go across to Benares, and thence down to Calcutta by the Ganges. 66 Having arrived at the extreme boundary of my tour, and accomplished its object, I thought it would be acceptable to you to have some short notices of it. Be pleased to tell Mr. Newton that I am well. I wrote him a long letter from Tanjore.. It is with pleasure I see that, amidst the agitations of the world, he is tranquil, and at peace, and nearly arrived at the haven where he would be. ` Mar Dionysius, the Bishop of the Syrians in the mountains, has somewhat of Mr. Newton's manner and appearance; only that the Bishop has a venerable long beard, which reaches below his girdle, and through which you may see a large gold cross beaming at intervals. He is now seventyeight years of age, amiable in his temper, and devout according to his knowledge. “I read at this place, in Hayley's third volume, Cowper's correspondence with Mr. Newton, and was pleased to see the name of the good man honoured. "I remain, Very sincerely yours, In his next letter to Mr. Brown, Dr. Buchanan announced his intention of shortly returning to Bengal, together with a farther plan which he was projecting respecting a visit to the Christian churches in Chaldea and Syria. "Cochin, 23d January, 1807. "I am happy to hear that the first Gospel in "Chinese and Shanscrit is ready. "I should have left Cochin before now, but "some splendid events have taken place. The Sy"rian Church finding I was their friend indeed, 66 66 opened new sources of antiquity. I visited them once more; and the Bishop presented to me an "ancient copy of the Old and New Testament in Syriac, on thick vellum, reputed to be as old as "the Alexandrine. On the other hand, the Jews "were softened by gold, and a singular discovery was made." 66 This referred to some valuable Hebrew manuscripts, of which Dr. Buchanan gave a full account in his Christian Researches, and which will be again noticed hereafter. The letter thus proceeds. 66 "I dispatched on the 3d instant three chests. "of books and MSS. to my own address, and to your care. Be pleased to open them, and air the " contents. I shall carry round with me three "chests more. My hands are so fully occupied here, that I cannot proceed farther up the coast "at this time; besides, I see you are desirous that “I should return. I therefore purpose to take my 66 passage in a large Danish vessel, now here and "ready to sail. I have promised to visit the Sy "rians and the Jews once more before I leave the "country, if practicable. The information I have "received from the Syrian Christians strongly in"clines me to visit their fellow-churches in Chal"dea and Syria. The ancient patriarchate of An"tioch is just expiring, unless supported by the English Church. As it will be more convenient "for a sea-sick traveller to go by land, I had always proposed to myself that route. And this "new inducement will probably lead me to adopt "it, about the conclusion of the present year, or "whenever the monsoon will carry a ship rapidly "into the Persian Gulph. These things I have thought of, not thinking that I can do much "more in India; but I leave them to the issue "which God in his allwise counsel shall be pleased "to give. I have certainly no pleasure in the 66 thought of returning to England, or of staying "in India. The world (as the world) is equally "distasteful to me every where. If I knew where "it was the will of God I should pass my days, I "should there lie down contented; and endeavour "to do some good in a quiet and humble way. "In one of the chests you will find some shawls. "Let J. and H. choose one each; and each of the "boys may choose a Hebrew book." Dr. Buchanan's last letter to his friend, previously to his embarking for Calcutta, contained the important information of his having actually made arrangements for the translation of the Scriptures into the native language of Malabar. His success therefore, as to the great objects of his journey, had been complete. "Cochin, 29th January, 1807. year so "I received your letter of the 31st ultimo, and "am glad to hear that you have ended the "well and so happily. 66 "I embark to-morrow in the Danish ship, Danesberg, for Calcutta; and shall touch at "Columbo. I hope to be with you early in March. "I send a chest of books and MSS. to England by "the Bombay ships, which touch here. "I am now about to encounter sea-sickness for "a while. If I call at Mr. T.'s, in Columbo, it will "be some relief, for I have much to do there. It "is understood by all ranks here that I shall call "on them six months hence on my way to the "Persian Gulph. I have expended a large sum "here. Mr. F. told me he had orders from his government (Madras) to supply me with any money I might want. But I did not avail myself "of this kindness. 66 ¢ My servant, who came from Calcutta, is still "with me. He was formerly a ship-cook, and "will be useful now by sea, as he has long been by "land. Mr. Swartz's catechist, and other attend "ants, wait here to see me on board; as do va"rious Syrian, Romish, and Jewish priests. I am "glad to get out of the throng. "I hope I have come to this place for good, and "not for evil. The goodness is God's, and the " evil is my own. It is wonderful that I should "have travelled so far in safety; and that, after "the strange events that have occurred, I now "leave the coast in peace. If I should never see you, my testimony is gone forth to the world, "and others must carry on what is now begun. "The Tamul copy of the Scriptures (complete). "is only arrived to-day from the Carnatic; I pro"ceed with it to-morrow to the Syrian Bishop, who "is now engaged with three learned Syrian and Malayalim scholars in the translation into the language of Malabar. The Bishop longed to see "the Tamul, he being a good Malayalim scholar "himself. "I leave the three translators at monthly wages; "and Colonel Macaulay superintends when I am 66 gone. "The Romish Bishop has consented to the cir"culation of the Scriptures throughout his dio"cese; so that there will be upwards of 200,000 "persons who are ready to receive the Malayalim "Bible." Dr. Buchanan did not leave Cochin quite so soon VOL. II. H |