English is the lingua franca in all parts of the country for professions and clerkships-that is, of course, everywhere an essential. The vernaculars of the natives of Madras are Tamil and Telugu; one of these must be acquired for communication with their fellow-citizens. The Mahometan parents wish their children to learn either Persian or Arabic; every boy is expected to acquire one of these two languages. These boys come usually quite ignorant, and with untrained minds; every language has its own peculiar genius and mode of thought; it would certainly appear, then, that for each boy to be learning four languages at a time must not only prevent his acquiring any one correctly, but must engender a confusion of thought, which is very injurious to the moral as well as to the intellectual development. At home, in our British and National Schools, a second language is never attempted, in the lower middle-class schools it is rarely taught, and in our public schools it is beginning to be understood that the almost exclusive study of two dead languages, however valuable themselves, is injurious to the general development of the mind, and to due preparation for the work of life. What, then, must be the effect on these ignorant lads of the enforced study of four languages?

There is a large boys' school for Hindoos managed by themselves only. Some time ago a rich native bequeathed on his decease a large sum of money for benevolent purposes. The executors let it remain many years unappropriated, and it was at last suggested that it might be employed for educational purposes. Legal proceedings were necessary to put it on a sure foundation; but, with the help of some influential English gentlemen, this was accomplished, and very extensive

premises are devoted to an excellent Hindoo school. Patcheappah Hall, so named after the native gentleman through whose benevolence it was established, stands as a monument of what the natives can do for themselves when once they have a real desire to accomplish anything.

There is another portion of the community which has a strong claim on the English, and this is fully acknowledged-orphans who, on one side at least, are of English descent. In Madras are very many families of mixed race-half-castes, generally termed East Indians, or, as they prefer being called, Eurasians. A large proportion of the orphans are of this race, though others are the children of English soldiers or artisans who have died in the country. There are at Madras two sets of asylums. That for civil orphans, both boys and girls, I had not an opportunity of studying, as the day on which I visited it happened to be a holiday. To the Military Male Orphan Asylum I paid an interesting visit. We arrived just as dinner was ended. It had been laid in a pleasant verandah, and the crows were busily performing the part of scavengers, devouring all the fragments that remained. The institution is pleasantly situated, with large airy rooms, and considerable space around. The three hundred boys marched to the schoolroom in excellent order, and formed in classes. They appeared very attentive and fairly advanced in their lessons, answering well any questions put to them. Much apathy and dependent spirit seemed to pervade these boys, however, as to their work in life, and preparation for it; none of those whom we asked respecting their wishes for the future, seemed to have entertained any desire to exert themselves, or thought beyond the present. In this

respect they formed a striking contrast to our industrial school boys at home, who are full of energy and vigour; many there are ready to hold up their hands when the question is put, What boys wish to go to sea?'-an enquiry which elicits no response in these regions. This kind of listlessness and apathy may be traceable in part to the inherent inaptitude for exertion existing in the East Indians, and partly to the natural tendency of institutions to engender such a spirit, unless it is counteracted by the system adopted. Everything appears to be here done which is possible to promote a healthy physical and mental development. Active recreations are provided for the boys, who practise gymnastic exercises; the elder ones give considerable attention to cricket. They are besides taught to do part of the housework, and to make their clothes. The last report thus speaks on this point: One point requires further notice. A very large portion of the ordinary school-work was formerly performed by native, servants. This in itself was a great evil, since it was too frequently found that these servants were dishonest, untruthful, and generally of a character whose influence and example could not but have an injurious effect upon the boys. On the other hand, their employment prevented the lads from learning the great lesson of self-help, while a further evil was the resulting idea that manual labour was degrading and suitable only for natives. Notwithstanding a considerable increase of work, caused by improved sanitary and other arrangements, the services of ten servants have been dispensed with, their work being performed by the boys at a saving of 75 rupees per mensem. In addition to this, the introduction of sewing-machines, worked by selected boys, permitted the whole work of preparing the cloth

ing of the orphans to be done within the walls, at a saving of at least 25 rupees per mensem.' The expense of ten servants was saved by this management, the health of the boys was improved by the exercise, and the 100 rupees per month thus economised were added to the dietary, and produced a perceptible improvement in the physique of the boys. As the children are often received very young, there is an infant or nursery department, presided over by a matron and her daughter, where the infant system is developed. Perhaps the presence of strangers prevented the sports of these little ones from being quite as spontaneous as could be desired. Still, everything appeared to be arranged to make this institution, what it may certainly be regarded, a model one.

The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts has here a station, which diffuses its influence in the country round; and has, besides the common schools which it has established, an institution to train young native converts for the ministry. This seminary is presided over by the secretary of the Society, the Rev. Alfred Symonds, who exercises a truly paternal influence over the students. I had a sort of ancestral claim on his kind attentions; his father and mine were friends in childhood, and to his brother, an eminent physician of Clifton, I owe, under God, restoration from a dangerous illness some years ago. This was one of the strange and unexpected meetings, of which I had many in that country. He therefore invited me to come and hear the young men receive a Greek Testament lesson before their morning meal. About sixteen native students surrounded the study-table, with the reverend secretary, their instructor. The sight of a number of young

men, who have seriously devoted themselves to go out, heart and soul, to preach the Gospel, and to help on their fellow-creatures to travel heavenward, is always an interesting one: in the present case it was peculiarly so, as facts declared, more clearly than words could do, that they courageously abjured the idolatry of their nation, that they loved Christ better than country or kindred, and that they earnestly desired to lead their people in the same blessed way. It may of course be attributed to prejudice on my part, but there always appeared to me a peculiar openness of expression in genuine native converts; they rejoiced in the liberty with which Christ has made His servants free, and felt that a sympathy existed between them and other followers of the same Master, of a totally different kind from what can be shared by such as have not the same glorious hopes. Such were certainly my feelings as I sat amongst those students at Vepery College. Though no peculiar dress is assumed by Christian converts-who do not desire to denationalise themselves, and who do not forget, or wish to do so, that they are Hindoos by race, yet they are careful generally to adopt a simple and neat attire, and wear on the head nature's beautiful covering instead of the turban: this alone imparts a different expression to the countenance.

The subject selected for the lesson was the first chapter of the Epistle to the Galatians. They had previously studied it with their instructor, and now showed the accuracy and care with which they had been taught, and had learnt; scarcely a single correction required to be made, though they were expected not only to translate accurately, but to explain the meaning and bearing of each verse, and to show that they thoroughly understood the various inflections of the