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V.-A plan proposed for facilitating references to any subject of reading or study.

MR. EDITOR,

To the Editor of the Calcutta Christian Observer.

As you desire that your periodical may be useful as well as interesting, I doubt not you will be willing at least to peruse my humble contribution; and should you consider it at all adapted for usefulness, perhaps it may find a corner in your excellent publication.

I beg to call the attention of your readers to a little plan, which may possibly be familiar to some of them, but which I myself have seldom seen put in practice; though I have experienced the utility of it for the last eight years. I will only just remark, that it was suggested to me by one of the most eminent of the translators of the Bible in the present day.

The object of the plan is, to treasure up, and to be able with ease to refer to, any subject of reading or study, even after it has escaped the memory: and we know how very few are able to retain correctly one-tenth portion of what they read.

The plan itself is, to take a number of slips of paper, of any convenient size; and making one memorandum upon one paper, any number of memoranda may be so arranged, as to enable the person who collects them to refer to them at pleasure: e. g.

In reading a certain native author, I of course met with many words whose meaning was as plain as the sun at noon-day: such as the common names of things, pronouns, conjunctions, &c. and as these were to be met with in every line, there was no need of making any memoranda of them.-Again, there were some things so obscure, that I could affirm nothing of them, and so I made no memoranda (i. e. in this collection) of them-but there were likewise words and expressions not a few, whose meaning I supposed myself to have rightly apprehended; and yet they were not so common as to be apprehended without diligent search: of these I made a collection : putting one memorandum upon one paper: and afterwards arranging the collection. I will give you an extract of what I actually collected.

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4 Physiognomist.............[Native expression.] [Author.] [Page.] 3* Place, to......

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Here the column of figures is supposed to represent the order in which the words occurred in reading. The words marked to my surprise, on comparing them afterwards with my English-native Dictionary, all gave in the fourth column an additional native expression to what was there found; and the words marked † were not to be found at all and in case of doubt, from the fifth and sixth columns, the authority could be referred to. The alphabetical arrangement was made from day to day: continually slipping into their proper places, the memoranda for the day. When they amounted to about 500, they were sown slightly together as a book; and another similar collection commenced: this second collection now amounts to about 400 more; and shortly it is intended to unstitch the first collection, and putting the latter in their proper places in the alphabetical order, to make one: and then another collection will be commenced, and in its turn combined with the former. And I imagine that 850 out of the present 900 memoranda contain additional information to what is in my English-native Dictionary: and yet I do not mean to insinuate the slightest idea, that the Dictionary in question is not what it ought to be; but

would only shew that every student may add his own contributions to those of his predecessors: and if I may speak of myself, I have not at all been conscious of toil; as I should have been, in sitting down to compose a VO. cabulary. I often think, if the motto be "nulla dies sine linea,” we shall have more than 300 lines by the close of the year.

Thus much of an easy plan of vocabulary-making, which he who translates into native languages will find of immense practical utility.

We will now proceed to apply the plan to the illustration of Scripture. Suppose when we meet with an illustration of any passage, we put the passage on one of the slips of paper and arrange the memoranda in the order of the books of Scripture, thus:

6. Gen. iii. 8, vide Calcutta Christian Observer, vol. i. page 301. 4. Ditto xlix. 1-28 do. Critica Biblica, vol. i. page 226.

2. Numb. xxii. 20, do. Calmet's Fragments, No. 204, and No. 539. 5. Job xlii. 11, do. Blaney on Jeremiah, page 306.

1. Zech. i. 20, do. Camp. on Gosp. Matth. xiii. 55.

3. 1 John ii. 2, do. Calm. Dic. in verb " Propitiation." [Additions.] Where, as before, the column of numbers is supposed to represent the order in which the illustrations are met with: and the next their Scripture order, for the sake of easy reference, and any new memoranda may be slipped into their proper places.

In this manner I have collected about 1400 references to illustrations, or Scholia on Matthew's Gospel alone and in a minute or two I have before me all that I have read, on any given passage.

The plan in one way or other is applicable to every species of study, or desultory reading. I have applied it to the illustration of Hebrew, Greek, and Native words. It is evident that it may likewise be applied to subjects, poems, &c. &c.

Το

Nor let the reader suppose that the plan requires much time with a number of slips of paper already cut to size, he has nothing more to do than just to make a reference, and at his leisure to slip it into his place. prevent the papers becoming disordered, two thin boards of the same size may be provided, and the whole tied round with a string. If a book be taken out of doors to read, a mark may be made in the margin, and the references collected at pleasure. The expense of paper need be an objection to few, as the commonest white paper answers every purpose.

But the reader may be disposed to ask, why not make the references in the margin of the Bible or Dictionary; especially if they be interleaved? I have tried this plan likewise, but have not found it equal to the one now proposed. Because if the references multiply ad infinitum, the interleaved Bible is filled up on many more important passages, and the references are liable to confusion; whereas the present plan literally admits of references ad infinitum: and the circumstance of confused references soon discourages the student in his plan*.

I ought to have mentioned the degree of precision, with which the references may be arranged. Now suppose I have read the views of 20 authors, on any given passage of Scripture and after a time, I call to mind that a certain author has made judicious remarks on the passage, which I shall be glad to refer to or suppose the inquiry be, if a certain author has said any thing on the passage in question, I refer to my index, and instantaneously have the required information: thus, suppose it be required to know if " Owen" has said any thing on the subject of the Saviour's tempta tion, Matthew iv. 1, I seek in my index arranged according to the books, chapters, and verses of Scripture for Matthew, iv. 1. Between Matthew

*Besides on, this plan it would be necessary to have a Bible, Native Dictionary, Greek and Hebrew Lexicons, &c. &c. all interleaved.

iv. 1, and Matthew iv. 2, I find 20 slips of paper, and these are arranged alphabetically either according to the author's names, or according to the names of their works. In this secondary arrangement, I seek for "Owen," and directly find what I want without having to wade through a mass of materials having little or no arrangement.

On the interleaving plan, the student must carry his interleaved books with him or else he must transcribe (a labour always annoying to a student) his materials on his return home; whereas, the slips of paper have only to be put into their respective places; and all that he need take with him, is his author, and a few papers.

If it should be desirable to make extracts, one or more papers may be placed immediately behind the first, for the continuation of such extracts as are two long for one and if hereafter any memorandum may be deemed useless, it may be withdrawn without detriment to the rest, or disfiguring the whole.

I would not be thought to disparage the plan of interleaved books, because some may much prefer them: but my object is to suggest hints upon another plan, which OFTEN appears to me more convenient. I say often, because I myself am thankful for the interleaving mode, in some cases where it is found practically to excel the one proposed.

This leads me to speak of another plan, which I have found of immense utility in translating into a native language; and revising the already existing translations of the same.

1st. Every native author that I read is divided into chapters and verses; or vols. pages, and verses; as the case may be, being numbered with a pen in red ink, calling each line a verse.

2nd. Every work has a mark which always designates that work: such as § :: A. B. C. &c. and is written in the cover.

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3rd. All students know that the exact meaning and use of a word may be gathered more correctly from the context with which it is more immediately connected than from any dictionary of the language.

4th. If a certain word be met with, and sought for in a dictionary, and a short note be inserted in the margin, thus § 17-529 ; i. e. see native author, marked thus § xvii. chap. 529 verse, it is plain that the next time the word is required, not only may the dictionary be consulted, but the place where it occurred before, and the context may be referred to. And if there be twenty references of this kind, the use and meaning of the word may be pretty well ascertained upon the best native authority.

In order the more effectually to be enabled to consult native authors for the use and meaning of words, a writer was employed to transcribe all the words in the language into a blank ruled book, leaving for every word a space for about 20 references, which space he filled up thus, in native character, (putting the same into European character, thus)

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In this way, between 30,000 and 40,000 references have been collected by a heathen writer, without any trouble on the part of his employer, and yet his employer turns them to Christian purposes, making use of them as a kind of native dictionary. But to be more explicit.

In Matthew viii. 2, we have the word kalapiσaι meaning to cleanse : but in the native language to which I allude, the idea is expressed by a variety of words, such as "wash-cleanse," "heal-cleanse,” “ sweep

cleanse," &c. Looking in the index for the native word cleanse, and turning to the references, I found among others the very expression I wanted, namely, heal-cleanse; I had no idea of these shades of meaning before I turned to the word cleanse in the index of references: much less that I should find an expression so apposite to the place (Matt. viii. 2,) as, "heal-cleanse."

I have seldom consulted this index in vain to me it is such an invalu able treasure, that I make a point of referring to it in all cases of difficulty : and when it does assist, the assistance is valuable, as it furnishes classical authority for every expression.

Again, to shew the use of this index in writing tracts-it was required to write in the native language, "In this world we frequently shed tears," in contradistinction to the idea, "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." The expression "frequent tears" would have been unidiomatical : turning to the index, and from thence to the references, the expression was found, "frequently flowing tears fill the face." This was exactly what I wanted to say, but should have thought long before I had hit upon so idiomatical an expression; hence it was selected for my purpose.

We proceed to notice how this plan may be otherwise applied-suppose I am reading a native author, for obtaining an acquaintance with the language, and while reading the author, called [§] at vol. 1, chap. i. page 12, [Si. 1-12] occurs this expression : "The winds blew, and the floods overflowed," the idea suggests itself, that this may afford some help in revising Matthew vii. 25-27. Without stopping at the time to consider this point, in an interleaved native Bible at Matthew vii. 25-27, this note is made [§i.1-12] and when the hour comes for this employment, the point may be examined; and if the expression prove to be more intelligible, simple, and idiomatical, than the one employed in the existing translation, the latter is crossed through with a pen, and the former written by its side as a correction: on this plan there are in the gospel of Matthew alone some hundreds of corrections of the present translation and hereafter they may be re-examined as the authority for the expression is always given.

I will only mention one more application of the plan. Under the word kalapiw § 2, in Schleusner's Gr. Lex. N. S. I find I have inserted the native word corresponding to heal-cleanse," with this reference ++ 1-11 probably the same word may suit in the other places given under this paragraph. And when I come to translate Mark i. 40, and meeting with the word kalapioα, this word is sought for in Schleusner, and an apt translation of it into the native language is given in the margin, without further trouble: and the authority quoted, to afford opportunity of reexamination if need be.

The only serious objection that any one has yet made to the plan, is this, that it takes up time: but none need adopt the plan any further than they find it practically useful. I conceive the consumption of time is amply repaid: especially if a native be employed as much as possible in the native portion of the labour.

If references to European authors are intended for the public, they should be made to suit any edition of the works quoted: and the edition used should be specified.

In conclusion, it should be carefully distinguished when to use the interleaving plan; and when the other. If memoranda are likely to be collected ad infinitum, the latter is the preferable plan: if the references be limited, or intimately connected with the lexicons, the margins, or blank leaves may suffice; and be more convenient.

You see, Mr. Editor, how rapidly I have put down my ideas; if you can by any editorial amendments turn my ideas to account, they are much at your service. Φιλολόγος.

*I am far from thinking that Schleusner's places in the same paragraph always bear the same meaning.

VI.-The Bishop of Calcutta's Pastoral Address to the Church of England Missionaries, respecting the Abolition of Caste amongst Native Christians.

In the account of the Calcutta press lately drawn up by the Editor of the Englishman, the editorial management of the Calcutta Christian Observer has been slightly misrepresented. We know that this could only have arisen from inadvertence or misinformation, and have no doubt that the author will do what he can to correct the unintentional mistake. In contradistinction to another periodical conducted exclusively by an ordained minister of the Church of England, and designed exclusively to advocate the peculiarities of that Church, it has been stated that "the Observer is conducted by Dissenters." Now this assertion, from its contrasted position in the sentence, is certainly calculated to mislead. If it means that the Observer is conducted exclusively by Dissenters, it involves a contradiction to the plain broad fact that from the very commencement up to the present hour, ordained Ministers of the established Churches of England and Scotland have been connected with the editorial management, as well as ministers of the Independent and Baptist denominations. If it implies that the Observer is devoted chiefly to an exposition and vindication of the principles of Dissent, the supposition is equally wide of the truth. So much the reverse of this is the reality, that the Observer has studiously and constantly avoided all discussion of questions respecting "Church and State," "Church and Dissent," and all peculiarities whatsoever in matters of Church Government and the administration of Christian Ordinances. In a word, the Observer has been uniformly conducted on the most Catholic principles, so far as concerns all minor distinctions amongst Christians. It has always endeavoured at least to do justice to good plans and good men, in whatever denomination of Christians the former may have originated, or to whatever class the latter may have belonged. And if at any time it has been prevented from doing full justice to works of merit, it is solely because these may have been too much tinctured with the peculiarities of sect to admit of our expressing a decided opinion. It is, in fact, when standing on this Catholic ground that we do not hesitate to assert, that there is not a real Christian in India that need be conscientiously precluded from rallying round us with his co-operation and support.

In farther corroboration of these statements, if any such were necessary, we refer to the present number of our work, in which deserved eulogies are passed on members of different denominations labouring in different vineyards. And it is with heart-felt satisfaction, that we now crave the special attention of our readers to the Bishop of Calcutta's admirable Address to the Church of

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