"It ought to be mentioned, to the praise of the present bishop of the Romish church on the coast of Malabar, that he has consented to the circulation of the Scriptures throughout his diocese. The Malayalim translation acquires from this circumstance, an increased importance, since there will be now upwards of 200,000 christians in Malayala who are ready to receive it. The translation of the New Testament, (which it is proposed to print first,) has already commenced, under the superintendence of the Syrian bishop. The true cause of the low state of religion amongst the Romish churches on the sea-coast and in Ceylon, is their want of the bible. It is doubtful whether some of the Priests know that such a book exists! It is injurious to christianity in India, to call men Christians who know not the Scriptures of their religion: they might as well be called by any other name. Oral instruction they have none, even from their European priests. The best effects may therefore be expected from the simple means of putting the Bible into their hands. All who are well acquainted with the natives, know that instruction by books is best suited to them. They are in general a contemplative people, and patient in their inquiries; curious also to know what it can be that is of importance enough to be written,-at the same time that they regard written precept with respect. If they possess a book in a language which they understand, it will not be left long unread. In Tanjore, and other places where the Bible is freely given, the Protestant religion flourishes; and produces the happiest effects on the character of the people. In Tanjore, the christian virtues will be found in exercise by the feeble minded Hindoo, in a vigour and purity which will surprise those who have never known the native character but under the greatest disadvantages. On the Sunday, the people, habited in their best apparel, repair to the parish church, where the solemnity of their devotion in accompanying the public prayers is truly impressive. They sing the old Psalm tunes well: and the voice of the full congregation may be heard at a distance. Prayers being ended, they listen to the sermon evidently with deep attention; nor have they any difficulty in understanding it, for they almost all, both men and women, can read their Bible. Many of them take down the discourse on ollas, that they may read it afterwards to their fami lies at home. As soon as the minister has pronounced the text, the sound of the iron style on the palm leaf is heard throughout the congregation. Even the boys of the schools have their ollas in their hands; and may be seen after divine service reading them to their mothers, as they pass over the fields homewards. This aptitude of the people to receive and to record the words of the preacher, renders it peculiarly necessary that "the priest's lips should keep knowledge." Upon the whole, the moral conduct, upright dealing, decorous manners, and decent dress of the native Protestants of Tanjore, demonstrate the powerful influence and peculiar excellence of the christian religion. It ought, however, to be observed, that the Bible, when the reading of it becomes general, has nearly the same effect on the poor of every place.

* It is well known that natives of Tanjore and Travancore can write down what is spoken deliberately, without losing one word. They seldom look at their ellas while writing, and can write in the dark with fluency.

When the Syrian christians understood that the proposed Malayalanı translation was to accord with the English Bible, they desired to know on what authorities our translation had been made; alleging, that they themselves possessed a version of undoubted antiquity, namely, that used by the first christians at Antioch; and that they could not depart from the reading of that version. This observation led to the investigation of the ancient Syrio Chaldaic manuscripts in Malayala; and the inquiry has been successful beyond any expectation that could have been formed.

"It had been commonly supposed, that all the Syriac manuscripts had been burned by the Romish church at the Synod of Udiamper, near Cochin, in 1599, but it now appears that the most valuable manuscripts were not destroy. ed: the inquisitors condemned many books to the flames; but they saved the Bible. They were content with ordering that the Syriac scriptures should be amended agreeably to the reading of the Vulgate of Rome; and these emendations now appear in black ink, and of modern appearance, though made in 1599: but many Bibles, and many other books, were not produced at all; and the churches in the mountains remained but a short time subject to Romish dominion, (if indeed they can be said to have been at any time subject to it ;) for the native Governments have ever formed a barrier between the inquisition at Goa and the christians in the mountains.

"In the acts of the council of Nice, it is recorded that Joannes, Bishop of India, signed his name at that Council, A. D. 325. This date corresponds with the Syrian year 636; for the primitive Syrian church does not compute time from the christian æra, but from Alexander the Great. The Syriac version of the Scriptures was brought to India, according to the belief of the Syrians, before the year 636; and they allege that their copies have ever been exact transcripts of that version without known error, through every age, down to this day. There is no tradition among them of the churches in the southern mountains having ever been destroyed, or even molested. Some of their present copies are certainly of ancient date. Though written on a strong thick paper, (like that of some MSS. in the British Museum, commonly called Eastern Paper,) the ink has, in several places, eat through the material in the exact form of the letter. In other copies, where the ink had less of a corroding quality, it has fallen off, and left a dark vestige of the letter, faint indeed, but not, in general, illegible. There is one volume found in a remote church of the mountains, which merits particular description:-it contains the Old and New Testaments, engrossed on strong vellum, in large folio, having three columns in the page; and is written with beautiful accuracy. The character is Estrangelo Syriac; and the words of every book are numbered. This volume is illuminated; but not after the European manner, the initial letters having no ornament. Prefixed to each book there are figures of principal Scripture cha. racters, (not rudely drawn,) the colours of which are distinguishable ; and in some places, the enamel of the gilding is preserved; but the volume has suffered injury from time or neglect, some of the leaves being almost entirely decayed. In certain places the ink has been totally obliterated from the page, and has left the parchment in its natural whiteness; but the letters can, in general be distinctly traced from the impress of the pen,

or from the partial corrosion of the ink. The Syrian church assigns to this manuscript a high antiquity; and alleges that it has been for some centuries in the possession of their Bishops; and that it was industriously concealed from the Roman inquisition in 1599; but its true age can only be ascertained by a comparison with old manuscripts in Europe of a similar kind. On the margin of the drawings are some old Roman and Greek letters, the form of which may lead to a conjecture respecting the age in which they were written. This copy of the Scriptures has admitted as canonical, the Epistle of Clement, in which respect it resembles the Alexan drine manuscript; but it has omitted the Revelations—that book having been accounted apocryphal by some churches during a certain period in the early ages. The order of the books of the Old and New Testament differs from that of the European copies-this copy adhering less to unity of subject in the arrangement, than to chronological order. The very first emendation of the Hebrew text proposed by Dr. Kennicott, (Gen. iv. 8.) is to be found in this manuscript. The disputed passage in 1 John v. 7. is not to be found in it: that verse is interpolated in some other copies in black ink, by the Romish church, in 1599.

"Thus it appears, that during the dark ages of Europe, while ignorance and superstition in a manner denied the Scriptures to the rest of the world, he Bible found an asylum in the mountains of Malayala; where it was revered and freely read by upwards of 100 churches; and that it has been handed down to the present time, under circumstances so highly favourable to accurate preservation, as may justly entitle it to respect, in the collation of doubtful readings of the sacred text.

"There are many old Syriac manuscripts besides the Bible, which have been well preserved: for the Synod of Udiamper destroyed no volumes but those which treated of religious doctrine, or church supremacy. Two different characters of writing appear ever to have been in use among the Syrian christians-the common Syriac and the Estrangelo. The oldest manuscripts are in the Estrangelo.

"But there are other ancient documents in Malayala, not less interesting than the Syrian manuscripts. The old Portuguese historians relate, that soon after the arrival of their countrymen în India, about 300 years ago, the Syrian Archbishop of Angamalee, by name Mar Jacob, deposited in the fort of Cochin for safe custody, certain tablets of brass; on which were engraved Rights of Nobility and other privileges, granted to the Christians by a Prince of a former age; and that while these tablets were under the charge of the Portuguese, they had been unaccountably lost, and had never after been heard of. The loss of the tablets was deeply regretted by the Christians; and the Portuguese writer, Gouvea, ascribes their subsequent oppressions by the native powers, to the circumstance of their being no longer able to produce their charter. It is not generally known, that at a former period, the Christians possessed regal power in Malayala. The name of their last king was Beliarte. He died without issue; and his kingdom descended, by the custom of the country, to the king of Cochin. When Vasco De Gama was at Cochin, in 1503, he saw the sceptre of the christian king.

"It is further recorded by the same historians, that besides the documents deposited with the Portuguese, the christians possessed three other tablets, containing ancient grants, which they kept in their own custody and that these were exhibited to the Romish Archbishop Menezes, at the church of Tevelecar, near the mountains, in 1599-the inhabitants having first exacted an oath from the Archbishop, that he would not remove them. Since that period little has been heard of the tablets. Though they are often referred to in the Syrian writings, the translation itself has been lost. It has been said that they were seen about 40 years ago; but Adrian Moens, a Governor of Cochin, in 1770, who published some account of the Jews of Malabar, informs us, that he used every means in his power, for many years, to obtain a sight of the Christian Plates; and was at length satisfied they were irrecoverably lost; or rather, he adds, that they never existed.

"The learned world will be gratified, to know, that all these ancient tablets, not only the three last mentioned exhibited in 1599, but those also, (as is supposed,) delivered by the Syrian Archbishop to the Portuguese, on their arrival in India, which are the most ancient, have been recently recovered by the exertions of Lieut. Col. Macauly, the British Resident in Travancore; and are now officially deposited with that officer.

"The plates are six in number. They are composed of a mixed metal. The engraved page on the largest plate is 13 inches long, by about 4 broad. They are closely written; four of them on both sides of the plate, making in all eleven pages. On the plate reputed to be the oldest, there is writing perspicuously engraved in nail-headed or triangular-headed letters, resembling the Persepolitan or Babylonish. On the same plate there is writing in another character, which has no affinity with any existing character in Hindostan. The grant on this plate appears to be witnessed by four Jews of rank, whose names are distinctly written in an old Hebrew character, resembling the alphabet called The Palmyrene; and to each name is prefixed the title of Magen; that is, Chief.

"It may be doubted whether there exists in the world another document of equal antiquity, which is, at the same time, of so great a length, and in such faultless preservation as the Christian Tablets in Malayala. The Jews of Cochin, indeed, contest the palm of antiquity and of preservation; for they also produce tablets, containing privileges granted at a remote period. The Jewish tablets are two in number. The Jews were long in possession of a third plate, which now appears to be the property of the Christians. The Jews commonly show an ancient Hebrew translation of their plates. Dr. Leyden made another translation; which differs from the Hebrew: and there has lately been found among the old Dutch records at Cochin, a third translation, which approaches nearer to Dr. Leyden's than to the Hebrew. In a Hebrew manuscript, which will shortly be published, it is recorded that a grant on brass tablets was given to the Jews, in A. D. 379.

"As it is apprehended that there may be some difficulty in obtaining an accurate translation of all these tablets, it is proposed to print a copperplate fac simile of the whole, and to transmit copies to the learned socie

ties in Hindostan and in Europe; for this purpose an engraver is now employed on the plates, at Cochin. The Christian and Jewish plates together, will make 14 pages. A copy has been sent, in the first instance, to the Pundits of the Shanscrit College, at Trichiur, by direction of the Rajah of Cochin.

"When the White Jews at Cochin were questioned respecting the ancient copies of their Scriptures, they answered, That it had been usual to bury the old copy read in the synagogue, when decayed by time and use. This, however, does not appear to have been the practice of the Black Jews, who were the first settlers; for in the record-chests of their synagogues, old copies of the law have been discovered; some of which are complete, and for the most part, legible. Neither could the Jews of Cochin produce any historical manuscripts of consequence, their vicinity to the sea-coast having exposed their community to frequent revolution; but many old writings have been found at the remote synagogues of their ancient enemies, the black Jews, situated at Tritooa, Paroor, Chenotta, and Maleh; the last of which place is near the mountains. Amongst these writings are some of great length, in Rabbinical Hebrew; but in so aucient, and uncommon a character, that it will require much time and labour to ascertain their contents. There is one manuscript written in a character resembling the Palmyrene Hebrew, on the brass plates: but it is in a decayed state and the leaves adhere so closely to each other, that it is doubtful whether it will be possible to unfold them, and preserve the reading. It is sufficiently established by the concurring evidence of written record and Jewish tradition, that the black Jews had colonized on the coasts of India, long before the Christian æra. There was another colony at Rajapoor, in the Mahratta territory, which is not yet extinct; and there are at this time, Jewish soldiers and Jewish native officers in the British service. That these are a remnant of the Jews of the first dispersion at the Babylonish captivity, seems highly probable. There are many other tribes settled in Persia, Arabia, Northern India, Tartary, and China, whose respective places of residence may be easily discovered. The places which have been already ascertained, are 65 in number. These tribes have in general, (particularly those who have passed the Indus,) assimilated much to the customs of the countries in which they live; and may sometimes be seen by a traveller, without being recognized as Jews. The very imperfect resemblance of their countenance to the Jews of Europe, indicates that they have been detached from the parent stock in Judea, many ages before the race of Jews in the west. A fact corroborative of this is, that certain of these tribes do not call themselves Jews, but Beni-Israel, or Israelites; for the name Jew is derived from Judah; whereas the ancestors of these tribes were not subject to the kings of Judah, but to the kings of Israel. They have, in most places, the book of the Law, the book of Job, and the Psalms; but know little of the prophets. Some of them have even lost the book of the law; and only know that they are Israelites from tradition, and from their observance of peculiar rites.

"A copy of the Scriptures, belonging to the Jews of the east, whe