mind. It is true every man cannot become a philosopher or a profound man of science. It is not of course to be expected that men engaged in the various avocations of society should make the same attainments with those whose business is study. But still every man can do something in this way, and ought to do what he can. When this admission is made, some objections which may have occurred, to the doctrine I have been urging, disappear. It might be said for example, that since it is impossible to do much it is best to do nothing; and the poet's line may be quoted, a little learning is a dangerous thing.' It is very true that a little learning is a dangerous thing to the possessor who is so unfortunate as not to know that it is a little. When that fact is well understood the mischief is at an end. To those therefore who see grounds for this objection, it ceases to be one. But the truth is, no quantity of knowledge however small, so that it be clear and accurate; no fact in any department of learning or science, well comprehended, is useless. No right exercise of the intellectual powers however short and unfrequent is worthless. Say not, that you have no time for such occupations, if you make them a duty and a pleasure you will create time for thein as men never fail to do for objects on which their hearts are earnestly set. Say not that the time which you can snatch from the fatigues of business are necessary to complete repose and that you cannot weary your spirit by much study. This objection is not founded on experience. If you will honestly make the trial, you will find such a change of occupation a delightful relaxation. Say not that you

have no money to spare for the purchase of books; fortunately the profusion with which the press pours forth its productions, and amidst much that is useless and mischievous, much also that is sound and valuable, renders the attainment of knowledge the cheapest pleasure that is to be had for money. Besides, though a multitude of books may be necessary to suit a vagrant fancy, or to satisfy a pampered appetite for false excitement, the mind, whose object is sound and wholesome attainment, will need but a small and well chosen selection.

And let all our searches after truth, and all our attainments in knowledge, however imperfect, lead our minds and hearts to the God of truth and wisdom. Let us never forget that in all our studies, we are studying the purposes of his creative and providential wisdom. Let this thought consecrate them. Let us habitually regard the culture of our minds as a part of our discipline in life, and as a preparation for a faithful and enlightened performance of duty; looking forward with a Christian hope, to a nearer communion with the Father of Lights, and to attainment of more certain knowledge. For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now we know in part, but then shall we know, even as also we are known.'

C. P.

UNITARIAN CHRISTIANITY IN CALCUTTA.

MR EDITOR,-By the last arrival from Calcutta, the following letter was received by a gentleman of this city, who has kindly left it at my disposal. Believing that it contains information that will be generally interesting, I send it to be inserted in the Advocate.

Copy of a letter addressed to Dr. BOWRING, Foreign Secretary of the British and Foreign Unitarian Association.

DEAR SIR,

Calcutta, 7th August, 1831.

I feel that some apology is due from me, for delaying so long to answer your letter of the 19th July last year, addressed to me in Liverpool. I trust you will consider it a sufficient reason for the delay, that I was desirous of not doing so, hurriedly, and therefore put it off until I had obtained some personal knowledge of the subject to which it relates. This period has been somewhat retarded by events which I could not foresee. I was in fact left with only one other introduction, that to Mr Adam, to trust myself to a residence in the city to become gradually acquainted with what is thought and felt and done here. Mr Adam is my chief inforinant in every thing connected with the attempt made in 1827 and '8 to establish Unitarianism; and I owe him not only every facility which it was in his power to give for the furtherance of your object, but also much personal kindness and attention.

The event of Ram Mohun Roy's visit to England has superseded the necessity of my giving you any very detailed account of the changes which have taken place or are in progress among the natives of this country; but I trust you will not consider it impertinent if I venture to state how these changes affect, in my opinion, the purposes and acts of the Committee of the Association. I ought, however, first to ob

serve that neither Mr. Adam nor myself are in possession of the Society's Report for 1830. It was not published when I left England, and it has not been forwarded to either of us; nor has Mr. Adam received more in answer to his letter of the 1st September, 1828, than an acknowledgement of its receipt. No copy of the Report of 1829 ever came to hand, and he is therefore ignorant how the strong recommendation contained in his letter, and in the letter of the Unitarian Committee here, to send out further assistance, has been met by the Society. It is not alluded to in any paper or pamphlet which I have seen, and I therefore conclude that the Committee have not as yet thought it desirable to comply with it. They probably consider the expense to which it would give rise greater than they are justified in incurring, for the sake of the probable advantages which might arise from such an undertaking.

There is certainly much in the late failure to discourage from a fresh attempt to give permanency to Christian Unitarianism in Calcutta ; and yet it appears to me that recent events afford just ground for encouragement and perseverance in this most important means for the improvement of our Hindoo countrymen. I will state two which strike me the most powerfully.

1. Much may, I think be expected from the character of some among the youths now leaving, or about to leave, the schools and places of education superintended by the English. Of these youths the majority are contented to follow on in the steps of their forefathers; but a part (and my acquaintance lies principally with pupils of the Hindoo College,) seem to possess a spirit of independence which might be most usefully directed. Nor are they satisfied to leave their countrymen to themselves; they adopt the title of Reformed Hindoos, and are endeavoring, by the assistance of papers both in the English and Bengalee languages to reform their neighbors. You will easily conceive their notions crude and imperfect. Philosophy is the talismanic word which excites their minds; but it is not the philosophy of Christianity; and I do not think, that if left to themselves they will ever become Christians. They seem not to think it a subject worthy of their consideration; they

mix with those who hold missionaries in disrespect; and their prejudices are rather against, than in favor of any thing which bears the name of Christianity, except indeed its morality. I do not however think it could be said of them, that they would forsake a place of instruction because it was not countenanced by older men among them, provided they became interested in what was offered. They wish to draw a line of distinction between themselves and many of the persons reputed liberal among the Hindoos. It is much to be feared there has been some timidity and double dealing where it was least to be expected. They are anxious to avoid the charge of timidity, and they are equally anxious to do nothing which shall even appear to contradict their profession. Perhaps I ought to mention, that the instructor of these young men is a deist. He seems to have accomplished what others have failed in,—the educating of natives in the love of knowledge and freedom. But even his pupils want much to have their ideas brought to another standard, before they can be looked upon as their own; and I would fain hope that as they have rejected the notions prevalent around them during the years of childhood, so they may not be influenced by the prejudices of education, to such an extent as to refuse assent on that account, to what appears to us the clearest and the brightest truth. I would not however be understood as proposing these young men as the sole object of a mission, for I conceive that a more general aim might in many cases be of equal benefit.

2. A second ground for encouragement appears to me to be afforded by the extent to which the public press has of late become a source of information among the Hindoos. There are published among the natives at or near Calcutta, no less than eleven weekly papers in the Bengalee, and two in the English language. These papers, though for the most part of recent origin, are understood to find generally a profitable sale, and all of them their share of readers. Dr. Carey told me that the superstitious and immoral practices of the most ignorant, and the occasional follies and excesses of other classes, become more or less the subject of controversy in them all. He adduced this fact as a proof that Hindooism is tottering. I find this to be the view which he takes of his past labors, and of