the following able sketch of what has been done to the pen of Mr. Willoughby, the Political Agent in Kattiawár, the worthy successor of Col. Walker, in zeal, energy, and untiring exertion. There is not an Englishman who can read it without feeling proud of his country, or without the fervent wish that many similar pages may yet be inscribed in the annals of her rule.

"The partial failure of the plans adopted for the extinction of infanticide is principally to be attributed to the almost insurmountable difficulty which exists against detection, without the establishment of a system of espionage and inquisition over the domestic affairs of the Jahrijas, to which, (when the peculiar notions are considered, which they, in common with all Rajputs, entertain respecting the privacy in which the female branches of their families should be kept,) they never could be expected to submit. So great is this difficulty that, notwithstanding the fact of the continuance of infanticide is placed beyond doubt by the extreme disproportion existing between the number of male and female Jahrijas, I can only trace on the records of this office, during a period of twenty-five years, one instance where investigation and punishment have followed an infraction of Colonel Walker's settlements. Still, however, it is gratifying to reflect, that a considerable degree of success has resulted from Colonel Walker's measures. Previous to the renunciation of infanticide by the Jahrija chiefs of Kattiawár, only five instances were known where parental feeling had overcome the general custom of the tribe. This fact is stated in the report of March 1808; and on the 16th December of that year, Colonel Walker forwarded a return, shewing that during the short period intervening, twenty-five daughters had been preserved; and on the 25th of the same month, another return shewing that the number had increased to thirtytwo. This flattering prospect no doubt excited expectations both in Europe and in this country, which unhappily were doomed to be disappointed. In 1812 Major Carnac tried the experiment of stationing Mehtas at the principal Jahrija towns for the purpose of communicating the birth, preservation, or murder of female children;' but the jealousy, with which they were looked upon rendered their exertions nearly abortive, and they were withdrawn. In the same year the Jam of Noanuggur was fined five thousand rupees for general inattention to the engagement he had entered into in 1807, that the practice of infanticide should be discontinued within his jurisdiction; and on this occasion this chief was required to renew that engagement. In September 1816, Major Carnac reported that 'his expectations and those of the Hon'ble Court of Directors,' in regard to the suppression of the crime, had not been fulfilled; and this melancholy fact was placed beyond doubt in the succeeding year by a return obtained from his assistant, Captain Ballantine, then stationed in Kattiawár, shewing that from December 1808 to June 1817, the number of females preserved had only increased from 32 to 63. The subject does not appear to have again engaged particular attention, or to have been reported upon, until 1824. In this year the Political Agent, Major Barnewall, forwarded a return shewing, that from June 1817 to July 1824, the number had increased from 63 to 266, of whom 25 were married, 194 remained, and 47 had died a natural death. These results indicated that although the horrible practice might be somewhat subdued, it was still far from being relinquished.' In 1825 The Infanticide Fund' was established. This is composed of all fines under 20,000 rupees imposed upon the tribu taries for breaches of the peace, or other misconduct, and of realizations under the head of Mohsulbe. The British Government first set the

example; His highness the Guikowayr being subsequently induced to consent that all fines imposed on his tributaries should be similarly appropriated. From this source, occasional remissions of tribute, presents to the chiefs, and pecuniary assistance on the marriage of their daughters have been granted to those who have practically renounced the custom; and another mode of testifying approbation to those who have preserved their daughters is, by postponing the payment of the tribute to suit their convenience. In July 1828, Mr. Blane obtained a register of Jahrija females then alive in the territory of the Jam of Noanuggur. These shewed them to amount in number to 171, of whom 68 were married and 103 unmarried. According to the return of 1824 the number was only 76. Mr. Blane's register, therefore, exhibited an increase of 95: but from the age of some of the persons enrolled in the latter, the agent observed that part of this excess originated in omissions in the return of 1824. At the beginning of 1829, Jeehajee, the chief of Moorvee, who was first prevailed upon by Colonel Walker to renounce infanticide, died, and presents were made by Government to his successor of the value of 2,000 rupees, and the agent was instructed to announce in the most public manner, this departure from usage in honor of the memory of one who, by his conduct in being the first to renounce a shocking custom, entitled himself to the gratitude of the Government by whom his family is protected.' A distinction of this kind was calculated to produce a good effect throughout the province generally, and was appre ciated by the chief upon whom it was conferred, and called forth from him a promise that there should be no remissness on his part in the performance of a sacred duty, Dhurmo Kam.' In July 1829, Mr. Blane forwarded a return framed by his assistant, Mr. Langford, of the number of females preserved in the district of Dhurole. They were 71 in number, and exceeded by 20 the census of this district for 1824. On this occasion presents to some value were distributed among the Jahrijas, and the agent was instructed to inform them of the high satisfaction which Government had derived from their exemplary conduct in adhering to their engagements. The returns from Noanuggur and Dhurole afford satisfactory evidence that in those districts the humane efforts of Government to subdue the practice of infanticide were becoming more successful ; but as no census was obtained from the other Jahrija districts, no data exists for ascertaining the actual increase in the number of lives preserved either from 1824 to 1829, or from 1829 up to the present period."

We have formerly complained, that the estimates of the Jahrija population in Cutch are so vague, that it is impossible to place any dependence on them. The lowest estimate reduces the whole tribe to 12,000 persons: and yet they have indisputably the chief rule among a population of more than half a million. Col. Walker again supposes that there are 125,000 families, which would raise their number to 300,000, which is certainly an over-estimate. The only approach that can be made to correctness seems to be, that their contingent for the field is 20,000 men. We find the same confusion and uncertainty in regard to their number in Kattiawár, and yet, as Mr. Willoughby well observes, until a tolerably complete census be formed, every attempt to suppress infanticide must be unavailing. The following valuable addition to our stock of information on this subject has been made under Mr.

Number.

Willoughby's personal superintendance, and has been carefully verified in so many ways, as to ensure almost complete

accuracy.

Females.

The present census, therefore, exhibits the undermentioned results:

1st, Number of males of and under the age of twenty, is.......... 1422 2nd, Number of females of all ages known to have been preserved, is 696 Excess of males, therefore, is....

726

It is, indeed, a noble result to have preserved the lives of 696 females, and most encouraging, when we look on it as the earnest of ultimate complete success: but even in this comparatively favoured district, not withstanding the unceasing vigilance of the Government agents, how melancholy to reflect that there is a deficiency of 726 females, or (adopting an after and more accurate proportion) that in a population of probably not more than 4000, eight hundred little innocents have been

Excess of females.]

murdered by their own parents. The magnitude of the evil is only now opening out on us and there is reason to fear that when accurate returns shall have been made of all the tribes who practise female infanticide, an appalling amount of crime will be discovered, calling for the immediate interference of every one who has any regard either for God or man. There need be no doubt of ultimate success; for, besides the fact that, in the little talook of Keesurah, the females actually exceed the males, Mr. Willoughby enumerates two Jahrijas who have four daughters alive, 13 who have three, and no less than 80 who have two daughters living*! With these encouraging prospects, the sin will lie heavy at the door not only of the British Government, but of every individual Christian, if female infanticide is suffered much longer to disgrace human nature, and the blood of children to cry aloud for judgment on their own merciless parents.

(To be continued.)

IV-Revival of Religion in Switzerland.

[An address delivered at the Monthly Missionary Meeting, May, 1836.] It has been deemed expedient on these occasions to deviate from the former practice of a sermon, and to place before you the state of religion in some interesting department of the Missionary field. It has been allotted to me to give you, this evening, a condensed account of the

STATE OF RELIGION IN SWITZERLAND.

May the Great Master of assemblies enable me to use the information which has been put into my hands by a friend recently arrived from that country, in such a manner as shall interest your feelings, warm your hearts, benefit our fellows, and glorify our Lord.

It is recorded of an ancient matron, that her affection for her son was more than the ordinary affection of a mother. The source of this extraordinary attachment was to be found in the striking resemblance which his features bore to those of his father, whom she had tenderly loved. His features had been marked with nobleness and generosity. The youth was called by the casualities of war to the field of conflict. The season of return arrived, and the fond mother had associated with that return the noble features of her sleeping husband; in the anticipation of the event she felt all the impulses of youthful passions infused into her mind; but when the patriot bands returned, and she beheld him who had walked high among the brave, with all his honors thick upon him, she started and expressed her incredulity as to his identity. "His visage was marred" by the rude hands of war, and nought save the melody of his voice and some secret mark remained, by which the mother could identify her son. She is said, on being perfectly convinced of his identity, to have wept aloud, and would not be comforted, uttering indignant censures on the god of war; nor could the honors of conquest remunerate her for the

* It gives us pleasure to state, that every one of these individuals received either a pecuniary reward, or some honorary distinction from the Bombay Government.

loss of those features on which she had hoped to gaze with delight. Similar grief has been experienced by the enlightened in traversing lands naturally fertile and populous, which have been devastated by war, or depopulated by famine. Have not those who have trod the ruins of once flourishing Babylon, or the site of busy Tyre, involuntarily exclaimed, Where is thy greatness, O Babylon! and thy merchant princes, O Tyre! How is the fine gold become dim! It is an axiom, however, that our feelings are actuated more or less powerfully according to the importance of the subject, and the adaptation of its object to our peculiar sympathies and desires. The friends of peace would tread the plains of Marathon with only sorrowful feelings, while the sons of war would be stirred to deeds of blood and spoil. The followers of Jesus could not tread unmoved the scenes of his ministrations, nor unaffected could they survey those lands and people which have been the theatre of some of the noblest displays of Christian enterprize and success, but which now present to the mind's eye but one sterile waste, or at most here and there an oasis in the desert. Among such lands Switzerland must be ranked. The land which could call Zuinglius, Ecolampadius, Calvin, and other noble martyrs and defenders of our faith her sons, (not less, that she was the cradle of such a spirit as Tell,) may rank high among the countries calculated to inspire interest in the Christian's mind;-a country at once the cradle of civil liberty, and the conservator of religious truth. Some few years ago, had we gone to this land, full of interesting feelings and delightful associations, every hope would have been blasted, and our feelings of joy would have been transmuted into grief. We should have found the scene of Zuinglius's efforts covered indeed with dead men's bones; those spots on which many honored men had contended for the faith, the scenes of spiritual desolation; and the chair of the author of the Christian Institutes filled with the advocates of the blighting and lax doctrines of Socinus and Pelagius, and this, too, under the garb of more rational teaching.

The influence of such a state of things may be easily conceived without any labored demonstration. Geneva, the fountain of instruction, being poisoned at its source, the streams which flowed from it bore evidence of its impurity. The pulpits were filled with unfaithful pastors; their instructions cold and paralyzing; the spiritual vegetation which had every where vied with the natural luxuriance of the valleys disappeared, and every spot appeared as cold and sterile as its most icy mountains. The political state of the counties or districts did not improve the condition of true piety; though professedly democratic, they were but little despotisms in the hands of rationalist intolerants.

Though this gross darkness covered the land and people, the fire of the altar of truth was not extinguished-it smouldered, though it did not flame. It was ready to ignite, when the Spirit from on high should descend. Nor was the altar unguarded :—a few, like the women at the cross and sepulchre, loved the name and doctrine of Jesus ;-the name they embalmed in their hearts, the doctrine they showed forth in their lives. They were few and scattered;-like the chamois of their native hills, they wandered on the mountains without a shepherd.

To assist you in your thoughts, it may not be improper to state, that this lovely country is divided into twenty-three counties or zillahs. They differ in their political constitutions, language, and religion. In politics they are entirely distinct from each other. The form of government is elective. Some are elected by the people, and others more by an aristocracy. These governments of course differ materially in their treatment of religion: some are very liberal, others intolerant; and, with the ex

* Calvin.