9.-HUMAN SACRIFICES. Certain mysterious doings, in the neighbourhood of Burdwan, have lately excited strong suspicions that priestly influence has been reviving the horrid practice of human sacrifices. The Friend of India, in calling atten tion to the circumstance, has excited the righteous indignation of the conductors of the Chundrika, who most manfully and stoutly deny even the imputation of the crime-Oh happy change! But our contemporary should not allow his indignation to entomb his recollection ; at least, he should remember that it will not be the case with his fellow-mortals; for they will suspect deeds of darkness from those who could abet and advocate infanticide, suttee, and ghat murders. If it be not deemed irreverent to offer, from the Christian Oracle, advice which the editor of the Chundrika might tender to his brethren, we would say, if they would shun the reproaches not of Christians only but of the humane and intelligent of every creed, avoid the appearance of evil. 10.-BRITISH INDIA, OPIUM AND CHINA. The Chinese authorities appear quite determined to put down the contraband traffic in opium. Such is the spirit with which they are pursuing their determination, that they have refused to negotiate with Captain Elliot, the Queen's representative at Canton, and he in consequence has struck the British flag and removed to Macao. The opium dealers, in the meantime, appear like men under the influence of a singular fatuity; for at the moment when there is no market, but a declaredly contraband one for the drug, they are most eagerly cramming every clipper for the market. We fear for the speculators as INDIVIDUALS; for inevitable ruin must await many who have risked their all in this daring speculation, if it should fail, which we fear it will; for they are reckoning without their host, if they suppose that the Chinese are not looking in the present instance lower than the surface. We more than fear the issue, as it respects the government; for that issue, if things progress as they have done for some months past, must be either a disgraceful ejection from the Chinese market, or war. Here we are with our Queen's representative disgraced, our flag dishonored and our government pledged, by its loans to the opium merchants, to protect the trade; while report has it that high authority declares" the opium trade shall be pushed to the last." What a position for proud and honorable Britain to assume, with a heathen nation in support of a contraband trade, and for a paltry annual revenue of two crores of rupees! 11.-NEW WORKS. We have been favored by our respected friends of the Baptist Mission Press with copies of three new works in the native languages. The one is a Life of Daniel in Bengali, accompanied by an English version on the opposite page. The translation is by the Rev. W. Morton. It is in such style and idiom as, it is hoped, will render it popular with all classes, and yet not be beneath the perusal of the most erudite. It is printed under the patronage of the American Sunday School Union, and reflects equal credit on their liberality and on the diligence and ability of the translator. We think the subject is happily chosen, as there are many points in the history of Daniel which must have peculiar interest for orient youth. May they imitate his holy and decided example. Another is a Romanized edition of the Rev. A. Bowley's Hindustání translation of the Pilgrim's Progress, with several beautifully executed engravings, sent out by the English Tract Society for the purpose of illus trating similar translations of the entrancing vision of good John Bunyan. The volume is altogether the most compact, elegant and cheap thing of the kind we have yet seen in a native language. It reflects the highest credit on our friends, the printers; and as they have printed it at their own risk, we hope the sale will be such as to induce them to follow it up by other works equally adapted, both from their substance and price, to be available and useful to the native community. The third is a translation of Bunyan into the Oriya language by the Rev. A. Sutton. It is in a clear type, compact form, and, we understand, simply and faithfully rendered. It is pleasing to reflect on the fact that we have this deservedly popular book translated into three of the principal languages of Northern India. 12.-REPRINTS. " The following useful little tracts have been reprinted by the Bap tist Mission Press. "The Unity of the Church, a tract for the times,' an excellent little treatise on the importance of Christian Unity: we strongly recommend it to our friends in the Mufassal.-" The Church Member's Guide"-this is a book of extracts made some years ago from Mr. James's larger work by the Rev. Js. Hill; it embraces the duties of Church Members to their pastor, fellow-members and the world. A copy of it may with advantage be put into the hands of every Christian.—It is proposed to reprint "Counsels to a newly-wedded pair," by Dr. Morison of Chelsea, a little work which has had a very extensive and useful circulation in England and America. The subject may excite a smile, but we suspect oft is the time when those wishing well to newly-married people would wish some proper little treatise to put into their hands, which might be read in the calmer mo- \ ments of domestic life; and this especially in a country where the gordian knot is so frequently tied without that mature reflection which generally ushers persons into the connubial state in our own country. We hope our ministerial brethren will forward indents for the work, in order that they may have it at hand to present their friends on the occasion of their nuptials. The printers have studied elegance and economy in the getting up of the work. 13.-BENGA'LI' CLASSICS. It has been suggested to us that an uniform edition of Bengali standard works is a desideratum. One of our esteemed correspondents, it will be seen in another paper, has offered to undertake the collating and revi sion of such a series, should a sufficient number of subscribers be found to cover the expence of printing, &c. It is supposed that the whole may be comprised in 8 or 10 volumes, at from 1 to 2 Rs. each volume. They will be printed on the best Europe paper, with clear types and from the most accurate and faithful texts; those accustomed to purchase and pore over native works, will at once perceive the immense advantage, every way, of such editions over the miserable Bazar ones, on vile paper and in still more wretched character from oft corrupted texts, swarming with errors of every kind. We shall be happy to receive the names of any disposed to encourage the undertaking. 14.-EDUCATION OF THE CHILDREN OF MISSIONARIES IN EUROPE. We are sure it will afford our Missionary brethren, who have many olive branches around their tables, the highest satisfaction to learn that it is in contemplation to establish in the vicinity of London, a Seminary for the sons and daughters of Missionaries, in which economy will be combined with comfort and a strict regard to the moral and religious welfare of the little ones. We wish the plan success, with all our hearts. Meteorological Register, kept at the Surveyor General's Office, Calcutta, for the month of December, 1837. 6 ,014 68,460,8 62,7 N.N.E.,058 72,0 74,072,5 N. ,114 71,5 72,067,0 N. ,032 67,355,5 57,0 N. 8 ,000 67,056.9 58,0 N. ,058 71,4 72,969,0 N. N. 91 ,012 67,560,0 61,0 N. ,050 72,2 74,4 70.3 N. 10 ,022 67,961,0 61,9 N. ,056 72,5 75,170,7 ,066 68,9 62,0 62,8 N. b E.,11272,8 74,570,8 N. ,112 70.5 73,8 69.0 23 ,084 64,954,355,5 N, ,130 66,0 24 ,020 64,5 54,9 55,6 N. ,080 67,5 68,5 63,0 N. ,086 72,7 77,0 71,0 ,002 75,5 78,6 73,5 N. N. .004 75,0 75,3 72,2 N. N. N. N. .976 73,9 75,0 72,8 N. .982 73,775,873,5 ,028 71,9 72,772,5 N. Cm. N. N. ,095 73,9 74,9 72,5 N. N. ,068 73,0 73,467,0 N. ,077 71,8 70,066,6 N. THE CALCUTTA CHRISTIAN OBSERVER. No. 70.-March, 1838. 1.-The Baconian Philosophy applicable to the mental regeneration of India. SIRS, To the Editors of the Calcutta Christian Observer. In the Edinburgh Review for July last is to be found an able Essay on the Life and Works of Lord Bacon, in which the deplorable weakness and meanness of the grovelling and servile courtier and man of the world, are exhibited in what can never cease to be regarded as a most astonishing and humbling contrast with the calm, philanthropic and prophetic wisdom of the sage. The object which I have in view in noticing the article, is to draw attention to what the writer (who, I have heard it supposed, is Mr. Macaulay) assumes to be the distinguishing merit and characteristic of Lord Bacon's philosophy, and to point out the application of the views, there expounded and elucidated at length, to the intellectual condition of India. 2. The Edinburgh Reviewer asserts that the merit of Lord Bacon is not that he drew attention to the true method of philosophizing, or taught men to reason by induction-a thing they were always accustomed to do-but that he directed their thoughts to the true end of philosophy, to seek for palpable and substantial truth instead of words, for fruit instead of leaves. Plato and Seneca are quoted to prove that the ancient philosophers scorned the idea that it was at all the business of philosophy to ameliorate the physical condition of mankind. They, it is asserted, proudly held that she was not the handmaid who should minister to man the blessings and conveniences of life, bat the divine instructress who should teach him to live independent of them and to regard them with contempt. Bacon, on the other hand, exploded all this false refinement, and taught that no office was too humble for philosophy, which could in any way alleviate human suffering or augment the sum of human happiness. 3. The truth and common sense of Bacon's philosophy has commended it to the reason of the learned of Europe; and with what splendid results every one knows. The command of nature, and the material benefits resulting to men, are there sought after with adequate zeal and energy. The application to India is obvious. The followers of Plato (as far as the Reviewer's judgment applies to him) and of Seneca, are paralleled or outheroded in Hindustan, by the disciples of Vyása, Kupila, Pátanjali, and Gotama, the adherents of the Vedanta, the Mímánsá, the Sánkbya, and the Nyáya schools of philosophy. Though little read in the Hindu systems, I may, I think, safely venture to say that their spirit coincides with that of the Grecian and Roman philosophy, or is even more exclusively speculative. It is not probable that they, whose philosophy proposes to free its votaries from the polluting contact of matter, to whom all things visible and tangible are (delusion) and the mere degrading encumbrances of the eternal spirit, should deign to apply their speculations to the advancement of men's physical well-being. Those systems whose aim and boast it is to train up ascetic gymnosophists, are obviously most eminently adverse to the scientific cultivation of the arts which civilize and adorn human life. 4. The existence of several Shástras on sciences having a reference more or less direct to practical purposes, as the medical Shastra (A'yurveda) the Shilpa or mechanical Shástra (whatever it may be) and the Mathematical and Astronomical Siddhántas, is not sufficient to invalidate the position that the general spirit of Hindu philosophy is speculative. If India has her Bháskaráchárya and others, Greece could no less boast of her Euclid, her Archytas and her Archimedes. Yet the latter, as the Edinburgh Reviewer remarks, despised those mechanical results of his mathematics which carried terror and destruction into the fleet of the besiegers of Syracuse; and esteemed its pure truths as the only legitimate and worthy offspring of philosophy. Bháskara, perhaps, might have used to think in the same style. 5. But further, the spirit of Hindu philosophy is amply exhibited by its results. It produces no tangible advantage. It is utterly unfruitful in physical benefits. It may be useful in exercising the subtilty of those who study it; but it wastes ingenuity and energies which might be more profitably employed-it possibly refines some spirits which might otherwise be grovelling in sensuality, directed to the sordid pursuit of gain by craft and fraud, or evaporated in vacant indolence :but it might be exchanged, with the prospect of incalculable gain, for that true philosophy which, in admirable consonance |