not only complete masters of the different languages of Hindostan, but conversant with the character of the Hindoo mind; works which will be popular and attractive, and form an influential Christian literature. As instances, he suggests works that might be popular among the villagers of Hindostan, the Brahmans, or the Mussulmans.

"The agricultural communities, which compose the bulk of the population in India, are, like all other rustics, but very sparingly educated, and ignorant nearly of everything but what passes under their own actual observation. Their knowledge extends little further than their own every day affairs, the ideas of distant cities and countries which they acquire by pilgrimages to different shrines, and the mythological legends which are either handed down from father to son, or derived from village Purohits, and from the itinerant Brahmans who recite the Puranas. It is of members of these rustic families that the whole of our Sepoy army is composed. Anything, then, which concerns the Sepoy, must of necessity interest his family and acquaintances. It appears, therefore, that a book descriptive of a Sepoy's life, written in good and racy Hindee, and garnished with native proverbs, would stand some chance of popularity among the agricultural community. . .

The story of the boyhood, education, after-studies, and inquiries and eventual conversion to Christianity of an intellgent young Brahman, would form a readable book for another class, viz. Brahmans, more or less learned. The course of study pursued by students of Sanskrit, the nature and merits of the knowledge acquired, the discussions which the young Brahman might hold with others on the popular observances of his country, and the philosophical systems propounded by his teacher, his interviews with Christian missionaries, the gradual advances of his inquiring mind from error to truth; -all this, interspersed and enlivened with well-executed descriptions of Native and English Society and manners, would form a vehicle for the inculcation of philosophical and religious knowledge, which might allure the Hindu reader to the careful consideration of the novel truths presented to his mind. Such a book should be written in an ornate and elegant style of Hindee, answering to the superior culture of the class addressed.

There is another section of Hindus-I mean the Kayeths and a portion of the Brahmans, who, as having been instructed in the Persian language and literature, and having thus had their taste formed on models common to them and the Mohammedans, would have to be addressed in a different language. In writing for them an ornate and flowery Oordoo, drawing largely on the Persian and Arabic tongues, would be the most suitable medium to adopt. Though these persons have imbibed many Mohammedan ideas, or at least ideas not proper to Hinduism, they are yet adherents of the Brahmanical faith. Probably, however, their own religion has a looser hold on their convictions and affections than on those of Brahmans; and they are thus, in some mea

sure, prepared for the reception [of Christianity by the Mohammedan ideas they have imbibed, without acquiring, probably, any predilection for that religion as a whole. Treatises on the several branches of knowledge, and on the evidences and doctrines of Christianity, should be written for them specifically, composed, as regards style and topics, with reference to the foregoing peculiarities in their education and mental state.

I will only mention further, as a specimen of the sort of works which I should like to see composed, two which are suggested by the peculiarities of the Mohammedan religion and literature. The first is a treatise, in which points of connexion would be found with the Mohammedans in the two facts, that they recognise the Old Testament prophets as inspired men, and that the Arabic tongue has a close affinity with the Hebrew. This affinity between these two languages might be exhibited in detail; and occasion might hence be taken to state the contents of the prophetical books, and the testimony which they bear to Christ; and generally to unfold the true history of the Jewish state, and the true character of the Jewish religion. The second treatise I would propose is a history, or rather a descriptive account, of the ancient Greeks, written with reference to Mohammedan ideas. The Moslems have, as it is well known, derived their medical and mathematical science, as well as their metaphysical philosophy, from the Greeks. The names of Hippocrates, Galen, Euclid, Plato, and Aristotle, are familiar to them. However bigoted and inaccessible to foreign ideas the Mohammedans may be, some interest might be excited in their minds by the true history of those celebrated men, by some accounts of their existing works, and the language in which they are written, and by some description of the Greek character, religion, manners, institutions, and achievements.

An interest thus excited and gratified might lead on to the study of true history, true philosophy, and true religion. In short our books must not only be adapted to the inhabitants of India in general, but specifically adapted in style and subject-matter to each class of those inhabitants."-Preface, pp. viii-xiv.

May we suggest that the practised pen which has here sketched out the outline would be able to fill it in?

The Western World Revisited. By REV. H. CASWALL. London: J. H. Parker.

THIS little volume is Mr. Caswall's personal narrative of his visit to America last year, as one of the Deputation from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel to the Board of Missions of the American Church, and it possesses an interest and a value which no formal and official report could have. His experience and sympathies as an English clergyman, together with his previous connexion with the diocese of Ohio, enables him to fix at

once upon every point of interest to the English Churchman; and he thus presents us with a series of most useful and agreeable sketches of American society and religion, sometimes pointing his tale by a moral of his own, sometimes leaving us to make our reflections for ourselves.

The common-school system of some of the American States engages his attention. In Connecticut gratuitous education is provided by the State, the Bible being read as a school-book, but no definite system of religion being taught, in consequence of the divisions among the people; nor does the secular education appear to be of a very high character. At Cincinnati the same system is in operation, in spite of the vigorous opposition of the Roman Catholic portion of the citizens, who have recently been defeated in an adverse effort. The common-school system of Massachusetts has attained an European notoriety for the superiority of its secular instruction; but in consequence of the unhappy divisions of Protestantism, all religious instruction is peremptorily excluded:

"Every year, indeed, the Legislature of that State enacts new laws against 'sectarian,' i.e. dogmatic, teaching in the schools. Clergymen are often placed on the school-committee of the district, and receive in compensation a stipend of $100 per annum. But no clergyman can, as a matter of right, go into a school and warn the children, that God will bring them into judgment.' The mention of judgment would offend the 'conscientious scruples' of that large party who believe in universal salvation, and the mention of God would irritate such men as the pantheistic disciples of Theodore Parker.

The teachers engaged in the schools are decidedly respectable in regard to character and attainments. The secular advantages of these places of instruction are of so high an order, that children of all classes partake of them without distinction. But, practically, the only opportunity for educating the young in the principles of the faith are those afforded by the House of God, and by the Sunday-school. Dr. Edson has a valuable institution of the last-mentioned description, and has laboured with much success in training up the young people of his own particular flock. But during six days of the week, the public schools practically declare to the whole rising generation, that religion cannot be taught with any certainty, and the conclusion is naturally suggested, that dogma is but another name for delusion.

The people of Massachusetts are in general firmly convinced, that this system of education is not only the best under the circumstances, but actually the best in itself. Many religiously disposed people, and not a few members and ministers of our own Church, are of the same opinion, and one of the clergy assured me that it was indeed a glorious system. On the other hand, Dr. Edson, whose mind is eminently philosophical as well as practical, earnestly expressed his hope, that the people of England would never adopt a theory of in

struction from which Christian doctrine would be excluded. He trusted that our clergy would become more and more sensible of the advantage which they possess, as teachers of the truth, in being able to enter their parochial schools with a solemn declaration, that Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith.'"-Pp. 302-304.

The voluntary system of America is sketched in a similar way, and we shall turn from the view of it not altogether so illcontent with our Establishment at home. Individual instances of liberality are happily multiplying, and popular clergymen, in a wealthy neighbourhood, may be as sure of a comfortable income as with ourselves. The well-known author of "Christian Ballads," Rector of St. John's, Hartford, receives a stipend from his congregation of 360l.; and Dr. Clark, of Christchurch, has an income of 500 guineas. But a glimpse of a different system is given us at a village on Lake Huron, where Mr. Marks had resided eleven years upon the simple engagement from his rustic flock, that he should be supplied with his bread and butter.

"This engagement,' said Mr. Marks, has been more than fulfilled. I have always been of opinion, however, that a clergyman dishonours himself by attaching undue importance to his stipend. If the Lord has really called a man into the ministry, it may be expected that, in some way, the Lord will keep that man alive, so long as any work remains for him to do. If the Lord has not called him, he has no business to expect a maintenance. The clergy in this diocese are really well off, though a few of them sometimes complain. And as far as my experience extends, no minister who strives to do his duty is actually permitted to suffer want.'

This contented man had been educated at the General Seminary at New York, where he had been a contemporary with some of the most eminent clergymen in the Church. Yet, like a true Christian philosopher, he had fortified his mind against the well-known trials of the voluntary system, and in this remote place was striving to do his duty faithfully to God and man."-Pp. 216, 217.

The virtues, however, of an individual cannot blind our eyes to the viciousness of a system under which religion will thrive in a town while it starves in a village, and the minister of Christ will become the chaplain of the rich rather than the pastor of rich and poor alike. It is a pleasure to learn from Mr. Caswall's pages that the absence of the poor from our churches in America is attracting increased attention from zealous members of the Church. He mentions especially the exertions in Philadelphia and in Cincinnati to gather in the multitudes of the labouring classes, emigrants mainly from England. Our own pages will have made our readers familiar with the mission of the Church among the negroes of the south; and Mr. Caswall

mentions a negro Sunday-school at Washington, where 320 coloured children are taught to read, in spite of Southern prejudices, and for quickness of apprehension and intelligent appearance he pronounces them superior to his own juvenile parishioners in Wiltshire. Two of the Sunday-school Teachers had recently joined the mission of Bishop Payne at Cape Palmar; and the children had subscribed the sum of ninety dollars during the past year to its funds. For the most part, the servants and slaves are Baptists and Roman Catholics. "The Baptist negroes," writes our author, "are inclined to be Antinomian in religion, and were described to me as being no better than their brethren who attend mass. By the same authority I was assured that the Roman Catholic religion, by its pomp and ceremony, commends itself to the feelings and habits of the coloured people of the South."

Of the hold which the Roman Catholic Church retains over the Irish immigrants in the United States, Mr. Caswall gives the following as the statement of a Roman Catholic gentleman at Lawrence, whose position as an agent for the remittance of funds from the Irish labourers to their friends in the old country, enabled him to judge of the character and tendencies of the opinions :

"Although a considerable portion always remain stedfast in their allegiance to the Catholic faith, yet the Americans who surround us are, generally, free-thinkers, and a great proportion of our young identify themselves with America rather than with Ireland. They become ashamed of their connexion with the Catholic Church; they forget their duty to their parents and their priests, and are even more irreverent than the Americans themselves. Yet we retain a goodly number of conscientious persons, and these are willing to make any sacrifices for the sake of the Church. In fact, I believe a good Catholic gives at least twenty dollars for religious purposes, where an American Protestant gives one."-Pp. 295, 296.

Mr. Caswall adds,

"With the testimony now before us, it can no longer be doubted that great numbers of the Irish in America and of their descendants renounce the Church of Rome, and become indifferent or infidel. But, unhappily, a similar process appears to take place also with a large majority of the English, and although some few remain stedfast in their attachment to the Reformed Church, the great mass either show themselves to be negligent of all religion or else attach themselves to some form of dissent.

This must, no doubt, be ascribed in part to the comparative weakness of the American Church, which renders it incompent to meet the floods of emigration annually pouring into the United States. But it is to be feared that the chief cause lies in the emigrants themselves. They have not that love for the Church, as the Church,