sure on the occasion, and to entreat all true Christians to lift up their hearts in prayer to God that the lives of both Her Majesty and His Royal Highness may be long preserved and be distinguished by every connubial blessing; and that the example afforded by them in this important relation may be worthy the imitation of all their subjects and every crowned head in the world.

8.-BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY'S INCREASED EXERTIONS. It affords us the sincerest pleasure to announce the cheering intelligence, that that noble Institution, the B. and F. Bible Society, is pursuing its course amid good and evil report with enlarged prospects of success. The issues of Scriptures in France has increased very much during the last year, (36,000,) and in Britain the Society has adopted a new rule to afford the Scriptures at a lower rate even than before, and by this arrangement a vast increase has taken place and will take place in the diffusion of the word of God, an order for 500,000 English Scriptures for England alone having been just issued. The funds of the Society continue to increase, and its friends to. stand firm amidst much that is calculated to discourage. The operations of the Calcutta Auxiliary will, we doubt not, be materially enlarged by the appointment of Dr. Hæberlin as the Society's Agent in Northern India and Secretary of the Calcutta Auxiliary. The pecuniary engagements of the Society for printing, &c. amounted, according to our last letters, to £92,000.

9. AGRA MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

The friends of Missions at Agra have formed an independent local Missionary Society at that station; the object of which is, to preach the Gospel to the Natives by the most economical agency, without reference to sect or party. It is in fact the London Missionary Society in miniature. We wish it every success in the name of the Lord.

10.-INSTITUTION FOR THE EDUCATION OF THE DAUGHTERS OF MISSIONARIES OF ALL DENOMINATIONS, ESTABLISHED AT WALTHAMSTOW, 1838. Regulations I. That in the commencement of the Institution, it be limited to the daughters of Missionaries. (This limitation is not proposed without regret; but found expedient from the uncertainty of there being, at first, funds adequate for both boys and girls.)

II. That there be provided a comfortable residence, education, board, washing, ordinary medicines, and books; and that the total charge to the parents or guardians shall not exceed twelve pounds per annum for each child under ten years old, and fifteen pounds for all above that age; if clothing be included, five pounds per annum extra. The educa tion to be liberal and respectable; attention to domestic affairs to be taught at a suitable age. The whole to be conducted with a strict regard to utility, habits of economy, and comfort.

III. That all the arrangements, (domestic and educational, for girls) be under the direction of a Committee of fifteen Ladies, with power to add to their number, one of whom shall act as gratuitous Secretary.

IV. That during short vacations at Midsummer and Christmas the children be not required to leave the Institution, but shall be allowed to leave in cases mutually approved and arranged by the Committee and the parents or parents' representatives.

V. That no children be admitted under five years of age, nor after twelve, nor retained after sixteen, except in special cases, to be agreed on by the Committee.

VI. That in every case of admission to the Institution the parents provide a guardian or representative, who will undertake to receive the

child whenever the Committee may determine on its removal from the Institution, and find it expedient to transfer the child to such guardian or representative.

VII. That half-yearly examinations of the children's progress be made and reported faithfully to the parents, with whom a frequent correspondence is to be maintained, so far as circumstances admit.

VIII. That the education and arrangements be carefully planned with a view to future foreign services, whether strictly missionary or not. IX. That the Committee endeavour to meet the parents' wishes, in reference to the actual destination of the children at the close of the period of their education, so far as they correspond with the views entertained by the Committee, (formed on their local knowledge of the character, capacities, and qualifications of the children.) Should they not succeed in effecting such arrangements, the Committee are at liberty to act on the provisions of Rule the sixth, and are exonerated from further responsibility.

I have only lately," writes a lady in England, "had any hope of seeing this school or rather home (for the children of Missionaries) established. It is intended for the daughters of those devoted persons, who, leaving all that might reasonably attach them to their native land, go out to carry the glad tidings of salvation through Jesus Christ, to the perishing heathen. We know that in many cases, climate, and perhaps in many more, the contaminating influence of heathenism must prevent the parents from keeping their children with them. They are not in circumstances to provide a liberal education for them in their native land, and even were this difficulty met, the ordinary routine of instruction at school, would but ill prepare them for the difficulties, self-denial and devotedness, a Missionary's life should involve. Neither could they be trained in those domestic habits, which every wise mother, in the middle walks of life, would desire. Deeply impressed with these sentiments, and believing that nothing was too hard for the Lord, a few of us have been led to make the effort to establish an Institution on the principles detailed in the little book which accompanies this. Last November, the school was opened at Walthamstow with many fears, but I trust in faith. An excellent lady, desirous of helping us effectually, offered to reside in the house, if we could spare her two rooms, for which she pays £110 a year, and labours for the good of the children, as much, as if her support depended on her exertions. We desire it for all parties; and I believe that party feeling is but little known amongst Missionaries: I am sure at least it should be. We have now twelve little girls in all.— 2 from Berhampore: 3 from Malacca : 1 from Corfu : 1 from Madagascar: 2 from Jamaica: 2 from Lattakoo and 1 from the Cape. We have a nice convenient house, a truly devoted teacher, and I trust I may say, the blessing of God has visibly rested on our labours; for the dear children are becoming more and more interested in the best things, and three mothers, who have returned, or are about to return to their spheres of foreign labour, assure me, they go with lightened hearts, and hands strengthened for future services.—Oriental Christian Spectator.

[NOTE. We sincerely rejoice at the formation of this truly valuable and long much needed institution. The friends of missionaries who have thus been mindful of the best interests of their offspring, demand the warmest thanks and most cordial co-operation of the whole body for this fresh token of their sympathy with them in their manifold labors and anxieties. We need not say that we pray, that the institution may long abide and flourish, and be a nursery from whence many a devoted female Missionary may be sent to the glorious work of Missions to the heathen.-ED. C. C. O.]

11.-SOCIETY FOR PROMOTIing Female EDUCATION IN THE EAST. The fifth year of the Society's labours having closed, the Committee present, as usual, to their friends and subscribers, a summary of their proceedings during that period.

Within the last year, four new labourers have been dismissed to their respective stations, viz:-Miss Giberne and Miss Metcalfe to Ceylon; Miss Machell to Vizagapatam; and Miss M'Laren to South Africa. To these must be added Miss Combe, sent out through the Parent Committee, by the Geneva Society, to Batavia, to assist Miss Thornton. This makes the number sent out from the commencement of the Society, twenty-four; but two of these have been removed to a better world, and the more immediate service of their Saviour; and some are no longer in direct connexion with the Society. Several others are in course of preparation, among whom may be mentioned one intended for Smyrna, an application for an infant school teacher having been made by the Missionaries there.

Batavia.-Miss Thornton, assisted by Miss Hulk, continues her labours with patience and perseverance. The last reported numbers of her own school were, nineteen boarders, and ten day-scholars. The arrival of Miss Combe will enable her to accomplish a long-cherished plan of establishing a Chinese boarding-school. For this, preparations were already in progress at the date of her last communications.

Singapore.-The Huddersfield Auxiliary having undertaken to raise £100 per annum for the support of an agent of the Society at this station, the Committee had expected ere this to announce her departure. Various circumstances have, however, hitherto concurred to delay their hopes. They now trust that the right individual has been found, and that she will very shortly be enabled to prepare for her departure.

Macao.-The Committee have with regret to report, that disappointment and failure have here for the present attended their efforts. Circumstances, which it is needless to detail, having compelled Miss Barker to relinquish her situation as assistant to Mrs. Gutzlaff, she is now the wife of the Rev. W. Deane, American Missionary at Bankok. The Committee trust that an opening will soon present itself for resuming their labours in this interesting field on a different footing.

Bengal.-Miss Barlow (Mrs. Wybrow) and Miss Warren are now stationed at Burdwan, as assistants to Mrs. Weitbrecht. Miss Jones, having resigned her situation upon the arrival of Miss Barlow as her successor, is now the wife of the Rev. J. Leupolt, of the Church Missionary Society, at Banaras. The schools a Burdwan continue to flourish. In the Orphan School there are thirty children; and in the infant and day-schools about a hundred and forty. Miss Missing having arrived at Calcutta, to take the superintendence of the Central school, where she is now established, Miss Thomson resigned her situation there, and joined Mrs. Wilson, at the Orphan Refuge, at Agarparah, near Calcutta. A promising Orphan Asylum had been formed at Futtehpore, by Mrs. Madden, formerly Miss Carter, and a hundred children of both sexes collected, whose parents had perished by famine. There was every appearance that this was the beginning of a most useful work, but it has pleased an all-wise God to order it otherwise, and to call away Mrs. Madden from her labours on earth, to that rest for which she was well prepared. This promising institution has consequently been broken up, and the children placed under the care of the Church Missionaries at Banáras.

Madras.-The boarding-school for East Indian children, which Miss Hale and Miss Pennington were sent out to establish, was opened in September last, and in February there were sixteen boarders, and fifteen day-boarders. Miss Austen's schools, for the lower class of East Indian

children, was opened in February, and the last accounts stated the number of children to be fifteen. Miss Craven has ceased to be connected with the Society, in consequence of marriage. Miss Machell sailed for this Presidency the end of April. Her destination is Vizagapatam, as assistant to Mrs. Gordon, of the London Missionary Society, in the charge of an orphan school.

Bombay-Miss Smith arrived in November last, having been sent out to assist Mrs. Farrar, of Nasik, at that lady's request. Mr. and Mrs. Farrar having found it necessary to pay a temporary visit to England, Miss Smith remained for four months at Bombay, in the family of the Rev. Mr. Candy. She then proceeded to Nasik, where she was received by Mr. and Mrs. Stone, and took charge of the girls of the native boardingschool. A brief sojourn of six weeks was all that was permitted her, just sufficient to evince her worth to gain the esteem and affection of all around her, and to make her loss deeply felt. She died of small-pox, April 30. Her end was peace, and the last words that passed her lips were those of praise. A successor will probably be applied for and the Committee have every reason to believe that other claims will soon be urged from this presidency.

Ceylon.-The Committee refer to the account of the first anniversary of the Colombo Branch Society, published in their last sheet of correspondence. The success which has attended this experiment, and the willingness and anxiety of the natives to have their daughters educated, afford pleasing evidence, in addition to other testimony, that, in this favoured island, a rich harvest awaits the labourer. Miss Crosthwaite's school contained twenty-four girls, all of the highest class of natives, of various ages, from twenty-five downwards. Miss Giberne and Miss Metcalfe arrived about the middle of March. A school for the burgher children, or descendants of Europeans, was opened by the former, April 5; and at the date of her last letter, April 23, she had one boarder and twelve dayboarders, with the expectation of several others, and was already desirous of a helper. Miss Metcalfe is to assist in the schools established by the Wesleyan Missionaries at Jaffna.

South Africa-Miss Hanson, having arrived at Cape Town in September last, has been placed in charge of the school connected with the La dies' Benevolent Society. Her last report stated the daily attendance to be from thirty-five to forty. Application having been made by the Glasgow African Missionary Society, for an agent of this Society to assist in their missions in Caffraria, Miss M'Laren has been appointed to that post. She will be received into the family of the Rev. Mr. Niven, stationed at Iggibigha, near Bavian's river.

Egypt.-Mrs. Lieder, late Miss Holliday, continues her labours at the Missionary school, and the harem of the Pasha. A letter, addressed by her royal pupils to the Committee, will be found in the last extracts, affording pleasing evidence of the esteem in which she is held. It may be hoped that a preparation is being made for the introduction of a better knowledge than she has hitherto been able to impart. She has been permitted to recommend several books for translation into Arabic, and publication at the Government press. Among those in course of prepara tion are, Paley's Natural Theology, Abbott's Mother at Home, Dunn's Normal School Manual, and Buckland's Bridgewater Treatise. It is probable that in the course of the ensuing year it may be found expedient to send an assistant to Mrs. Lieder.-Bombay O. C. Spectator.

THE

CALCUTTA

CHRISTIAN OBSERVER.

(New Series.)

No. 6.-JUNE, 1840.

I.—Bráhmans and the Aborigines of India*.

MY DEAR FRIend,

Some time ago I hinted to you that it was my impression that the brahmans of India originally emigrated from Egypt, since which time they have converted the Hindus to their faith. As it is a day of canvassing new subjects, it may perhaps not be uninteresting to my friends to give them some of the reasons upon which I ground the opinion.

A point like this can only be proved by direct history or by some points of resemblance in the characters of the people; but as all Hindu history is such a mixture of inconsistency, I shall confine myself to the latter method, which to my mind affords evidence amounting almost to certainty.

1st. By referring to Gen. xliii. 32, you will perceive that the ancient Egyptians had something of that singular custom called caste, which is so peculiarly distinctive of the inha bitants of India, the rules of which are defined and enforced by the brahmanical priesthood. It appears from this passage that the Egyptians considered it an abomination to eat bread with the Hebrews, and that this prejudice was carried so far that even a separate table was set for Joseph, though at that time lord of the land. The reason why they could not eat with Joseph, it is clear, was because he was a Hebrew, and not, as some might suppose, because the prince could not condescend to eat with the common people, for according to historians every Egyptian was considered of noble birth, and might

* We have been politely favored with this letter designed for a friend in America. The account of the Santals referred to by the writer appeared in a former number of the Observer.-ED.