43 strong family likeness running through these eighteen repertories of Hindu tradition. Properly, every Purana ought to treat of five subjects, the creation of the universe, its successive destructions and re-creations, genealogies of gods and men, the reigns of the fourteen great Manus, (one Manu reigning from one creation to the next, the present one being the seventh,) the history of their descendants in the lunar and solar race of kings. In the main these subjects are adhered to, but without any regard to method or consistency. Every Purana is a sort of encyclopædia of Hindu knowledge, or ignorance, on every imaginable subject, celestial and terrestrial. It is theology, history, mythology, geography, astronomy, and science mixed up together in inextricable confusion, which we doubt whether Vyasa himself could disentangle. The two best are the Vishnu and Bhāgavata Purānas, the first of which has been translated by Professor H. H. Wilson, and is a valuable authority. If the second were also translated, we should have an adequate representation in English of these singular products of Hindu thought. The Bhāgavata, in twelve books, is the most popular, because it contains the history of the favourite Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu. Krishna was born as a son of Vasu-dēva and Rohinī. His capital was Dwārakā iņ Gujarāt, his favourite wife, Rādhā. In early life he held the mountain Govardhana as an umbrella over the shepherdesses to protect them from a storm sent by the jealous Indra. A thousand of these shepherdesses became his wives, and their loves and sports are a never-ending theme of Hindu poetry. Professor Williams gives the following epitome of the great VishnuPurana: "It is in six books. Book I. treats of the creation of the universe, the peopling of the world and the descent of mankind from the sons of Brahma, the destruction of the world and its re-creation, the reigns of kings during the first Manwantara. Book II. describes the various worlds, heavens, hells, and planetary spheres, and gives the formation of the seven circular continents and concentric oceans. Book III. describes the arrangement of Vēdas, Itihāsas and Purānas by Vyasa, and the institution and rules of caste. Book IV. gives lists of kings and dynasties. Book V. is devoted to the life of Krishna. Book VI. describes the deterioration of mankind during the four ages, the destruction of the world by fire and water, and its dissolution at the end of a kalpa." The following is the account of the Kali-Yuga, or fourth age, the age of corruption and degeneracy, in which we living: "Hear what will happen in the Kali age: Dominion over others; noble rank Will give no claim to lordship: self-wi lled women are now Will seek their pleasure, and ambitious men Their beggared husbands, loving them alone No joy and no prosperity be lasting." A characteristic story is quoted from the Vishnu-Purana-the churning of the ocean. The gods (Suraru) being left helpless at the mercy of the demons (Asuraru) repair in their distress to Vishnu, who directs them with the aid of the demons to churn the milk-sea, and thus obtain the nectar (amrita) which will render them immortal. Other treasures, lost in the general deluge, are recovered at the same time, such as the divine cow, which has the power to grant on the instant whatever any one may wish or name, and is said so to have given legions and armies: Lakshmi, who became Vishnu's wife, like Venus born from the sea. The pestle used was the mighty mountain Mandara, the rope the great serpent— King Vasuki, the base the divine tortoise Karma, an incarnation of Vishnu. It will be observed that Vishnu directs the gods to deceive the demons by a stratagem of war:— "The gods addressed the mighty Vishnu thus We fly to thee for succour, soul of all, Pity and by thy might deliver us.' Hari* the lord, creator of the world, Thus by the gods implored, all graciously Replied, Your strength shall be restored, ye gods; Unite yourselves in peaceful combination With these your foes; collect all plants and herbs Into the sea of milk; take Mandara The mountain for a churning-stick, and Vasuki Your foes shall share your toil, but not partake Straightway they gathered various herbs and cast them Into the waters. Then they took the mountain To serve as churning-staff, and next the snake To serve as cord, and in the ocean's midst * A name of Vishnu, as Hara is of Shiva. Then did they churn the sea of milk; and first Goddess of wine. Then from the whirlpool sprang Of heavenly maidens, with its fragrant blossoms The cup, and drained the precious beverage, The host of heaven; but they with strength renewed The last work we shall notice belonging to the religious class is the Bhagavad-Gita, Song of the Supreme or Blessed One, altogether the most remarkable of Hindu works. It is reckoned to be as old as the Christian era, and occurs as an episode in the immense storehouse of the Maha Bharata. From having exercised the pens of many translators it is one of the best known, or least unknown, of Hindu writings. Its authority in India is the highest, being regarded as equal in inspiration to the Vedas. Without doubt the Bhagavad-Gita is the faithful, as it is the most perfect expression of Hindu belief on the highest subject. And what is its teaching? Its doctrine may be summed up in a single word -Pantheism, bold, bare, consistent. The poem is a dialogue, managed with infinite art, between the Divine Krishna and the typical hero Arjuna, the Hindu Achilles, on the eve of the mighty battle between the Pandaras and Kauravas. Arjuna shrinks from the slaughter of his Kaurava kinsmen, though they are his foes; and it is to remove his scruples that Krishna, who has become Arjuna's charioteer for the occasion, delivers his Pantheistic explanation of life and the universe. The fact of the dialogue taking place in the pause before conflict gives it the appearance of an interpolation, and is its only flaw as a work of art. The theory may be briefly summarised thus: Distinctions of friends and foes, kinsmen and strangers, good and evil, life and death, are only appear ances, illusions. In essence all are one, for all are God. All changes are merely the shifting of the scenes in a Divine drama. Therefore all that remains for man is to do the work of his station, fearless of results. Thus the Bhagavad-Gīta is the stronghold at once of Hindu Pantheism and Hindu ceremonialism. We quote first some lines from Dean Milman's translation. It is Krishna who is speaking :— "Ne'er was the time when I was not, nor thou, nor yonder kings of earth; All indestructible is he that spread the living universe; Perpetual, ever wandering, firm, indissoluble, permanent, We next quote from Williams. Krishna says: "I am the ancient sage, without beginning, I am the Ruler and the All-sustainer, I am incomprehensible in form, More subtile and minute than subtlest atoms; In sun and moon, far, far removed from darkness; I am the brilliancy in flame, the radiance In all that's radiant, and the light of lights, The sound in ether, fragrance in the earth, The seed eternal of existing things, The life in all, the father, mother, husband, Its friend and lord. I am its way and refuge, I am its witness. I am Victory And Energy; I watch the Universe With eyes and face in all directions turned. I dwell as wisdom in the heart of all. I am the goodness of the good, I am Beginning, Middle, End, eternal Time, The Birth, the Death of all. I am the symbol A (To be continued.) THE BISHOP OF PETERBOROUGH AT HIS SECOND TRIENNIAL VISITATION. THE Bishop of Peterborough is well known as a clear and forceful speaker. His oratorical repute in the pulpit, on the platform, or on the episcopal bench, is owing not only to a sonorous voice, and to vigorous action, but to a certain transparency of conception and diction which mark his utterances. Sometimes profound, though not always logical, he is seldom abstruse, and never obscure. One who so well commands his own thoughts, and so effectively expresses them, will always secure attention. For every one likes to hear opinions clearly stated. Whether we agree or differ, we like to know exactly what a proposition is. And freedom from ambiguity does not invariably mark the episcopal style. The innumerable considerations which must affect the judgment of one who is at once a peer and a bishop,-the administrator of large secular potencies, as well as of vast spiritual responsibilities,-the centre round which contend the most violent political and religious antipathies, usually preclude very simple and straightforward speech. Policy is not always compatible with perspicuity and precision. The late Bishop Wilberforce, whose oratorical fame only surpassed that of Bishop Magee, was suspected of using his varied eloquence on some occasions to conceal as much as to expound his thoughts; in this respect exercising a gift which in these critical times many of his brethren might well envy. But some members of this distinguished order speak out plainly. Bishop Fraser frequently startles his brethren by his frankness; and Bishop Wordsworth labours to make his ecclesiastical pretensions palpable to all men. But Dr. Magee is, if possible, more candid and outspoken than any of them. He weaves no metaphysical sophistries, does not shrink from the discussion of theoretical as well as of practical questions, and makes his appeal to reason rather than to dubious antiquity for ecclesiastical authority. Such a manner is very attractive, though perhaps open to the objection, that it makes controversy easy. When there is no doubt where your opponent is, you can make steady and sure aim with such weapons as you have; but when he lurks in ambush, or feigns attack from many points, he may baffle all the power or skill of his foe. That Dr. Magee scorns all such arts and aids in polemics is evident by his uncompromising action on the Irish Church question, and now by his clarion challenge on "Church and Dissent" in his recent" Charge." One of his lordship's counsels to his clergy is, that they shall not "denounce or preach against " Dissent. Yet, by an amusing inconsistency, he proceeds to do this in his most unmistakable manner. He says, "I doubt if many Dissenters were ever made Churchmen in this |