here, all is to be put into Malayalim. Do not leave me any longer without help.

Mr. Fenn's health having seriously suffered through these exertions, it became necessary to seek such local assistance in the care of the Junior Students of the College as could be obtained. Through the kindness of some Members of the Corresponding Committee, two Assistants in this department, Mr. John Ryan (who received a classical education) and Mr. James Roberts, have been procured from the Military Service, whose character and attainments give good promise of their becoming a valuable acquisition to the Mission.

Cotym.

Of the different departments of labour in behalf of the Syrians, the Madras Committee, in their Seventh Report, give the following view :

COLLEGE-The Report which the Committee have received from the Rev. Mr. Fenn on the state of the Syrian College, in the past year, is satisfactory in regard to the attainments of the Students; while it affords an agreeable presage of the future usefulness of the Institution. The number of Students is stated to be 51; and their punctuality in attendance and application to study have borne testimony to their desire for improvement.

There are three Latin Classes. The First Class is numerically small, not containing more than seven persons: but its members, who have begun to read Virgil, have acquired a tolerable acquaintance with the construction of the Latin Language; and they possess a serviceable knowledge of English, as is evinced by the circumstance of their prosecuting their Latin Studies through the medium of English Dictionaries, without deriving any aid from Malayalim Vocabularies: the Students of this Class also render some assistance in the instruction of the others, who are not so far advanced as themselves. The Second Class consists of eight, and the Third of ten Students: the Second has commenced Cæsar's Commentaries, and the Third is reading Selectæ é Veteri.

With a few exceptions, the Students of the Three Classes have begun to direct their attention to the acquisition of the Syriac. The study of Sanscrit has, for the present, been discontinued by the Students, at the recommendation of the Metran; that they might devote a longer portion of their time to the study of Syriac: but they are considered to have

made so much progress in it, that they may, without difficulty, renew it at a future period. The effect of their attention to this ancient and polished language is observable, in the classical tinge by which their conversation is marked; and as the Rev. Mr. Fenn observes

The due mixture of the more common Sanscrit terms with the colloquial Malayalim of the country, is that which distinguishes a Native Scholar from his more illiterate neighbours.

The following observations by Mr. Fenn shall conclude this branch of our Report.

I cannot but hope that the plan of education adopted is beginning to succeed. The great desideratum, which has been ever kept in view, has been the promoting of habits of study, and reflection, and investigation; as well as the inspiring of a certain degree of confidence in their own natural powers; rather than the imparting of any particular quantum of general information on any subject.

The study of Latin seems to be well adapted to effect this; and, on this account, the plan adopted in our old Grammar Schools has been imitated: the unravelling of a Latin sentence, the review of its construction, and comparing of the different modes of expressing the same idea, appear to be good exercises of the mental powers.

While learning Latin, the Scholar is also learning English; and it appears to me, that, by this plan, time is saved. To learn any language tolerably well, if it be the first language studied, less than five or six years is too little; and then the knowledge remains to be perfected, by daily reading and reflection. If this time is given to the acquisition of English, and afterward the Latin is to be learnt, Latin can never be commenced before the Student is twelve years of age; and, in the generality of cases, two or three years older- a period almost too late for a successful cultivation of the language in most instances: but if the study of both languages be pursued conjointly, though the proficiency in English will not be so great, certainly not in appearance, and most likely not in reality, still some years will, I think, be saved by this method.

GRAMMAR SCHOOL-The progress of the Scholars, in the acquirement of English and Sanscrit, has been steady. Two boys have been sent out as Schoolmasters; and thus the School has begun to fulfil an important object in its plan. The Boys are regularly instructed in religion, and almost all of them have committed to memory our Lord's Sermon on the Mount: some, indeed, have learnt this instructive portion of Scripture by heart, both in English and Malayalim. The Church and Dr. Watts's Catechisms enter into their course of study.

PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS.-The prevalence of sickness occasioned, for a time, a relaxed attendance at some of the Schools: and fear seems to have been entertained that the people were becoming indifferent to the education of their children; but the apprehension has, happily, been removed. Fresh applications have been made for Schoolmasters in different places; and, in two instances, the requests have been accompanied by offers, on the part of the people, to bear the charge of one half of the Schoolmaster's stipend. At present, the Schools are attended almost exclusively by Syriac Children: the Roman Catholics are prohibited from attending, by their

K

Bishop; and the Mahomedans and Heathens are averse to receive Christian Instruction. A change, in this respect, may, however, be anticipated, for the Schools bear a good character among the people, and much pains are taken to keep the Schoolmasters attentive to their duty.

care.

Subjoined is a statement of the Schools; with reference to which it is remarked by the Rev. Mr. Baker, who is charged with their superintendence, that the total number of children thus attending the Schools is 1231. The Schoolmasters are 51 in number, there being two in one School, at CunanculanIn some of the Schools, the Boys do not attend regularly at the season of harvest, in particular, there is a fallingoff in most places. But that the number shewn in the subjoined Table are taught in the Schools, so as to make considerable progress, is evident from stated returns of their proficiency, and from examinations held personally by the Missionary in charge of the Schools :

:

Scholars.

Cotamangalam. 16

Scholars.

14

22

22

Omallur

Cotarracari Village

CLERGY-In the past year, the improvement of the Catanars was not great; but it is noticed, that some, who have been Ordained since the establishment of the Mission in Travancore, conduct themselves in a manner more befitting their vocation than their seniors. The Rites and Ceremonies of the Syrian Church continue as usual; yet a hope is entertained, that, as the light of knowledge is diffused among them, their superstitions will be laid aside. The Metran has, indeed, addressed a Letter to the Churches, prohibiting some Heathenish Customs, which had been observed at their Feasts.

CHURCHES-Two new Churches, to one of which reference was made in our last Report, are building; and other Churches are undergoing repairs. Considerable pecuniary aid is necessary to put the Churches in a good state of repair; and the Syrians, themselves, are too poor to supply the re

quisite means. In reporting on this subject, the Rev. Mr. Bailey expresses an expectation which the Committee would indulge the hope of seeing realized, when he says, that—

Through the liberality of the Christian Public, we trust that every needful assistance will be afforded, not only for this purpose, but for carrying into effect every other plan which is and may be hereafter adopted for the general good of the Syrians.

TRANSLATIONS-In reference to these, Mr. Bailey statesThe Translation of the Scripture has occupied as much of my time as I could possibly devote to that important object. In my last Report, I believe, I stated that I had proceeded as far as the Eleventh Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, in revising the New Testament. Since I finished Revelations, I have revised again the Epistle to the Romans, and the First Epistle to the Corinthians. The Gospel of St. Matthew I have prepared for the press, and it has been printed. The Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles are nearly prepared for the press. There is a considerable desire excited among the Syrians in general to possess the Sacred Scriptures; and it is no small grief to us, that we are not able to supply them with those invaluable treasures. The Gospel of St. Matthew is distributed, as fast as we can get copies stitched together and put in boards.

To this Report, your Committee will add some extracts of various communications, which will throw additional light on the state of this important Mission.

From the following statement, lately received, it appears that the College was to be much improved :

Considerable alterations are contemplated, in order to render the present College-building more commodious, which is indeed required; and to erect some new outbuildings. The College is a quadrangle, of three stories to the north and south, and two to the east and west; with inside sloping verandahs, which make it very close and dark: it is proposed to remove these verandahs-to raise the east and west wings-to partition off Studies for the twelve upper boys, for which the building is well adapted-and to form outside verandahs. Of these four things, two are much to be recommended-removing the heavy inside verandahs, and forming Studies for the Youths. The expense will not be great; but the whole will be submitted to the judgment of an Engineer Officer, and the expense will be defrayed from the Subscriptions now in progress.

In the mean time, the Hebrew Professor has been discontinued, at 35 rupees per month; and also the Malayalim Translator, at 30 rupees. The Professor is not at present required: the Translator requested his discharge, in the hope of finding a more lucrative situation.

Mr. Fenn reports well of the progress of Marcus, the Senior Student: with the next three Youths, he

assists Mr. Fenn in the care of the other Students. Of all the more advanced Youths Mr. Fenn remarks

Their desire of knowledge increases, and they manifest the most docile and amiable temper.

A small Philosophical Apparatus has been sent out, for the use of the College; and an additional supply of books for the Library.

Of the Boys in the Grammar School, Mr. Baker writes

I am just about sending the boys belonging to the Grammar School to their homes, where many of them have not been for the last ten months; and I am happy to say that I do it with a greater degree of pleasure, than I have felt on any former occasion. I do not dismiss them, this time, altogether ignorant of the Word of God. Last year, the greater part of them had committed to memory Watts's Three Catechisms; but had not read any part of the Scriptures: now, nearly the whole of them have committed to memory the Sermon on the Mount; and would have learnt much more, but this is all that we had ready for them in their own language. The First Class have just come to the close of the book of Genesis, which they have gone through reading and explaining half a Chapter a day regularly; but they are not thoroughly acquainted with it, and must read it again after the holydays. Besides this, they have read in English two of the Gospels; but these, likewise, they are as yet but imperfectly acquainted with.

It appears from the latest despatches, that Mr. Baker had been obliged to give up the charge of the Grammar School, on account of a recent increase in the Parochial Schools: it has devolved on Mr. Fenn and his Assistants; and becomes thus more immediately connected with the College.

On the Parochial Schools, Mr. Baker remarks— I am obliged, through want of printed books, to allow the Masters to teach nearly according to their own plan; though I dislike it more and more every day. I insist, however, on having the Catechisms taught in all the Schools; and allow only such books being taught as I am acquainted with, and know to be tolerable.

Mr. Baker much wishes the establishment of a second Press at Cotym, as that already possessed by the Mission is almost entirely occupied with the