I am pleased to find that prejudice is fast dying away in this village. A year or two ago, though nearly half the inha bitants are Potters-a very low caste among the Cingalese, not one of their children came to the School; but now above one-third of the School Children are of this caste; and they read and repeat their lessons with the children of the high castes, and sit alongside of them, as though they were all of one caste. This is not the case in some of the other Schools: the low-caste children either sit on a low bench, in a corner of the room, or stand about the door.

Algebra-The First Class, four boys, are in Bland's Equations: the Second Class, six boys, have nearly got, a second time, through Darley's Treatise, and solved about seventy Equations from Bland: the third Class, six boys, have got as far as Affected Quadratic Equations. Geometry--The First Class, four boys, are going a second time through Darley's Treatise.

Trigonometry-Four boys are going a second time through Darley's Treatise.

English and Church History, Divinity, and General Knowledge-They are in the third volume of Goldsmith's History of

Schools.

The studies pursued in the Christian Institution are thus stated :—

English Grammar, Reading, and Composition-Four are now examined in English Grammar only occasionally, and in connexion with the Grammar of other languages. All of them write Murray's Exercises, and learn Cobbin's English Vocabulary.

Arithmetic-Eight are in Arithmetic: the rest study it only in connexion with Algebra.

Geography and Chronology-All have learnt Mathematical and Physical Geography, and are going a second time through the Political Geography of Europe. They have lately begun to learn Valpy's Chronology.

Writing-The whole are copying Addison's Papers in the Spectator, from dictation.

Latin-The First Class, containing five boys, are reading the Fifth Book of Cæsar's Bellum Gallicum, and are going a second time through Virgil's Æneid: the Second Class, containing five boys, are going through the Delectus, and the First Book of Ovid's Metamorphoses: the Third Class, containing four boys, have gone twice through Phædri Fabulæ. The three classes learn the Grammar, and write Ellis's Exercises.

Greek-The First Class, five boys, are going a second time through the First Book of Homer's Iliad: the Second Class, eight boys, have read two of the Gospels, the Acts, and two or three Epistles, in Greek the Third Class, four boys, are learning the Grammar, and beginning to read the Delectus.

Hebrew-Six boys are studying Hebrew: they have read about half of onesis, and are learning the Grammar.

of Milner's Church History; and about 40 or 50 pages of Horne's Compendious Introduction to the Scriptures.

The characters of the youths in the Institution are thus noticed: we have substituted letters for their names:

A. B. C. D. E.-In many respects, what is said of one of these five boys may be said of them all: they are all steady, amiable, promising boys; of good abilities, and close application to their studies; and their progress is very satisfactory. B. is the quickest; but A. and D. are superior to him in solid ability. D. is most steady and uniform in his studies. A. sometimes pursues one branch, to the partial neglect of another; but D. always prepares all his lessons well. C. has lost nearly half his time through ill health; but has managed to keep up with the other boys in most of their lessons. E. is a youth of good solid sense, sterling piety, and sincere devotedness to God and to His cause. The piety of B. and D. is scarcely of a more doubtful character. We think we may now say the same of A.: we have lately had ground to think of him more highly in this respect than formerly, and of C. too. F. For amiableness and piety, and steady application, might be reckoned with the preceding five; but he is inferior to them in ability. G. is amiable, hopeful, of good ability, and generally industrious; but not always so steady in his application as might be wished. H. Very diligent in his studies; of a hopeful character, but rather dull. I. Rather amiable and tractable: not exactly idle, but uniformly slow. G., though sometimes rather lazy, will now and then make extraordinary efforts; but I. never will do so. K. One of the most promising youths in the Institution;

not of splendid talents, but of pretty good abilities, and steady application; very amiable, docile, and anxious to make himself useful. L. An amiable boy, of moderate ability. M. Of a rough, unpromising exterior; but amiable, of good abilities, and very industrious. N. A quick little boy, but very unsteady and unpromising. O. An amiable, promising boy. P. Amiable and industrious; of pretty good abilities. Q. Dull and awkward; but industrious, and anxious to improve.

Of one of these Students, employed at other times as a Teacher, the following commendable traits of character are particularly noticed.

He never sits idle (as indeed D. and E. sometimes do), as if he knew not what to attend to next; but he is always exerting himself. He keeps his boys constantly employed; yet they never seem weary of his instructions, but always, like himself, appear with a cheerful countenance. If one of the classes, near his own, should be without a Teacher, he, without waiting to be told, will take the boys under his charge. Sometimes, when we have been engaged in a distant part of the School, we have perceived that he had his eye on the classes round about him, and has taken pains to suppress any appearance of disorder among them, and to direct their attention to their lessons.

The interest with which these youthful students are regarded will be manifest from the following remark upon their employment in the Sunday Schools. It is observed

We look upon the manner in which they conduct themselves, as SundaySchool Teachers, with much attention and anxiety; because we consider that, in this capacity, they may most of them be regarded as affording us a fair specimen of what we may reasonably expect from them hereafter, as Christian Teachers.

same as last year; the number of those who have entered the school being nearly equal to that of those who have left.

The First Class, consisting of thirteen girls, and two young people who attend the Sunday-School, have lately commenced learning English: this, they were very anxious to do; and, for the short time they have been taught, have shown great quickness and diligence. None are taught, who cannot read their own language fluently.

Sunday-School for Boys-Number of boys on the books, about 150; number generally present, between 90 and 100: these consist of boys of the English School, of four Cingalese Day Schools,

and a few others. The number is somewhat less than it was a year ago; arising chiefly, we suppose, from one of the Day Schools having been discontinued, the boys of which used to attend.

After Church, they are required to give some account of the Sermon. Many of them have made very considerable progress in Religious Knowledge; and one might sometimes hope that a few of them are not altogether strangers to religious feeling. Many of them have greatly improved in their behaviour, and seem to love their school and their books.

English School-The present master was educated in the Christian Institution, and took charge of the School at the beginning of the year; since which, there has been a gradual, but manifest, improvement in the management of the School. That the advantages afforded by the English School are not under

valued, is proved by the fact, that more

than half the Scholars that attend it come from a great distance.

Summary of the Cotta Station. Average Attendance on Public Worship:Adults

.... ...............

119

School Children...................................................... 405 Week Day...

Schools

Scholars:-Boys............. Girls.....

Kandy.

76

-600

15

-422 283

The severe illness of the Rev. T. Browning, stationed at this place, has been reported in a former Number. This painful circumstance will account for the unavoidable brevity of the following report, concerning his Labours in the Ministry. My long absence from the Station,

twice during the past year, occasioned some little derangement in the Ministe rial Department; and the want of health, when I have been at home, has often! prevented me from the performance of duties in which I should have been de lighted to engage. Mr. Knight kindly attended to the spiritual wants of my dear people during my first absence, and Mr. Bailey in the second, till an opportunity offered for him to proceed to England.

The Services at the Jail and at the Kattegalle School have been continued, having been conducted by a Native Catechist, when I have not been able to attend. Another Service was commenced at Gatambe School, on the Sun

day Morning, which promised fair; but want of health has obliged me to relinquish going there for some time past. The Tamul Probationary Catechist goes out among the Tamulians every Sunday, and endeavours to enter into religious conversation with them, and to read the Scriptures to them. I have twice gone with him to meet the people; and there seemed to be an opening for usefulness.

Spirit of Religious Inquiry in Youth.

On this subject Mr. Browning relates an incident of a very pleasing nature it is dated Oct. 30th, 1833.

In the School, this morning, I was much pleased with the earnestness with which I was asked, by a youth, How we might be enabled to overcome sin. I had asked the class, How Jesus now destroys the power of the Devil in the hearts of His people; and was led to speak to them, rather largely, upon the dreadful state of tyranny and fear which the people of this country are under to devils, through giving themselves up to the worship of demons; and told them, that the Christian had no fear whatever of the Devil, as being able to injure him in his person, family, or property, without Divine permission: all his fear was, lest he, by his temptations, should, at any time, be led into sin. This gave rise to the question above; and, as it was asked with so much apparent interest, I could not but notice it. I assured my little charge, that it was only by looking to the Lord, in humble faith and prayer, that we could overcome sin; as He himself has taught us to pray, Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Another circumstance narrated by

Mr. Browning, tends to show very forcibly the impression made by Christian Instruction. It refers to the

Offering of an Elephant, for Idolatry.

"Mr. Browning relates

Worship, for the last two or three months, The attendance of the people on Divine' has been good. Some appear to listen to the Word, as though they felt interested in it. Oh, may the Holy Spirit impress it on their hearts! A pleasing evidence that some effect is produced by the instructions communicated here came under my observation to-day. A Kandian Youth, whom I have repeatedly mentioned, informed me that he was

requested by his father to accompany him to the Temple, to make an offering of an elephant (valued at Rds. 800) for the use of the Temple at public festivals. The young man told him he could not it was that he went to the School (the go with him. His father inquired how School is our Place of Worship) to hear Sermons, without any directions, and yet would not go to the Temple, when commanded by his parent. The young man said, he told his father that Buddhu could not make him good, nor enable him to rice, fragrant oil, and incense; but in ascend to heaven, though he offered him the School he heard of the majesty and glory of the Eternal God. This was a great trial to the youth; for the elephant that his father offered has been considered to be the property of the son from the time it was first taken; and if he had possessed any regard or esteem for the blessings of the Priests, or the favour of Buddhu, he would not have failed to be present when the offering was made; especially as he risked his father's displeasure by refusing to comply with his direction. I trust the Lord will mercifully direct the mind of this young man, in his inquiries after Truth. I advised him to obey his father in all lawful things; but I told him I thought he acted rightly in refusing to do that which he deemed to be contrary to the Word of God.

Mr. Browning relates a gratifying instance of the liberality of his hearers, as follows:

You will be pleased to learn, that the members of my Congregation have now succeeded in getting the service of plate, for the Communion, finished. The cup has been in use a good while: the plate I had the pleasure to make use of, for

the first time, on Easter Sunday, 1833. ^ The value of it is about as much as that of the cup-upward of Rds. 100. These sacred vessels will prove a lasting remembrance of the regard of the people to the Service of God; and I trust their children will grow up to make use of them in the participation of that blessed Ordinance which our Saviour commanded to be observed in remembrance of Him.

tom State of the Schools.

The difficulties met with in this department of labour are thus stated by Mr. Browning :

It is no easy matter to get the Kandian Children to attend School regularly; and since the plan has been adopted of paying the Masters wholly according to the number of lessons repeated by the children at the Monthly Examinations, they have not been able to realize enough to maintain themselves and families. The

frequent rains in the interior, the scattered state of the population, the prejudices of the people, and their indolent habits, render it impracticable to maintain the order, the regularity, and discipline that we would fain wish to characterize our Schools. Hitherto, also, the Masters we have employed in the villages have been Kandians, who, though in some respects suitable persons, as being respected in their own circle, partake so much of the character of their neighbours, and of their attachment to their religion, that little can be expected from them; indeed, nothing further than the mere labour for their pay; and if that could be realized without labour, they would not toil for it. At present, we have not one of these employed, all our Masters being, professedly, Christians: and though our numbers are greatly diminished, yet we trust that the method of teaching now adopted is calculated to prove more beneficial to those who do attend than that

formerly made use of. The introduction of Prayer into my interview with them on Saturdays, has tended to solemnify the exercise; and, in addition to their reading and conversation with me, they and the School Visitor hold some religious intercourse, for their mutual edification. The accounts then given in detail are, on the whole, somewhat encouraging.

The English School has been greatly reduced in numbers since the opening of the Government School.

The exercises of the Cingalese Schools are much the same as stated in former Reports. The Spelling-book, published this year, is found very useful in teaching the children to read the printed character. The degree of Scripture Knowledge which many of the children have acquired is very satisfactory; and one cannot refrain from hoping, that, through the blessing of God, it will tend to counteract that system of superstition. error, and falsehood, which prevails, to an awful extent, in almost every part of the country.

A Tamul School has been established, which promises fair for usefulness, though the number of children attending it is not very considerable. The children of this School are now brought to me on Sunday, instead of Saturday Morning, when I address them by interpretation. I trust this will lead to something like a Tamul Service, by a few of the people occasionally joining with the children.

The Female School is greatly reduced in numbers. The parents set little value on the instruction of their female children, and find abundance of excuses for keeping them away from School.

The training of the Schoolmasters is manifestly one of the most influential parts of the labours of the Missionary. Mr. Browning relates, on this topic

I was pleased to-day with the interest the Schoolmasters seemed to take in the subject upon which I conversed with them. I began with them the Epistles of St. Paul. As a copy has been given to each of them, I wished them to look over, during the week, the chapter to be read on Saturday, that thus they might be prepared to answer questions upon it, or to ask me the meaning of any part they did not understand. I endeavoured to fix upon their minds the need we all have of Divine teaching, and the necessity of applying themselves to the acquisition of knowledge, that they may be able to instruct their pupils properly. May God give His blessing!

The following particular may be added

:

In reading the Journal of one of the Probationary Catechists, I was pleased to notice a circumstance, which came under his own observation, of a boy belonging to a School here, whom he found, one evening, reading the Prayer-book with his friends at home; which, on inquiry,