last mistake by a five-mile walk in the sun (as we say in English) with a padre who had sold his buggy, to pay the expenses attending some sickness, or incident of one kind or another in his family. Of course we do not look for much of this sort of discussion in a book; but it is well that there should be some men at home-men whom their fellow Christians know and respect, and who have themselves felt the heat and thirst and fatigue of Indian life, and who have seen the missionary at his work, and the heathen at his idol worship. And we think it would be well if other Missionary Societies and Churches would follow the example set by the Baptist Society, and send out, from time to time, deputations of the "elders" on such missions of inquiry and encouragement; for we cannot conceive that almost any thing is better fitted to encourage the missionary amid his exile, with all its monotony and trials, than a friendly visit from one or two of the men most respected for wisdom and goodness in his particular Church. The missionaries can explain many things to the deputies, and the deputies to the missionaries, and again to the directors at home, which years of correspondence might fail to clear up to the satisfaction of either party, and thus the confidence of the directors, and the comfort of the missionaries, might both be increased, and the missionary work in a corresponding measure more vigorously and heartily prosecuted.

Again we say, we have much pleasure in noticing this book, and heartily wish we had many more of the same class to notice.

Report of the Board of Education, from May 1, 1851, to April 30, 1852. No. X. Bombay. 1852.

WE presume that there is a slight mistake in this title, and that the goodly, cloth-bound, four-hundred-and-seventy-five-paged volume before us, while it is the Tenth Report issued by the Bombay Educational Board, is the first, and is meant to be the last, relating to the official year 1851-52, instead of being, as its title seems to indicate, the tenth relating to that year.

It appears from the Report, that an annual grant of Rs. 1,25,000 is put at the disposal of the Board. But they allude also to a Reserved Fund (whence obtained we do not know, though we suppose that previous Reports of the Board, if we had access to them, would afford us the information), which is capable of bearing "for a few months” a drain of an annual excess of Rs. 19,681-11-6 of expenditure over regular income. The Board very properly point out the fallacy of supposing that this sum, of one and a quarter lakh of rupees, is giving an education to the people of the Bombay Presidency generally. The contrary fact is strikingly evinced by the statement that, "by early disposi'tions of Government, no less a sum than Rs. 44,740, out of the Rs.

* 1,25,000, has been allotted to the island of Bombay alone, i. e., to 'the wealthiest portion of the Presidency," while the remainder is of course mainly given to the districts, where the desire for education is strongest, and consequently most is given where least is needed, and none at all where most is needed. This is a serious evil, which attaches to the Government scheme of education in all the Presidencies. The few, who are both able and not unwilling to pay for their education, are educated at the expense of Government, and nothing is left for the establishment of schools amongst those who have the most need for schools to be maintained among them.

We think that our Educational Councils and Boards might take a valuable hint on this point from their brethren in the Abkari department. A few years ago there was just as little desire amongst the people of India for strong drink as there is now for education. But by a judicious system of establishing grog-shops, and making it the interest of the Abkari officials to promote their success, the Government have succeeded, not only in creating a desire for liquor in the most unpromising districts, but in deriving from the desire so created no inconsiderable amount of revenue. This is a simple fact. Now no one can doubt that the mere establishment of a few Gin-palaces in Calcutta, Madras and Bombay, however richly they might have been endowed, would have gone scarcely a single step towards the diffusion of the taste in question throughout the land. We offer this hint, with considerable confidence that wise men may turn it to good account.

The Board, however, solicit the Governor in Council, to place an additional lakh of rupees per annum at their disposal, which they propose to expend rather in the encouraging of existing native schools, and placing them under their own superintendence, than in the founding of new schools. We know not how it may be in the Bombay Presidency; but we are persuaded that this method would fail in Bengal. The native schools are hopelessly and irrecoverably bad, and incapable of being turned to any good account in supplying the educational wants of the people. The money that might be granted to them would be completely thrown away; and any superintendence that might be assumed over them would be nuga

tory.

As to the existing colleges and schools, the Report glows throughout with the brightest couleur de rose dye. The Board are thoroughly pleased with Principals, Professors, Teachers and Scholars; the Principals with Professors, Teachers and Scholars; and the Professors and Teachers with their Scholars; and, if we are to judge from the questions proposed, and the answers given at the examinations, we should say that all have abundant reason to be pleased with all. Take for example the following list of mathematical questions proposed to the students of the first year :—

"Mathematics.-Prof. Patton-from 11 to 2.

"1. If from any point in the circumference of a circle four lines 'be drawn to the angles of an inscribed quadrilateral, the anharmonic

' ratio of the pencil thus formed is represented by the ratio of the " rectangles under the opposite sides.

2.

The points of intersection of the opposite sides of a re-entrant hexagon, inscribed in a circle, lie on the same right line.

"3. If a right angle revolve round a fixed point within a circle, required the locus of the middle point of the chord it subtends. 4. Describe a circle touching two given circles, and passing 'through a given point.

6

"5. Prove the formula for finding the angles of a spherical triangle when the sides are given.

6.

When two sides and the contained angle are given, how are the other parts found?

66

"7. Thence find the distance between London and Calcutta, their respective latitudes being 51° 31' N. and 22° 34' N., and their ⚫ longitudes 0° 6' W. and 88° 26' E.

❝ 8. Given the ratio of the sines, and the ratio of the tangents, of two angles, find them, geometrically or trigonometrically."

Such was the three hours' work prescribed to first year's students ; and within that time answers were actually given by some of the students to some of the questions. We have witnessed, with no little interest, the teaching of mathematics in Europe, in Asia, and in Africa, but we can safely say, that nowhere have we found such proficiency amongst first year's students as that indicated by this fact. But this is not all. Referring to Prof. Patton's report, we find that these students have had, not a year's, but only six months', training in the college and referring again to the Report of the upper school, we find that on their entrance to the college, the amount of their acquirements must have been the first six books of Euclid, and Algebra as far as quadratic equations. It must be interesting to all mathematicians, to trace the process by which such a wonder (for we can call it by no other name) has been achieved. Here then is Mr. Patton's account of the matter :

"FIRST YEAR'S STUDENTS. This class, during the six months 'that elapsed since they entered the college, have revised their geometry, and have studied in addition, a large collection of deductions and examples, given to them in the class from my own note-books, 'On account of my absence for some time from ill health, and on leave, I was compelled to entrust the class to Assistant Professor • Dadabhai Naorozji, during the time they were studying Plane and 'Spherical Trigonometry; and I take this opportunity of testifying to the excellent manner in which he executed his duty, as shown by the result of the examination. The application of Trigonometry to Astronomy was taught by myself."

Elsewhere, we find that the period of Prof. Patton's absence was confined to the month of October; and this was the time expended by the Assistant Professor in indoctrinating the class into the whole mystery of Plane and Spherical Trigonometry.

We have thus, by a somewhat tedious process, got a glimpse of

the truth in this matter. With respect to it, we shall only say, that it was not thus that we were taught those subjects, and not even the sight of the examination-papers before us-highly creditable though they be can make us wish that our son should be so taught them.

We know not how it is in Madras; but we grieve to say that in our own Presidency, and in Bombay, there is, on the part of the managers of the Government educational institutions, a sad desire to impart a superficial acquaintance with many subjects, instead of that slow and gradual training of the faculties, which is the essence of good education. "Plane and Spherical Trigonometry in the month of October" is the brief formula by which we shall henceforth designate the treatment in virtue of which "Young Bengal" and "Young Bombay" are reared.

Volume

Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. X. Bombay. 1852.

It seems a somewhat remarkable coincidence, that we have precisely the same remark to make on this title that we made on that of the work which formed the subject of the immediately preceding notice. We presume that we have before us the Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, Vol. X., from September, 1850, to June, 1852. Be this as it may, the volume before us is a very interesting one, both as giving a favourable view of the activity of our friends in the West, and on account of the intrinsic value of the articles that it contains. The proceedings of the meetings of the Society contain a vast mass of important facts, a perfect feast for a proper Baconian mind; while of the six articles all are good, and some of very great value and importance. We would especially notice, without any disparagement to the others, Art. II.-" Researches in the Vicinity of the Median wall of Xenophon, and along the old course of the River Tigris. By Felix Jones, Commander, Indian Navy." And Art. III." The Volcanoes of India. By Dr. Buist, F. R. S. L. and E" These articles, and indeed the whole volume, will well repay perusal. We cannot do better than give our readers & specimen of the style of Commander Jones in the following extract :—

The Majummah, as the name implies, are a large tribe congregated from minor families of Arabs, who are individually so small as to be unable to protect themselves, and parts of larger hordes who have originally migrated from a distance on account of feuds or oppression on the part of the Government. They lead both a pastoral and agricultural life, and are only so far nomade as to wander over the territory assigned them, which is the most northerly of the cultivated district bordering the Tigris and Dijeil. Parties of them are found in the Khális dis

trict, East of the Tigris, whither they have gone in search of employment ; but by far the greater portion have their residence on the west of the stream, and extend from Sumeycheh to opposite Samara. They bear the character of most arrant and expert thieves, not in the Bedoin sense of the term, who, like the Borderers of old, "lift" whole droves of cattle at a time, and reckon "border theft and high treason" true gentlemanly accomplishments; but as petty larcenists that, like the shark in the wake of a ship, will follow caravans with a prying eye until they observe something worth purloining, which they seldom fail in the end to secure. On these expeditions they are generally well known, and precautions are therefore taken when a Majummah is seen marching in company along the road. Not unfrequently they receive desperate wounds in following their favorite pursuits, and this evening, we have one of the principal men craving a remedy for deafness, and a singing in the left ear, which he says, is the effect of a blow on the head inflicted on him while sitting innocently down in a camp at Samara, by a native of that place. On enquiry we find his brother had been shot" flagrante delicto" while removing the contents of a saddle-bag from a caravan at night, and this individual, from a sense of duty inculcated by the law of blood, notwithstanding his brother's crime, was at the time of the blow in search of the slayer, to take his life, in return for that of the guilty dead. The party, however, had received a hint of the design of our friend, and was before hand with him, by felling him with a heavy stick, that would have split any ordinary skull into pieces, as he sat on the ground, patiently awaiting the time for his purpose. The blow rendered him insensible for the moment, and paralytic for months after; but although he has not been able to meet the principal in the affair since, he quietly informs us that he has had partial satisfaction by the deliberate murder of two of his relatives. So vindictive indeed is this spirit of revenge, that this man openly avows his intention to continue the slaughter as he finds opportunity, for, as he says, his "brother's blood is still crying unto him for vengeance" on the murderer, who, if lucky enough personally to escape the search which this worthy purposes to institute again in a few days, will have to lament the death of many of his tribe, before his offence-that of killing a highway robber, be expiated. Interested in the subject, we asked how many lives, in the event of his not meeting with his real enemy, would suffice to atone for the blood of his brother. He coolly responded-" Five, and as I have shot two, there remain but three more, whose days, Inshalleh! are numbered." Such a confession of premeditated and wholesale murder did not surprize us, knowing that the Arab, at a distance from the capital, consults only his own passions, in the commission of any outrage of this nature, and even there, the price of blood is not confined to the strict law of "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or for a life," owing to the apathy of the Government, and the influence of party. The Jew and the Christian indeed may be slain by the Mahomedan with compara. tive impunity, certainly at no risk that his own life shall be forfeit for the slaughter of one of his species, whose difference of creed alone, causes him to be ranked in the eyes of Islam, as but little better than carrion. With the tribes, however, the evil is not without its good, for "blood for blood" prevents the commission of murder in many cases, from a dread of the consequences involved in the act. After examining our friend's head, we commended his resolution of proceeding again to Samara, adding that we had no better prescription for the cure of his malady, than a similar blow on the other side of the cranium, which he was likely enough to meet with there, and which, doubtless, would effectually prevent a return of the "singing" he complained of, by rendering him for ever unconscious of either feeling or sound. It was sometime before the drift of this was perceived, when a faint smile overspread his sullen features, and the miscreant took his leave, by no means pleased with the result of his visit. After his departure his own party condemned the blood-thirsty spirit he evinced, which is not indeed usual to the extent of this fellow's disposition; and a fear of being involved in his acts had already led most of them to pitch their habitations at a distance from his tent, which, I am told, seldom contains any other than his innocent wives and children; for he himself is constantly abroad-not so much on account of the vow he has made, as from dread of a similar fate awaiting himself, at the hands of the other party, only to be avoided, as

a life