and Latin classics, with the French and Italian, with all the elder and more distinguished English writers, and with the current and popular literature of the day, both in poetry, history, politics, and political economy. With these remarkable accomplishments, and notwithstanding a temperance amounting to rigid abstinence, he is fond of society, and it is a common subject of surprise with his friends, at what hours of the day or night he finds time for the acquisition of knowledge. His policy, so far as India is concerned, appeared to me peculiarly wise and liberal, and he is evidently attached to, and thinks well of the country and its inhabitants. His public measures, in their general tendency, evince a steady wish to improve their present condition. No government in India pays so much attention to schools and public institutions for education. In none are the taxes lighter, and in the administration of justice to the natives in their own languages, in the establishment of punchaets, in the degree in which he employs the natives in official situations, and the countenance and familiarity which he extends to all the natives of rank who approach him, he seems to have reduced to practice, almost all the reforms which had struck me as most required in the system of government pursued in those provinces of our Eastern Empire which I had previously visited. His popularity (though to such a feeling there may be individual exceptions) appears little less remarkable than his talents and acquirements, and I was struck by the remark I once heard, that "all other public men

had their enemies and their friends, their admirers and their aspersors, but that of Mr. Elphinstone, every body spoke highly." Of his munificence, for his liberality amounts to this, I had heard much, and knew some instances myself.

With regard to the free press, I was curious to know the motives or apprehensions which induced Mr. Elphinstone to be so decidedly opposed to it in this country. In discussing the topic he was always open and candid, acknowledged that the dangers ascribed to a free press in India had been exaggerated, but spoke of the exceeding inconvenience, and even danger which arose from the disunion and dissension which political discussion produced among the European officers at the different stations, the embarrassment occasioned to Government by the exposure and canvass of all their measures by the Lentuli and Gracchi of a newspaper, and his preference of decided and vigorous, to half measures, where any restrictive measures at all were necessary. I confess that his opinion and experience are the strongest presumptions which I have yet met with in favour of the censorship.

A charge has been brought against Mr. Elphinstone by the indiscreet zeal of an amiable, but not well-judging man, the "field officer of cavalry," who published his Indian travels, that "he is devoid of religion, and blinded to all spiritual truth." I can only say that I saw no reason to think so. On the contrary, after this character which I had read of him, I was most agreeably surprised to find

that his conduct and conversation, so far as I could learn, had been always moral and decorous, that he was regular in his attendance on public worship, and not only well informed on religious topics, but well-pleased and forward to discuss them; that his views appeared to me, on all essential subjects, doctrinally correct, and his feelings serious and reverential; and that he was not only inclined to do, but actually did more for the encouragement of Christianity, and the suppression or diminution of suttees, than any other Indian Governor has ventured on. That he may have differed in some respects from the peculiar views of the author in question, I can easily believe, though he could hardly know himself in what this difference consisted, since I am assured, that he had taken his opinion at second-hand, and not from any thing which Mr. Elphinstone had either said or done. But I have been unable to refrain from giving this slight and imperfect account of the character of Mr. Elphinstone as it appeared to me, since I should be sorry to have it thought that one of the ablest and most amiable men I ever met with, were either a profligate or an unbeliever.

CHAPTER XXVII.

JOURNAL OF A TOUR IN CEYLON.

EARLY on the morning of the 25th of August we cast anchor outside the harbour of Galle, but the directions given in the Government chart for anchoring during this monsoon, proved so incorrect, that when the pilot came on board he found the vessel in a very dangerous situation, lying so close upon rocks, that, as the wind was blowing hard, he could not venture to weigh anchor, lest she should drive on them; he was obliged, therefore, to warp her off, which occupied the whole of the morning, a miserable one to me, for the sea ran very high, and the ship tossed and rolled unceasingly. Mr. Glenie, the senior Colonial Chaplain; Mr. Layard, the Judge of Galle; Mr. Mayor, one of the Church Missionaries, and the Master Attendant of Galle, came on board to meet us; and, about three o'clock, the vessel was got safe into harbour. The fort fired a salute, which the Discovery returned, and we were met on the pier by the principal inhabitants of the place, the regiment stationed there, and a band of spearmen and lascarines. The pier was covered with white cloth, and we passed between two files of soldiers to the place where pa

lanquins, &c. were waiting; in which, preceded by native music, a constant attendant on all processions, we went two miles to the cutcherry, where we were invited, and most kindly and hospitably entertained, by Mr. Sansoni, the collector of the district.

Point de Galle is situated at nearly the southern extremity of Ceylon, and its harbour is very spacious and beautiful, being formed in part by rocks, over which the sea foams and dashes in a glorious manner; it has not more than two or three ships, and a few small craft within it at present. One of the former is an Arab which left Calcutta for Bombay, a few days before I sailed, early in March; out of pure cowardice the captain put in here, where he has remained ever since, and will not move till the strength of the monsoon is over. Homeward-bound ships occasionally touch at this port, and one East Indiaman regularly comes every year to carry off the cinnamon prepared for exportation.

A very few English and Dutch families form the society of the place, and they reside principally within the fort; the "pettah," or native town, is extensive, and the houses neat. At present it has a very gay appearance, from being ornamented in the Cingalese manner, in honour of the Bishop's arrival, with palm-branches, flowers, and fruits, in which kind of decoration the natives are very ingenious, and which gives the whole village the appearance of a jubilee. Mr. Sansoni's is a lowerroomed house, but very spacious and comfortable,