clergy in India to marry, under pressing circumstances, without the canonical preliminaries of banns or license. What he wrote seventy years ago is, unhappily, true still, notwithstanding all the efforts of one of his successors, Bishop Cotton, when Lord Lawrence was Viceroy: "It is not possible to become acquainted with the temptations, and almost inevitable ruin of body and soul to which a European soldier, without a wife, is exposed in India, without feeling the propriety of throwing as few obstacles as possible in the way of lawful marriage." In this respect the British Army in India is worse off than in Heber's time, although hill stations, the railway system, and the troopships obviate the purely military objections to the withdrawal of the rule which practically forbids the soldier to marry.

Mrs. Heber had been no less busy in promoting the education of native girls. Mr. Robinson writes :

"14th January 1825.

"This morning the Archdeacon and Mr. and Mrs. Wilson breakfasted at the palace. Mrs. Heber is a very active friend to the new system of female education, and has been successful during our late journey in procuring large additions to its funds. These, together with a princely donation of 20,000 rupees from a rich native here,1 emboldens them to buy land and build a central school without delay. The Bishop was busy in drawing plans for the building. The rest of the morning I spent with him, despatching forty-two letters to different stations, desiring the clergy to preach in aid of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, and soliciting the patronage of the principal persons among the laity."

“28th January.

"The Government have secured accommodations for us on the Bussorah Merchant, which is moving slowly down the river. Our whole population is thrown into great joy by the news, just arrived, of the fall of Bhurtpoor: Lord Combermere took it by storm on the 18th instant. The attack was most triumphant, though it is the strongest place in India. We had 30,000 men before it and 150 pieces of artillery: our loss is very considerable. The storm has covered Lord Combermere with glory; and his merciful as

1 Rajah Budinâth Roy.

The

well as soldier-like conduct greatly endears him to the Army. Bishop, who has watched with lively interest the progress of the siege, from his connection with the Commander-in-Chief and his personal regard for him, rejoices greatly in this splendid termination of his first Indian campaign, and dwells with great delight on the noble forbearance he has shown, not only to the inhabitants in the progress of hostilities, but in the determination which he avowed to him before he left Calcutta of rather protracting an affair, which an instant attack might have rendered more brilliant for himself, in order to prevent the greater waste of human life. One of his Lordship's arrangements I cannot help mentioning to you, because the Bishop frequently notices it, and as it is evidently so exactly in accordance with his own generous nature: several small parties were posted at different points in the neighbourhood of the city in order to facilitate the flight of the defenceless inhabitants, and secure them from injury and insult."

Compelled by the approaching hot season to leave behind him his wife and children, Heber began his second tour of visitation on 30th January 1826. He and Robinson dropped down with the tide and current to the inn at Fultah, forty miles below Calcutta. There he found Dr. Joshua Marshman on his way to England. When breakfasting together they talked of the conversion of India by the agency of its own sons. As Mrs. Marshman, as well as Mrs. Heber, had been left behind, the Bishop playfully asked what the world would say to the desertion of their wives by two ministers of the Gospel. They parted with expressions of mutual esteem and regret. Dr. Marshman, his son tells us,1 often remarked that Heber was the most formidable enemy of dissent he had ever encountered, for his disposition was so candid and amiable that every one felt ashamed to differ from him.

Heber was still ailing when he went on board, with a little library of books, which he devoured at the rate of two volumes a day, besides attending to his heavy correspondence. son writes:

Robin

"3rd February 1826.

"The Bishop came into my cabin after breakfast, and said he found that, besides the European crew, there was a detachment of

1 Life and Times of Carey, Marshman and Ward, by John Clark Marshman, vol. ii. (Longmans).

invalid soldiers on board returning to England, probably in a very ignorant and demoralised state, after their long residence in this country, and that he thought we might be exceedingly useful to them in the course of the voyage. He proposed, therefore, that we should go down alternately every morning to instruct them and pray with them. I begged him not to interrupt his own more important avocations for these lower duties, which I would gladly undertake alone, if he would commission me to do so; but he would by no means consent to relinquish his share in them. 'I have too little,' said he, 'in my situation, of these pastoral duties which are so useful to the minister as well as to his people; and I am delighted at the opportunity thus unexpectedly afforded me— it will remind me of dear Hodnet. Besides, it is very possible that the mere circumstance of my going down may impress them more strongly, and incline them more to listen to us both.' He had his prayer-book in his hand, and after speaking to the commanding officer, went below immediately. Is not this worthy of a bishop? What inexpressible dignity do such simple labours add to his high and sacred office! We had family prayers in the cuddy after tea, which will be continued during the voyage. I need not tell you that all the passengers gladly assented to the proposal. What is there that he could ask them that they would not assent to? for all are delighted, even on this short acquaintance, with the life and variety of his conversation and the gentleness of his manners."

"4th February.

"On going down to the poor soldiers this morning, I found the effect of the Bishop's visit yesterday to be just what might have been expected. His kindness and condescension have prepared them to receive with thankfulness all that is said to them; and before I began to read, they could not help saying, as they collected round me, 'Only think of such a great man as the Bishop coming between decks to pray with such poor fellows as we are!'

'6th February.

"The Bishop is busily employed re-writing his charge for Madras. After delivering it there it will be printed; but not till he has gone through the south, and is able to speak of the success of missionary labours from his own knowledge. He means to add notes, containing much valuable information of that kind, and which from him will come with weight and authority. He asked

me to-night if I thought he ought to publish as much as he had written in answer to the Abbé Dubois. I told him, certainly; that the Abbé's work had done much harm in a large circle, and that, though others had answered him, a 'blow from his great hammer' was still wanted. He was kind enough to say he would show me the manuscript before it went to the press. He says the report given of it in the Calcutta papers was so accurately and well done that his friends concluded at home he had already published it, and quarrelled with him for not sending them copies; and that he had been much affected by the last letter which he had received from his aged mother, who, on reading the extracts in the newspapers, writes to him that she understands the tenderness of his motive in not sending her a copy, lest he should alarm her fears by his mention of the climate as one 'where labour is often death.""

"25th February.

"We anchored in Madras Roads this morning.

"The season is so far advanced for travelling that the Bishop can only afford to spend a few weeks at the Presidency, despatching the business of more immediate importance, and deferring other matters of general regulation till his return from the South. This will just afford time for the necessary arrangements for our journey; but so many things will be crowded into this brief space that I fear his strength will be exhausted. A large packet of letters was waiting for him; and, among others of great and pressing interest from different quarters of his diocese, there is one from the Syrian Metropolitan, entreating his aid and assistance in the difficulties that had unexpectedly arisen from the cabals formed to oppose the establishment of his authority."

"Sunday, 26th February.

"The Bishop preached in the morning at St. George's, the Presidency church, to an overflowing congregation. His text was Phil. i. 21, To die is gain, and his sermon one of his most impressive and masterly compositions. The remembrance of this his first sermon at Madras will never be effaced from the minds of those who heard it, not only from its many striking beauties, but as being almost a prophetic intimation that he was then hastening to the last scene of his earthly labours. How little did they imagine while hanging on his lips that the triumph of the text was so soon to be fulfilled in him!"

X

"27th February. "After breakfasting with the Governor, and calling on Sir Ralph Palmer, the Bishop was engaged with visitors till three o'clock. He was much struck with the beauty and situation of Mowbray, on the banks of a small river, and commanding a view of St. Thomas's Mount, and was as much delighted at meeting an old college friend in the Chief Justice, as I was in recognising most unexpectedly a school-fellow of my own standing at Rugby in one of the other judges. A few such meetings, he said, would almost make us forget the seas that separate us from our country. At five, after an early dinner, I attended his Lordship to the Female Asylum, an admirable institution containing about 300 girls, and supported partly by Government, partly by private contributions, and partly by their own skill and industry in embroidery and other work. Dr. Rottler, the senior missionary of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, has been the chaplain for more than twenty years, and the venerable man was catechising them when we arrived. The Bishop begged him to proceed with his instructions, and was moved even to tears by the affectionate and simple manner in which he taught them, and the evident attachment of the children to their aged pastor. The Bishop addressed a few words to them in his own winning and impressive manner, and gave them a holiday to-morrow. A public dinner at Government

House closed a busy and exhausting day."

"1st March.

"In the afternoon he visited the Male Asylum, an institution justly celebrated as the place where Dr. Bell first introduced the system of education which has since become famous throughout the world. A noble building is half finished for the schools; but the house, where Dr. Bell formerly resided, appears to be but little changed except from the injury of time, and is still occupied by Mr. Roy as the Superintendent of the Asylum. There may perhaps be an unwillingness to alter what reverence for the founder of the National System of Education in Great Britain induced Bishop Middleton to denominate classic ground. His Lordship examined three classes, and begged a holiday for the boys to-morrow. He thought it by far the best specimen of the system he had ever seen, and was not less pleased with the appearance of health and enjoyment among the lads in their noble playground, which forms a striking contrast with the confined premises of the Free School in Calcutta. Many of these soldiers'