to study the language, or make their sons do so, the use of English will become general.

From the Bombay Durpun, we also learn that the English language is much more generally sought among the natives than at any former period. Be

sides the school at Poona, the Central English school of the Native Education Society has 100 students, and to this number the school is limited. (The missionaries, with the assistance of the government, have recently established one English school, and the government are about instituting another.) There are, however, numerous private schools on the island, in which the total number of youths learning English, I will be found to be several hundreds.

Another journal subsequently observes We learn that his Majesty of Oude has recently established an English school at Lucknow, and placed it under the controul of Major Low; the number of scholars that now attend daily, amounts to from thirty to forty, the majority of whom are the descendants of Christians, the rest Hindoos and Mahomedans.'

It rests not on my individual testimony, but it is in evidence before Parliament, that the natives have not only shown a great anxiety to obtain a knowledge of the English language, but that they have also evinced considerable proficiency in the same; the truth of the following extract from the recent Parliamentary Committee on the East India affairs, can be attested by hundreds of persons now in Europe.

Some of the students, who have completed their education in the Hindoo College and other institutions, are in the habit of holding debating societies, where they discuss topics of considerable importance in the English language, and read lectures and essays of their own composition, upon various literary and scientific subjects. At one of the meetings above mentioned, the question for discussion was, Whe

ther posthumous fame be a rational principle of human action or not.' It is true that the debate soon branched off into a consideration of the possibility and probability of human perfection; but the orators spoke with remarkable fluency, quoting Gibbon, Hume, Reid, Bolingbroke, Voltaire, Shakspeare, Milton, &c. The forms of similar meetings in England were imitated; and the chairman having inquired the reason of the secretary's absence, a loud cry of Persecution!' was raised, and it was explained that he was prevented from attending by his father, who was afraid that his principles of paganism should be corrupted, in consequence of the other members being deists.

In corroboration of the foregoing, I may mention that I have found many of the Hindoo youths more accurately acquainted with English standard authors than is readily to be met with in England; they have now got up English playhouses, in which Shakspeare and the productions of the best British dramatists are acted with astonishing spirit. A Literary Society has been recently organized by the learned Hindoos at Madras, and placed in communication with the Royal Asiatic Society of London; by late arrivals I am informed that an Horticultural Society has been formed at Agra ;-other institutions will doubtless spring up rapidly.

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CHAPTER VI.

THE HINDOO RELIGION ITS ATTRIBUTES, &c.-MAHOMEDANS, PARSEES, JEWS, &c.- STATE OF CHRISTIANITY, &c.

THE government of British India possesses a feature which has rarely or never been found in any nation or in any age, I allude to its toleration of every mode or form of religion in which different sects may choose to adore the Creator; to its protection against hostility, forcible opposition or oppression by one rival sect against another, and to its auxiliary pecuniary aid when solicited by any congregation or community.

The Hindoo religion is of course the creed of the vast majority of the people; although now a gross system of polytheism adapted to the rudest capacities and appealing to or exciting merely sensual passions, there are various evidences in proof that it was once an almost pure system of monotheism, on which was subsequently engrafted the Hindoo trimurti or Triad. Thus BRAHM, (God), is among almost innumerable definitions acknowledged in the vedas, or sacred writings of the Hindoos, as the Almighty, infinite, eternal, incomprehensible, self-existent Being: He who sees every thing, though never seen: He who is not to be compassed by description: who is beyond the limit of human conception, and from whom the universal world proceeds: whose work is the universe, and who is the Lord of the universe: He who is the Light of all lights, whose name is too sacred to be pronounced, and whose power is too infinite to be