returned thanks in a most feeling and impressive manner. He was evidently affected whilst speaking, and on his uttering the words "this is the last time I shall have the pleasure of addressing you," many of the ladies in the immediate neighbourhood of the chair, and not a few of Mr. E.'s male friends, gave pure proofs of their sympa. thy and regret in the tears that glistened in their eyes. It was really an affecting moment. Mr. Elphinstone concluded his brief address by proposing the health of "Sir Thomas Bradford and the Society of Bombay." This was drank with loud applause.

After a short pause, the mander in Chief again rose, and gave "the health of Sir John Malcolm."

The Honorable the Governor, in rising to acknowledge the compliment, averted to the occasion which had called the Society together, and spoke of the long intimacy which had subsisted between Mr. Elphinstone and himself, mentioning that thirty years ago he had been the first to receive Mr. E. on his landing in India. Sir John Malcolm then dwelt on the brilliant career of his "friend" and in alluding to his own connexion with the Society of this settlement, declared that the reception given him at the Presidency six years ago, prior to his leaving this country, was so gratifying to his feelings, that it tended more than any other circumstance to the restoration of his health. Sir John touched on a few other topics, and concluded by saying that he could give no stronger proof of his concurrence in the general tenor of the administration of his predecessor than by assuring the community that No change should take place in any particular; a pledge of a future mild, tolerant and liberal government, and a compliment to Mr. Elphinstone then drew down tumultuous acclamations and the

vernor and Mr. and Mrs. Lushington, and followed by the cheers and regrets of every body assembled, Mr. Elphinstone embarked immediately on the Palinurus, and sailed for the Arabian Gulph early on Thursday morning.

With regard to the manner in which the entertainment was got up we should be guilty of positive ingratitude were we to omit the highest commendations of the exquisite taste shewn by Colonel Bellasis, Major Morse and Capt. Pouget in the erection and decoration of the buildings used on the occasion, and of the activity and courtesy of Mr. Newnham and the other gentlemen who officiated as Stewards. Every thing was judiciously planned and skilfully executed. All the principal persons at the settlement were of course present, and seemed to take a cordial interest in the homage awarded to the principal guest.

We should not omit to mention the excellent manner in which the whole road from the Church to the Apollo Gate was lighted up. One of the bungalows too (that of Captain George Simpson the Marine Storekeeper) was prettily illuminated :-an example of loyalty which we were rather surprised was not generally followed.

In the above sketch of the féte of Wednesday we fear we have fallen as far short of our readers' wishes, as we are of our own intentions. But the fact is, entertainments of this kind have so frequently occurred, that every variety of description is exhausted, and no Editor can now hope to be otherwise than common place. All definitions of the same thing, says the Rambler, must be nearly the same, and descriptions, which the definitions of a more lax and fanciful kind, must always have in some degree that resemblance to each other which they all have in their object.-Iris, Nov. 20.

We this day publish an account of the proceedings of the last meeting of the Literary Society.

The paper read, and we believe, prepared by Colonel Kennedy, possesses considerable merit. There is none of the customary Oriental hyperbole in his tribute to the literary acquirements of Mr. Elphinstone. It is a just and impartial view of that exalted man's claims to the gratitude of the Literary Society, and is peculiarly valuable coming from an individual, himself possessing great stores of classic and Oriental learning.

Colonel Kennedy, it seems has resigned the Secretaryship to the Society, and has been succeeded in his office by Captain Jervis, from whose activity and qualifications we expect great things.

The remarks of the late Secretary on the indifference to literary pursuits for which Bombay (and in fact all India) is distinguished, are particularly in point. It is certainly a singular, and in some measure rather a discreditable circumstance, that in an English community like this, numerically extensive and intellectually rich as it is, literature and the fine arts should be so totally neglected, that works of imaginations, scientific or philosophical treatises, volumes

of history, &c. scarcely ever proceed from any one of its members.

If we except a Political History or two, a few Overland Travels, Sketches in Canada, and Treatises on Political Economy by two or three singularly gifted individuals, we are at a loss to point out a single work that has proceeded from the Indian or English press calling a Bombay resident its author. The debilitating influence of the climate cannot be justly urged as a cause of the literary sterility of these latitudes. The same mental vigor which, we have reason to know, distinguishes the reports and dispatches of many of the Bombay Civilians and Military residents, would surely enable the possessors to accomplish an occasional octavo volume at least, or if-to come to a matter in which we have a personal interest-the duties of office preclude them from giving their attention to the cause of literature to that extent, they might certainly find leisure to indulge in a few essays or treatises that would adorn the columns of a newspaper, and lift those ephemera into a consequence they do not at the present moment enjoy.

The ingenious and industrious author of The Panorama has correctly observed that the character of the periodical essayist is quite new in the torrid, although perfectly absolete in the temperate zone. The materials for this species of composition have been exhausted in the latter. True; but have they ever been sought for in the former? We dare venture a reply on the negative. And what can be the reason of this? Surely there is material enough in Western India to employ the pen of the novelist, the observer of society, its peculiarities and absurdities, the mithologist, the mineralogist, the botanist, the sportsman, the conchologist? It cannot be that the absence of any immediate pecuniary profit (though a great stimulus to the labors of literati in

England) produces the indifference of clever men in this country to the calls of Society upon their knowledge and talents. We have too good an opinion of their minds to harbour such an idea for one moment. Perhaps, with the taste common to persons of ability, they wish their favors to be solicited. Should this be the case, readily indeed will weindulge the innocent coquetry, and beg of them pub licly, as we have often done many of them privately, to bestow an occasional hour in contributing the result of their observations to the pages of the Courier. The labors of an Editor are of so miscellaneous a cast, that it can scarcely be expected of him to prepare articles of a genuine or permanent value. His time is necessarily occupied in skimming over the contents of newspapers, pamphlets, and magazines, of volumes of all dimensions, from humble duodecimo imperial quarto, and in examining, selecting, arranging, correcting the press, corresponding, &c. If, therefore, he can snatch time to produce even a tolerable sketch of passing political events, and offer a few comments that do not positively discredit his judgment, his duty to the public, as far as original writing goes, is certainly performed.

It must be allowed however, that (as Col. K. observes) many obstacles present themselves to the prosecution of literary pursuits, on any thing like an extensive scale, in this part of India. The absence of a volumnious and varied library presents to the unemployed up-country resident and book-worm a reason, among others, why he should not commence what for want of an occasional book of reference he may never succeed in finishing; while individuals at the Presidency, who desire to " see themselves in print," are scared by the appearance of the type, paper and binding. But no cause, we will stoutly maintain, can be

shewn, why the newspapers of the place should be without useful contributors. We are not very fastidious, excepting where the papers sent us touch tender ground or are excessively ridiculous; and as we believe our friends sufficiently understand us on this point, we will conclude with a hope that we shall be occasionally favored with a few papers combining the utile with the dulci.

The Annual General Meeting of the Bombay Auxiliary Church Missionary Society was held on Tuesday last at St. Thomas' Church at which the Hon'ble Sir C. H. Chambers presided.

From the Report of the Society it appeared, that during the last year a mission had been commen. ced in the Northren Coucan, and that three schools had been opened for boys and one for girls at Basseen; and two for boys and one for girls at Tannah. In all these schools, Christian Books are regularly used. A catechism. trans. lated by a friend into the Mahratta language, has been printed for the use of the children. The Report stated, that two other Missionaries had been set apart by the Parent Society for the Bombay Mission, and may be expected to arrive in Bombay in the course of an. other year. The Subscriptions to the Society continue to increase, and have more than covered the expence of the schools.

After the Report had been read, the thanks of the Meeting were voted to the Vice-Presidents, to the Committee and other officers of the Society, and a new Committee elected for the ensuing year, when the accounts of the Society were audited, and the Meeting concluded.

LITERARY SOCIETY.

The Anniversary Meeting of the Literary Society of Bombay was held at its Rooms on Monday last, the 29th instant.

PRESENT.

J. Wedderburn Esq. Vice-President.

W. Newnham, Esq.
Hill Morgan, M. D.
Captain Miller.
James Williams, Esq.
T. Butchanan, Esq.
J. Howison, Esq.
R. K. Arbuthnot, Esq.
G. Smyttan, Esq.
J. Strachan, M. D.
E. Sheppee, Esq.
Captain Simpson.
Lieut. Col. Hough.
Charles Norris, Esq.
B. Noton, Esq,
J. Ritchie, Esq.
J. M'Adam, Esq.
G. Noton, Esq.
Captain G. R. Jervis.
R. C. Money, Esq.
Rev. Thos. Carr.
J. Mill Esq.

Lieut. G. S. B. Brown.

Lieutenant Colonel V. Kennedy,

Secretary.

The usual business having been transacted, the Secretary addressed the Meeting as follows:

Mr. Vice-President and Gentlemen. As you have all so lately participated in presenting to the Honorable Mountstuart Elphinstone, on his resignation of this Government, those tributes of regret and applause to which his distinguished and pre-eminent merits so justly entitled him, it becomes unnccés sary to intimate that in consequence of his departure the situation of President of this Society has become vacant. Previously, however, to proceeding to the election of his successor, permit me to recall to your attention the important benefits which not only this Society, but Oriental literature in general, has derived from that cultivation and promotion of literary pursuits, with which he delighted to solace the few hours that he could abstract from the multiplied avocations of official business. But I should have been

the more happy, had some person much better qualified than I am te speak on such a subject undertaken to submit it to your notice; as I am too well aware that I can but inadequately convey even an im perfect notion of the extensive conversancy with literature for which Mr. Elphinstone was so eminently distinguished, and of that constant solicitude and liberality with which he encouraged every means that could tend to promote its general and beneficial diffusion.

It must at the same time be admitted, that from a singularly dif fident and retiring disposition, which is so often the accompaniment and ornament of real ability, neither our labors have been animated by those discourses, nor our transactions enriched with those Memoirs, which Mr. Elphinstone was so competent to compose.

:

For, if not a profound classical scholar, he was sufficiently master of the Greek and Latin languages to enable him to appreciate and enjoy the matchless works of antiquity and with the modern literature of his own country, France and Italy, he was intimately acquainted. But his active life and public duties restricted his knowledge of the numerous languages of Asia to a conversancy with Persian, and prevented him from prosecuting even in that language, the study of Oriental learning by applying to its original sources. Yet this information on all subjects connected with it, and particularly with the civil and political history of Persia and India, was most extensive. The cause perhaps, united to the correct and elegant taste which he had derived from nature, but which he had improved and sedulously cultivated by the perusal of the best ancient and modern authors, rendered him a rather too severe critic of Oriental composition. He denied not, indeed, that its occasional beauties deserved every praise,

but he was inclined to think that these could not compensate for its Bumerous imperfections. This opinion, however, applied merely to the critical merits of eastern literature; for he evinced, by many enlightened acts, his firm conviction that the Government of this country could not be conduct ed efficiently and prosperously for many years without adapting it, as far as the real interests of the people would admit, to their longestablished and deeply-rooted habits and prejudices; and hence it was, that in order to acquire an accurate knowledge of their customs, usages, and laws, he encouraged, with the utmost munificence, the study of the native languages and literature.

But from his estimation of the native character, which he must have viewed in its most unfavourable light during his official intercourse with the late Peishwah, whose conduct and that of his Ministers during the last six years of his government was so marked with duplicity and disregard of every principle of honor and rectitude, Mr. Elphinstone, was persuaded that mental and moral improvement were indispensable for securing the real prosperity of this country, and for enabling the people to understand and appreciate that impartiality, integrity, and justice, which distinguish the British Government. Education, therefore, appeared to his enlightened views the most safe and efficient means for improving the native mind, and rendering the people eventually qualified for a participation in the government of their own country; and Mr. Elphinstone, therefore, encouraged, with the most liberal support, the establishment and exertions of the Native Education Society, which promise to be attended with such beneficial results. Hence the future consequences which may be produced by thus promoting the cultivation of Western and Eas

tern literature in this country, becomes a subject of most interesting speculation. For though the advancement which the natives may attain is still problematical, it can. not be denied that they possess the greatest aptitude for instruction; and it will be obvious that the more intimately acquainted with them British gentlemen may be come the more capable will they be of ascertaining correctly the motives and principles of conduct which actuate the present Hindu, and of penetrating into the darkest recesses of that antique, rich, and copious mine of Sanscrit learning, which has been hitherto so little explored.

It was to assist in the attainment of objects of such importanco that Mr. Elphinstone was always most anxious to promote the interests of this Society, and that he unceasingly endeavoured to incite every person with whom he was acquainted to favor it with contributions. If, therefore, six years have elapsed without our having been able to publish another volume of our transactions, this dearth of communications would not have occurred, had it been in the power of the President to have prevented it. But the limited extent of this presidency, the lamented death or regretted departure to Europe of some of our most distinguished members, and the difficulty of literary pursuits in this country, present causes fully sufficient for explaining this suspension, which I trust is merely temporary of the publication of volumes similar to those which have been already honored with the approbation of the public.

It must, however, appear sur prising that amidst the numerous objects so fully deserving of inves tigation which surround us, so few persons are inclined to devote themselves to some one of those various studies, for the cultivation of which this country seems to afford the greatest incitements;