visiting Madras, yet, having been favoured by the Secretary of State for India with an introduction to the Director of Public Instruction there, as well as elsewhere, I was thankful to feel that there was some one in Madras who might show us a little sympathy. The delivery of my note was promptly followed by a kind visit from that gentleman, Mr. Eyre Powell, who arranged at once to show me as many of the lions as could be seen the next day. These proved so interesting and attractive, that I gladly accepted the kind invitation of Mrs. Powell to take up my residence at her house, until another steamer should touch here. My friends proceeded without me to their homes in Calcutta.

Madras is a striking and interesting city, perfectly different indeed from any others which I had hitherto seen. It has always been a stronghold of the missionaries, who have probably done more here, in the establishment of good schools and in general work, than in most other places. There is a large number of professed Christians among the lower orders, many being Roman Catholics; but it is a general complaint that these are even less principled than the avowed heathens; they have thrown off the restraints imposed by the faith of their fathers, without being imbued with the principles of Christianity, or the ordinary morality taught in civilised life. English is more commonly understood here than elsewhere by the native servants, a very great convenience to strangers. I had far less difficulty in consequence here, for the servants whom I met with were obliging and civil. The general costume somewhat differs from what I had seen in other parts of the country, being generally a simple white dress without shoes and stockings, and a turban folded in a peculiar manner. The head is usually shaved, leaving a long

tuft of hair on the top or back of the head. There is sufficient difference in the ordinary air and deportment of the natives from that of the inhabitants of Bombay, to enable them to be easily recognised when in the public schools. Madras is everywhere called the 'benighted Presidency.' I cannot speak of the exact amount of education in general in it, though that appeared very satisfactory; but I can say that I saw more advancement in female improvement than I witnessed in Calcutta and many other parts, while the general tone of native society appears educated and intelligent. Madras certainly no longer deserves this epithet, if it ever did.

The work of the missionaries has been particularly vigorous and successful in Madras in the promotion of education. My attention was first directed to the schools of the Free Scotch Church Mission. That for boys is situated near the sea, and appeared very extensive and complete; it shows most strikingly what can be effected by one man, who, with devoted heart and single aim, devotes himself to the welfare of his fellowcreatures. In 1837, the Rev. John Anderson founded this school. On occasion of the distribution of prizes to the scholars in the Evangelistic Hall (Dec. 22, 1864), the chairman, Col. Rowlandson, said: When this school was first founded, it was soon recognised and spoken of as a remarkable era in the history of missions in Madras, destined to exercise a mighty influence upon the future of this Presidency; and well I remember the sensation awakened throughout all classes of society by the bold, uncompromising, undisguised, and till then unheard-of declaration, upon which Mr. Anderson based all his hopes and plans, of one supreme aim and object, viz., to win souls to Christ! And truly one had only to enter their schools, and following on from class

to class, listen to the way in which they taught and opened out the Book of Life, not merely in the letter to the understanding, but closely applying its truths to the hearts and consciences of their pupils, to feel persuaded that as their eye was single, and their aim true to God's glory, so assuredly would God own and bless their labours. And not long had we to wait for proofs; for soon the whole society of Madras was heaving with excitement and profound interest in the great battle, then for the first time in this school unflinchingly fought with caste exclusiveness, in which they nobly triumphed; followed soon with the thorough heartconversion and baptism, in the face of the extremest opposition, of first one, and then another, and many others in quick succession amongst their pupils, given to them by God thus early to encourage their faith and perseverance, and to become living witnesses to their labour and devotion, as faithful, zealous, and efficient fellow-labourers in the work, long after their first teachers and spiritual fathers were called to their rest.

To ascertain the precise extent to which these schools have influenced native society, is not so easy; but it may help us to form some adequate idea of how great and how real that influence for good must have been, to consider the many thousands of the sons and daughters of India whose minds, hearts, and characters, during the most impressible years of life, for the long period of now nearly twenty-eight years, have been brought under the teaching of these schools, to carry back with them into the private and familiar intercourse of family and social life the daily lessons of light and truth here learnt, in vivid and irresistible contrast with the prevailing ignorance and error around them! Nor must we overlook the powerful impulse for good com

municated to other feebler schemes of education previously existing, in the faithful and open avowal of the one only true principle of a Christian mission, as also in the admirable system of instruction here first introduced, and soon after taken up and adopted by many

others.'

Mr. Anderson has passed away from his sphere of labour here, but his spirit and influence remain. He is remembered with much interest, and the school is still called among the natives' Anderson's School.'

On going through the various classes of the school with the worthy superintendent, the Rev. Mr. Miller, I quite agreed with him that the boys are attracted to the school, not only because the fees are lower, but because they feel the happy influence of the Christian sympathy and kindness they here receive. When hearing a Scripture lesson given by Mr. Miller, and seeing the lively interest which was felt in the lesson by both teacher and scholars, it was evident that a permanent influence was established of the most valuable kind, and indeed one which I was informed did not cease with school-days. Such agency does more than any other to remove the barrier which exists between the races. It is much to be regretted that personal records of such schools as these are not given. to the public at home, instead of the somewhat dry and brief statements too often found in official reports.

In 1843, Mr. Anderson established the first girls' school in Madras, into which he with difficulty collected four or five little girls, by the promise of a reward. Many girls' schools have since then been established by this mission, as well as by other agencies, and by the natives themselves. For some time it was found necessary to give the children a small daily

payment for attendance; then this ceased, and now the anxiety for education has become so great that the scholars pay a trifling fee. These payments are of course small, but they testify to the value attached to the schools by the parents. The last report mentions that they amounted in the year, from all the girls schools, to 320 rupees. One of the schools which I visited was in excellent order, and was presided over by a native minister--Rev. R. M. Bamboo. He devotes much time and effort to make the school known and understood by the educated natives, and edits a magazine for the benefit of the young girls who have left the school, and who desire to keep up the education they have received. It is an interesting circumstance that the writers in this periodical are chiefly native Christians, many of whom were educated in the schools of the mission. The school in Blacktown is taught by a native Christian woman, and on Sunday the classes meet for purely religious instruction. It is a remarkable fact that the attendance then is not greatly below that of other days. In all the mission schools, caste is of course entirely disregarded, as Christians recognise no such distinctions. Scripture instruction is also given at one part of every day. Though there may be some objection shown at first, yet this soon wears away: as the attendance is voluntary, one of the great difficulties arising from caste is thus overcome without a struggle. There are many young ladies of Brahmin caste in these schools. Some of the little girls struck me as remarkably bright and intelligent, and there can be no doubt that Hindoo girls would generally be so, if properly educated.

The widow of the excellent Mr. Anderson conducts a girls' boarding-school, in which there are now be