fair and the young to burn themselves with those already dead-it is not incredible, that false opinions, the love of ease, or the dread of want, or the lust of avarice, or the pride of family, or some other absurd motive, should induce the Chinese to destroy their female infants. But it is surprising that philosophers, immersed in matter, and skilled in the grand results which proceed from minute and subtle and unobserved causes, should be so short-sighted as not to discern the powerful effects of opinion. Mr. Abel joins with those who contemn studies directed to scrutinize the aberrations of human intellect-its wanderings from God, the source of virtue and happiness: but these investigations are connected with endeavours to reclaim it from error, and vice, and inhumanity; and should not be contemned. As to the extent of infanticide in China, it is, we believe, impossible to give any numerical statement. We can assure our readers, that it is not by Chinese generally considered a strange, rare, and horrible occurrence. To the above remarks we add the following extracts, on drowning female children, from the Tsuen-jin-kwei-yowhich strongly confirms what has been said. "Hwang-le said that the drowning of infants, though it be the work of cruel women, yet arises from the will of the husband. If the husband be determined not to drown the infant, the woman can have nothing in her power. If the child be borne by a slave, and the wife will not endure it, after the first month, you can pass it over to so ne other family, and give it a name different from your own; thus its life will be preserved, and the afair will be managed well. If you say that you are poor and cannot bring it up, you should reflect that it will not apply to its father and mother all its life for subsist ence, but will in due time be married out." Another paper on the same subject from the same work: Ho-lung-yuen, in his Ode on the drowning of females, says-The nature of the tiger is most cruel, yet it knows the relation betwixt parent and offspring. Man is the spiritual part of all things: shall he be inferior to the tiger? In bearing a boy or a girl, conception and bringing forth are the same with respect to both. Dec. 1899. "I have heard that when female chil. dren are killed, the state of suffering is beyond comparison: while yet in its blood, unable to speak, it cries in the tub of water-long suffering, ere it dies. Oh alas! the heart of parents that can endure this! I would advise my people not to kill their daughters. All that is required for their head pins and raiment will not im poverish you. The disposition of daugh. ters is most tender: they love their parents better than sons do: many sons go from home-daughters cleave to their parents: many sons are disobedient to their parents-daughters are obedient: many sons wander to a distance- daughters keep at home: sons have little feel. ing-daughters always weep for their parents. Daughters love their virtuous husbands; and, in many cases, increase the honour of their parents. "Do you not observe how Te-so (whose name occurs in ancient story) prevented the punishment of her father? Don't you remember how the female Tang-heang opposed a tiger and rescued her father? The female Shan, at the age of eighteen, knew how to conduct the funeral rites of her father. The virtuous and dutiful females of ancient times were very numerous. It is impossible to mention them all. The magistrates sometimes wrote tablets in their praise. The Emperor also graciously conferred presents on them. Some were made ladies of the palace-some wives of the nobility. "If you preserve the lives of your daughters, a happy recompence will be the consequence." It has been well asked in reference to this paper, "What must the state of moral feeling and natural affection be, where it is necessary to go into an elaborate argument to dissuade parents from murdering their own offspring?" It is the light of the Gospel, which must chase these deeds of darkness from the world! 1 the Bishop of Calcutta. This afflicting event is thus announced in a Calcutta Paper : July 11, 1822-At the Presidency, on the night of Monday, the 8th instant, about eleven o'clock, died the Right Reverend Thomas Fanshaw Middleton, D.D. Lord Bishop of Calcutta, after a short but severe illness, which baffled all medical skill. His Lordship was in full possession of health on the preceding Tuesday, when he visited the College. On the day of his death, he was conceived to have passed the crisis of the fever, under which he had suffered during this short interval; and to be out of danger: at half-past-seven o'clock, he was thought much better; but, at eight, he was seized with a violent paroxysm of fever, and at eleven o'clock expired. The tolling of the Cathedral Bell, at intervals of a minute, announced this melancholy event to the community, at sun-rise on the following morning. We have learnt some further particulars, which will be interesting to all who have marked, with pleasure, the course which this able Prelate was pursuing in India. The objects before his Lordship, in proceeding to India, were confessedly great and difficult. He had to conciliate prejudice, acting powerfully against his very office; while he had to maintain both the dignity and the courtesy of a Christian Bishop and, above all, while extending his first care to his own countrymen in India, and watching over their spiritual interests, a mind like his could not but be deeply affected by the ignorance of multitudes of Native Christians and the awful condition of the myriads of Heathens and Mahomedans around him. Yet this great object his Lordship had to approach with peculiar caution. Prejudices and fears on this point, altogether unworthy of Professed Christians and countenanced neither by facts nor by just reasoning, were, however, numerous and strong. In what manner the Bishop's mind seems to have opened to the right course, and how nobly he was countenanced and supported by the whole body of the Church and its chief Societies at home, our Readers well know. To this difficult post, the Bishop brought an enlarged and comprehensive mind; which was, however, somewhat anxious in the prosecution of its purposes. The importance of his office and his work in India appears to have been felt by him with increasing weight. The exertions both of mind and body requisite for the discharge of this office, as the Bishop laboured to discharge it, in so extensive a Diocese as that committed to his care, seem to have been more than his constitution, though naturally strong, could bear up against in such a climate as India. The slightest indisposition would latterly depress him, and lead him to speak as if he felt himself to be dying. Such had been the general habit of his mind for some time back. On Wednesday, the 3d of July, the Bishop and his Lady went out to take an airing about an hour before sun-set. On turning a corner, about half a mile from home, the sun shone full upon the Bishop. He instantly expressed a feeling of having received what is called "a stroke of the Sun;" and said that he was sure he should suffer from it. The carriage immediately returned home. Severe head-ache soon came on. His Lordship took strong medicine; but would not allow his Physician to be sent for. He became very restless; and, on going to bed, said that he never felt so before, and God only knew what the result would be. Contrary to his usual habit when unwell, he spoke no more of death. In the night he was for getting up, saying he must work night and day to accomplish the business which he had on hand. Next day, he sat at his desk eight hours, answering some papers referred to him by Government. At night, he allowed his Physician to be sent for, but would see no one else—was exceedingly restless, and seemed to labour under the impression that a load of business lay upon him: and this idea did not forsake him till his death. The feverish symptoms were never violent-his pulse about 80, and only at one time 86; but the restless eagerness of his mind nothing could allay. In the evening of Monday, his Physician left him with the impression that he was decidedly better; but he had not been long gone, when the Bishop became very violent, walked about in great agitation, and, on being compelled to lie down, nature began to give way. His articulation soon failed. The Archdeacon and his Lordship's Domestic Chaplain were sent for. He knew the Archdeacon, and made strong attempts to speak, but could not be understood. The final scene closed very rapidly, and about eleven he ceased to breathe. The Physician, the Archdeacon, the Bishop's Chaplain, the Senior Chaplain at the Presidency, and another Friend were present. The dying Bishop and his afflicted Widow were commended, in humble prayer, to the God of their Salvation; and she seemed to receive strength in the attempt to resign herself to His holy Will. The fever of which the Bishop died is known to Medical men; but its cause and cure have hitherto escaped their research. Under the restless anxiety occasioned by it, the Patient, though conscious of every thing that passes, loses all controul of his mind; so that the Bishop would admit no one to his sick room but Mrs. Middleton and the Doctor and Servant. On Sunday Evening the Bishop had desired to be prayed for by the Congregation at the Cathedral. On the evening of Thursday, his remains were deposited, amidst the affectionate regrets of multitudes. His Lordship has left 500l. to the College, with 500 Volumes from his Library to be selected by the Principal; and, as a token of regard to the place of his early education, a like sum of money to Christ's Hospital. On the character of the Bishop's successor, the true honour of the Church which he will represent, and the efficiency of her exertions in India, will so greatly depend, that it must be earnestly hoped, by every intelligent and sincere Christian, that an enlarged, liberal, and conciliatory mind will be deemed, next to devotedness of heart to the work of the Ministry, indispensable in any one who may be appointed to this office. SERAMPORE. BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY. State and Progress of the College. FROM the First Report relative to 265 of our Volume for 1820, a view the College, we gave, at pp. 262of its objects and commencement. Of the Second Report we shall now make such an abstract, as will bring before our Readers the State and Progress of this Institution. Number and Progress of the Students. The buildings not being yet finished, the Students are boarded, as near to the College as possible. The number now on the Institution is forty-five, of whom the greater part belong to Native Christian Families. Of these, fifteen are placed in a Preparatory School, until they shall be able to enter on the severer studies of the College: the others have, this year, been examined weekly, monthly, and quarterly; and have received prizes in proportion to their proficiency. At the last quarterly examination, it' was found that the Eldest Student had, in about seventeen months, attained, in committing to memory the Sanscrit Grammar and Vocabulary, that degree of proficiency in the College, which occupies at least double that period among the Natives. The Second Student enhis proficiency was found equally great tered the College in March 1820, and in proportion. The plan adopted in the College thus saves a full half of the time generally devoted by Native Youth to this preliminary branch of Indian Philology; one cause of which is, the complete disregard of all those ideas relative to certain days and seasons being ominous to study, which rob the Natives of nearly one-third of the year. The advantage of thus shortening the period devoted to this elementary course, is sufficiently obvious, Astronomical, Medical, Legal, and Theological Classes. Little has been done in the Astronomical Class. As those who study Astronomy among the Hindoos, subsist chiefly by casting nativities, they can seldom be prevailed upon to stay longer, than to obtain an indistinct knowledge of the first principles of Astronomy. The Committee hope, however, that, when they have obtained an European Professor, the love of science will, in some degree, counteract this injurious propensity; while to those trained up in the College from early youth, instruction of this kind will be highly grateful. The importance of diffusing a degree of Medical Knowledge among the Natives, must strike every feeling mind. The numbers among them, who fall a sacrifice to the most common diseases and literally perish through ignorance, are great almost beyond conception. This has seldom appeared more conspicuously than in the Cholera Morbus, with which we have been so lately visited while of those, who enjoyed the benefit of that common degree of medical knowledge possessed by Europeans in general, and experienced proper treatment as well as obtained suitable medicine, four out of five generally recovered, and often nine out of ten; of those, who were left to their own native ignorance, whole houses were sometimes swept away, and in some cases almost whole villages. A Native Medical Class, therefore, which shall be made acquainted at least with the first principles of physiology and the treatment of diseases, in addition to all that the Natives have written on the subject of Medicine, appears so important to the Committee, that they intend to institute it as soon as the Buildings of the College will admit. For such a class, provision is already made in that excellent work on Medicine, given in the first fourteen numbers of Mr. Felix Carey's Bengalee Encyclopædia. The Committee beg leave also to mention, that it is their intention, as soon as suitable buildings have been erected, to form a Class for the study of Hindoo Law. These will be previously instructed in the general principles of jurisprudence; and in the Sacred Scriptures, the first Code of Laws ever given to mankind. It may be hoped that a correct printed copy of the Hindoo Law Shasters, by which are regu. lated the civil affairs of many millions of men. perspicuously arranged, with a copious Index added, will be among the ultimate fruits of this measure; as well as a Translation of them into the chief popular languages of India: the value of this, in preventing fraud in numerous ways, will be best appreciated by those who have witnessed scenes of this nature in the Courts wherein they have presided. The assistance, in the various Native Courts, of men trained up in the study of those principles of juris prudence furnished by the combined wisdom of the West, will neither be injurious to society at large, nor unwel come to these, who, in the administra tion of Indian Affairs, value every religion in exact proportion to the quantum of probity and uprightness which it may produce for the service of society from year to year—a test of excellence from which Christianity will never shrink. That the improvement of India will be aided by the cultivation of know. ledge of various kinds, is a fact which needs no proof. So long as the friends of Truth are destitute of those advantages relative to science and literature, which may enable them to arrest the attention of their countrymen, it will be unable to appear in its native beauty: but, when those who are its advocates shall possess that philological learning which may enable them to controul and refine the literature of their own country, and that knowledge of Astronomy, Medicine, Ethics, and Jurisprudence, which may command universal respect, TRUTH will then enjoy opportunities for pervading India, which as yet it has never possessed. On the subject of Theology, the Committee would remark, that all the Native Christian Youth educated in the College cannot be expected to be come Christian Ministers: they are convinced that learning, alone, can never form an able Minister of the Gospel; and that this is the work of Him, who gives gifts to men for the work of the Ministry. While learning cannot create this talent, however, it tends, in a high degree, to enlarge and adorn it where it does exist. Still as it cannot be expected, in the nature of things, that every Student educated in the College shall possess this sacred gift, it is not intended to train up those for the Ministry in whom are not found suitable dispositions of mind: but, when these dispositions shall appear in any one, it will be too late to prescribe that course of education which may improve them to the highest advantage: the foundation for this must be laid in early youth. In India, however, that learning which this Institution is intended to impart, is required in a variety of situations of life, beside that of a Christian Minister; while for these situations to be filled by men of probity and extensive knowledge will tend, in no small degree, to the happiness of India*. Books in Preparation, or now in the Press, for the use of the College. 1. For the use of those Students who are intended to study the Law of India, the Committee have thought a Summary in the Bengalee Language of those general principles of jurispru dence which have been laid down by Grotius, Puffendorf, Montesquieu, and others, a work highly desirable. 2. A new edition of the Moogdhubodha of Vopa-deva, the Sanscrit Grammar chiefly used in Bengal, and hence adopted as the standard grammar in Serampore College. While so accurate, that the keenest research, for many centuries, has not been able to point out a single rule as superfluous or erroneous; this work is so concise, as to be comprised within 300 duodecimo pages. 3. A Grammar of the Pali Language. 4. A new edition of the Umurakosha-the work which has been from time immemorial committed to memory by the Students of Sanscrit, on their finishing the Grammar of that language. It is comprised in about 200 pages of Sanscrit Verse. 5. The Committee, feeling the necessity of providing materials for the en To fill the various situations in the Native Courts, there are required in Bengal alone nearly a thousand persons. The importance of these being filled by men of education and legal science is too obvious to need mentioning. largement of the mind during this phi lological course, a portion of History seemed desirable. Of General History, however, a brief Compendium having been already published in the various Numbers of the Dig-durshuna, as something more specific they selected Gold, smith's Histories of Greece and of Rome, and placed both in translation; and as the History of Rome was first ready, that has been put to press. The His tory of Greece, however, is in great forwardness. College Library. In the Prospectus for the College, the formation of a Library was mentioned as one of its chief objects, which, in addition to the best works in the languages of the West, should contain a collection of such works as could be obtained in Sanscrit and its cognate dialects. In pursuance of this plan, the Committee, among other means, have adopted that of sending suitable persons into various parts of the country-furnished with lists of such works as they already possess; and with directions to purchase or transcribe any work which they met with, not contained in this list. By this means, various works have been brought to light in the popular languages, of which the existence was scarcely known before. On the importance of these works, in their application to the various Translations of the Scriptures, it is needless to enlarge. The accessions made, in the past year, to the College Library, consist chiefly of works in Sanscrit and the popular Those which it languages of India. contains, in English and other European Languages, amount to little more than 150, while those in Sanscrit, and its cognate dialects are nearly 400 of these, 25 printed and 101 manuscripts are in Sanscrit-31 printed and 45 manuscripts, in Bengalee-and 185 printed works and manuscripts, in the other languages of India. College Buildings. In their last Report, the Committee mention their having obtained a suitable spot of ground for the erection of the College Buildings on the banks of the River Hoogly, exactly opposite the Governor General's villa, containing from twelve to thirteen bigahs. The Committee have now the satisfaction of adding, that, by the purchase of various premises contiguous thereto, they have |