at least, the spirit of improvement has been repressed, and that, too, by those who should have been the first to foster and sustain it. We do not allude to the scenes where the civil arm has been raised to shed the blood of those over whom it rules. If humanity has been outraged, there are those, we trust, still in authority, who will see to it that reparation is made. But it is not enough simply to satisfy the laws of justice. There are offices of mercy and charity which ought not to be neglected. We allude to the fact, that the whole population of a small village, wishing to become christians, and to be instructed in the truths of the gospel, requested the resident at Sourabaya to send them a teacher with Bibles, but that he refused, declaring that he would not allow them to become christians, as they were quite happy enough without christianity; and further, that christian tracts in the Javanese language have been confiscated, and the funds of the Dutch Bible Society occasionally applied to purposes merely literary.

"If this account is correct, and we do not doubt it, it affords a striking illustration of the force of truth and the mercy of God, on the one hand, and of human wickedness and cruelty, on the other. The villagers, once the worshippers of Budhu, have been convinced of the folly of idolatry, and brought to the determination of renouncing it, by the mercy of God, through the instrumentality of tracts. But when they sought after instruction, it was withheld from them; and when they were striving to enter into the way of life, they were hindered, hindered by a professed disciple of Him who would have all men come to the knowledge of the truth, and be saved. Well may we

appropriate to this case, the words of our Saviour; Woe unto you, lawyers; for ye have taken away the key of knowledge; ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.""

CHAPTER VI.

Burmah.-Its State.-Worship of the White Elephant.Character of the Burmans.-Baptist Mission.-London Missionary Society.-American Baptist Board.-Labours of Rev. A. and Mrs. Judson.-The Convert Moung Nau. -Other Converts.-Introduction to the King-Further Accessions to the Church.-Mrs. Judson's illness.-Her feelings on leaving Rangoon.-Letter of Moung Shwa-ba to Rev. Dr. Baldwin.-Burmese War.-Perils and Sufferings of the Missionaries.

THE Burmans are boodhists, or a nation of atheists. They believe that existence involves in itself the principles of misery and destruction; consequently there is no eternal God. The whole universe, say they, is only destruction and reproduction. It therefore becomes a wise man to raise his desires above all things that exist, and aspire to Nigban, the state in which there is no existence. Rewards and punishments follow meritorious and sinful acts, agreeably to the nature of things. Gaudaama, their last boodh, or deity, in consequence of meritorious acts, arrived at that state of perfection. which made him deserving of annihilation—the supreme good. His instructions are still in force, and will continue till the appearance of the next deity, who is supposed now to exist somewhere in embryo; and who, when he appears, as the most perfect of all beings, will introduce a new dispensation.

In the empire of Burmah, it is the practice to pay very extraordinary honours to a white elephant, which is considered peculiarly sacred, lodged near the palace, and attended with great devotion, even by the monarch himself. The following account of this singular custom, from a traveller's journal, ought to inspire deep commiseration for a whole empire sunk in such astonishing stupidity as thus to honour and reverence a mere unconscious brute !

"The residence of the white elephant is contiguous to the royal palace, with which it is connected by a long open gallery, supported by numerous rows of pillars. At the further end of this gallery, a lofty curtain of black velvet, richly embossed with gold, conceals the animal from the eyes of the vulgar. Before this curtain the presents intended to be offered to him, consisting of gold and silver muslins, broad-cloths, otto of roses, rose-water, Benares brocades, tea, &c. &c. were displayed on carpets. After we had been made to wait a short time, as is usual at the audiences of the Burmese princes, the curtain was drawn up, and discovered the august beast, of a small size, the colour of sand, and very innocently playing with his trunk, unconscious of the glory by which he was surrounded; the Burmans, at the same time, bowing their heads to the ground. The dwelling of the white elephant is a lofty hall, richly gilt from top to bottom, both inside and outside, and supported by sixty-four pillars, thirty-six of which are also richly gilt. His two fore-feet were fastened by a thick silver chain to one of these pillars, his hind legs being secured by ropes. His bedding consisted of a thick straw mattrass, covered with the finest blue cloth, over which was spread another of softer

materials, covered with crimson silk. The animal has a regular household, consisting of a woonghee, or chief minister; moondduk, or secretary of state; sereghee, or inferior secretary; nakaun, or obtainer of intelligence; and other inferior ministers, who were all present to receive us. Besides these, he has other officers, who transact the business of several estates that he possesses in various parts of the country; and an establishment of one thousand men, including guards, servants, and other attendants. His trappings are of extreme magnificence, being all of gold, and the richest gold cloth, thickly studded with large diamonds, pearls, sapphires, rubies, and other precious stones. His betel box, spitting pot, and bangles, and the vessels out of which he eats and drinks, are likewise of gold, and inlaid with numerous precious stones. On the curtain being drawn up, we were desired to imitate the Burmese in their prostrations; compliance, however, was not insisted on. The white elephant appeared to me to be a diseased animal, whose colour had been changed by a species of leprosy.

"These honours are said to be paid to the white elephant, on account of an animal of this description being the last stage of many millions of transmigrations through which a soul passes previous to entering Nigban, or Paradise; or, according to the Burmese doctrine, previous to her being absorbed into the divine essence, or rather altogether annihilated. One of the king's titles is Lord of the White, Red, and Mottled Elephants; and, I am informed, the same distinction is shown to those of the first mentioned colours, by the Siamese.

"An elephant, termed red, was kept in a verandah

of the white elephant's residence; but I could perceive, in his colour, little differing from that of any other. The king was in the habit of paying his respects to the white elephant every morning, and of attending when he was taken to the river to be washed, and he paid this beast the same honours as he received from his household."

The Burmans are a lively, industrious, and energetic race, and farther advanced in civilization than most of the eastern nations. They are frank and candid, and destitute of the pusillanimity which characterizes the Hindoos, and that revengeful malignity which is a leading trait in the Malay character. The passion of jealousy, which prompts most eastern nations to immure their women and surround them with guards, seems to have little influence on the minds of the Burmans; for their wives and daughters have as free intercourse with the other sex, as the rules of European society admit. The Burmans are extremely fond both of poetry and music; and their language has been highly cultivated in composition, for they have numerous works in religion, history, and science; some of them written in the most flowing and beautiful style: and much ingenuity is manifested in the construction of their stories. Some of their men are powerful logicians, and take delight in investigating new subjects.

All the boys in the empire are taught by the priests, who are dependent for their support on the contributions of the people; but no attention is given to female education, excepting in a few instances in the higher classes of society.

In January, 1807, the Rev. Messrs. Chater and Mardon, from the Baptist Missionary Society,