'to argue with them on an equal footing, in an enlightened spirit and in an effective manner," has long been obvious to persons who have studied what Missionary qualifications ought to be. J. Muir, Esq. in his able "Remarks on the training of Missionary Agents," suggests that the students should attend a course of

"Lectures on the characteristics of these languages, and the literature they embody, on the relations of that literature to the mental peculiarities of the people among whom it is current, and on all questions bearing upon the best methods of rendering the languages efficient and attractive vehicles for the conveyance of truth. In the theory and art of reasoning and persuasion, in the best modes of presenting new and strange truths to the ignorant and superstitious, as well as to those whose minds are perverted by false philosophy, by prejudice, or by interest; he should be made acquainted with the superstitious and religious systems, whether popular or philosophical, of those for whose conversion he is to labour, and with the principles on which their several false doctrines may be most effectually controverted."

Much is said now in England, and with great justice, of the importance of missionary preaching to the Heathen and Mussulmans of India. But an important point is always omitted—the qualifications for the work. One of these is surely, a thorough acquaintance with the various modes, phrases and similes by which orientals express their ideas. This can only be gained in India by a conversancy with Indian history and popular native literature, and by intercourse of a free and easy nature with natives of various classes in society. We fear that judged by this standard not one. tenth of the preaching missionaries is qualified. Vociferation is not impression, and the ringing changes on a few theological topics delivered in a dry, cold, Anglo-Saxon way, is not calculated to tell on Asiatic minds. European Missionaries are generally wide as the pole asunder from orientals in the choice of topics. Even dry law has been enshrined in poetic imagery; as an instance of this we give the following version of Professor Griffiths from Menu, the oldest Hindoo Lawgiver, on the duty of Kings:

"He that ruleth should endeavour with his might and main to be
Like the Powers of God around him, in his strength and majesty ;
Like the Rain-God in due season sendeth showers from above,
He should shed upon his kingdom equal favour, gracious love;
As the Sun draws up the water with his fiery rays of might,
Thus let him from his own kingdom claim his revenue and right;
As the mighty Wind unhinder'd bloweth freely where he will,
Let the monarch, ever present with his spies all places fill;
Like as in the judgment Yama punisheth both friends and foes,
Let him judge and punish duly rebels who his might oppose;
As the Moon's unclouded rising bringeth peace and calm delight,
Let his gracious presence ever gladden all his people's sight;

Let the king consume the wicked-burn the guilty in his ire,
Bright in glory, fierce in anger, like the mighty God of Fire;
As the General Mother feedeth all to whom she giveth birth,
Let the king support his subjects, like the kindly-fostering Earth.”

It may be said the plain preaching of the Gospel is enough. True, God can convert without means at all, but he generally chooses suitable instruments. Now what is plain preaching to a Englishman is positively dull, dry and insipid to an Asiatic. We give our question to the mere Anglo-Saxon -had Mahomed written his Koran in the style of an AngloSaxon book, and preached in the style of Anglo-Saxons, where would his preaching influence have been? Even the books of the Bible, designed for all men, shew by their style that an AngloSaxon could have had no hand to them.

What an intensely oriental book is the Bible-so much so that it requires years before the Anglo-Saxon mind can fully understand the force of those brilliant, sparkling, oriental metaphors and similes with which Holy Writ is so profusely sprinkled. Contrast the exquisitely beautiful discourses of Christ which, on the model of eastern apologue, never propound a dogma without clothing it with a simile, with the vapid, dull discourses called Sermons which issue in such swarms from the English press. Our old English writers such as Jeremy Taylor, however, followed the Bible model in "thoughts that breathe and words that burn." Where lies the great power of a preacher like Dr. Guthrie-it is in his semi-Asiatic mode of illustration, bringing all nature to furnish the golden casket of truth.

When our blessed Lord, who came not only to atone for mankind but also to "set us an example," taught, how different was his style and oriental manner from that of modern preachingBy Christ's touching parables, striking similitudes and familiar illustrations, he commanded the attention and awakened the sympathy of all who heard him, however prejudiced or 'opposed they might be to the humiliating truth which they 'heard.” The fact that "without a parable Christ spake not to the people, " is one of the reasons why "the common people heard him gladly." The Wesleyans in England understood this well in last century when many of their ministers, tailors or carpenters originally, by their familiar style and homely illustrations drew crowds, while Fellows of Colleges preached to empty benches.

Even in England, truth through similitude is popular. What a wondrous power for good has been exerted by the Pilgrim's Progress. Albeit written on the thorough oriental principle of clothing abstract truth in the form of allegory, it has been pronounced even by the metaphysical Anglo-Saxon Coleridge as

1

"the best summary of evangelical theology ever produced by writer not miraculously inspired."

Luther, from his understanding the force of music and vernacular poetry on the minds of his countrymen, devoted special attention to working the people with a taste for good hymns and tunes. But in Bengal what vapid and doggerel compositions have we generally under the name of hymns for native Christians, while on the other hand choice language and high poetic talent is shewn in the hymns composed by the Hindus in honour of their Gods or of any event of the day. We need a Cowper and a Charles Wesley for the Christianity of Bengal. Had Missionaries been acquainted with oriental tastes, such compositions as many of the existing Bengali hymns, so degrading to Christianity, would never have been tolerated.

We do trust that both the objects we have been advocating, an Oriental College in England for Europeans destined to labour in the East, and a Christian Vernacular Education Society for leavening the masses in India, will meet with support. They have the sympathy of men of experience in India who will be glad to co-operate. The Queen's Proclamation has thrown oil on the waves, and every man must carry out its spirit. This cannot be done by the quixotic plan of trying to turn an Asiatic into an Englishman, but by the Europeans becoming, like St. Paul, “alk things to all men.

JUNE, 1859.

2 M

ART. III.-1. Report on the Revenue Administration of the Lower Provinces, for 1856-57.

2.

The Revenue Hand Book, by J. H. YOUNG, ESQ. 3. Official Papers, Manuscript.

A GREAT Indian question is like a huge round of beef: you may cut and come again. And no man will deny that the Perpetual Settlement, and the ownership of the soil, are amongst the great Indian questions of almost every administration. Recent events have set journalists, statesmen, and ordinary administrators to discuss all those measures which may best contribute to the permanence and solidity of our rule. Indeed, we fear that in the din of conflict, the crash of theories, the explosion of old creeds, and the distrust of all experience, some of our leaders of thought and opinion may have been carried a little too far, and like the would-be fine lady in one of Dickens' Novels, may have formed and expressed "an immense variety of 'opinions upon an immense variety of subjects." This Review has, however, as far as was possible, hitherto maintained its principle of being the avowed organ of no single party, but of sifting and analysing all those measures of reform or innovation, by which we hope to reach something tangible and practical at last. No question can be grander in proportion, more intricate in detail, or more paramount in importance, than that of Indian revenue and rent. No interests demand more attention, or fill a greater space, than vested interests in land. And though we can scarcely hope to dismiss the Cornwallis Settlement, to fix the absolute ownership of the land on any one class, or fully to review the revenue operations of a single year, in the compass of one article, we believe ourselves to possess some information. not incorrect, and perhaps not wholly uninteresting, which may throw a little light on the effect of our revenue system, and on the possibility of enhancing taxation, introducing English landlords, and raising the value of land.

The Revenue Report of the Sudder. Board for 1856-57, which lies before us, is like many of its predecessors, a clear and elaborate report. Men who delight in statistics will find themselves amply rewarded by a perusal of the sixty-nine paragraphs, and the twenty-four appendices, into which are packed a great many things which we want to know regarding the collections, the remissions, the changes in estates, the summary suits, the defaulters, the settlements and the sales, in no less than fifty-two districts, extending from the narrow point of Sandoway on the one hand to the disturbed districts of Be

har on the other, and from the most Eastern Frontier of Assam to the unhealthy but profitable annexation of Sumbhulpore far to the West of the Grand Trunk Road. We think, however, that more may be done by a closer examination of the working of the Settlement of Lord Cornwallis in one particular district; and without discouraging such readers as honor us with a perusal, by alarming statements and undeniable figures, we hope to present them with some facts and deductions which may help to set one or two speculations at rest. With this intention we shall devote this paper mainly to the land revenue of one single Zillah.

We have seen lately what a district in the North West Provinces was like during a rebellion.* We now take a district of Bengal, which during the same rebellion, remained undisturbed by aught but vague rumour. In many respects it is a fair sample of the rich and populous tracts included in the Perpetual Settlement. Extensive in size, traversed in one part by several navigable rivers; studded with numerous factories, productive of all the articles essential to the comfort and existence of half a million of natives, not overtaxed, not under-populated, with little or no jungle remaining for the axe to displace, with swamps that from natural causes are year by year converted into solid acres, it is, on the whole, as good a selection as we could make for illustrating some of the main points which characterise landed interests on this side of India. It yields a revenue little short of twelve lakhs in the year. European capitalists are concerned in its products. Influential Zemindars accumulate or disperse its wealth, and increase its litigation. The condition of its population, their possible improvement, the security of real property, and the maintenance of the various complex interests which have silently grown up with the growth of our administration, present a wide and seemingly interminable field of inquiry. But before considering the present state of the rent and revenue there, we shall glance at the condition of the district about one hundred years ago.

It is the fashion to talk of the Zemindarry tenure as the creation of Lord Cornwallis. But the truth is that the nucleus of the system existed in the days of Hastings and Clive. When Shore was luminously expounding the principles on which the revenue of Bengal ought to be collected, he noted it as a fact, that a tract of country yielding one crore of Rupees, or more than one-half the gross revenue of the whole province, was held by some seven Zemindars. These wealthy individuals are now, most of them designated by the title of Raja, that is, wher

See Article "A District during a Rebellion" in No, LXI of this Review,