punishing a man for no other fault than being a "zealous, consistent, upright Christian."

The Calcutta School-Book Society, of whose proceedings the Fifth Report by the committee is now published, was instituted on July 4, 1817. Circumstances occurred to retard their operations, and delay the annual view of their labours, which their plan embraced; and in the present report the proceedings of two years are included. We cannot put our readers in possession of the objects of this society, in better language than that of the committee itself. In this committee will be found the names of some of the most distinguished Oriental scholars of whom we boast, and of others, who, if they lay not claim to an acquaintance with the languages, have had the most extensive means of ascertaining the character of the native population of the country. The testimony of such men to the practicability of improving the intellectual and moral, and consequently the religious condition of the Hindoos and Musselmans, must be valuable at all times; but at a period, when the doctrine is openly broached, and backed by an experience of "thirty-two years of confidential and quite unrestrained intercourse among the natives of India," that this improvement is unattainable, and the day gone for ever, when it might have been accomplished, it is doubly gratifying.

"In the reports of the society which have been published since the Provisional Committee was formed, it is hoped, not only that the real character of the institution has been satisfactorily developed, but that every rational expectation has been fully realized. Every reflecting mind must see, that a School-Book Society can only produce its effect by slow and scarcely perceptible degrees. Though the plan of this institution has been denominated vast and comprehensive, yet the term is used in reference chiefly to the extent of its range, and the number of languages embraced by it. Strictly speaking, its march is narrow and unpretending. It supplies schools with elementary books for the acquisition of language and science: nothing can be attempted of a more humble character. Beginning with grammars, vocabularies, spelling-books, fa

* Vid. Dubois's "Letters on the State of Christianity in India."-This work appears to have attracted not a little notice at home: and has been somewhat triumphantly quoted and referred to, in this country. The name and authority of Mons. L'Abbé, have not so much weight with us, as to shut our eyes to the very great inconsistencies, and shallow reasoning, with which his work abounds: and we shall take an early opportunity of noticing it at some length.-ED.

bles, it advances gradually to higher books, and aims at providing the schools of India with the materials of education. Its operation must, therefore, of necessity be slow; years must elapse before the rising generation will exhibit any visible improvement; so that the good done must be considered for the present, as it were, out of sight. Judging, however, from experience in similar cases, and reasoning from certain effects which are known to have taken place, your committee confidently hope that this institution has been, and is still contributing its appropriate good to the native inhabitants of this country. It belongs strictly to the object of the present meeting to point out a few of the effects here adverted to, which will tend to illustrate what your committee have already hinted as to the improved circumstances and prospects of the society.

"Amongst the advantages now possessed, this must strike the friends of general education with the sincerest pleasure, that, (ample time having been allowed for the experiment,) European teaching is found to be highly acceptable to the natives. When this society was formed, the number of native schools under the superintendence of Europeans was comparatively small new labourers have since entered the field; and the schools superintended by Europeans may be considered as at least tenfold more numerous than they were. The Calcutta School Society alone has no fewer than eighty-four schools under its patronage, within the limits of this town. Add to these the schools supported by other societies and individuals recently established, and the amount of natives educated under European superintendence will be found very considerable. These are all dependant principally on the School-Book Society for the means of instruction. They could not be efficiently conducted, except they were provided with elementary books from its depository, which are, in point of fact, continually supplied. They receive the aid with thankfulness, and still look to the society for further assistance: in the expressive language of one of their pundits, they are hungry for the School-Book Society's publications, and full of impatience to receive them from the press. What was before speculation is now matter of fact: it is no longer doubtful whether the natives will receive help from us; it is ascertained that they gladly avail themselves of our aid they flock to the schools; they advance in their learning: they prove, to a demonstration, that if the European will condescend to labour for their good, the native will gladly receive the aid offered. This is one important and encouraging result, which, though partially known before, could not have been so strikingly visible, without the means and facilities for education supplied by this society."

To provide elementary books for the acquisition of languages, is the first object of the society; and it has been attained to a degree, which entitles the committee to say it has been accomplished: and in pursuance of the second object, that of providing the native youth with elementary works on geography, astronomy, and other sciences, very considerable progress has also been made in the Bengalee language. The elements of Euclid have been translated into Sunscrit ; and a pledge is given to the world, that the work will be executed as it ought to be, in the circumstance of Mr. WILSON having undertaken to superintend the publication. The same work, in Persian and Arabic, has nearly passed through the press; and a variety of others are either completed or in progress.

To facilitate the acquirement of the English language, is an object which the society has uniformly kept in view; and a large impression of Pearson's Geography, in Bengalee and English, has been ordered to press. The society has also received a very handsome donation of English works of merit from the British India Society of London; and since the last meeting in 1821, they have been enabled to sell or distribute tracts in Bengalee, Hindoostanee, Persian, Arabic, Sunscrit, Anglo-Asiatic, and English, to the number of fourteen thousand five hundred. Their disbursements to meet the expense attending these labours amounted, from October 11th, 1821, to August 31st, 1823, to Rs. 20,804. 12. 9. The subscriptions in aid of their funds have been liberal, and they have had to acknowledge two princely donations of Rs. 1000 each, from his Majesty of Lucknow, and the Rajah of Burdwan. Their exertions have been encouraged by pecuniary aid from the Governor General in Council, and by the appointment of a Committee of General Instruction, to act as the channel of communication between all such institutions and the Supreme Government.

Entertaining, as we do, the strongest conviction, that there exists a very universal desire among the better class of natives of India, in general, and Calcutta in particular, to make themselves acquainted with European literature and science, we warmly congratulate the Calcutta School-Book Society, on the progress it has made in furnishing them with

the means of attaining this knowledge, and on the assistance they have already derived from the rich and respected among the natives themselves. The example of the King of Lucknow, and the Rajah of Burdwan will, we have no doubt, be followed by many other wealthy Hindoos and Musselmans. It is impossible they can remain idle spectators in such a scene: they cannot be insensible of the exertions, making by their European fellow subjects, to instruct in all that renders life comfortable and happy, such of their countrymen as require the aid of others, to bring these blessings within their reach; and in stepping forward to support such an institution, as the Calcutta School-Book Society, they must be aware, that their liberality will scarcely be extended to its object, until it will be rewarded within their own social and domestic circles.

We have confined our remarks almost exclusively to the Reports at the head of this article. When we return to this important subject, they will embrace a larger field.

REVIEW.-An Elegy to the Memory of the REV. HENRY MARTYN, with smaller Pieces. By JOHN LAWSON, Missionary at Calcutta. London. 1823.

It was remarked by Dr. Johnson, that it is more pleasing to see smoke brightening into flame, than flame sinking into smoke; and if we may be allowed to apply this observation to the genus poetarum of India, it will be found that the elaborate productions of the majority of them have all the smoke, without a single spark of the fire of genuine poetry. There is, perhaps, no department of literature, which seems to have enjoyed so great a share of general attention, or to have been studied with so much ardour, as the craft of poesy; but it is not a little wonderful that, of those who have shewn the utmost eagerness in its pursuit-whether urged on by a feeling of overweening conceit, or a consciousness of the possession of the poetic faculty, is a point, which we are not required at the present moment to decide-few indeed, we believe, have ever succeeded in distinguishing themselves, as highly gifted with poetic talent. The race of poetasters, we fear, has continued increasing of late with wonderful rapidity, in spite of the critic's lash. This may no doubt be rather dis

couraging to our vocation in the abstract; but still we are. of opinion, that a vast deal may be done by steady perseverance, and well directed reading; and our poetasters may yet be expelled the court of Apollo, and exiled to Baotia, should they rashly persevere in their unworthy offerings.

It is, on the other hand, the privilege of the genuine votary of the muses, to charm us with his magic creations, and to call into existence a world of his own. The plaintive warblings of the nightingale are not more grateful to the ears of the wearied pilgrim, than the strains of the mighty masters of poetic harmony to their admirers. It is the inspired son of genius alone, who is capable of presenting to the mind's eye the beauties of nature, in all their variegated bloom and freshness, stripped of all redundancies and harshnesses, repulsive to the beau ideal in his imagination; and it is only by the power of his superior tact, that he is enabled to paint the blazing glories of the spangled firmament, in the glowing language of enthusiasm. He exercises a kind of witchery over our feelings and passions, and in short imparts, by his skill, vigour and animation to objects, that had but a while before appeared incapable, or unworthy, of illustration or embellishment.

Admiration for the charms of poetry seems inherent in the mind, and few will be sceptical, or cynical enough to affirm, that from our earliest infancy, we do not express delight at viewing those picturesque exhibitions of the beauties of nature and art, spread forth before us by the truly classic votaries of the sister arts of poetry and painting. In every country, and in the rudest states of society, poetry has powerfully engaged the attention of mankind, and the bard has been held in a degree of veneration, scarcely inferior to that paid to the gods. The untutored Laplander, who wakes with the dawn, to pursue the hardy toils of the chase, or to meet the object of his tenderest wishes, vents his grateful emotions in an address to the rein-deer, embellished with illusions to the beautiful and romantic, though rude, imagery of his native hills and wilds, and invocations of those deities, who, he conceives, may aid or thwart his purpose; while his more serious labours are no less pleasingly beguiled by the fascination of the song and the dance.