the Orissa Pundit, and into the other by Vydyunath, the Mahratta Pundit, under the superintendance of Dr. Carey.* While these things were taking place in India, an event occurred in England which has greatly promoted the translation and dispersion of the Scriptures in the East; I mean the erection of that stupendous engine of charity, The British and Foreign Bible Society, formed at the London Tavern, March 7, 1804. The Society made their first Report April 20, 1805.† In the college of Fort-William, at the examination in February or September, 1804, bne of the Theses discussed was this: "The natives of India will embrace the Gospel, as soon as they shall be able to compare the Christian precepts with those of their own books." In the spring of that year the Missionaries wrote to their Society, requesting if possible that 1000l. might be sent to them yearly, and adding, "We have it in our power, if our means were equal to it, in the space of about fifteen years, to have the Word of God translated and printed in all the languages of the East. Our situation is such as to furnish us with the best assistance from natives of the different countries. We can have types of all the different characters cast here; and about 700 rupees per month, (part of which, I hope, we shall be able to furn ish,) would complete the work. [Then follows a catalogue of the B. P. A. vol. iii. p. 32. Pan. vol. vi. p. 39, 4. Mem. p. 11, 12, 1. Ch. Kes. p. 89, 90. Pan. vol. i. p. 138. M. B. M. M. tol, i. 234. 1 languages, showing how imper. fect their knowledge was at that time.] The languages are the Hindostanee, Mahratta, Orissa, Telinga,Bootan, Birman, Chinese, Cochin-Chinesc, Tonquinese, [the people of Cochin-China, and Tonquin have but one language,] and Malay. [They mention about the same time the Carnata.] On this great work we have fixed our eyes. Whether God will enable us to accomplish it, or any considerable part of it, is uncertain." In their next quarterly letter, dated June, 1804, they say, "In our last public letter we mentioned our wish to attempt the translation of the word of God into some other of the languages of India; as the Hindostanee, the Persian, the Mahratta,the Orissa, &c." They seem not yet to have actually commenced any translation besides the Mahratta and Orissa,and those were claimed by the College. But in their public letter in September they stated that they had begun to translate into the Persian and Hindostanee, (in the Persian they commenced with the Psalms,) and to print a part of the New Testament in the Mahratta with the Nagree types, which they calculated would "also do for the Hindostanee Bible." Something like an attempt seems to have been made to begin an impression of the Orissa, but it was not pursued. are beginning," they add, "to cut a fount of Orissa types, in order to print ali or part of the Testament in the Orissa. We are waiting to see the Hindostanee Gospels which are printing at Calcutta for the College. When we can have the advantage of seeing this work, we shall very probably begin [to print] "We part of the Bible in Hindostanee." In January, 1805, they wrote to the four new Missionaries, who were at Madras on their way to Serampore, that they had "begun a translation of the Scriptures into the Hindostanee, Persian, Orissa, and Mahratta lauguages." From these quotations, it is apparent that about the beginning of 1804, the Mahratta and Orissa Translations were commenced by Pundits under the superintendance of Mr. Carey, who being connected both with the Mission, and the College, each institution claimed the undertaking. The printing of these translations was begun, as early as September, either at the Mission press, which was largely patronized by the College and its friends, as we have seen in a former Number, or rather at the College press. In the following February Mr. Carey says, "The ten first chapters of Matthew are printed in Mahratta at Dr. Hunter's press." But it is equally apparent, that as early as September the Missionaries had commenced Translations into the Persian and Hindostanee, distinct from those going on in the College, and were beginning an independent career, such as they had pursued in respect to the Bengalee. The translation into the Western Malay, was undertaken by Thomas Jarrett, Esq. of the Civil Service, under the patronage of the College, sometime before this, as the Gospels were finished in that language before the following March.* 'B. P. A.vol. iii, p. 19, 23,24,33. M. B. M. M. vol. i, 143, 144. Ed. R. No. 32. D. 395. Mem. p. 12, 14. Ch. Res. VOL. V. New Series. The means of obtaining a version of the Scriptures in the Chinese language had early oc cupied the minds of the Superintendants of the College. Af ter long inquiry they succeeded in procuring Mr. Joannes Lassar, a native of China, and an Armenian Christian. This young man, born at Macao, educated under Chinese masters, and a proficient in the language, had been employed in his native place by the Portuguese in conducting their official correspondence with the Court of Pekin. He was willing to relinquish his commercial pursuits and attach himself to the College for a salary of 4501. (about $2000) a year. But as the order for reducing the establishment of the College was daily expected, this salary could not be paid from the College funds. He was however retain. ed at the above stipend in a pri vate character, and with the assistance of a Chinese moonshee, entered immediately on Translation. This is Dr. Bu chanan's account of the business, whose modesty seems to have concealed the real agent. Mr. Carey informs us that Lassar was "employed by a gentleman in Calcutta," who, there is no reason to doubt was Dr. Buchanan himself. the Mr. Lassar, being an Ar, menian Christian,translated from the Armenian Bible, one of the earliest and best versions extant, and began his labors a little after the month of September 1804. In March 1805, Genesis and Matthew were in a course of . translation, and some chapters of each had been printed off.* This was the state of things in the beginning of 1805, when Dr. Buchanan wrote his Memoir of the Expediency of an Ecclesiastical Establishment for British India, which was finished before the 12th of March, and published soon after. In that Me. moir, he stated that there were then attached to the College, "upwards of one hundred learned men," who had arrived "from different parts of India, Persia, and Arabia;" (Mr. Lassar, from China was not attached to the College;) and represented that seven Translations, (including all that had been begun, except the duplicate of the Hindostanee and Persian undertaken at Serampore,) as being "under the auspices of the Marquis Wellesley," and spoke of them as one great design intimately connected with the College. Afterwards in his Christian Researches he declared that five of these Translations, (the Bengalee and Chinese being excepted,) had been commenced; and were in 1805 conducted, under the patronage and direction of the College. According to this representation, the Mahratta and Orissa stood on different ground from the Chinese, though that was so far connected with the College as to be supported and directed by at least one of the Superintendants. Before the Memoir was finished in March 1805, the four Gospels were translated into Persian, Hindostanee, and the Western Malay, and nearly all the New Testament into the Ch. Res. p. 95, 96. Mem. p. 12, 14, 92, 94. B. P. A. vol. iii, p. 223. Mahratta and Orissa. The Persian was done by the late Lieutenant Colonel Colbrooke, Surveyor General in Bengal. A part or the whole of the Gospels was printed at the College press, and was the first Persian version published in India. It has since been deposited in the Bibliotheca Biblica at Calcutta. In his Memoir Dr. Buchanan announced his determination to return to England, after visiting the Syrian Christians and the Jews at Cochin, with a view to investigate their records. The same spring, just after the Mcmoir was finished, the Marquis Wellesley left India, and was succeeded in the government by Sir George Barlow. By these events and the certain prospect of the exclusion of the Translations from the College, the Mission-house began to gain the ascendency. The superintendants of the College, impressed with the importance of restoring Sacred learning to the East, unwilling to lose the expensive provisions which had been made, and the advantage to be derived from the presence of so many learned natives who probably could never be assembled again, determined to encourage individuals to proceed with their Translations, and among others they aided the Baptist Missionaries to the utmost of their pow er.f At that time the Missionaries possessed a foundery for types and three presses; and the same spring they enlarged a building +Mem. Title-page and p. 10-12, 14, 91, 92. Q. R. No. 1. p. 179. Ch. Res. p. 89, 92. 150, 240. Nar. p. 46. Pan. vol. ii, p. 138. into a spacious printing office adapted to their future operations. Their letters written about that time gave their friends in England to understand that they had it in contemplation to translate the Scriptures into seven languages, and that they had made very considerable progress in three, understood to be the Bengalee, Mahratta, and Orissa. On this information was founded the advertisement which Captian Wickes published in the United States, the following autumn. The Missionaries say under date of August 6, 1805, "We have begun to translate the Scriptures into the Orissa, Mahratta, Persian, and Hindostanee languages. A beginning is made in printing the Mahratta New Testament, [which seems to be printing at Calcutta,] and a fount of types for the Orissa is partly cut." Their letters about this time assume a new tone of confidence and independence, and they begin to speak in the language of men conscious that the great work is devolving on them. In the Form of Agree ment which they drew up in October to regulate their conduct in regard to the Mission, they laid it down as a leading principle "to labor with all their might in forwarding translations of the Sacred Scriptures into the languages of Hindostan." The same month Mr. Marshman "read a Memorial on the practicability and propriety of translating and printing the Scriptures, particularly the New Testament in all the languages of India." It was their calculation that 5000l. ($22, 200,) would enable them to spread to 2000 copies in each language, At the time of making this annunciation, (October 23, 1805,) the same Missionary says, "The Translation of the Scriptures into the Mahratta, Hindostanee, and Persian, is going forward." That year Matthew was published in the Mahratta language, and in December two hundred copies were given to Mr. Taylor, a Missionary from the London Society, for distribution at Surat.* After Mr. Lassar had been employed about a year upon the Chinese version, the superintendants of the College, (or Dr. Buchanan,) wishing to render him otherwise useful, proposed to the Missionaries that he should reside at Serampore, on the following condition; that one of their number, and three at least of their youth, should im mediately commence the study of the language. Mr. Marshman accepted the offer, and *B. P. A. vol. iii, p. 108, 162, 167, 169, 182, 187, 193, 208, 209, 223 M. B. M. M. vol, ii, p. 198, 321, Pan, vol. vi. p. 39. about the beginning of the year 1806, sat down to the work, with two of his sons, and a son of Mr. Carey. They were thus employed bfore the month of February, and by the middle of March Mr. Marshman had committed to memory nearly four hundred sentences, and had begun to write the language. Mr. Lassar instructed his pupils, and carried on the translation under the inspection of the Missionaries, and in that employment he is still engaged. It was directed by those who placed him at Serampore, that there should be regular public Examinations and Disputations in the Class, (as at the College,) and they have been held semiannually in February and September, in the presence of officers of the College, of the Asiatic Society and of the Government. The proficiency of the Class has exceeded all expectation, and at the College examition in February 1808, their progress was noticed in a very handsome manner by Lord Minto, the Governor General. The expenses of this Translation, since the month of May, 1806, are charged in the accounts of the Missionaries.* Thus it appears that as late as the latter end of 1805, translations into no more than seven languages had been commenced,viz.the Bengalee, Persian, Hindostanee, Mahratta, Orissa, Western Malay, and Chinese. A second translation of the Persian, and Hindostanee had been undertaken at Serampore; the Mahratta and Orissa, which appear to have been under the superintendance Ch. Res. p. (96, with 89, 133.) 97, 98. B. P. A. vol. iii, p. 223, 224, Pan. vol. vi, p. 37, 39, 40. of Mr. Carey, from the first were, together with the Chinese, put into the hands of the Missionaries, who had now under their care all the languages, except the Western Malay. The superintendants of the College were holding up their hands, and the Bible Society had come forward to assist, (in the lanaries,) in circulating the Word guage of one of the Missionaof God in all the languages of the East. This was the state of things at the commencement of the year 1806. Early in that year the Missionaries, supported by this general Translating the Scriptures into patronage, issued "Proposals for all the Eastern Languages of which they then had any knowledge." The Superintendants of the College "exerted themselves in circulating" these Protlements in Asia, and in promotposals "among the English seting subscriptions for that object by all the means in their power." Before the middle of May the papers had been widely dispersed, and by the month of June, $7,770,) were subscribed. 14,000 rupees (about It Carey dated April 25th, that the appears by a letter from Mr. languages in view were fourteen. From that letter I make the following extract: "We are now engaged in a great undertaking; I mean that of translating the Word of God into fourteen languages. Whether we shall live to finish it must be left with God. A subscription has been opened here to assist in defraying the expense. Considerable progress has been made already in four languages, and some progress in three others, [making the |