of the talent and genius of Beschi, yet he remarks upon this part of his celebrated Poem, "The tissue of conceits exhibited by these Verses may have been woven for the Poet by the Italian or the Tamul Muse; as both, though they often cull from the rose-bush of Fancy its fairest flowers, are prone, also, to collect the unsubstantial dew-drops glittering on its leaves." pp. 142-147.

After referring to another work of a similar description, Mr. H. adds:

Were it not that the Temba-vani is, to my own knowledge, more admired by some professed Christians than the Bible itself, I should hardly have thought it worth while to take even this much notice of the work. It exactly corresponds to the description which the Abbé Dubois gives of such a translation as he conceives to be indispensable, in order to render the sacred volume acceptable, or even tolerable to the Hindoos.'

But the Abbé calls for elementary works, knowing at the same time, that the Protestant Missionaries have adopted this method of instruction to a much greater extent than the Jesuits ever did. Last year,' says Mr. H.,' the press of the 'Church Missionary Society alone sent forth 30,000 copies of religious publications.' And every Protestant Mission in India is as well supplied, if not better, with works of the same description. On every point, this unprincipled man's objections and calumnies are met in the most satisfactory manner; but our limits will not allow of our going through the details. Speaking of the success which has already attended the means used by Protestants for the conversion of the Hindoos, Mr. Hough gives a rough statement of the numbers of children in the schools established by the several Societies; from which it appears that there are at least 50,000 children, the major part Heathen, now in the various schools established by Protestants in India. The Abbé asserts, that the Hindoo children go to the schools opened by Europeans, influenced, as their sole motive, by the desire of obtaining a knowledge of the English language, a very legitimate motive, if it were so; but his accuracy is strikingly shewn by this assertion, when, in point of fact, Mr. Townley says, in nine-tenths of the schools in Bengal, the English language has not been taught! Boys of every caste are admitted into these schools. The Brahmin is classed with the Soodra. In one of our schools,' says Mr. Hough, there were, at the time of my leaving the district, four Brahmins, six Soodras, two Mussulmans, eight Roman Catholics, one Country-born, and two Pariars.' Of the fifty students on the foundation of the Serampore College, seven were Brahmins.

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The number of female scholars under education, according to the latest accounts, is no less than 1189.

"I will not dwell,' he adds, upon the Native congregations-amounting to about One Hundred and Sixty!-assembled by the Baptist, the Church, the Methodist, the London, the Scottish, and the American, Missionary Scoieties, in different parts of India, since they do not consist entirely of Christians. I will, however, state, that those Societies can enumerate nearly Three Thousand Converts, who have renounced all their superstitions, have embraced the Christian Faith upon principle, are living according to the Saviour's commands, and thus adorning their profession in the midst of. Idolatry and iniquity. The strictest attention is paid to their moral conduct: and when it is not in conformity with their profession, they are suspended, and denied the privilege of Communion, until the Missionary is satisfied as to the sincerity of their repentance. Many have died in the Faith, and given every proof that Divine Grace had regenerated their hearts.'

Mr. Hough devotes a very interesting chapter to the present state of the Syrian churches in Travancore. We regret that we cannot now advert to this subject, but shall probably avail ourselves of another opportunity. The last chapter contains a manly appeal on the duty and policy of promoting Christianity in India, and the necessity of improving the character of the servants of Government, both European and 'Native.' With a passage from this chapter, we must conclude our extracts.

• The Abbé Dubois...... sounds his note of alarm upon the question; though he must know it to be as "stale a subject" as that of burning the Hindoo Widows upon the Funeral Pile.

I also beg leave to sound an alarm-though with a very different trumpet. Instead of predicting the ruin of the Honourable the EastIndia Company's dominions, as the consequence of Missionary undertakings, I hesitate not to assert, that it were better to abandon all their Eastern acquisitions, than to discourage the propagation of Christianity; or even to stand neuter, and use no means to promote that object, throughout their extensive Empire. A fearful load of responsibility rests upon them! The history of all Nations proves, that every event is under the Almighty's control. By Him" Nations and Empires rise and fall, flourish and decay." The triumphs and defeats of armies, unless viewed in connection with the sovereign purposes of God, are of less moment, in His sight, and in that of every wise and good man, than the descent and evaporation of the morning-dew. But when regarded as links in that chain of events upon which the stupendous designs of Jehovah are suspended, they assume an importance, with which no other consideration can invest them. We may instance the successive rise and fall of the Chaldean, the Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman monarchies; compared with the Sacred Prediction, and

actual accomplishment of designs, which were fulfilled, without the intention, or even knowledge, of the immediate agents employed, by a wise and all-controlling Providence, to carry them into execution! Let us instance, also, the universal success of the Roman arms in the reign of Augustus, so evidently intended to tranquillize the world, and prepare it for the Advent of the Prince of Peace!' pp. 249-50.

For what purpose, I ask, has the Almighty conferred upon a Com» pany of British Merchants, a more extensive dominion than any earthly Monarch governs? Can it be for their personal aggrandizement to enrich our nation, and indulge us with exotic luxuries? No; there is not the shadow of a reason to conclude that His object is different from what it has generally been, in permitting one nation to triumph over another. That object is, to prepare a way for the Ambassadors of Peace, and to extend the boundaries and blessings of His Kingdom. To deny this, or to suppose that the case of the British Power in India forms an exception to the Almighty's general design, is to provoke Him to subvert that mighty Empire. We glory in the achievements of our arms: but soon will their splendour be tarnished, soon shall our Indian Possessions be taken from us, and given to a Nation more zealous for the honour of our God, unless we inscribe on our banners, “Holiness to the Lord," and follow up our successes by rendering them subservient to the promotion of His glory in the East.

How vast then, how tremendous, the responsibility of our Indian Government! I tremble for the mortal that shall presume to endeavour, either to extenuate its magnitude, or, by word or action, to divert the Rulers of our Eastern Empire from discharging that debt which they owe to The Lord of Hosts! He has given them an opportunity to acquire a more splendid renown than ever rewarded the hero of the field.. If they avail themselves of it, by diffusing the light of Revelation where- › ever they bear sway, then, when hereafter they shall see countless myriads flocking from the East to meet the Ransomed from the West, they themselves will enter with the throng into the realms of unfading glory. But, if they use no means to promote this object, still it shall be accomplished-for it is the Almighty's purpose: and He hath declared, "1 will work; and who shall let it (turn it back)?” “My counsel shaftstand; and I will do all My pleasure." No hostility or inactivity of man shall prevent the achievement of the Redeemer's triumphs in the East and if those who are instrumental in effecting those conquests, shall find their future joys proportionably increased, the remorse of every opponent to the work, when he shall witness its completion, can neither be described nor conceived!

• Often has it been objected, that the propagation of Christianity in India is a measure fraught with imminent danger to our Eastern Possessions. Suppose, for the sake of argument, we allow the possibility of the thing: yet will any man, of right understanding, and impressed with a moderate degree of reverence for the authority and holiness of the Supreme Being, urge this as a sufficient reason for the omission of so sacred, so obvious a duty? Shall secular interests be allowed to stand:

in competition with the performance of that duty? No! Will not such air one say, Let our Indian Empire go to its natural owners, to any one, rather than retain it on condition that we withhold therefrom the Light of Revelation, and thereby incur the Almighty displeasure! What is the wealth of the Indies, without the favour of God?-we should soon find it more worthless than dross. If, in order to preserve our Eastern Dominions, we deny to the millions of our Indian Subjects, that "Light" which was revealed for the express purpose of enlightening the Gentiles-the God who has bestowed upon us the vast continent of Hindoostan, may soon be provoked to recal that costly acquisition.

An able officer, already named, (Sir John Malcolm) argues, upon principles not dissimilar, for the diffusion of “knowledge and truth" throughout our Indian Possessions. He says, at the conclusion of the work above quoted-" The relation of the Natives of India to the English is that of a conquered people to its conquerors. Since we have obtained sovereignty over them, we have greatly ameliorated their condition; and all rational means have been employed to promote their happiness, and to secure to them the benefits of good government. By premature efforts to accelerate the progress of the blessings it is our hope to impart, we shall not only hasten our own downfal, but replunge the Natives of India into a state of greater anarchy and misery than that from which we relieved them. Let us, therefore, calmly proceed insa course of gradual improvement; and when our rule ceases-for cease it must (though probably at a remote period), as the natural consequence of our success in the diffusion of knowledge!--we shall, as a Nation, have the proud boast, that we have preferred the civilization to the continued subjection of India. When our power is gone, our Dame will be revered; for we shall leave a Moral Monument, more noble and imperishable than the hand of man ever constructed!"?

The testimony of M. Dubois has been considered as entitled to attention, because, after living so many years in India, and living, in fact, as a Hindoo, he has grown tired of that mode of life, and forsaken the country in disgust. Surely the public will think that at least an equal degree of attention is due to the testimony of two individuals, who, after labouring for several years in the field of missionary exertion, are about voluntarily to resume the work. The Abbé asserts, that all missionaries who have come to India for the purpose of making proselytes, have been deceived, disappointed, all their labours have terminated in nothing. If he speaks of the Romish missionaries, we rejoice that this is the case. If he means his assertion to be understood of Protestant missionaries, it is a gross, wicked, and wilful untruth. Mr. Hough, should his health be re-established, will return, we believe, to the sphere of his former labours. Mr. Townley, though he embarked in the work for the limited term of five years, and might now with honour retreat, has tendered his services to the London

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Missionary Society for a second term. The latter gentleman declares, that, in all his intercourse, with various missionaries of different Protestant denominations in Bengal, he never met with one whose sentiments underwent the change which the Abbé has untruly asserted. Should it be illiberally suspected, that pride and tenacity prevent the missionaries from making avowal of such a change of sentiment, there are cases at hand, respecting which there is no room for the suspicion. Mr. Townley refers to two instances of Europeans, who, in India, have deliberately given themselves up to the work of missionaries among the Hindoos, after a residence among them of many years. The individuals in question had, he states, lived for years in the midst of the Hindoos, before they formed the design of becoming preachers to the natives. They had enjoyed ample opportunities of minutely examining all that was transacting with reference to the Missions; and the result was, the full conviction, upon which they have acted, that the conversion of the Hindoos is practicable, and that the cause against which M. Dubois is impiously and impotently fighting, is the cause of God. As to the estimable Missionaries with whom this worthy emissary of a corrupt and apostate Church is brought more immediately into contact-and we desire no finer contrast than is presented by their respective characters--our confidence, so far as human instrumentality is concerned, is strengthened by the consideration, that they are returning, if it be the will of the Supreme Arbiter of events, to devote themselves afresh to the work of the evangelist. Such are the labourers whom we pray the Great Master to raise up and send into his vineyard. We are glad to have made acquaintance with them by means of these publications, which do equal honour to their excellent spirit and their heroic zeal. They are returning to wrestle, not with such puny adversaries as flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and wicked spirits, in that which has till recently been their almost undisputed territory. But they have chosen "the "sword of the Spirit" for their weapon; they go forth "strong "in the Lord and in the power of his might;" and they shall inherit the blessing and the joy ensured" to him that over"cometh."