Mahomedans, they resorted to the odious system of murdering their infant daughters, to avoid the necessity of bestowing them in marriage, at a future period, upon their Musselmen tyrants. This notion, however, is not merely conjectural, for though the explanatory anecdotes related to Colonel Walker, where of a character both vague and fabulous, they may be regarded nevertheless as corroborative testimonies to the correctness of the foregoing hints, which Mr. Cormack has suggested.

Though the religion of the Hindoos is hostile to intermarriages with foreigners, it appears from a quotation which our author has made from the Dherma Shastra, that the desperate method resorted to by the Jahrejahs, in order to avoid this imaginary degradation, is denounced in their sacred books as a most atrocious crime. The following is the extract to which we allude:

C

“To kill a hundred cows is equal to killing a Brahmin; to kill a hundred Brahmins is equal to killing a woman; to kill a hundred women is equal to killing a child; to kill a hundred children is equal to telling an untruth."

To destroy the force of this appalling climax the Brahmins acted, in the present instance, conformably to the dangerous doctrine that the end sanctifies the means; and in order to silence the scruples of the other castes, made a voluntary engagement to take upon themselves the whole responsibility.

Such then appears to have been the origin of a crime, perpetrated by whole provinces, which the savages of America would abhor, and the inhabitants of Christian countries can scarcely credit. It seems however that the perpetrators themselves had forgotten, in the course of ages, the original cause, and had continued the enormity solely from the force of custom, and a certain undefined and unintelligible notion of honourable distinction!

Affairs were in this condition when Colonel Walker visited Guzerat. Having instantly determined to attempt, to the utmost of his power, the abolition of a practice so abhorrent to the dictates of humanity, he immediately commenced an undertaking that will for ever do honour to his name, and persevered until he triumphed.

But the difficulties he had to encounter were great and manifold. He must annihilate the prejudices of illiterate barbarians, supported by the prescription of many. ages. His numerous appeals to the principle of parental feeling were listened to with a shocking indifference, for the feeling itself could scarcely be said to exist. His first and uniform endeavour was to obtain the consent of some chieftain or individual of note, to abolish infanticide in his own family, and thus to furnish an example that might be generally followed. But his negociations were long in vain. Compromises the most disgraceful were repeatedly proposed to Colonel Walker, and by him as constantly rejected. Neither solicitations or menaces could avail in persuading a single individual chief to stand forward, in the presence of his countrymen, as a solitary advocate for the rights of injured nature.

At length, however, the reite rated applications of Col. Walker became the theme of general conversation. The subject was discussed at large: the disinterestedness of the Resident was acknowledged; and an abhorrence of the crime of infanticide began to evince itself.

One of the Jahrejah chiefs was now prevailed upon to promise his assent to the measure, provided the compliance of another individual of rank, who was nominated by Col. Walker, could likewise be obtained. This difficulty was happily surmounted, and the former, who, it now appeared, had presumed upon the opposition of the latter, was compelled, reluctantly,

to affix his signature to an instrument which engaged him to renounce for ever the practice of infanticide. This instrument was shortly signed by every person of note within the province of Kattywar. It pronounced against offenders, the punishment of expulsion from caste, and such other penalties as might be prescribed in their sacred books, or the wisdom of the two governments might chuse to inflict.

Thus was the persevering philanthropy of an individual crowned with the blessing of heaven, in effecting the emancipation of a whole province, from one of the most cruel bondages that ever degraded man.

Oh! that his exertions in Kutch had been equally successful! How must he have regretted the necessity of returning to his native country, before he had rejoiced the family of the world with the recovery of another nation! May the influence of his successor be equally employed; and may the laudable exertions of the Bombay government, like Colonel Walker's, be speedily rewarded with the thanks of lisping infants, and the tears of maternal gratitude.*

It is one thing to obtain an agreement, and another to enforce its observance. Col. Walker and the Bombay government were far from neglecting this latter duty. They required reports to be presented of the number of female infants that were annually born, and every instance of delinquency discovered by these reports, appears to have

Col. Walker gives the following account of a visit he made to the scene of his philanthropic labours, about two years after the accomplishment of his object:

"It was extremely gratifying, on this occasion, to observe the triumph of nature, feeling, and parental affection, over prejudice and a horrid superstition: and that those who but a short period before, would (as many of them had done) have doomed their infants to destruction without compunction, should now glory in their preservation, and doat on them with fondness. The Jahrejah

been carefully investigated. Thé reports, though partial, present a favourable aspect, and punishment, wherever it was merited, has been inflicted with severity.

From the success of Colonel Walker, in an undertaking of so much difficulty, Mr. Cormack argues the possibility of effecting other and great reforms. The following extract is a fair specimen of his style, when treating on this subject:

Had Colonel Walker terminated here all his exertions in the cause of abolition had he transmitted to government, and published to the world, all the papers connected with the subject; and on them grounded the conviction, that every future attempt, like the past, must prave fruitless, unless the existing powers were crushed by an overwhelming force; government, we imagine, and the public, would have acquiesced in the justice of the conclusion, and applauded the wisdom of his attempts, whilst they would have numbered the execution of them among the things that had been proved to be impossible.

But let not the man who has the im

provement of his species at heart, be easily discouraged; nor let him rashly ap

ply the epithet impossible, to that which is only difficult. Let him learn from the details now to be presented, that few

things are impossible to perseverance, di

rected by wisdom.

We extract the following pas sage from Colonel Walker's report,

difference of the Jahrejahs to the calls of natural affection, and thus to impress upon our readers the fathers, who but a short time back would not have listened to the preservation of their daughters, now exhibited them with pride and fondness. Their mothers and nurses also attended on this interesting o casion. True to the feelings which are found in other countries to prevail so forcibly, the emotions of nature here exa hibited, were extremely moving. The mothers placed their infants in the hands of Col. Walker, calling on him and their gods to protect what he alone had taught them to preserve. These infants they emphatically called his children.” And it is likely that this distinction will continue to exist for some years in Guzerat.

as an evidence of the extreme in

recommended to all parents, and to all persons concerned in the education of young females. It will naturally turn their thoughts to the detail of the subject, and supply them with many useful reflections. The difficult question of public and private female education is handled by Miss A, in her Address to Parents; and by extracting a part of what is here advanced, we shall at once interest our readers, and afford a just specimen of the volume:

Two most weighty reasons present themselves for educating young ladies at home. The first is, that by constantly residing with parents, their affection in creases daily; whereas I am convinced, that by separating parents and children, the tenderness and lively regard of the latter, and sometimes of both, are very materially diminished. Our affections, it is said, do not depend upon ourselves. Although I do not subscribe to this sentiment in its full extent, I certainly conceive that nature is not, in her present subdued state, possessed of sufficient strength to unite, independent of social intercourse, in bonds of love or duty, the parent and child, brother and sister, uncle and nephew. We grow attached to the people with whom we reside; and with the sweet recollection of our infantine years is connected the pleasing idea of these persons with whom we passed them. How have the greatest of men been affected at the sight of the spot where they pursued every youthful pleasure, and where every scene had charms to please?" How fondly has the man gazed on the lofty tree, which he remembered to have planted, when a boy, and to have cherished with water from a neighbouring spring in the crown of his hat?, Has it disgraced the eye of the hero, to be filled with a tear on recognizing the simple tombstone, of his widowed aunt, who received him to her arms an orphan, and watched over his tender years with a parent's fondness? And might not the feeling which roused the tear be equally strong with that which would urge such, a tribute to a mother's memory? I am persuaded of it. A child loves its parents because it receives ten thousand endear

ing marks of affection from them, not by reason of near relationship. If parents are harsh and unkind, their children may fear, but will not really love them. How can affection subsist upon itself? There must be an object. It matters little whe

ther that be under the title of parent or

friend. Let the mother and a very young child be separated. The child shall be for a dozen years under the care and management of an amiable woman, who spares neither exertion, tenderness, nor solicitude in forming its heart and mind. Let us imagine the mother returned to her daughter, a blooming girl. Is it necessary to say whom of the two women the maiden will love most ardently and affec tionately during the remainder of her life? The habit of residing with a person or persons, independent of relationship, creates I know not what of regard and interest; and when to these are added the opportunities parents have of gaining the hearts of their sweet offspring, by daily offices of kindness, what dependence may we not place upon the solid filial affection that must grow upon such a stock! Who would forego such happiness, and what should induce a parent to send his child from him, and thereby risk the loss of its affection! The same rule holds good with brothers and sisters. Those of a family, who have been most separated during childhood, have certainly least reciprocal attachment afterwards. They are united in vain in coming to years of maturity. With age. arises, in men, a desire for honour, preferment, riches, or pleasure. Women are as eager in the pursuit of riches, and pleasure often ;-of a settlement, or (to: speak in plain terms) of an eligible marriage, nearly always. These periods of ambition and hope, are not likely to be such, in which birth will be given to sentiments of disinterested and tender affection between two brothers or sisters, who, as running the same course, are competitors; and what is the attachment of candidates? Each being anxious for himself in propor tion as he is careless or envious of his rival. Thus let me advise you, ladies: teach your children to love one another in their early youth. Adopt, for their sakes, the idea that they will have no time for forming such attachments after their first › adolescence. I dare presume that, if you err, it will be on the right side.

The Grammar is introductory to the Dictionary, and contains, 1. The nature and origin of alphabetic signs explained. 2. A canon of etymology established. 3. The elements of speech; or, the few simple words collected into one view, of which all the numerous compound words are formed. 4. The manner of their formation. 5. The common system of grammar examined and its absurdities exposed. 6. A standard of orthography established.

Though the Grammar be introductory to the Dictionary, yet it may be considered as a separate and independent work; and if it do not justify the pretensions of the Author and satisfy the expectations of Subscribers, they may withhold their encouragement from the Dictionary: they shall therefore in the first instance be considered as subscribing only to the Grammar.

It is expected to contain about three hundred pages, demy 8vo., price 6s. to Subscribers, 8s. to Non-subscribers; and will go to the press whenever a sufficient number of names has been obtained.

Those who intend to encourage the work are earnestly requested to notify their intention as soon as possible to the Author, Newington-Green, or to any of the following Publishers and Booksellers : Mr. Hunter, St. Paul's Courch Yard; Messrs. Lougman and Co., Paternoster Row ; Mr. Arch, Cornhill, Messrs. Ridgeway and Sons, Piccadilly; Mr. David Eaton, High Holborn.

Subscribers in the country will have the goodness to communicate their names through the medium of the nearest Bookgeller,

The plan of the Dictionary is as follows: 1. All the different forms or spellings of the same word are brought together into one view. 2. The common meaning of these different forms of the same word is clearly and concisely given; showing Asiatic Journ.-No. VI.

that while the same word has many applicatious both literal and metaphoric, it has uniformly one unvarying meaning. 3. The dictionary here proposed being intended as a handmaid to philosophy rather than a mere vocabulary, those words which are fittest for the purposes of speech are recommended to the choice of clear thinkers; and obscure, indefinite, equivocal, unintelligible, unmeaning and false-meaning words or uses of them are proscribed. A leading object of the work is to promote clear and definite expression-to dissipate mysticism and jargon, and put down sophistry. 4. The German, Italian, French, Spanish and Latin forms or spellings of the same word are presented to view with its English form or spelling. Thus the work is intended to serve as an easy introduction to universal lexicography. 5. All the words etymologically related are brought together and arranged according to their degrees of proximity: all the branches of the same stock or members of the same family are clustered around the primitive stem or parent word. Competent judges will admit this to be the most philosophic plan of lexicography. It is attended however with one disadvantage-the difficulty of finding any word that may be wanted. To obviate this difficulty an Index will be given all the words of the Dictionary will he alphabetically arranged, with the page referred to where each may be found in its proper etymological connection. 6. The pronunciation of all those words which deviate from analogy will be marked and indicated in the manner of Mr. Walker's Dictionary; which shall be taken as the standard of English pronunciation. Thus with the principles and rules laid down in the grammar, the present work will serve as a guide to provincialists and foreigners for pronouncing the English language.

It is intended to publish the whole work in Five Parts, at 68. to Subscribers; 8s. to Non-subscribers; but the Author means to wait the decision of the public respecting the Grammar before he send any part of the Dictionary to the press.

Miss Appleton has in the press, a new work, entitled Edgar, a national Tale; in which is exemplified the effect of early precept, religion, and morality.

Samuel Bagster has just published the Prospectus of a Polyglott Bible; comprising the Hebrew Text, the Samaritan Pentateuch, the Greek Version of the VOL. I. 4 E