in Surat in gorgeousness of living, and the English presidents endeavoured to obtain the respect of the native princes and people by their magnificence. At the present day we understand better the true character of greatness, and the Hindoo nature is sufficiently enlightened to appreciate the moral grandeur of a railroad, as greater than external pomp. Though many of the tombs of the greatest pretensions are not such as to approve themselves highly to modern taste, and some remind one more of Mahometan than of Christian architecture, yet it is impossible to pass without notice the tomb of the Oxendens, those 'most brotherly of brothers,' as they have been called by Mr. Bellairs, in his 'Account of the Old Tombs of Surat,' which has been reprinted from the ‘Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society' (vol. vi. p. 146), and gives an interesting description of these and other monuments. Christopher Oxenden died first, in 1659, and his brother erected over his grave a domed structure, with four pinnacles at the corners. On a small marble slab is a quaint inscription written by him in Latin, which may be thus rendered

'Here lies buried Christopher Oxenden, by his life an example of probity; by his death, one of the perishable nature of life.

'He makes his entrance and his exit, and here he brought to a termination his undertakings and his life. 'He was able to enter in his accounts only days, not years, for Death suddenly called him to a reckoning. 'Do you ask, O my Masters, what profit you have gained, or what loss you have suffered?

'You have lost a servant, we a companion, he his life; but on the other side of the page he may write, Death to me is gain.'

Sir George Oxenden survived his brother ten years,

and then was laid near him, and a lofty mausoleum was erected in his honour, enclosing his brother's tomb. It is forty feet high, with two storeys, and massive pillars support two cupolas rising one above the other; round their interiors are galleries, reached by a flight of many steps. In the upper compartment is a marble slab with a laudatory Latin inscription, which is still legible. Sir George is styled Anglorum in India, Persia, Arabia præses,' but it is stated that the greatest glory of this noble mausoleum is that it covers' generosos duos fratres fraterrimos.'

Many tombs most interesting to the antiquarian are found here some displaying the armorial bearings of their families; but, as one author truly remarks, ‘The devices of western heraldry quaintly contrast with the semi-Saracenic architecture of the tombs, and with the luxuriant tropical foliage in which they are entombed.'

Time did not allow of a visit to the Dutch cemetery, which is a little farther from the city; the tombs are fewer, but of more varied design, and overhung with luxuriant parasitical plants. The most splendid tomb is that of the Baron Van Reede, who was called the Mæcenas of Malabar, and who made and sent to Holland valuable collections of books and curiosities. He died in 1691. This tomb exceeds all others in size and magnificence; some idea may be formed of its costliness, from the fact that six thousand rupees were charged to the Dutch Company for mere repairs.

This reverence for the dead among Christians forms a striking contrast to the neglected manner in which at Ahmedabad the Mahometan tombs are left exposed by the wayside, without any wall or defence around them; it is strange that a people who show such peculiar and almost superstitious respect to the remains of their great

men, as we saw at Sirkhej, should be so careless about those of their friends. It is also remarkable that the mode of disposal of the dead which is universally regarded with the utmost horror among Western civilised races, should be the approved custom of the Parsees, who are numerous at Surat. I had no desire to visit their tower of silence, where the dead are deposited, to be torn in pieces and devoured by vultures. We turned from the dead to the living.

The boys' school, in which youths are prepared to pass their matriculation examination, and the Normal Training School, do not differ in general character from those at Ahmedabad. The girls' school, however, appeared superior, though exhibiting the same peculiar features. In the large schoolroom, containing from eighty to one hundred young girls, whose ages probably ranged from six to ten years, there was no female teacher, and the lower classes appeared inert and unoccupied. The first classes were intelligent, and answered the questions put to them by the inspector, who kindly accompanied us, with much quickness. The questions were of course in the vernacular, as in no Hindoo schools is English yet taught to girls. Being anxious to know how far the knowledge displayed by the girls was real, I requested that the class may be asked some questions respecting common objects. The nature of silk was that put to them, and a little girl, after giving a correct answer, at once ran for a lesson-book in which was a chapter on the silkworm, with a picture at the top; this she triumphantly brought, to demonstrate the correctness of the reply. The class wrote dictation in Guzerathi very correctly: at the head of every exercise each girl wrote an invocation to her deity for help.

Several native gentlemen were present, who took a

warm interest in female education; they wished for me to meet a number of the ladies themselves, and it was arranged for them to assemble in that room the same afternoon. A few English ladies were invited to accompany me, but of course no gentleman was to be present except those who were necessary as interpreters. At the appointed hour we went to the meeting, and found the room nearly filled with Hindoo ladies, chiefly the mothers of the young scholars. Seats of honour were appointed for the English strangers, whose dress and deportment were the subject of much criticism and comments among the native ladies. There were other arrivals after ours, and we were surprised to find that many had walked there unattended through the streets. One lady came escorted by her husband, who endeavoured to obtain admission with her, and who expressed much annoyance at being refused. I felt it then, as always, extremely tantalising to be unable to exchange any expressions of friendship with those ladies, otherwise than by dumb show; but I went among them, endeavouring to make my friendly feelings understood, and they readily reciprocated them. Some of the ladies had brought their young children with them, but on my attempting to take an infant in my arms, I was saluted with a loud scream, evidently being regarded with as much terror as is a black man by English children. I was in future cautious in my advances to creatures too young to comprehend the friendliness of my intentions. The pictures, toys, and ornaments which I had with me were objects of much curiosity not only to the children, but to the grown-up ladies, and I only regretted that I had not provided myself with more, to distribute as tokens of friendly interest. When the Hindoo and English ladies had surveyed each other sufficiently (I was be

coming accustomed to have every article of my dress closely scrutinised), I was requested to address them; this was to be accomplished through two interpreters, as at Ahmedabad, since the elder gentleman who had summoned the meeting did not understand English.

Whether the sense of what I said was correctly conveyed to my audience I cannot of course say, but my remarks were certainly translated, and then delivered. with full emphasis and considerable amplification, and appeared to be fully appreciated. At the conclusion, the young wife of the speaker came forward, and handed me an address, composed and beautifully written by herself in Guzerathi. The following translation was afterwards given me the simplicity of the expressions guarantees the sincerity of the writer:

To the very benevolent and virtuous woman,
Mary Carpenter.

'Dear Mother-A few days ago I learnt from my husband your name, and your object in coming here at such a great distance from your country. I was very anxious to see you. Now that you come here, and that you take so much pains to better our condition, I in behalf of these sisters here present feel very thankful to you. May God grant you long life, and may you continue to exert yourself in this laudable work!' (Signed)

Surat, October 16, 1866.

These few words express the feeling which was everywhere manifested by native ladies in each Presidency, in connection with my visit. The fact of my coming from so great a distance to see them, unconnected with any society, and without any other motive than a desire to