bursur and Jumboo pilgrims, a few Peshourees, and such others amongst the distant comers. Of the different and numerous bodies of mendicants, only about thirty Oodasees were seen; and for five days the place was most melancholy in comparison with other years. Ask the people why the fair was not better attended, they say, because of the scarcity prevalent everywhere. It is evident that the Hindoos, whether of the Company's provinces or beyond them, only require something to do, either political, agricultural, or domestic, and they will not give Hurdwar a thought. The water at the bathing-place was knee and ancle deep, and not much above the knee through the whole width of the stream in the vicinity of the ghat; towards the end of the fair, however, the brahmuns of Jwalapoor seeing their jujmans were not pleased at the scantiness of the water, employed a number of men to clear away the sand which had accumulated above Hurdwar and impoverished the bathing-stream. This measure gave two or three feet more of water; they are frequently obliged to do so. After the last rains, a sand bank had not only been formed in the Brumh-koond, but rose to the height of several steps of the Hur-kee-pyree in its vicinity. "All this," said Doorga Dutt, his father and the Purumhuns, "all this is the effect of you Firingees having put your unclean hands to our Hur-kee-pyree and Brumhkoond, by which the figure of the bow (the dhunook-akar) is lost." During the last days, after the goorkha sepoys took their station at the ghat to prevent disturbances, it was sometimes amusing, but oftener painful, to see how many poor Hindoos came blundering with their shoes on to their own bathing-ghat, and the goorkhas made them literally smart for their supposed disrespect at their own shrine ; a few cuts of the cane or bamboo soon made the poor erring Hindoo remember that their Christian rulers were the guardians of their idolatrous shrines, and would avenge the quarrel of their Gunga-jee, and see her honoured with a good cane at their backs, or the crack of a bludgeon on their heads. Even when the poor startled fellow offers to bear his shoes in his hands or under his arms, he is not allowed to do so. Should not the novel intention of government to enforce religious obedience at heathen shrines be signified by beat of drum, or an ishtihar in different parts of the fair? that the poor pilgrims may know the putting on of shoes at the Hur-kee-pyree to be a state crime, cognizable by the regulation, and punishable by government sepoys! This would at least save many a beating and many an indignity. Very happily, this year there were no desolating fires, and few if any robberies or thefts, so altered for the better is the police from the times when the native umlah reigned; formerly, every year most extensive robberies used to be committed.'

⚫ Christian rulers the guardians of idolatrous shrines!" Surely, it forms no necessary part of police to enforce religious homage to either Juggernaut or the Virgin. But such has been, alas! the atheistic policy of the British authorities, military and colonial, as well in Pagan as in Roman Catholic countries. There is, however, something so monstrously wicked and degrading to the

VOL. XV.-N.S,

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national character in this compulsory enforcement of conformity to the etiquette of idolatry by Christian rulers,' that we cannot believe it will be endured when it comes to be generally known in this country. We must add to the preceding interesting details, the following extract from the Report of the same excellent missionary.

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In addition to the instances of persons who appear to have benefited by the labours of the year, as detailed in the Periodical Accounts, I shall just mention two or three who may be included in that number. Ramprusad, a student of the Persian College, in humble circumstances, who has for a year and a half, or two years, frequently attended our worship, and commonly attended me in my afternoon walks, and read the Scriptures in Persian and Oordoo with great attention, now shews a considerable degree of feeling, and evinces a faith in prayer to the Lord Jesus not common to a heathen mind. He has already been wondered at by his family for reading our Scriptures when all retire at night; and on the occasion of some domestic trouble, his ready recollection of passages suited to his distress shewed him not to have read in vain. He has long wished to put the Hindee hymns into the Persian character, to enable him to read and enjoy their devotional sentiments in singing; and now he is engaged rendering into the Persian character the Miracles of our Lord, with reflections,' a work he takes great delight in. The next person is the Suwar mentioned before. His reading has ended in such deep affection to the truths of the Gospel, that of his own accord he has composed 168 lines of Oordoo poetry, aud entitled the piece, "An exhortation to all men in order that they be saved.' His love of reading is great and he has of late frequently attended worship. The third person is Abdoollah. He has grown considerably in the kuowledge of the Scriptures, and his wellused Arabic Bible is full of marginal references on the subject of our Saviour's divinity, and the fulfilment of the Old Testament Scriptures in the events of his life. To facilitate reference, he has paged the entire volume, and affixed the corresponding pages to the names of the several books in the table of contents, which books also he has numbered. Throughout some parts of the Old and New Testament, of frequent reference, he has taken the trouble to affix the number of the verses. Micah's Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting, and Zechariah's Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts,' he cannot get over he seems at a loss how to dismiss these texts without allowing the pre-existence and eternity of our Lord, and the propriety of those words of the apostle, he thought it not robbery to be equal with God.' He is also not a little puzzled at verses 6, 7, and 8 of Psalm lxxxii, when read in connexion with John x. 33-36. He sees clearly, and is compelled to allow that our Saviour was charged with making himself God; that he does not repel it, as he did that of having a devil; that the Scripture quoted is in defence of conduct which the Jews deemed blasphemy; that if the Scripture is not to be broken, then the last or eighth verse of the psalm must be taken in connexion

with the two preceding ones, and this will lead us to consider him who is to inherit all nations as God; but the 2d Psalm, pointing to the Son of God as having 'nations given him for his inheritance,' shews him to be addressed O God.' He endeavours to get over this difficulty by saying, God alone is to be considered God, and no creature is to be so styled. I reply that he who appeared to Joshua is first called a man, then Jehovah, and in some places an angel, yet is he properly Jehovah. Here he pauses, and I think has nothing that is satisfactory, even to his own mind, to object.

Abdoolah was thought to be so near the Christian character, that in order to withdraw him altogether from Mahometans, a pious officer was about to settle a salary upon him for life, and to let him employ himself in useful translations, and had sent me nearly two months' salary for that purpose, when his indisposition obliged him to quit the station and leave the country, and put a stop to the further prosecution of the plan. The last person I shall mention, is a blind man whom I used some six years back to converse with at the Kubeerees'. This poor man, after a long absence in the country, has again come to live in the city, and has found his way, by the aid of an attendant, to the Hindee worship, which he attends, with great anxiety, on Sundays and Wednesdays. On his recovery from severe sickness, I one day said to him, 66 Soor-das, you are alive again!" "Yes," said he, "I shall wear out a coverlet or two more: what else shall I do?" Such was his estimate of life! I trust that the good he formerly derived from what he heard, has induced him thus to resort to the means of gospel knowledge once more.

It only remains for me to state, that the number of books and tracts distributed through the year, at home and abroad, is 6881, consisting of 79 volumes, and 553 single portions of the Scripture, 6 of the four gospels, 109 pamphlets, and 7128 tracts and hymn books; and these are partly scattered in the neighbouring districts, and partly carried far beyond the Company's provinces; and my humble hope is, that, as good seed, some portion of it will most certainly spring up and bear fruit to the eternal life of many.'

The printing and distribution of Religious Tracts in the various dialects of India, form one of the important objects to which the exertions of the Serampore Brethren are directed. During the year 1833, upwards of 34,000 Tracts were issued in Bengalee, Hindee, Assamese, and Burmese. One of the Hindee Tracts is a Life of Christ,' translated from a poetical Harmony of the Four Gospels composed in Bengalee by Ramboshoo, whose name will be familiar to the early friends of the 'Indian Mission.' We confess that our curiosity would be not a little gratified by having a specimen of this poetical Harmony' rendered into English. The Burmese tracts were composed by Dr. Judson, and printed, at his request, for the use of the people of Arracan.

For the reports respecting the schools and the college, we must

refer our readers to the Number before us, which will amply repay perusal. We must express our regeec, however, that the interesting statements which it contains, are not exhibited to better advantage, being scattered through a mass of documents; and as there is found nothing like a general view or summary of the operations of the Mission, it is difficult to arrive at any clear or accurate estimate of the results. The want of a regular report from the Serampore Brethren is ill supplied by the brief address to the Friends of the Mission at home."

But what a sphere of Missionary labour and enterprise is that vast empire to which these details relate! What are we doing, as a country for the religious welfare of the hundred millions of India? Idolatry is giving way on every hand, but are we prepared to occupy the ceded territory in the name of the only true God and Jesus Christ, the Sent of the Father? There is, we fear, an apathy in the public mind with regard to India, which prevents any appeal on behalf of its inhabitants from having its due effect, whether it relates to their social condition or their religious destitution. The Serampore Mission, viewed in its almost romantic origin, its self supported exertions, and its stupendous achievements in the department of Biblical translation, forms one of the most extraordinary chapters in the history of Protestant Missions, and it has certainly accomplished more for India than all other Institutions put together, not excepting Bishop's College itself.

Art. XII. Letters to the English Public, On the Condition, Abuses, and Capabilities of the National Universities, No. I. By a Graduate of Cambridge. 8vo., pp. 48. London, 1836.

ARE

RE the Universities in a healthy and proper condition? 'The man who presumes to answer this question in the nega'tive,' says the Writer of this pamphlet, (himself a Member of the University of Cambridge,) is almost compelled to suffer a 'moral martyrdom.' But who dares with still greater boldness to answer in the affirmative? The country has a right to put the question, and the truth must be elicited. The statements contained in this pamphlet challenge and demand the attention of Parliament, the great conservator of our National Institutions. Passing over the remarks upon the system of ordinary education, which requires, this Writer contends, a thorough revision, we shall notice the abuses to which he directs attention. The first and greatest is that almost impassible barrier' against all reformation in the University, the Caput, or governing body.

The Caput, as it prevents the introduction of almost all other improvements, precludes also the possibility of its own reformation. It

must sign its own death-warrant before it falls; and this we can scarcely hope that it will ever do. Each individual member has power to stop such a proceeding; and considering the manner in which the Caput is chosen, we cannot expect to find six individuals who are sufficiently honest and self-denying thus to sacrifice their power and their importance to the good of the community. It were well if the Universities would reform themselves, without any interposition from without. But the good of the nation must not be sacrificed either to their laziness or their inability of action. I believe this to be a case where the iuterference of the legislature is absolutely necessary; and it is to be hoped that those members of the University, who are convinced of the necessity of a change in this particular, will in their individual capacity petition the Government upon the subject. I do not indeed wish to see the Caput abolished. I think it has its use in such a body as the University. But if the members which compose it were yearly chosen by vote in the three faculties and the two houses, and if the latter should each send two members instead of one, a Caput thus constituted, and carrying or rejecting by a majority of suffrages any measure which might be brought before it, would be a useful council for the preparation of business to be laid before the Senate, would vent the intrusion of absurd and mischievous novelties, and would form, as the Caput was originally intended, a governor to the whole legislative machine.'

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The next gross abuse consists of the present condition of several of the Professorships.

'And first, the Lady Margaret Professorship of Divinity, held by Dr. Herbert Marsh, Bishop of Peterborough. The stipend of the Professorship is twenty marks per annum on the foundation of Lady Margaret, and the rectorial tithes of the valuable Living of Terrington in Norfolk, granted by James I. The present Professor was elected in the year 1807. Now what has the Bishop done for the University in the twenty-eight years during which he has filled the Divinity chair? He has delivered thirty-four lectures from St. Mary's pulpit!!! not one of which has been preached within the last six or seven years!!! Thus are the students robbed of those advantages which are justly their right, and which the University has it within her power to afford them.'

The second of these abused Professorships which claims our attention is that of Casuistry, at present held by Doctor Barnes, Master of St. Peter's College. Dr. Barnes was elected in the year 1813; and in the twenty-two years during which he has occupied the Professor's Chair, he has, as far as I can learn, never delivered so much as one lecture. The worthy Professor, now a very old man,--certainly so old as to have been totally unfit to hold a Professorship at any period within the last twenty years,-must, I am afraid, have exerted the utmost efforts of his art to quiet his own conscience as to the manner of his election. But let the reader judge for himself. "The electors to this Professorship are the Vice-Chancellor, the Regius and the