without any previous connection with Europeans, have been brought over to our faith by the preaching of the Gospel. It would also, I think, enable us to judge of the probable progress of Christianity (so far as human means are concerned), if column was left for the date when the Missions commenced at the different stations. In conclusion, allow me to say, that I am a believer in "conversion only by the Spirit of God," (John vi. 45, 63; 2 Cor. iii. 3, and the Holy Spirit's work throughout the Acts;) and therefore I do not speak it to the reproach of Missionaries, that the number of true converts is so small in this part of India, for I am sure that at Chunar and Goruckpore there cannot be more zealous or more efficient men. But I mention it, in order that we may all search for the mind of the Spirit on this interesting subject. I believe that most of our friends in India begin to perceive that there is some let or hindrance to the work, which is required to be taken out of the way. I cannot think that either prayers or exertions have been wanting for our part of the work, when I reflect on the daily and weekly prayer-meetings held by Missionaries, and the sums that have been subscribed to assist them. Can we hope to ascertain the time when the "kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ ?" If that glorious event is literally to take place on earth, can we expect any extensive conversions till then? There is a prevailing opinion (but I cannot see how it agrees with Rom. xi. 25), that the Jews will be the chief means in the hands of God for converting the world how is it then that we have commenced at the wrong end? How is it that the tide of our prayers and subscriptions does not set in towards the Jews only?

:

Meerut, Dec. 26, 1832.

AMICUS.

** Our correspondent is certainly right when he says, that we ought to correct errors when we can. It is our bounden duty to do so. It is true piety to acknowledge errors when pointed out, and resolve to avoid them as far as possible in future: it is real impiety, doggedly to refuse an acknowledgment of errors discovered, and sullenly persevere in the course that must lead to them. We cannot say from personal knowledge on which side the mis-statement lies, in the present instance. An attempt was made to throw some light on the subject. An extract from the above communication was forwarded to one of the members of the Committee of the excellent Society, in whose report the alleged mistake has been detected; but no answer has been received. We therefore publish the letter from Meerut, and shall be equally ready to insert any future acknowledgment of the error, or any official contradiction of the above statement. Our sole object is to be open, and straightforward in all our proceedings, and defend the truth, wherever truth is to be found-regardless alike of the approbation or disapprobation of interested men.

On the latter part of our correspondent's note, we cannot enter at present. Only this we say that, as truth is elicited by discussion, we shall be glad to receive any reasonable speculation on the subject and we do herewith invite our correspondent to forward to us his own views. He may at least rest assured of a favourable reception.-ED.

VIII.-On the Import and Extent of Application of Rom.xv.20.

DEAR SIR,

To the Editor of the Calcutta Christian Observer.

The following passage in the writings of the Apostle to the Gentiles has given me a little concern lately, with regard to its full import, and to what extent it should be acted on by our Missionaries, in these days, and in this part of the world; whether it is the duty of Missionaries, in coming out to this country to preach the Gospel, to follow the Apostles' plan, "not to preach," or at least settle down, where labourers were previously labouring, or otherwise?

I think this not an unimportant question, and therefore present it for the candid opinion of your numerous correspondents. I do so, from two motives-1st, I think that in the present paucity of labourers, it appears injudicious for two of different denominations to settle in one station or city however extensive, (Calcutta excepted.) 2ndly, I think that he who comes to settle in a station where a Missionary was previously settled, and labouring, while there are many extensive towns and cities without Missionaries, in some measure loses sight of the Missionary object. More on this subject when I find it handled by others. Yours truly,

Moofussil.

UPSILON.

* Romans xv. 20. [We We agree in thinking with our correspondent that the question proposed is not an unimportant one; and we assent generally to the propriety of the practical inferences which he has been led to deduce from his view of the subject. As to the meaning of the passage alluded to, we think it abundantly clear. Paul was an Apostle: now the peculiar office of an Apostle was by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God," to preach the gospel, or openly proclaim it to the nations. And in the discharge of this high and extraordinary office, the Apostles were the first and the last. The work of building up, after the foundation had been laid, was reserved chiefly for the ordinary teachers and pastors of the Christian Church. But the latter was a humbler office, and the work in all respects subordinate to that of laying the foundation. Therefore St. Paul preached " from Jerusalem, and round about as far as Illyricum," adding with special emphasis," and it became me thus fully to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, that I might not build on another man's foundation”the inference being, that this latter would have been to discharge the easier office of an ordinary or subordinate teacher, not the higher and more arduous office of an Apostle. Now in so far as the ordinary work, not the office extraordinary, of the Apostle, resembles that of the Missionary, the latter may deduce a practical lesson from the conduct of the former: and this lesson our correspondent has with tolerable accuracy deduced.-ED.]

REVIEW.

A Dictionary in Sanscrit and English, by H. H. Wilson, Esq. We are gratified to learn, that the extensive cultivation of Sanscrit, during late years in Europe, has been such as to exceed anticipation, and to call for a second edition of this valuable Dictionary. It is also still further gratifying to find that the second edition, containing nearly double the matter of the first, and printed in a very superior style, is sold at one-half the price of the former; this great difference will doubtless tend still further to extend the knowledge of the Sanscrit language. Though with such a key, it is comparatively easy to unlock the door of Hindoo literature, yet we are constrained to admire the noble daring of those European spirits who, with this alone in their hands, have ventured to approach and to explore the dark recesses of a building which those who were nearer to it, and had readier means of access, could not do without great labour. It is natural to conclude, that the pronunciation of the Sanscrit, by persons who have not resided in this country, will be defective; but with this exception, it is evident from the translations that have been made by such scholars as Schlegel, Bopp, and Chézy, &c. that they have gained a correct knowledge of the language.

With a view to gratify persons of this description, whether in Europe or Asia, it appears to have been the design of Mr. Wilson, to have published his work upon a different plan." It was," he says, "my intention to have delayed the publication of a second edition, until I was prepared to offer to those engaged in the study, comprehending men of mature intellect and eminent among the most distinguished scholars of the age, a work constructed on an entirely different model, and one better adapted than a mere alphabetical compilation to learned and philosophical research." What this entirely different model was, we are not distinctly informed: but we suppose it must have been similar to that adopted in Hebrew lexicons, and by Scapula in his Greek Lexicon; in which all derivative words are placed under the roots from which they are derived. Upon this plan, the almost innumerable words found in Sanscrit would be arranged under little more than two thousand roots. This would indeed be a great advantage to the scholar, who, able at once to determine the root from which any word might be derived, could gratify himself by perusing in a connected form, all the variations produced in the meaning of the original words by prefixes, affixes, composition, &c. ; but to the student incapable of thus determining the root, the Dictionary, as it is now printed, is far more

valuable. At the close of his preface, Mr. W. observes, "it will be my wish, as it will be my duty, to offer to the cultivators of the language other and better assistance ;" and should he, in the retirements of the learned University of Oxford, be able to redeem this pledge, all scholars, be their attainments high or low, will be gratified by his indefatigable exertions.

Though duties and occupations of another order prevented Mr. W. from realizing what he had anticipated, and what he still hopes to supply, yet it gives us pleasure to observe, while compelled to travel the old road, that he has not gone over it a second time without improvement. He has made some deductions and additions which render the work more useful. The names of the authors from whose works the original was compiled have been omitted, and the omission has made room for a better arrangement of the interpretations

"In order not to swell the publication to an inconvenient size, I have thought it advisable to omit the particular references made in the first edition, to the vocabularies, whence the words were extracted. It appeared to me probable that my authority might now be suffered to stand in the room of that on which my labours were originally based, and the space appropriated to mere citation might be more beneficially occupied. Besides the saving of space, however, their exclusion gave me the opportunity of improving the arrange ment of the interpretation in those cases where the word admitted of a variety of significations. In the former publication, the meanings followed the order of vocabularies, beginning with the one most in repute, as the Amera Kosha for example, and supplying additional senses from other works according to their relative estimation. To have pursued a different plan, would have involved an inconvenient repetition of references to the same authority. Its adoption was sometimes productive of a very immethodical juxtaposition of interpretations. In the present edition, this has been in part at least corrected, and the sense that seems most naturally to result from the etymology of the word takes in general precedence of the rest: the others follow according to their more or less direct relation to the original purport, as far as this can be traced, and according to my judgment, which may have sometimes misled me. It is not likely, that where the relation by analogy, comparison, metaphor, or convention is faint and fanciful, any classification can be devised that will admit of no dispute."

The preface of fifty pages given in the first edition has also been omitted in this. The object of that preface was to explain upon what authority the interpretations given to each word rested, and for the time it had its use; but now the authority of Mr. W. is equal to that of any of the authors he quoted, it can no longer be of importance. We think therefore that it has been judiciously omitted, and that the authority of the Compiler "may now be suffered to stand in the room of that on which his labours were originally based.”

We observe, that to all the verbal roots the Anubandha letters have been added. This was as necessary for the right understanding of the verbs, as the addition of letters to express

the gender was for the nouns, &c.; the Anubandha letters being the characteristic marks of the verb, by which its conjugation and all the peculiarities of its inflections are determined. It might have been advantageous to some, had an explanation of these letters been given in the Preface; we do not ascribe the omission to inadvertence, but suppose the author judged it better to leave his readers to refer to the Grammar, both for an explanation of the Anubandha letters, and also of the alphabet in a connected form.

The vast augmentation made to the number of the words is what constitutes the chief ornament of the second edition of this Dictionary. It was a valuable work before to any student, but how much more so must it be when the number of the words is nearly doubled? We are in the following paragraph informed of the way in which these additions have been made

"In connection with the arrangements in progress for the compilation of an Etymological Dictionary, I had verbal indices prepared of the following printed books: the Mágha, Kirátárjuniya, Hitopadesa, Menu, Bhagavat Gita, Gita Govinda, Durgá Patha, Amru Sataka, Siddhanta Kaumudi, part of Bhatti, and part of the Mitakshara. The pundits employed have not perhaps been quite as careful as could have been wished, in making their extracts; but the lists, it is believed, comprise most of the words which the works specified contain, and which when not inserted in the Dictionary were transferred by me to its pages. Besides the additions made from these sources, I had the aid of my friend Baboo Radhacant Deb's Sanscrit Dictionary, as far as the word af, and I thence obtained several valuable accessions. I derived some aid also from Dr. Carey's Bengalee Dictionary, which is full of Sanscrit vocables. The pundits of the Sanscrit College of Calcutta furnished me with occasional lists of technical terms relating to the branches of literature which they teach; and I was indebted to Mr. John Tytler for some, and to Rev. Mr. Yates for many words met with by them in their course of reading. The Dictionary has by these means received very considerable additions, and the number of words, between fifty and sixty thousand, is nearly double the amount of those contained in the first edition. It would not have been difficult to have made the increase still more extensive, but I did not think it necessary to multiply compound terms, the analysis of which was obvious, and whose component members had a place in the columns of the Dictionary."

It might be supposed, after such additions made to the number of words, that the Dictionary would be now complete. That it is not so, cannot be attributed to any want of skill or exertion on the part of the learned author, but is fairly assignable to an impossibility. This impossibility arises from two causes-the number of compound words that may be formed at pleasure, and the variation of meaning in simple words when admitted into composition. In the books mentioned in the above quotation, and in any other that may be perused, many compound words will be found that may be sought for in vain in this or any other Dictionary; yet when those words are analyzed, we believe there will be none of the component parts that will not be contained in this work. Take for example

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