England, of his fine person, and most courtly manners. The representations of the Earl indicate the amazing extent, tenaciousness, and accuracy of his memory; and in this and other respects fully accord with what we learn of him from other sources; the Author was, however, mistaken in supposing that he had been "declared to have lost caste." RAMMOHUN ROY recently stated that every effort had been made for the purpose, and that he had had, at an enormous expense, to defend himself against a series of legal proceedings instituted for the purpose of depriving him of caste, and thereby of his patrimonial inheritance. Through his profound acquaintance, however, with the Hindoo law, he baffled the efforts of his interested enemies, and proved in the Courts of justice that he had not forfeited his rights. These legal proceedings must have continued, in different ways, for several years. They appear to have terminated in the Provincial Court no long time before RAMMOHUN ROY set out for England. On leaving Calcutta, he charged his two sons to forget the conduct of their cousins in connection with them.

Besides essentially contributing to the establishment and maintenance of native schools, RAMMOHUN ROY directed his efforts, and with great success, towards the extinction of the practice of burning widows. One of his tracts on this subject he dedicated to the Marchioness of HASTINGS, when the Marquis was Governor General.

It has already been shown that as early as 1817 he had directed his attention to the Christian religion; but he found himself greatly perplexed by the various

doctrines which he saw insisted upon as essential to Christianity, in the writings of Christian authors, and in conversation with those Christian teachers with whom he had communication: he resolved, therefore, to study the original Scriptures for himself; and for this purpose he acquired the knowledge of the Hebrew and Greek languages. Becoming strongly impressed with the excellence and importance of the Christian system of morality, he published, in 1820, in English, Sanscrit, and Bengalee, a series of selections, principally from the first three Gospels, which he entitled, "The Precepts of Jesus, the Guide to Peace and Happiness." He passed by those portions of the Evangelists which have been made the basis of distinctive doctrines; and also (except where closely interwoven with the discourses of Christ) the narratives of miracles-believing these to be less fitted to affect the convictions of his countrymen, while the preceptive part he deemed most likely "to produce the desirable effect of improving the hearts and minds of men of different persuasions and degrees of understanding." "This simple code of religion and morality," he says, at the close of his preface, “is so admirably calculated to elevate men's ideas to high and liberal notions of one God, who has equally subjected all living creatures, without distinction of caste, rank or wealth, to change, disappointment, pain and death, and has equally admitted all to be partakers of the bountiful mercies which he has lavished over nature; and is also so well fitted to regulate the conduct of the human race in the discharge of their various duties to God, to them

selves, and to society; that I cannot but hope the best effects from its promulgation in the present form.”

This work was published anonymously, but without concealment of the source. It brought upon him some severe and unexpected animadversions in "The Friend of India"; the writer of which uncourteously, as well as most unjustly, spoke of the Compiler as a heathen. Under the designation of “A Friend to Truth," RAMMOHUN ROY published an Appeal to the Christian Public in defence of the "Precepts of Jesus"; in which he declares, that the expressions employed in the preface should have shown the opponent "that the Compiler believed, not only in one God whose nature and essence is beyond human comprehension, but in the truths revealed in the Christian system." He further maintains that the "Precepts of Jesus" "contain not only the essence of all that is necessary to instruct mankind in their civil duties, but also the best and only means of obtaining the forgiveness of our sins, the favor of God, and strength to overcome our passions and to keep his commandments." He defends the system which the Compiler had adopted to introduce Christianity to the native inhabitants, by appealing to the fact that nearly three-fifths are Hindoos and two-fifths Moosulmans, the latter devoted from their infancy to the belief in one God; and declares that, from his own experience in religious controversy with them, he is satisfied that he was rendering them most service by making them acquainted with those precepts (by which he appears to have meant, more generally, instructions) "the obedience to which he

believed most peculiarly required of a Christian, and such as could by no means tend in doctrine to excite the religious horror of the Mohammedans, or the scoffs of the Hindoos." "Such dogmas or doctrinal and other passages," he afterwards says, "as are not exposed to those objections, and are not unfamiliar to the minds of those for whose benefit the compilation was intended, are generally included, in conformity with the avowed plan of the work; particularly such as seem calculated to direct our love and obedience to the beneficent Author of the universe, and to him whom he graciously sent to deliver those precepts of religion and morality whose tendency is to promote universal peace and harmony." When replying to the objections of the Reviewer, that the precepts of Christ do not shew how to obtain the forgiveness of sins and the favor of God, the Friend of Truth extracts from the compilation "a few passages of that greatest of all prophets who was sent to call sinners to repentance”; and adds, “Numerous passages of the Old and New Testaments to the same effect, which might fill a volume, distinctly promise us that the forgiveness of God and the favor of his Divine Majesty may be obtained by sincere repentance, as required of sinners by the Redeemer."

On these anonymous publications, Dr. MARSHMAN, of Serampore College, published a series of animadversions which led to a very remarkable reply from RAMMOHUN ROY-the Second Appeal-with his name prefixed, which is distinguished by the closeness of his reasonings, the extent and critical accuracy of his scriptural

knowledge, the comprehensiveness of his investigations, the judiciousness of his arrangement, the lucid statement of his own opinions, and the acuteness and skill with which he controverts the positions of his opponents. All the publications of this controversy were soon reprinted in London; and those who wish to become acquainted with the sentiments of this remarkable man, as to his Christian belief generally, and his own opinions respecting God and Christ, may be referred with confidence, and in an especial manner, to this Second Appeal to the Christian Public in defence of the "Precepts of Jesus." The doctrine maintained in it respecting God, is thus stated by himself :-“ That the Omnipotent God, who is the only proper object of religious veneration, is one and undivided in person"; that "in reliance on numerous promises found in the sacred writings, we ought to entertain every hope of enjoying the blessings of pardon from the merciful Father, through repentance, which is declared the only means of procuring forgiveness for our failures"; and that he leads "such as worship him in spirit to righteous conduct, and ultimately to salvation, through his guiding influence which is called the Holy Spirit," "given as the consequence of their sincere prayer and supplication." And respecting "Jesus of Nazareth" he speaks as the "Christ of God": he says he places "implicit confidence" in his "veracity, candour, and perfection": he represents him as "a Being in whom dwelt all truth, and who was sent with a divine law to guide mankind by his preaching and example"; as receiving from the