number of works, and established a pretty respectable library in Calcutta, in which I have placed the books with which you have favoured me, in the same manner as all the books that the Rev. Mr. ADAM, the Unitarian Missionary in Bengal, and myself have received at different times from England. Mr. ADAM is preparing a catalogue of the books belonging to this library, and will, I doubt not, send a few copies for the perusal of the Committee in London, Liverpool, &c.

"In the month of December last, Mr. R., a member of the firm of Messrs. M. and Co., of this place, left Bengal for Europe, and I embraced that opportunity of answering a letter I had the pleasure of receiving from the venerable Mr. BELSHAM, and begged at the same time his acceptance of a parcel of books sent in charge of that gentleman. I also sent a duplicate by the hands of Mr. S. A., a Member of the Unitarian Society in Calcutta, and a particular friend of mine. As subsequent to these despatches I received the books stated in Mr. BELSHAM'S letter to have been forwarded to my address, I beg to send a short letter acknowledging the receipt of them; which I shall feel obliged by your transmitting to that gentleman.

I have the pleasure of sending you for your acceptance a few tracts as a token of regard and respect, and

remain,

"Yours most obediently,

"CALCUTTA, June 4, 1824.

RAMMOHUN ROY.

"P.S.-From the pamphlet, No. 6 and 7, published

by a neighbour of mine, and another by a friend, you

will perceive to what a degree of ridicule the Trinitarian preachers have brought the religion they profess among the enlightened natives of India. I hope to God these Missionaries may at length have their eyes opened to see their own errors.

The Unitarian Chapel he succeeded in establishing, with the coöperation of the Rev. W. ADAM, the Missionary already alluded to, and others.

The effect of this zealous devotion to the cause of truth on his worldly position, both with his countrymen and English residents, may be easily imagined. He bore it all nobly and unflinchingly. The following testimony to him on this point is valuable. It is from Mr. J. S. BUCKINGHAM, who from his arrival in India, in June, 1818, had ample opportunities of knowing him. It is from a letter dated 68, Baker Street, Portman Square, London, Aug. 4, 1823

"RAMMOHUN Roy might have had abundant opportunities of receiving rewards from the Indian Government, in the shape of offices and appointments, for his mere neutrality; but being as remarkable for his integrity as he is for his attainments, he has, during the five years that I have known him, and that too most intimately and confidentially, pursued his arduous task of endeavouring to improve his countrymen, to beat down superstition, and to hasten as much as possible those reforms in the religion and government of his native land of which both stand in almost equal need. He has done all this, to the great detriment of his private interests, being rewarded by the coldness and jealousy of all the great

functionaries of Church and State in India, and supporting the Unitarian Chapel—the Unitarian Press— and the expense of his own publications, besides other charitable acts, out of a private fortune, of which he devotes more than one-third to acts of the purest philanthropy and benevolence.

"I am ready to meet any man living and confirm verbally what I here commit to writing for your use; for nothing will delight me more than to do justice to one whom I honour and esteem as I do this excellent Indian Christian and philosopher."*

The warm interest which RAMMOHUN ROY took at this early period in the cause of freedom is evidenced by the following note to Mr. BUCKINGHAM:

"MY DEAR SIR,-A disagreeable circumstance will oblige me to be out the whole of this afternoon, and as I shall probably on my return home feel so much fatigued as to be unfit for your company, I am afraid I must be under the necessity of denying myself the pleasure of your society this evening; more especially as my mind is depressed by the late news from Europe. I would force myself to wait on you to-night, as I proposed to do, were I not convinced of your willingness to make allowance for unexpected circumstances.

"From the late unhappy news, I am obliged to conclude that I shall not live to see liberty universally restored to the nations of Europe, and Asiatic nations, especially those that are European colonies, possessed of a greater degree of the same blessing than what they now enjoy.

"Monthly Repository," 1823, Vol. xvII., p. 442.

Under these circumstances I consider the cause of the Neapolitans as my own, and their enemies as ours. Enemies to liberty and friends of despotism have never been, and never will be, ultimately successful.

"Adieu, and believe me,

"Yours very sincerely,

"August 11th, 1821." *

"RAMMOHUN ROY.

It is not to be wondered at that warm enthusiasm was excited in the hearts of many by the noble example of the Hindoo Reformer. Multitudes shared the feelings expressed in the following passage, extracted from the " Christian Reformer," 1823, p. 5 :—

Over

"We look to the East for the rising of the sun. the regions, so denominated, there has hung a long and dark night. The western Christians have carried back light thither, as to its source. The messengers have gained more light in their progress. Missionaries begin to reform their own minds, as well as the minds of others. They have found some sparks of truth amidst the heaps of superstition that have been accumulating for ages. One shining light, at least, has been found in a dark place. The rays of traditional truth, enshrined in the heart of the wild and monstrous system of Hindooism, guided RAMMOHUN ROY to Christianity, and to Christianity in its purity; and this virtuous and noble-minded Christian Reformer may be an instrument in the hands of Divine Providence of both awakening his natural Hindoo brethren from the slumber and

* Addressed to JAMES SILK BUCKINGHAM when at Calcutta.

talked freely of the politics of Europe, and especially of England; he seemed perfectly to understand our whole system of parliaments, &c., &c. Talking of some regulations in this country, which appeared oppressive to the natives, especially of their not being eligible to posts of rank in our service, he said readily it was certainly a hardship, but allowed that the majority were not fit for it * Some of the Missionaries attacked his little books in rather a severe style, which led him to write a small pamphlet in reply. It is a perfectly Christian pamphlet, in which he acknowledges himself /a convert from conviction, to the general tenets of our Bible. He could not, he says, subscribe to the Trinitarian doctrine, because, he says, he finds no authority for it in the Scripture. He argues the matter very fairly, and quotes with great ease and fluency the passages of both the Old and New Testament, explaining some maltranslations of Hebrew, which Trinitarians sometimes urge in their favour. On the whole, I wish I could send you the pamphlet of both parties: if I can I will; and I think you would find in RAMMOHUN ROY not an unable and not an uncloquent Christian in his expression, though, perhaps, you may not agree with him in all he says."

The Hindoo Reformer having fully satisfied himself of the importance of the Christian Religion, devoted himself earnestly to support it, and entered into communication on the subject not only with England but with the United States. The following interesting letter was addressed by him to a gentleman of Baltimore, and