314

THE BANYAN OF HUMAN SOCIETY.

stacles to a universal revolution, are but agencies which infallibly conduct to the remotest depths of the country the impression made by the missionary at the surface. He may be impatiently thinking that the solidity caused by these bonds has reflected into vacant space the impulse he had applied; while, in fact, by that very means it is transmitted through many a region unseen by him, and is even then vibrating at the core of the mass. It does seem clear, that when you have a moral force equal to effect the change designed, the more close the mutual dependency of those to be acted upon, the more wide the influence exerted by every application of that force. Where the population is limited, and the relations of society are loose, it is, humanly speaking, comparatively easy to convert a man to Christianity. His conversion is of unspeakable importance; it saves a soul from death. But what relation has this event to the stability of Satan's empire in the continents that contain more than half the human family? Scarcely any. A jewel has been snatched from destruction, but no stone struck from the foundation of the citadel of evil. Not so with the conversion of one forming part of a system which embraces a continent. His escape rends a link in a chain whereby millions upon millions were bound. Every individual who, overcoming the restraints of Hinduism, embraces Christianity, effects, however unconsciously, an achievement by which Asiatic superstition is one degree weakened, and the way to grace made, for the people of nations, one degree easier. Little undertakings have speedy issues. Great undertakings are of slower consummation; but a large soul would rather effect the feeblest service toward the ran

som of multitudinous people, than reap the hasty delights of a small achievement, begun and ended in a lifetime, but, when ended, leaving the great interests of the human kingdom as they were before. To one who thinks for the present only, the peculiar features of Hindu society will appear most formidable obstacles; to one who thinks for a century, they will appear the most certain instruments of universality in the ultimate triumph. It would be an undertaking of appalling magnitude to attempt the conversion by units of two hundred millions of souls. The ties that bind them together more increase the hope of universal regeneration, than they diminish the facilities of partial change. All that we lose in velocity, we gain in power. In no country will individual conversions, in a given locality, be slower at first than in India; in no country will the abruption of masses from the "great mountain" be so vast or so rapidly successive. Some time ago, this would have been called " speculation." The events of the last seven years prove these views to be just. The thousands who have lately embraced Christianity in neighbourhoods long under missionary culture, are so many witnesses in their favour; witnesses, also, that the impatience that would decry a great continental mission, if its conversions be not so rapid as in little islands of savages, is the result, in some cases, of unbelief, and in others of ignorance as to the character of the enterprise; an ignorance which frequently consists, even in its highest degree, with what is called "intelligence."

Around Goobbee appeared many signs of that gradual change of public opinion which must precede every re

volution. Things ancient and venerable were losing their influence; startling questions were broached in private circles; the gods were not dreaded or trusted as before; and, above all, the whole people avowed a belief that their religion would pass away. Several times, when I have said, to persons declaring themselves resolved to die in the paths of the ancients, "All the idols shall perish, and every knee shall bow to the Lord Jesus;" they have replied, in a tone of pensive assent, Ideetu, "It will be so."

CHAPTER VII.

INDIA: WHAT IS IT?

Physical Outlines-Partly Tropical, partly Temperate-Its Productions-Its early Trade-Course and Effects of the Trade -Its Influence on our Marine-On our Trade- On our social Life Arithmetic-Its ancient Science-Its Influence in Religion-Teaching Egypt-Converting China-Our Conquest -Its Results-Where lies the World?-The loud Call.

INDIA is a region more than twenty times as large as England and Wales, and equal to the united extent of France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Turkey in Europe, Austria, Prussia, Bavaria, all the minor German States, with Belgium, Holland, and Denmark. Its people are divided into thirty-five different states, speaking thirty different languages. They number two hundred millions; a population equal to that of the whole continent of Europe, and comprising at least one-sixth, probably one-fifth, of the entire human race.†

* These languages, though, like the tongues of Europe, having close affinity one with another, are quite as widely separated as they, and in some cases more so.

† In a Lecture on the "Extent, &c. of the British Empire," I have said, "For proof that this, and not the common estimate of 130,000,000, and such like, is correct, see the works of the Count Björnstjerna and Montgomery Martin. The latter shows that the population of 422,990 square miles, the only portion of India for which there are correct returns, is 89,577,206; but the entire area of India is 1,128,800 square miles, consequently these 89,000,000 are the population of little more than a third of the country, which must therefore contain considerably above 200,000,000.

318

PHYSICAL OUTLINES.

China excepted, India is the most populous country in the world.

Its physical outlines deserve a word. That magnificent mountain-chain which runs eastward from the Caspian Sea, traversing Asia, is interrupted as it approaches the vale of Cashmere by an opening which parts the Hindu Coosh on the west from the Himâlaya on the east. Through this opening the Indus descends from the plains of Thibet, and, separating India from Affghanistan and Beloochistan, forms its western boundary.* On the north, for a length of fifteen hundred miles, an uninterrupted barrier is formed by the gigantic Himâlaya; while the Brumhapootra, rounding the further extremity of that chain, marks the eastern frontier. The two sides of the triangular peninsula which constitutes its southern termination rest respectively on the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal.

Starting from the Indus, and proceeding eastward, every stream encountered for about four hundred miles takes the direction of that great river, and runs southerly towards the Arabian Sea. The whole tract covered by this geological level is called the Plain of the Indus, and includes the Punjaub, Scinde, and neighbouring states. Further eastward than the above limit, all the streams are found to take the same direction as the Ganges, flowing toward the Bay of Bengal. The tract covered by this level, although extending over a length of about one thousand two hundred miles, with a breadth of six hundred, is called the Plain of the Ganges, and includes most of the Bengal provinces. On

* This river is said to discharge in the dry season eighty thousand cubic feet per second.