of Asia. This pamphlet of twenty-eight pages will be exposed for sale next week.

66

and I, are on terms of high civility; but he is no friend to my evangelical purposes, and he does not like my (and your) steady adherence to the principles of Lord W.'s administration. But I wish to be at peace with all men; and I ever desire to conciliate my enemies. I mean enemies made by my evangelizing plans, for I have no other; and perhaps these are few in number.

"The Christian tablets, Syrian Bible, and Hebrew roll, are here objects of great curiosity. Mr. Carey beheld them with veneration. The public mind is strongly attracted towards Malayala; and the wall between Hinduism and Christianity seems to be tottering. You have applied the battering-ram to that wall with good effect in Travancore; and I sincerely wish that you could stay to give it a few more shocks. But you will be useful at home. I go home also; but only perhaps for a season. At least in the pamphlet now printed it is mentioned that I am going home overland,' for the purpose of visiting the ancient Christian churches in Mesopotamia and Syria, and that I shall return to India in a short time.' Some were ready to wish me a good journey; but they did not expect this last clause, of returning. It has, however, given great satisfaction, I understand, to almost all the settlement. For you must know that's per

secution (as it has been called) of a good work, has procured it much success and many friends.

is

faithful. dubious of what is right. Sir H. Russel, Sir J. Royds, and Sir W. Burroughs, are all friendly. So is Mr. Harington. The Malayala battering-ram is said to have given C. a violent and unexpected shock, which is likely to crumble his wall of hostility into the ruins of indifference. For so our Persians speak.

"I have had a letter from the Bishop of London, dated 1st September last; in which he says, that it was too late last session to bring forward the proposition of an Ecclesiastical Establishment for British India; but that the Archbishop of Canterbury intends to move his Majesty's ministers on the subject next session.'

"His Lordship also says, that money will probably be sent out to support the great work of translating the Scriptures into the oriental languages. Lord Barham writes to the same effect on both subjects.

"I have placed the young Malayalim moonshee from Paroor, in the missionary school at Serampore, where he is very happy and in good health. I should be glad that your writer would communicate this to his mother. My Hebrew moonshee is well also.

"Lord Minto's arrival is anxiously looked for by

this settlement. I shall write to you again shortly,

and remain,

"With much esteem,

Yours sincerely,

C. BUCHANAN."

The plan of a journey overland to Europe, mentioned in the preceding and in some subsequent letters, was proposed and long cherished by Dr. Buchanan, not merely as obviating his well-founded objection to a sea voyage, but as calculated to promote his benevolent researches into the state of the ancient and declining Christian churches in the East. It will, however, be seen, that, after many enquiries, he was at length reluctantly compelled, by political and military obstacles, to abandon this interesting expedition.

It may seem extraordinary, that of the addresses to Dr. Buchanan from the senate of the University of Cambridge, no more distinct or complete information should be contained in these Memoirs than the reference to the second of them in the foregoing letter. They probably expressed the sense which that learned body entertained of Dr. Buchanan's meritorious exertions in promoting the interests of learning and religion in the East, and of his munificent encouragement of those important objects by the series of prizes offered to the members of the

University. No traces, however, of the letters in question have been discovered among his papers; nor is it known that any copy of the pamphlet in which the second was printed in India has reached this country. It is therefore only to be regretted that no farther account can be given of documents which were, doubtless, highly valued by Dr. Buchanan, and equally honourable to him and to the distinguished body from which they proceeded.

Of the several objects of Dr. Buchanan's late tour it was stated to be one, to discover fit instruments for the promotion of learning, and for the dissemination of the Scriptures in India. It may now be observed, that it was in the course of his journey that he first thought of a plan which might effectually accomplish that object. The reader will probably recollect the meditation of Dr. Buchanan on the banks of the Chilka Lake; where, on the morning of the Sabbath, while reflecting on the painful scene which he had just witnessed, with the lofty tower of Juggernaut still in distant view, he conceived the design of some Christian Institution, which might gradually counteract, and at length extinguish, the idolatry of the eastern world. The historian of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire informs us, that he first conceived the

a The Vice-Chancellor of the University, upon an application being made to him for copies of these letters, declined granting them.

thought of his elaborate and eloquent work amidst the ruins of the Capitol. It was an association of a more sublime and sacred nature which suggested to Dr. Buchanan the design of the Institution, the general plan of which he then briefly described. Soon after his return to Calcutta, he employed himself in digesting and arranging its form and constitution; and on the 28th of May he thus adverts to the subject at the close of the following letter to Colonel Macaulay.

"I had the pleasure to receive your letter of the 1st inst. two days ago, accompanying the Dutch translation.

"I am happy to hear that you have two Hebrew books for me. If any thing interesting in Hebrew or Syriac, printed or in manuscript, should offer while you remain on the coast, I shall be obliged to you to secure it for me.

"I presented the Bishop's demand on Baretto's house, and enclose the answer. My compliments to the Bishop. I shall take care of his affairs, and send him cauliflowers when the season arrives.

"Dr. Leyden proceeds by sea to Madras to-mor

row.

He is in better health. He has been looking at a variety of my MSS. for some weeks past, but with little success. He can make nothing of the

a Of Verapoli.